Bayern Munich legend Thomas Muller has joked his post-playing career path back to the club is "already mapped out" after comments from Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. The 36-year-old, who is starring in the MLS for Vancouver Whitecaps, remains non-committal on a specific role but admits his connection to the club of his life, Bayern, remains "very, very good."
Cristiano Ronaldo’s glittering career has rarely faced criticism for effort, but a surprising revelation from Andrea Pirlo’s former assistant suggests otherwise. Alparslan Erdem, who worked with Pirlo in Turkey, explained that the coach's tactical system clashed with Ronaldo’s style, leading the Italian to secretly prefer Alvaro Morata during his time at the helm in Turin.
Why Pirlo preferred Morata over Ronaldo at Juventus
Ronaldo’s spell at Juventus brought goals, trophies and unmatched professionalism, yet behind the scenes, it wasn’t always a perfect fit. During Pirlo’s only season as head coach in 2020–21, the Italian legend struggled to mould a system that could balance his ideas with Ronaldo’s free-flowing, goal-hungry instincts.
Now, Erdem who was Pirlo’s former assistant at Turkish side Karagumruk has shed new light on the tactical tension that defined that season. Speaking to , Erdem revealed that while Pirlo respected Ronaldo’s talent, his data-driven approach showed the former Manchester United star wasn’t ideal for his preferred pressing system.
AdvertisementGettyErdem spills the beans on Pirlo
The 36-year-old Shkupi manager revealed some candid details about Pirlo. Erdem claims the Juventus legend preferred Morata over Ronaldo but couldn't bench the former Real Madrid winger as Serie A side spent a whooping €117m on him in the same year.
"We did an analysis, and his analyst gave us some data. One thing was clear: [Pirlo] didn't like [Paulo] Dybala, and Cristiano Ronaldo wasn't at all suited to his style of play," Erdem said.
He further added: "He wanted to press high, and the data showed that Cristiano Ronaldo was the worst at sprinting. He didn't want him, but there was nothing he could do. That was just Cristiano Ronaldo.
"He liked Álvaro Morata much more, who was perfect for his 4-4-2 system. His system couldn't cope with Ronaldo, but he just couldn't do anything against him."
The challenge of managing a superstar
Managing Ronaldo has consistently tested even the most experienced coaches, a challenge Pirlo also faced during his time at Juventus. Ronaldo’s commanding personality, unmatched ambition and relentless pursuit of excellence often made it difficult to balance individual brilliance with tactical discipline.
Maurizio Sarri, who coached Ronaldo at Juventus in 2019–20, admitted that integrating him into a rigid system wasn’t easy. He often felt frustrated trying to balance Ronaldo’s instinctive, attacking nature with the structured play he wanted to implement. Despite moments of tension, Sarri acknowledged Ronaldo’s remarkable ability to stay focused and quickly move on from setbacks, highlighting his elite mentality.
Jose Mourinho’s experience with Ronaldo at Madrid was defined by mutual respect but also by the clash of two strong egos. He often described managing Ronaldo as an exercise in letting go of excessive control, understanding that certain players perform best when granted freedom rather than restriction.
At United, Erik ten Hag and Ralf Rangnick both encountered similar challenges. Ten Hag had to deal with Ronaldo’s dissatisfaction over reduced playing time, which culminated in his refusal to come on as a substitute in one match. Rangnick, too, faced public criticism from Ronaldo, who questioned his authority and managerial credentials. Both situations underscored the difficulty of managing a superstar whose personal standards and influence often overshadowed team directives.
Even Fernando Santos, who shared a long and successful stint with Ronaldo in the Portugal national team, saw the relationship strain during the 2022 World Cup. Tactical decisions to substitute Ronaldo led to visible frustration and a noticeable shift in team morale.
