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Arsenal’s battle with injuries has taken a further turn for the worse after Declan Rice was ruled out of Wednesday night’s Champions League meeting with Club Brugge. The midfielder is a central figure in Mikel Arteta’s plans but was deemed too ill to travel to Belgium, which has deepened the sense of strain within a squad already stretched thin.

Injuries a major concern for Arteta

Rice had fallen unwell shortly after the weekend defeat at Aston Villa, and despite attempts to aid his recovery, the 26-year-old was unable to join the travelling party. He is not the only major absentee. William Saliba, who has been managing an ongoing issue for several weeks, remains unavailable and will miss yet another marquee European assignment. Leandro Trossard, who had only just returned from injury to score against Villa, has suffered a fresh knock and had to be withdrawn before the final whistle at Villa Park. Arteta admitted he does not expect the Belgian’s recovery to be long-term but said there was no chance of him featuring in Bruges. The Gunners are also without Kai Havertz, defenders Gabriel Magalhaes and Cristhian Mosquera, and have only just welcomed back striker Viktor Gyokeres after his own spell on the sidelines.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportArteta shares injury updates

Speaking to reporters, Arteta said: "Declan was ill. He was quite sick after the game, and he hasn’t travelled with us. William is still not available, and Leo again picked another knock in an area where he had the issue, and I don't expect that it's going to be long, but unfortunately, he cannot be here."

In an illustration of the mounting physical toll, Arsenal have altered their Champions League squad to accommodate the returning Gabriel Jesus. The Brazilian forward had been sidelined since January following surgery on his cruciate ligament, but has forced his way back ahead of schedule. His reintroduction comes at the expense of 15-year-old midfielder Max Dowman, who suffered an injury while playing for Arsenal’s Under-21 side against Manchester United over the weekend.

Arteta added: "Yes, so first of all, unfortunately, Max [Dowman] picked up an injury last weekend and had to come off. So he did some scans and he is going to be out for weeks and then we have the situation of Gabi [Jesus], who we were expecting to be training with us by the end of December. Gabi has been pushing every single day and he kept telling everybody 'I am going to be earlier, earlier, earlier' and he has done it. 

"So thanks to his work and all the work that the medical staff have done in all these months, and we had the possibility to make a swap there and we have done it. Yes, on one side, you see Max and the situation and on the other, you see the joy and how happy Gabi is to be back in the Champions League."

Overtraining claims addressed

With so many key figures unavailable, Arteta was asked whether the club’s escalating injury list is a symptom of excessive training demands. The manager dismissed the notion outright, arguing that the relentless match calendar leaves little room to train meaningfully.

"Not training, no, because we don't have time to train," he said. "So, training is not there. But obviously, the fact that you are missing players, you are loading other players more. That's a consequence of that and it's a really dangerous. The fact that we have some others who have long-term contracts that haven't been with us since the beginning of the season. But, yeah, it's a test for the team, and so far, we have reacted very, very well to that."

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Getty Images SportFixture congestion continues to spark debate

Arsenal, alongside Crystal Palace, have seen their league matches later this month brought forward by 24 hours to ease the load during a packed festive period. Arsenal’s trip to Everton and Palace’s visit to Leeds, initially set for Sunday, 21 December, will now take place on the evening of 20 December. The shift was introduced because the teams face each other in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on 23 December, creating an unusually tight turnaround. Arsenal have already contested 22 matches across the Premier League, Champions League and Carabao Cup, with the FA Cup campaign due to begin in early January against Portsmouth. As the squad travels to Belgium without several of their key performers, Arsenal face not only Club Brugge but also the growing challenge of keeping a threadbare group intact through one of the most gruelling phases of the campaign.

Usman Khawaja will have his sixth opener partner since the retirement of David Warner

Tristan Lavalette20-Nov-2025Jake Weatherald and Brendan Doggett will debut for Australia in the first Ashes Test at Perth Stadium, with Beau Webster losing his place in the XI.Cameron Green’s successful return to bowling had been a key final piece to the jigsaw. There had been a thought that the absence of Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood could still make the selectors consider additional bowling resources, but they have backed four frontline options supported by Green who got through 16 overs in the last Sheffield Shield round.The latest batting reshuffle sees Green drop back down to No. 6 where he began his Test career, having batted No. 3 in West Indies and at No. 4 before the back injury that ruled him out of last season.Related

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Doggett awaits his day as Perth Test debut looms into view

