Tag Futebol

The former players criticized the USMNT Gold Cup roster, suggest Pochettino's hands were 'tied'

Howard says Pochettino should have taken stronger stanceDonovan suggests there was a viable compromiseBoth place blame on federation leadershipGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED

This USMNT’s pre-Gold Cup roster was announced last week, with Christian Pulisic and Antonee Robinson among the major stars not on the squad.

Pulisic requested to take the summer off, with U.S. Soccer saying, “Christian and his team approached the Federation and the coaching staff about the possibility of stepping back this summer, given the amount of matches he has played in the past two years at both the club and international level with very little break."

Former USMNT stars Tim Howard and Landon Donovan voiced concerns about U.S. Soccer and Mauricio Pochettino's approach to roster selection for the summer tournament.

“Mauricio Pochettino was forced into a decision, OK?” Donovan said on his Unfiltered Soccer podcast with Howard. “When your best player calls you and says ‘I don’t want to come in this summer’ what are you supposed to do? So, your options are; ‘I don’t care, I don’t care how your feeling, you’re coming in!’ – and now your best player is pissed off at you. And oh, by the way, what happens when your best player gets hurt?

"Now he’s blaming you and we’re all blaming him or he has to do what he decided to do which is ‘Ok, I’m going to leave you off and risk our team not doing as well, and risk not having you here.’ And he had to do that with multiple players – so multiple players ended up tying his hands and it just makes it difficult for him, it makes it really difficult for him. What is he supposed to do?"

Howard said the absences mean Pochettino won’t be able to fully evaluate his full squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The former Everton and Manchester United star said that there should have been a plan to prioritize the Gold Cup.

“My hope would be that there was this plan in place that says, 'This is last chance saloon, to get all of my guys together to see what I have.' By the way, you talk about evaluating, when the Gold Cup ends, Mauricio Pochettino will not know – I’m going on record as fact – he will not know what his best team is made of in the most difficult moments. Think about that for a second. So my thing is, there had to have been a plan in place that says ‘We are prioritizing the Gold Cup, we’re going to win the Gold Cup’.

"You and I, Landon, have been in rooms with managers on the USMNT that have said to us this exact thing, ‘Listen boys, we’re going to play this tournament exactly how we’re going to play next year’s World Cup.’ You and I have heard this, Landon: ‘We’re going to mimic what the World Cup’s going to look like so we have an idea of what that looks like next year.' Mauricio Pochettino does not have that, so I’m saying this needed to be a priority."

Howard said the U.S. manager should have overruled absentee requests from players other than those who are injured or have Club World Cup commitments.

“You ask what is he supposed to do because a player has tied his hands? [Pochettino) is bigger than U.S. Soccer – he makes it a priority and if the manager says ‘Look guys, this is how it’s going to be’ they’re not going to throw the toys out of the pram. And if they do, they’re going to miss the World Cup. And they’re not going to do that, so they’re going to fall into line."

AdvertisementWHAT LANDON DONOVAN SAID

Donovan said a compromise could have been reached regarding games and playing time.

“You could not even come in for the friendlies, and start by not playing your last two club games," he said. "So now you’ve had rest since mid-May all the way through first week of June, we’re going to get you moving, running and all a little bit on your own. You’re not even coming in with the group, and we’ll see you on June 10, four days ahead of the first game.

“You’re not playing in the first two games, period. If, by some reason, we need you for the third game, which we shouldn’t, we might suit a few of you up, put you on the bench and get you going. Then you’re going to play in the knockout stages… That’s another compromise that could have been made.”

Howard called out the federation for not talking to European clubs in advance, requesting that they make certain players available.

“I’m not putting the blame necessarily on Mauricio Pochettino,” Howard said. “What I’m saying is all of these conversations needed to be had with the global sporting directors at these clubs. So I’m putting a ton of this on U.S. Soccer, as there needed to be people on planes and restaurants in Milan, restaurants in London, saying ‘Listen, I understand you have priorities, let me tell you about my priorities. The Gold Cup in 2025 is my priority.’