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Getty Images SportRonaldo's final year at Juventus
In his last year at Juve, Ronaldo scored 36 goals in 44 appearances, winning the Serie A Capocannoniere with 29 league goals. He became the fastest Bianconeri player to reach 100 goals in just 131 games. Despite his individual success, Juventus finished fourth, but won the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana. Ronaldo's goal-focused style contrasted with coach Pirlo's possession-based system, yet their relationship remained respectful. That season marked the end of Juventus's nine-year Serie A title streak.
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O presidente Andres Rueda revelou detalhes do contrato entre o Santos e a empresa Blaze, patrocinadora máster do clube, na Comissão Parlamentar de Inquérito (CPI) das pirâmides financeiras.
O esquema, que investiga fraudes com o uso de criptomoedas, contou com a participação do mandatário do Peixe de forma remota.
+ Já atualizou sua camisa de 2023? Confira os novos uniformes do Peixe!
Rueda afirmou que Neymar pai, responsável pela empresa NN Consultoria, intermediou conversas entre o time da Vila Belmiro e a casa de apostas.
– A empresa, inclusive é interveniente no contrato, é a NN Consultoria Esportiva Empresarial LTDA. O contato inicial feito com o Santos, feito comigo, foi com o senhor Neymar pai. Ele tem um relacionamento amistoso com o clube. Ele me ligou falando: “Olha, vocês estão precisando de patrocínio. Eu tenho um patrocínio aqui que está patrocinando meu filho, no caso o Neymar Jr., vocês teriam interesse em conversar com eles?” – contou o presidente do Peixe.
Conforme dito pelo dirigente do Peixe, a NN Consultoria recebeu 10%, ou seja, R$ 4,5 milhões por realizar o “meio-campo” do negócio.
Como apurado pela reportagem do Lance!, o Santos sempre esteve ciente das acusações contra a casa de apostas e já procurava lidar com as possíveis complicações que isso poderia lhe causar.
O vínculo com o patrocínio máster é de R$ 45 milhões. Desse dinheiro, R$ 25 milhões foram antecipados e pagos à vista logo após a assinatura do contrato. O restante será quitado com 23 parcelas mensais consecutivas de R$ 869 mil.
MI handed franchise debuts to Bairstow and Gleeson in a knockout game
ESPNcricinfo staff30-May-20252:58
Moody: GT have a few more concerns than MI
Hardik Pandya, the Mumbai Indians (MI) captain, has chosen to bat first in the IPL 2025 Eliminator against Gujarat Titans (GT).That decision came a day after Punjab Kings (PBKS) were bowled out for 101 after being sent in to bat in Qualifier 1 at the same venue, but a fresh pitch, with significantly less grass cover, is in use for Friday night’s game.Three players won new caps, with overseas players departing both teams on international duty. Jonny Bairstow and Richard Gleeson, who both have previous IPL experience, make their MI debuts, while Kusal Mendis, who comes into the GT side, makes his tournament debut.They replaced Ryan Rickelton and Will Jacks in the MI side, and Jos Buttler in the GT line-up.There were other changes too. With the frontline quick Gleeson replacing the batting allrounder Jacks, MI balanced their line-up by bringing in the seam-bowling allrounder Raj Bawa for the swing bowler Deepak Chahar, who may also still be recovering from the hamstring injury while bowling in MI’s last game against Punjab Kings. GT, meanwhile, brought in the spin-bowling allrounder Washington Sundar for the seam-bowling allrounder Arshad Khan, possibly with dry-looking conditions in mind.Mumbai Indians: 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Jonny Bairstow (wk), 3 Tilak Varma, 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Naman Dhir, 6 Hardik Pandya (capt), 7 Raj Bawa, 8 Mitchell Santner, 9 Trent Boult, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Richard Gleeson.Impact subs: Krishnan Shrijith, Raghu Sharma, Robin Minz, Ashwani Kumar, Reece Topley.Gujarat Titans: 1 Shubman Gill (capt), 2 B Sai Sudharsan, 3 Kusal Mendis (wk), 4 M Shahrukh Khan, 5 Washington Sundar, 6 Rahul Tewatia, 7 Rashid Khan, 8 R Sai Kishore, 9 Gerald Coetzee, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Prasidh Krishna.Impact subs: Sherfane Rutherford, Anuj Rawat, Mahipal Lomror, Jayant Yadav, Arshad Khan.
يلتقي منتخب مصر لكرة اليد الأول “رجال” مع نظيره البرتغال، اليوم السبت، في مباراة ودية، ضمن الاستعدادات لبطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا القادمة.
ويخوض منتخب مصر الأول لكرة اليد، معسكرًا في البرتغال، خلال الفترة الحالية، ويلعب خلاله مباراتين أمام البرتعال يومي 30 أكتوبر و1 نوفمبر.
ولعب منتخب مصر ضد البرتغال، في المباراة الودية الأولى يوم الخميس، وانتصر المنتخب المصري بنتيجة 32-28.
طالع | موعد والقناة الناقلة لمباراة مصر وألمانيا اليوم في نهائي كأس العالم لكرة اليد تحت 17 عامًا.. والمعلق
يأتي معسكر منتخب مصر في البرتغال من أجل الاستعداد القوي لخوض منافسات بطولة كأس الأمم الإفريقية المقرر إقامتها في رواندا خلال شهر يناير المقبل.
ويتولى تدريب منتخب مصر لكرة اليد الأول، المدير الفني الإسباني خافيير باسكوال. موعد مباراة مصر والبرتغال الودية اليوم
يلعب منتخب مصر لكرة اليد أمام البرتغال، اليوم السبت 1 نوفمبر، في تمام الساعة 6 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 7 بتوقيت السعودية. القناة الناقلة لمباراة مصر والبرتغال الودية اليوم
مباراة مصر والبرتغال، مذاعة عبر قناة اليوتوب Handgoal.. يمكنكم مطالعة القناة من هنا
ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.
Aston Villa are now racing Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United for the signature of an “electric” Premier League star, who has made a very impressive start to the campaign.
It would be fair to say Unai Emery’s side fell below their usual lofty standards at the beginning of the Premier League season, with the 3-0 home defeat against Crystal Palace likely to be particularly concerning, but they have since managed to get back on track.
Indeed, the Villans have won their last two matches in all competitions, most recently picking up their first league victory of the campaign courtesy of a fantastic second-half display against Fulham, which culminated in a 3-1 win.
Emery will be relieved his side are finally starting to look better in front of goal, but after failing to score in their opening four league matches of the season, the manager may still be worried about his side’s lack of firepower.
As such, according to a report from The Boot Room, Aston Villa have now joined the race for AFC Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, but there could be fierce competition for the Ghanaian’s signature, and it may take a huge fee to get a deal done.
Tottenham, Man United and Manchester City are also named as potential suitors for Semenyo, who was valued at £70m back in the summer transfer window, amid links with Spurs.
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Transfer expert Graeme Bailey also makes it clear that a winter exit is very unlikely to be on the cards, saying: “As it stands, Bournemouth are intent on making progress this summer and that means no sales.
“They have lost the likes of Huijsen, Kerkez and Zabarnyi in recent months and they are insistent Semenyo won’t be following them through the exit doors in January.”
It is no surprise that Bournemouth are reluctant to sanction a January departure, given just how well the 25-year-old has performed in the early stages of the new season, being dubbed “electric” by broadcaster Kris Temple.
The Cherries are currently sixth in the Premier League table, and the Ghana international has been paramount to their success, receiving Bournemouth’s Player of the Month and Goal of the Month award for August.
That follows on from a very impressive 2024-25 campaign, during which the winger picked up 11 goals and six assists in the Premier League, helping his side surpass expectations and finish ninth.
There is every indication that Semenyo could be a success at Villa Park, but Aston Villa are well-known to be struggling PSR-wise, which means forking out the potential £70m asking price could be an issue.
Despite Mexico’s recent struggles on the field, the Mexican Football Federation (FMF) remains confident in Javier Aguirre’s leadership as El Tri prepares for the 2026 World Cup. The veteran coach, who took over to stabilize a team in transition, has faced mounting criticism following a series of underwhelming results.