“'I need to have my best team, I need to give the manager that I’m paying $6M dollars to – or rather I have an obligation – to get him his best team on the field. Now that may not mean anything to you, but it means the world to me, and that’s more important. So how do we figure this out?’ That’s dialogue, and I don’t necessarily know that that dialogue has been had with sporting directors.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The criticism from two former USMNT players comes at a key juncture for the USMNT program, with the 2026 World Cup on home soil now just one year away.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportWHAT’S NEXT?

Before the Gold Cup, the USMNT will play friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland on June 7 and 10, respectively.

ICC’s appeal panel reviewed match footage and concluded the pitch had “several redeeming features”

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jan-2023

England forced a result in the Rawalpindi Test with a sporting declaration in their second innings•AFP/Getty Images

The ICC has rescinded the demerit point it had handed out to the Rawalpindi pitch after Pakistan’s first Test against England last December.The surface used at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium was deemed “below par” by match referee Andy Pycroft, the second successive Test pitch at that venue to have been given that rating.However, the PCB under new chairman Najam Sethi, had appealed against the ICC’s decision earlier in January. The ICC said its appeal panel reviewed footage from the match and unanimously concluded that the pitch had “several redeeming features”, and felt the pitch did not deserve the “below average” rating.The fact that 37 out of 40 wickets were taken and that the match had a result were among the “redeeming features”, the ICC said.In the match, England scored 657 in the first innings at a run rate of 6.50, before Pakistan fought back with a score of 579. In their second innings, England raced to 264 for 7 in even quicker time, striking at over 7 runs per over, before declaring and setting Pakistan a target of 343.Pakistan nearly held on for a draw, but England managed to bowl them out late on the fifth day to win by 74 runs.Ramiz Raja, who was the PCB chairman at the time, had said that the pitch was “embarrassing”.He told reporters then: “It is embarrassing for us, especially when you have a cricketer as chairman. This is not a good advert for cricket. We’re a better cricketing nation than this.”This was the second demerit point Rawalpindi had received in 2022, following the one it got for the Test against Australia in March.

Aston Villa are weighing up a move to sign a defensive “leader” to replace Diego Carlos, according to a recent report.

Aston Villa transfer news

Unai Emery has already been backed by NSWE in this transfer window as he’s been able to get Donyell Malen and Andres Garcia through the door. However, given they decided to let Diego Carlos leave and join Turkish side Fenerbahce on a permanent basis last week, they are in the market for a new defender.

Sky Sports: Club in talks to sign £75k-p/w Aston Villa player open to exit

Before the transfer window closes, there could be a big departure from Villa Park.

By
Brett Worthington

Jan 26, 2025

The Villans have been heavily linked with a move for Sevilla defender Loic Bade, but a transfer has hit a stumbling block in the last week, with reports stating that a deal could be off.

Another defender that is on the radar of Villa is Villarreal centre-back Juan Foyth. The Argentina international is well known to Emery, as the Villa boss worked with the player during his time at the La Liga club. Fabrizio Romano has reported that Villa are in talks with Foyth over a possible move back to the Premier League.

It is not only defenders Villa are looking to sign, as they are also in the running to sign teenage hotshot Sverre Nypan. The Midlands side have presented their project to Nypan, but so have Arsenal and the City Group. The 18-year-old is set to visit all interested clubs before making a decision on his future.

Aston Villa agree personal terms to sign defensive "leader"

If talks don’t go well with Foyth, Villa do have another option on the table, as according to Football Insider, Aston Villa are exploring a loan move for Chelsea defender Axel Disasi.

The report states that Emery is keen to bring in a new defender before the transfer window closes next Monday, as Carlos’ departure has left his options at the back short. Disasi has fallen down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge, and a loan move could materialise before February 3rd.

It has since been added by Fabrizio Romano that personal term have been agreed between Disasi and Villa following a direct talk with Emery.

The 26-year-old, who has been dubbed a “leader” for his performances, has played just six times in the Premier League this season, scoring one goal in the process, which came in the emphatic win over Southampton in December. The Frenchman, who earns £80,000 a week, has also played six times in the UEFA Conference League, as well as a handful of appearances in the cup competitions.

Axel Disasi’s UEFA Conference League stats
Apps	6
Starts	6
Minutes per game	85
Goals	1
Assists	2
Clean sheets	2
Interceptions per game	1.2
Tackles per game	1.0
Clearances per 90	1.7

His position under Enzo Maresca is a surprise given he played 31 times in the Premier League last season, but for whatever reason, he is out of favour under the Italian, and given he is under contract until 2029, the best Chelsea may be able to get is the defender leaving on loan. Disasi showed last season that he is comfortable in English football and could be an excellent addition for Villa, bringing composure and experience to their backline.

The Argentinian coach is already focused on Pumas clash after tough loss to Pachuca

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Sergio Ramos, Sergio Canales, and Óliver Torres missed the match due to injury
• Monterrey will host Pumas this weekend in a do-or-die match for a spot in the Liguilla
• The winner will face Toluca in the quarterfinals

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Monterrey head coach Martín Demichelis is already turning the page after his team’s 2–1 defeat to Pachuca in the Play-In, a result that now forces into a do-or-die matchup against Pumas for a spot in the Liguilla. The winner will advance to face Toluca in the quarterfinals.

  Key absences played a role in the loss, as Sergio Ramos, Sergio Canales, and Óliver Torres all missed the match due to injury, leaving Monterrey without their Spanish core. Despite an early lead through Germán Berterame in the 11th minute, mounted a late comeback with goals from Lucas Bauermann (82’) and Salomón Rondón (87’).

  “The feeling is the opposite of happiness. We faced a rival that made us uncomfortable. In the second half, without making changes, we adjusted and improved, took the lead, and then had four fatal minutes where every action turned the game,” said Demichelis after the match. “The feeling is one of great frustration and sadness because we expected to take that step into the playoffs.”

  Still, the Argentine coach emphasized that the team must quickly shift its focus to the upcoming challenge.

  “There's no time for regrets, we have to prepare for the match against Pumas,” he added. “We have to take responsibility. The tougher things get, the more this team responds.”

  Demichelis could have reinforcements for the decisive weekend clash, as Ramos, Canales, and Torres may return to action just in time.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  There’s no time for regret in Monterrey – nothing is lost yet. will have one final shot at reaching the Liguilla when they host Pumas this weekend, but the pressure is immense on Demichelis and his squad. With significant investments made in the roster, including the high-profile signing of Sergio Ramos for the Clausura 2025, crashing out in the Play-In would be considered a major failure.

  Despite the fans’ growing frustration, the Argentine coach remains hopeful that supporters will fill the stadium for the decisive showdown.

  “There’s no explanation that can satisfy the fans – there just isn’t. Let me stay positive and focus on the next match. After that, we’ll make a full assessment of what these four months have been: the short preseason, the injuries, the squad… But there are no words, not even apologies, because we’ve already put ourselves in the fans’ shoes and apologized in the past,” Demichelis said.

  “The fans’ frustration is totally understandable and valid. The only thing we can say is that we have one week left – we must beat Pumas and qualify for the playoffs. After that, we’ll all need to engage in self-criticism to help this institution continue growing. But right now, there’s no sugarcoating, no excuses, nothing we can say to the fans,” he added.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT EFRAÍN JUÁREZ SAID

  In one of the other Play-In matches, UNAM punched their ticket to the next round after edging FC Juárez in a dramatic penalty shootout, with goalkeeper Alex Padilla emerging as the hero. The young shot-stopper made key saves during the shootout, ensuring his team’s progression.

  The Auriazules will now travel to Monterrey to face in a decisive clash for a place in the Liguilla.

  “I believe we truly deserve to advance to the next round. We created more chances, and the team put in an extraordinary defensive effort. We looked organized and knew exactly how we wanted to play,” said the coach. “Even with 10 men, we generated scoring opportunities – doing that on the road is something to be proud of.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Monterrey head into their decisive match against Pumas carrying a dominant record in recent meetings. are unbeaten in their last nine games against the Mexico City side, with Pumas’ most recent win coming back in 2022.

  To further highlight Monterrey's superiority in this rivalry, consider this: in the last 20 encounters between the two clubs, UNAM has managed just two victories. have claimed 13 wins and five draws over that stretch — a clear sign of their recent dominance.

Glasgow Rangers transfer business has been hit or miss over the previous few years under Philippe Clement, Michael Beale and Giovanni Van Bronckhorst.