Getty Images SportAguirre locked in for the World Cup
FMF president Ivar Sisniega defended Aguirre’s work and dismissed any talk of change on the bench, insisting that the federation remains confident in the long-term plan. Mexico is coming off a 4-0 loss to Colombia and draws against Japan, South Korea, and Ecuador.
“Javier has created a great atmosphere within the team and transmitted the level of commitment he expects from his players,” Sisniega said. “Things are on the right track. We need patience. It’s a process, and he must continue defining the lineup that will reach the World Cup. There are still several key dates ahead.”
AdvertisementAFPA family under Aguirre’s guidance
Sisniega highlighted that Aguirre’s leadership has been essential in restoring unity and focus inside the locker room.
“He’s been fundamental for this team,” the FMF president said. “He’s built a positive environment and has the full trust of the players. We believe he’s going in the right direction.”
Getty Images SportLong-term project through 2030
Looking toward the future, Sisniega also noted that some young prospects from the 2023 U20 World Cup could begin transitioning into the senior setup, though most are being developed with the 2030 World Cup in mind.
“We all saw the great quality of that generation. Most of that group is more for 2030, but it’s possible that one or two could make the jump,” he said.
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Getty Images SportWhat comes next?
The Mexican national team returns to action during the next international window, facing Uruguay on Nov. 15 in Torreón and Paraguay on Nov. 18 at the Alamodome, with the expectation that Aguirre will field a lineup close to the one that will debut at the World Cup in June.
With a growing centre-back problem, Liverpool are now reportedly preparing a 2026 move to sign a defender worth over £55m, and he’s been compared to star Arsenal colossus Gabriel.
Liverpool's centre-back problem
The Reds entered the current campaign with a plethora of attacking options.
Arne Slot has been spoiled for choice, with Hugo Ekitiké, record signing Alexander Isak, Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, Florian Wirtz and others all vying for a starting place. But the same can’t be said for his back four.
The Dutchman has already been forced to play Dominik Szoboszlai at right-back, in a decision that has unexpectedly proven effective, and may yet have to turn towards an auxiliary centre-back.
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After Giovanni Leoni’s season-ending injury, Liverpool have just three senior centre-backs to turn to. One of them is Joe Gomez, who Slot just snubbed to play Ryan Gravenberch in the role against Chelsea when Konate was forced off through injury. So, to put it simply, the Reds may be in the midst of another defensive crisis.
Of course, the arrival of Marc Guehi was meant to solve that problem, until Crystal Palace pulled the plug on his Anfield switch in the final hours of the summer transfer window.
Now, with the race wide open for his signature, and Guehi leaning towards Real Madrid, Liverpool may be forced to turn towards other options.
This has already seen a number of names emerge as potential candidates ahead of next summer, when Konate is still scheduled to leave as a free agent with his contract yet to be sorted.
It’s a problem that Richard Hughes must solve and the arrival of one Paris Saint-Germain star would do exactly that in 2026.
Liverpool preparing Pacho move
According to reports in Spain, Liverpool are now preparing a move to sign Willian Pacho from PSG in 2026, if they fail to sign Guehi, with Hughes and the Merseysiders recruitment team viewing Luis Enrique’s man as an alternative.
The central defender is valued at €65m (£57m) and is one of the most impressive rising stars in his position as a Champions League winner at just 23-years-old.
Whether he’s the main man in PSG’s backline is another question, however. The Ecuador international has started just three of his side’s seven Ligue 1 games so far this season, but both of their Champions League clashes against Atalanta and Barcelona in a mixed start to the campaign.
Minutes
2,132
2,560
Progressive Passes
53
115
Tackles Won
32
26
Ball Recoveries
119
98
When compared to Konate last season, Pacho’s work out of possession stands out the most. Although he must work on progressing play in possession, the South American’s ball recovery rate would hand Liverpool another imperious figure next to Virgil van Dijk next year.
Also dubbed the “baby Gabriel” by analyst Ben Mattinson, PSG’s utility man is certainly someone with a lot of fans in European football.