These three managers have signed their fair share of dross. Notable names include Ben Davies, Sam Lammers, James Sands and Kieran Dowell, splurging big money on either transfer fees or wages to entice them to Ibrox.

Of course, there has been the odd success story since the Light Blues’ last Premiership title win in 2021, with young players such as Mohamed Diomande, Hamza Igamane and Clinton Nsiala, who could all develop into stars that will generate major profits for the Ibrox side.

Despite the Jekyll and Hyde nature of the club in the transfer market since 2021, it hasn’t been nearly as bad compared to Pedro Caixinha’s spell in charge of the club…

Pedro Caixinha’s signings at Rangers

The Portuguese manager will go down as one of the worst in the club’s history, with his record in the transfer market particularly bad.

Alfredo Morelos and Ryan Jack would go on to be vital players for the club under Steven Gerrard, but aside from those two, Caixinha wasted plenty of cash.

Indeed, Carlos Pena and Eduardo Herrera cost £2.2m and £1.5m respectively, a staggering sum at the time, especially considering progress in Europe was non-existent, and the club had spent just a year back in the top flight.

More money was splashed on Norwich City midfielder Graham Dorrans, who also cost the Light Blues around £1.5m, but this transfer was looked upon as a smart piece of business by Caixinha.

Pedro Caixinha’s signings at Rangers
Player	Club signed from
Carlos Pena	Chivas
Eduardo Herrera	UNAM Pumas
Dalcio	Benfica (loan)
Alfredo Morelos	HJK Helsinki
Ryan Jack	Aberdeen
Fabio Cardoso	Vitoria Setebal
Bruno Alves	Cagliari
Graham Dorrans	Norwich
Daniel Candeias	Benfica
Declan John	Cardiff (loan)
Aaron Nemane	Man City (loan)
Via Transfermarkt

The move soon turned into a disaster.

Graham Dorrans’ Rangers stats

Former Gers boss Alex McLeish showered him with praise upon arriving in Glasgow, saying:

Having made 142 appearances in the Premier League for Norwich and West Bromwich Albion, it was evident that Dorrans could add some steel to the Gers midfield.

Despite the hype generated on his arrival, enhanced even further when he scored twice against Motherwell in the opening game of the league season, it wasn’t long before the Scot suffered an injury.

Following five goals and two assists across his first ten domestic matches, the midfielder suffered an ankle injury which kept him out for the next six months, hampering the wonderful start he had at Rangers.

The 2018/19 season saw him make only three appearances, as a knee injury ensured he spent the majority of the campaign on the treatment table. Despite the lavish fee spent on Dorrans, it was clear the move didn’t work out, departing by mutual consent in 2019.

This month, Clement is keen on bringing a few players to Ibrox to bolster his squad. Much will depend on the budget he has available, suggesting moves will have to be made for those who could be available for nothing.

One player who has been linked with a move to Rangers is Allan Campbell, who is on loan at Charlton Athletic in League One.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

While the club need some reinforcements, a move for Campbell could see the Gers repeat their Dorrans mistake, especially as he doesn’t appear to have the attributes which would make a huge difference to the starting XI.

Rangers linked with move for EFL midfielder

As reported by Football Insider earlier this week, the Light Blues are one of the teams eyeing a swoop for Campbell, who is contracted to Luton Town.

Fellow Premiership clubs Hearts, Hibs and Aberdeen are also showing interest in the midfielder, perhaps proving that he shouldn’t be on the radar of the Gers.

His contract expires this summer, which means Clement would be able to agree a pre-contract move for the Scot – or sign him immediately this month for a fee – but his performances recently suggest making a move shouldn’t be at the top of his list.

Allan Campbell’s statistics during his time in England

The 26-year-old made his mark at Motherwell, playing 160 times for the Steelmen before making the move to Luton Town in 2021.

He was heavily praised during his spell in Scotland by manager Graham Alexander, who said: “Without trying to sound like his dad, I love him to bits, he’s everything that a professional footballer should be.

“His dedication to the game, to his team, what he puts in, he gets out, and he should be a shining example for every pro that sees him work, really.”

During Luton’s promotion campaign in 2022/23, Campbell ranked in the bottom 85% for progressive passes (2.57), the bottom 62% for shots on target (0.86) and the bottom 71% for pass completion percentage (72.7%) when compared to his peers in the Championship. These statistics are worrying, especially if Clement is showing interest in the midfielder.

It is evident that he doesn’t offer much going forward, while his pass success rate is low, which means he wouldn’t get in the team ahead of the likes of Connor Barron, Nico Raskin or Mohamed Diomande, who all average 87% or more in terms of passing domestically this term.

Since August 2023, Campbell has only played 28 times while out on loan, missing 15 matches due to injury in the process.

Overall, making a move for the Scot shouldn’t be high on the priority list for Clement, especially if he is looking to spend his modest budget on quality that will either improve the starting XI or on youngsters who can develop into excellent players.

Campbell is neither, and if the Gers do pursue a swoop, it could be a repeat of the deal that brought Dorrans north of the border all those years ago.

West Ham now in pole position to sign "experienced" Rangers attacker

He’s enjoying an impressive season…

By
Tom Cunningham

Jan 15, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

No São Paulo desde os 15 anos, Diego Costa renovou seu contrato com o clube até o final de 2024. Relacionado para enfrentar o Fortaleza neste domingo (8), o zagueiro lidera estatísticas no Campeonato Brasileiro pelo time.

RelacionadasSão PauloRogério Ceni busca sua primeira vitória sobre o Fortaleza como técnico do São PauloSão Paulo07/05/2022São PauloFortaleza x São Paulo: prováveis escalações, desfalques e onde assistirSão Paulo07/05/2022São PauloSão Paulo renova com Diego Costa até 2024São Paulo07/05/2022

GALERIA
>Quais clubes tiveram superávit e déficit no futebol brasileiro em 2021? Confira

TABELA
> Veja classificação do São Paulo no Brasileirão 2022

Com uma boa atuação no Campeonato Paulista 2022, seu desempenho no Brasileirão também chama a atenção. De acordo com dados do Footstats, o zagueiro lidera algumas estatísticas da competição.

Diego Costa é o jogador do São Paulo com mais desarmes certos. Em quatro jogos, foram sete corretos e um errado, com uma média de 87.5% de acertos. O atleta está à frente do veterano Rafinha no ranking, que tem seis desarmes ao todo (acertou 83.33%).

Além disso, é o jogador de linha com mais defesas pelo Tricolor paulista. Foram seis defesas nas quatro rodadas, uma média de 1.50 defesa por confronto.

Por fim, também é o atleta do elenco com mais rebatidas. Ao todo, Diego Costa somou 30 em todas as disputas até o momento. Rafinha, com o mesmo número de jogos, tem quase a metade – 13.

Na equipe profissional do Tricolor paulista desde 2020, o jogador esteve presente em 69 jogos, com três gols. Também ajudou a erguer a taça do Campeonato Paulista de 2021.

A primeira vez que marcou foi em 2020, contra o River Plate e, em seguida, diante do Ceará. Em 2022, deixou o seu na vitória sobre o Manaus, pela Copa do Brasil.

Elogiado pelo diretor de futebol, Carlos Belmonte, o jogador, que está desde os 15 anos no clube, foi considerado como uma importante peça para o elenco de Rogério Ceni.

-Estamos trabalhando forte nessa valorização dos garotos da nossa base, sempre pautados no mérito deles. O atleta sobe, tem a oportunidade, todo o nosso respaldo, e é valorizado naturalmente quando atinge uma posição de importância no elenco, como é o caso do Diego Costa neste momento – disse o diretor de futebol.

O zagueiro pode ser opção de Rogério Ceni para o duelo contra o Fortaleza. A partida acontecerá neste domingo (8), às 19h, na Arena Castelão. Será válida pela quinta rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.

MatériaMais Notícias

Demitido do Internacional após a eliminação do clube na Copa do Brasil para o Globo-RN, quando o Colorado foi derrotado pelo placar de 2 a 0, o executivo Paulo Bracks não poupou críticas a direção do Inter duranteentrevista à Rádio Guaíba. O ex-funcionário do Coloradoreclamou do imediatismo em relação ao momento de instabilidade vivido pelo time no período.