Whether Liverpool can lure him away from the European champions remains to be seen, however.
West Bromwich Albion are now without a win from their last three games in the Championship.
Ryan Mason’s Baggies did look to be very close to an elusive win in the challenging second tier against Leicester City last time out; however, after Samuel Iling-Junior’s first goal for the promotion chasers had handed them a 1-0 advantage over Marti Cifuentes’ Foxes.
Yet, it wasn’t to be for Mason’s unlucky hosts come the full-time whistle, as various spurned chances came back to bite them courtesy of a Nathaniel Phillips’ own goal.
The former Tottenham Hotspur coach turned Baggies manager could now be prepared to change up what attackers take to the field for his side’s encounter later today versus Norwich City to ensure goal-shy displays don’t become frequent, with Isaac Price potentially facing the chop.
Price's showing vs Leicester in numbers
While the Northern Ireland international has received plenty of plaudits for his performances this season so far, he has also gone slightly off the boil over West Brom’s choppy last few Championship clashes.
Indeed, the former Everton youth product went through the entirety of September without picking up a single goal or assist, which is a notable drop-off when weighed up next to his outrageous form in August.
Games played
4
3
Goals scored
3
0
Assists
1
0
Price is unfortunately a victim of his own success here, with his three goals and one assist in August hard to keep up across a full season, as has been seen in his lacklustre offering the following month.
Mason’s experiment to throw Price in as a second striker alongside Aune Heggebo also didn’t work against Leicester, with the 22-year-old going to miss a big chance, even when handed the responsibility of leading the line.
On top of that, he didn’t link up with the Norwegian well enough to get him regularly involved in play, with the number 19 only managing a weak eight touches of the ball in total next to his new strike partner.
It could be that Mason is now preparing to drop Price from the first team altogether for the trip to Norfolk, with this Baggies goal machine primed for his first league start of the season ahead of the hot-and-cold number 21.
Mason's "special" Price replacement for West Brom
Away from Price sticking out with his three league strikes last month, West Brom haven’t been the easiest on the eye to watch so far this season.
Since putting three past Phil Parkinson’s Wrexham, the Baggies have only managed to find the back of the net a weak four times across their next five league encounters, with Josh Maja now potentially thrown into the mix to make West Brom a troubling threat in attack once more.
Mason is likely just erring on the side of caution with his injury-prone number 9 so far this season, hence his lack of starts to date, with his goal-laden campaign last season devastatingly derailed by an injury in January.
Still, he could be the spark now needed to enhance West Brom’s firepower in attacking areas, with this well-taken finish last campaign coming against Wednesday’s opponents, Norwich City, coincidentally going down as his ninth goal in total.
By the time he was sadly stricken with injury, he would boast a mightily impressive 12 strikes from 25 league clashes.
Games played
25
Goals scored
12
Scoring frequency
Every 173 mins
Assists
2
Big chances created
6
It’s not just his explosive goalscoring form that will catch Mason’s eye here, however, with the former Sunderland centre-forward also amassing six big chances created across this span of league games.
This could result in Maja supplying Heggebo with chances galore moving forward, with the Brann menace’s goalscoring prowess – firing home a lethal 11 goals in the Eliteserien in 2024 alone – hopefully then coming to the forefront.
Hailed as “special” by Carlos Corberan when the Spaniard was still occupying the Hawthorns dug-out, it does feel like a waste not to try and get the best out of Maja again, with Norwich perhaps on the receiving end of the 26-year-old’s clinical edge later on, as Mason attempts to get West Brom’s faltering season back on track with tweaks here and there.
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There was a time not long ago when seeing a Newcastle United player in an England shirt felt like a rarity.
Yet on Tuesday night, as Anthony Gordon completed 90 minutes against Wales, fans on Tyneside had reason to smile.
For a club once seen as an outsider to international recognition, Newcastle’s growing representation in the England setup marks a remarkable transformation.