RelacionadasFutebol NacionalInternacional: Rodrigo Moledo está fora do jogo contra Independiente de Medellin pela Sul-AmericanaFutebol Nacional24/04/2022BrasileirãoCom triunfo no Maracanã, Internacional entra no G-4 do BrasileirãoBrasileirão23/04/2022BrasileirãoFluminense joga mal e perde para o Internacional em casa no BrasileirãoBrasileirão23/04/2022

>Aplicativo de resultados do LANCE! está disponível na versão iOS

Além do questionamento aos dirigentes, Bracks também falou sobre o técnico Cacique Medina, demitido em abril. Para o executivo, o uruguaio vingaria no clube gaúcho.

– Tinha total convicção no trabalho do Medina. Ia encaixar, ia dar certo. Mas a gente esbarra no imediatismo. Lembro sempre do Abel Ferreira, que podia ter sido demitido depois de ser eliminado pelo CRB. A única pessoa que eu contratei para o Internacional foi o Cauan de Almeida. Tenho certeza que o Mano Menezes vai dar certo – disse Bracks, que ainda afirmouter sido vítima de injustiça ao ser demitido.

– Minha mágoa foi muito pela personificação. Se você paga o pato sozinho, o culpado era você. A mágoa passou. Mas houve injustiça ali. A gente até pode permitir que o torcedor tenha esses devaneios de que todo mundo tenha que cair. De dentro do clube isso não é admissível. Se toda derrota tiver que virar tudo de cabeça para baixo é enxugar gelo – questionou.

Para Bracks, a eliminação para o Globo-RN foi uma falha coletiva.

– Todo mundo fracassou ali (contra o Globo). Quando você faz um link disso com a diretoria executiva parece que só o resultado interessava. Sem contar com a parte administrativa, minha mágoa é que esse link não é lógico. Não é técnico – finalizou.

Atualmente, o executivo de futebol do Internacional é Willian Thomas, que foi contratado recentemente junto ao Avaí.

Messi scored one and saw another ruled out, while Toronto showed enough on the break to earn a tricky point at Chase Stadium

Lionel Messi scored a wonderful goal, but Inter Miami dropped points in a 1-1 draw with a well-drilled Toronto FC side Sunday night. The reigning MLS MVP found the net once, and had another ruled out after a VAR decision. But Miami were also fickle at the back, and might have suffered a disappointing home loss had the visitors not hit the post multiple times in the first half.

Miami had a couple of good chances early, Jordi Alba and Telasco Segovia both seeing efforts well denied by Sean Johnson. Toronto responded, though, twice hitting the post off well-constructed moves of their own. Messi thought he had opened the scoring after 40 minutes thanks to a wonderful curled effort – but VAR intervened thanks to a foul in the build up.

Toronto struck first, with Lorenzo Insigne finding Federico Bernadeschi, who prodded past Miami goalkeeper Drake Callender to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. Messi equalized in first half stoppage time, a touch, shuffle and strike leaving Johnson stranded and setting up a fine second half.

The visitors should have made it two early in the second half after a flowing counter, but Bernadeschi fired wide. Luis Suarez matched his miss soon after, putting one just outside the post. The game tailed off after that.

Messi had his moments without carving out anything definitive. A tired Suarez was removed with 20 minutes to play. Toronto had one last go of things late on, but Callender kept Miami alive in second half stoppage time with a clever save at the near post. Fafa Picault's last second miss concluded what was an ultimately agreeable sharing of the points.

GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from Chase Stadium.

• Goalkeeper & Defense

  Drake Callender (6/10):

  Not fully sharp between the sticks. Made a few good saves, but could have reacted quicker on the goal.

  Ian Fray (6/10):

  A selfless showing down the right. Chased a few lost causes and offered an option on the overlap.

  Tomas Aviles (7/10):

  Covered the right channel effectively, kept the ball, and won all of his tackles.

  Gonzalo Lujan (6/10):

  Made to look rather silly by Bernadeschi on the Toronto opener, but was solid otherwise.

  Jordi Alba (6/10):

  Forced a tremendous save early on. Created all sorts of issues in the final third, but didn't track back on a few occasions.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Midfield

  Robert Taylor (6/10):

  Held his width effectively and created space for others. Removed at half time – suggesting he will likely be in the side Wednesday in the CONCACAF Champions Cup vs LAFC.

  Federico Redondo (6/10):

  Did plenty of dirty work and almost ran himself into the ground. Lacked a bit of attacking quality, though.

  Sergio Busquets (7/10):

  Held down the middle while Redondo did all of the running around him. Surrendered the ball far too easily in the run up to the Toronto first. Redeemed himself by playing a role in the equalizer.

  Telasco Segovia (7/10):

  Understatedly good. Didn't appear to be doing loads, but ended the night with four chances created and an assist.

• Getty
  

  Attack

  Lionel Messi (8/10):

  Had one goal disallowed, scored a ridiculous equalizer just before the break. Everything ran through him. Immensely impactful despite not being fully fit as he ramps up his injury return.

  Luis Suarez (6/10):

  Linked play effectively in the final third. Subbed after 70 minutes, getting himself a well-earned rest.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  Subs & Manager

  Fafa Picault (6/10):

  Stretched the play with his pace, but could have moved the ball better. Missed a good chance in the last second.

  Marcelo Weigandt (6/10):

  Toronto had little joy down his wing.

  Allen Obando (5/10):

  Squandered a golden chance to give his side a late lead on his debut. Committed a couple of silly fouls.

  Yannick Bright (6/10):

  Came on and bossed the midfield for fun.

  Santiago Morales (N/A):

  No time to make an impact.

  Javier Mascherano (6/10):

  Rested a few big names with one eye on Champions Cup action midweek. His side were quality at times, but vulnerable on the break. You can't win every game, and this isn't a dreadful point – even if he would have expected three.

Celtic’s superb start to the 2024/25 campaign continued as they lifted their first trophy by winning the League Cup on penalties at Hampden Park on Sunday.

They beat their Glasgow rivals Rangers 5-4 on penalties, after a 3-3 draw in regulation time, and already have one piece of silverware secured for the season.

The Hoops are also nine points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership table, with 14 wins in 15 matches, and appear to be on course to land a fourth straight league title.

Brendan Rodgers won the top-flight and the SFA Cup in the 2023/24 campaign and has already lifted the only domestic trophy – the League Cup – that he missed out on last term.

His team have also performed well on the European stage. Celtic have only lost one of their six matches in the Champions League and are in the play-off places as it stands.

There are some players in the squad, however, who have not contributed much to the team’s success across all competitions and could be moved on when the January transfer window opens for business next month, including winger Luis Palma.

Why Luis Palma should be sold

It was recently reported by 67HailHail that two teams from the MLS are weighing up whether or not to swoop for the Honduras international ahead of their 2025 campaigns.

Atlanta United and Orlando City are both said to be eyeing up a possible move for the former Aris winger, who has found game time hard to come by at Parkhead this season.

He has only played 98 minutes, across four appearances, in the Premiership so far this term – 20 other players have spent more time on the pitch in the league than Palma within the squad.

The left winger has produced zero goals and zero assists in seven outings in all competitions, in what has been a disappointing follow-up to a fairly decent first season in Scotland.

Although Palma’s form dipped in the second half of the campaign, the forward showed plenty of promise with his displays at the top end of the pitch in the Premiership.

23/24 Premiership

Luis Palma

Appearances

28

Starts

18

Goals

7

Big chances created

14

Assists

9

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old wizard was far from useless in the top-flight last term, with 16 direct goal contributions in 28 appearances.

Palma showcased his ability to make a big impact at the top end of the pitch, as both a scorer and a creator of goals, and had the ability to score goals out of nothing, as shown in the clip below.

Unfortunately, though, the forward has only scored two goals in the Premiership in 2024 and has found himself near the bottom of the pecking order under Rodgers, with the likes of Hyun-jun Yang, Nicolas Kuhn, James Forrest, and Daizen Maeda ahead of him.

Therefore, Celtic should take advantage of the MLS interest in Palma and brutally ditch him from the squad. However, they should also swoop to sign another attacking midfielder to take his place, amid interest in Chelsea’s Carney Chukwuemeka.

Celtic's interest in Premier League youngster

It was reported by The Boot Room earlier this month that Celtic are one of the clubs that have been offered the opportunity to sign the England youth international in the January transfer window.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Expand Collapse

The outlet claimed that the Hoops and their Scottish rivals Rangers have both been told that the door is open for them to swoop for the former Aston Villa academy graduate ahead of the second half of the season.