Now, barring injuries, almost half a dozen Newcastle players could find themselves in the national fold.
Dan Burn appears to have established himself as England’s third-choice centre-back behind Ezri Konsa and Marc Guehi, while the likes of Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall are widely expected to receive future call-ups once they recover from their respective injuries.
Yet for all the current excitement, there’s one player Newcastle fans are forced to admire from afar.
A midfielder who came through their academy, left reluctantly, and is now flourishing in the England squad.
Anderson’s successes with England
Elliot Anderson’s story is one that continues to sting for many Newcastle supporters.
The 22-year-old, born in the Northeast and developed through the club’s academy, was sold to Nottingham Forest last summer as part of Newcastle’s desperate effort to stay within the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules.
The deal, which saw goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos move the other way, was described at the time as purely financial – neither the player nor the club wanted to part ways.
Since moving to Forest, Anderson has blossomed into one of the Premier League’s most complete young midfielders.
Last season, he made 37 league appearances, scoring two goals and registering six assists.
Minutes Played
2,728
Goals
2
Assists
6
Progressive Carries
52
Progressive Passes
143
His mix of energy and tactical awareness quickly made him one of Thomas Tuchel’s most reliable players.
His rise has continued on the international stage.
After switching allegiances from Scotland to England, Anderson has earned three senior caps, picking up two man-of-the-match awards in his first two games.
In England’s recent 1–0 win over Wales, he played 69 minutes before being replaced by Jordan Henderson, completing 77 passes (an impressive 96% accuracy) from 92 touches.
He also produced two key passes, won four of six ground duels, and made one interception.
Tuchel’s use of Anderson as Rice’s midfield partner for Declan Rice has proven to be a masterstroke.
The former Newcastle man’s ability to retain possession, play progressively, and read danger makes him an ideal modern central midfielder.
He thrives in tight spaces, dictates rhythm, and has a sharpness that’s elevated both Forest and England’s midfield balance.
For Newcastle, it’s hard not to imagine how Anderson might have looked alongside Bruno Guimarães or Sandro Tonali at St James’ Park.
But while they lost a gem in the short term, the club might just have the next one already developing in their ranks.
The England player of the future at Newcastle
At just 19 years old, Lewis Miley is being tipped as Newcastle’s next homegrown star.
Standing at 1.89m with a market value already approaching £20m, as per Transfermarkt, the central midfielder combines intelligence, technique, and maturity well beyond his years.
Last season, Miley made 14 Premier League appearances, scoring once, and has now featured 49 times across all competitions for Newcastle, including in the Champions League.
His calmness in possession and range of passing have drawn comparisons to some of England’s finest midfielders. BBC Sport’s Pat Nevin has gone as far as to describe him as “the next young English superstar.”
Despite his age, Miley already plays with the control of a seasoned professional.
He averages 48 completed passes per 90 minutes with an 88% pass accuracy, ranking among the best in his age group.
His defensive contribution is equally strong – 4.00 tackles per 90 and 1.43 blocks per 90 show a midfielder unafraid to do the dirty work.
Statistically, he even matches up well against Anderson.
While Anderson edges him in attacking metrics – 4.72 progressive passes, 1.72 progressive carries, and 2.87 shot-creating actions per 90 – Miley’s efficiency and composure are exceptional for a teenager.
His higher passing accuracy and greater defensive output underline why Eddie Howe sees him as central to Newcastle’s long-term plans.
There have been signs of growing pains this season, as he’s occasionally struggled to influence matches from deep.
Yet Howe and senior teammates like Joelinton have been quick to defend him, pointing to the experience he’s gaining as invaluable for his development.
A summer loan to Crystal Palace or Ipswich was considered but ultimately rejected.
Miley’s ability to combine tidy passing with defensive resilience makes him the archetype of the modern English midfielder.
Like Anderson, he’s comfortable playing between the lines, but he offers more control and balance in possession – something England’s midfield may need in the years to come.
For Howe, the lesson is clear: when you nurture talent properly, the next generation might already be waiting in your own backyard.
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