It stated that he is not a part of Enzo Maresca’s plans moving forward and that all parties are working towards an exit next month, as he has also been offered to teams across Europe.

Carney Chukwuemeka

The Boot Room revealed that Chelsea would be open to selling him on a permanent deal, or loaning him out, depending on what offers come in for his services.

Football Insider have since added that Celtic could make a loan move for the attacking midfielder, but that they would need the Premier League side to contribute towards his wages.

Whilst it remains to be seen whether or not the Blues are willing to do that, Rodgers securing a move for Chukwuemeka would allow him to finally cash in on Palma.

Why Celtic should sign Carney Chukwuemeka

It would be somewhat of a gamble by the Hoops because the 21-year-old gem has yet to play regularly at first-team level in his career to date, which means that he would come in as a raw talent with potential, rather than a known quantity.

Celtic are already thriving across all competitions, though, and this means that they can afford to take a short-term risk or two in the transfer market, as they are not in desperate need of guaranteed hits in the January window.

The England U20 international is not an out-and-out left winger, like Palma, but has played on the left flank and as an attacking midfielder in his career, which means that he could provide cover across the frontline, as well as being a central midfield option.

Chukwuemeka’s former teammate James Norris once claimed that the midfield ace is a “a bit like Pogba” and that is backed up by Villa insider Charlie Jennings’ description of his style of play.

He told Sempre Milan: “Carney is an outstanding ball carrier from deep areas of the midfield. He is known for marauding, mind-boggling dribbles through tight areas and compliments this with a delightful array of passes.”

Vs Astana (12/12/24)

Carney Chukwuemeka

Minutes

67

Pass accuracy

89%

Key passes

2

Dribbles completed

3/5

Duels won

7/11

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the midfielder showcased his ‘mind-boggling’ dribbling skills in his most recent performance for Chelsea in the Conference League, completing three of his five attempted dribbles.

Chukwuemeka, who has scored 12 goals and produced 14 assists in 76 games as a midfielder in his senior and youth career combined, has shown promise in Europe for the Blues – as shown by his performance against Astana, but is yet to prove himself on a consistent basis.

Celtic must now offer him the chance to come in on loan and show what he can do domestically and in Europe for the Hoops, allowing Rodgers to brutally bin Palma in the process.

Related Celtic thought they had the next Tierney, now he's not played in 10 months

The Celtic youngster has not kicked on in the same way that Kieran Tierney did.

Posts ByDan Emery Dec 17, 2024

“We are trying to get him here as soon as possible once we have the clearance from NCA” – Rohit Sharma

Nagraj Gollapudi22-Mar-2022

Suryakumar Yadav was retained by Mumbai Indians ahead of the IPL 2022•BCCI

Suryakumar Yadav is set to miss to Mumbai Indians’ opening match of the IPL, which will be against Delhi Capitals on March 27. ESPNcricinfo has learned that the 31-year-old, who picked up a hairline fracture on his thumb on February 22 in the final match of the T20 series against West Indies, is yet to be released by the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, where he has been in rehab for the past few weeks.”Surya is at NCA at the moment. He is recovering well. He’ll be here soon. I can’t give his availability right now, whether he will be available for the first game or not. But, yeah, we are trying to get him here as soon as possible once we have the clearance from NCA,” Mumbai’s captain Rohit Sharma said.Suryakumar’s absence is a significant loss for Mumbai, who have no other specialist Indian international in their batting order apart from captain Rohit Sharma and the biggest buy of the February auction Ishan Kishan.Since he was bought in 2019, Suryakumar has played a pivotal role as a top-order batter for Mumbai. While the five-time champions failed to make the knockouts last season, Suryakumar continued to flourish. He was their second-leading run-scorer with a tally of 317 at a strike rate of 143.43 and an average of 22. With his ability to float around the batting order, and, importantly accelerate from the time he arrives to the crease, Suryakumar has become a key batter for both Mumbai and India.It is likely that Mumbai will be forced to consider the pair of cousins – Ramandeep Singh and Anmolpreet Singh – to replace Suryakumar while he is unavailable. Uncapped Hyderabad batter Tilak Varma is favourite to play at No. 3.