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“I think we’re pretty versatile with our order and the way we can go about it,” Smith told reporters. “And Greeny obviously played exceptionally well at three in some tough conditions in the West Indies.”But with him bowling and taking that load, we feel that six is a good position for him right now. It doesn’t mean in the future that he’s not going to slide up the order but, for right now, number six suits this team.”Marnus Labuschagne will return to the side in his favoured No. 3 position after a prolific start to the season with Queensland while Nathan Lyon is also recalled having been left out in Jamaica when Australia fielded an all-pace attack in the day-night Test.”Marnus, when he’s batting at his best at No. 3, makes us a very, very good cricket side,” Smith said of Labuschagne, who has hit five hundreds for Queensland across formats so far this domestic season.Jake Weatherald prepares himself for his Test debut•Getty Images”We couldn’t really leave him out after he came back and did exactly what was told of him. The way he’s batted in Shield and one-day cricket for Queensland in the last couple of weeks has been amazing.”When he’s batting well it’s tough to leave him out and hopefully he can bring that to the Test arena now.”It will mark the first time since 2019, when Kurtis Patterson and Jhye Richardson made their debuts against Sri Lanka at the Gabba, that Australia will hand out two new caps in the same Test and the first time in an Ashes encounter since Usman Khawaja and Michael Beer debuted at the SCG in the 2010-11 series.Doggett’s debut, as a replacement for the injured Hazlewood, means that Australia will field two Indigenous players in a Test XI for the first time. Doggett, 31, has been in excellent form for South Australia since returning from a hamstring injury earlier in the season with 13 wickets at 14.69Smith vaguely recalled batting against Doggett in a Shield match some time ago, but has faced him in the fast and bouncy Perth Stadium nets in recent days. He did not reveal whether Doggett or Scott Boland would share the new ball with Mitchell Starc.”He gets the ball down at nice pace, stands the seam up,” Smith said. “His lengths are really good, everything you need for a surface like that out there. Hopefully he can get the ball in the areas we know that he can and if he does that then I’m sure he’s going to create plenty of chances.”Weatherald, meanwhile, becomes Khawaja’s sixth opening partner since the retirement of David Warner in early 2024. On Thursday morning, Weatherald did some visualisation and shadow batting in the middle of Perth Stadium then had another hit during Australia’s final optional training session.”I watched him batting in the nets pretty closely the last few days,” Smith said of Weatherald. “They were pretty tricky nets, fast, bouncy and a lot of seam. He’s got a lot of courage, he just goes in there. I don’t think he faces any of the sidearms or anything. He wants to face bowlers the entire time.Cameron Green slips back down to No. 6 as the allrounder•Getty Images”The guys were charging in bowling fast, he took it on. He was getting in really good positions and he goes about it a certain way. He’s been selected for his performances over the last 18 months, hopefully he can bring that to the Test arena. I think he’s going to compliment Uzi [Khawaja] pretty well up top.”Weatherald has never played international cricket in any format before, ensuring plenty of scouting for England’s hierarchy. “When you’ve not played against someone before, you’ve got a vague idea of strengths, maybe potential areas you can expose them,” captain Ben Stokes said.”We’ve got all the info on Weatherald so we’ll just have to see how it goes and hopefully he’s another Australian batter we can keep quiet throughout the tour.”Webster, a team-mate of Weatherald with Tasmania, can count himself unlucky to lose his spot after making four half-centuries in seven Tests since his debut against India at the SCG earlier this year, all coming in tricky batting conditions. He had two lean outings in the Sheffield Shield but claimed eight wickets against South Australia last week.”Very tricky,” Smith said of the decision to leave out Webster. “I think he’s come into international cricket and lit it up immediately. It’s a really tough one on him.”Josh Inglis, will play for the CA XI against England Lions while the first Test is taking place, and Michael Neser are the other two players left out from Australia’s 14-player squad.Australia XI for first Ashes TestUsman Khawaja, Jake Weatherald, Marnus Labuschagne, Steven Smith (capt), Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Scott Boland, Brendan Doggett

It was recently reported that Tonda Eckert is in pole position to be named the permanent Southampton manager after an impressive performance as the interim head coach.

The German tactician has won four of his five Championship games in the dugout, notably beating Charlton 5-1 away from home, but did lose 3-2 to Millwall last weekend.

It would be understandable if Sport Republic feel that Eckert has done enough in his interim spell in charge to earn the job on a permanent basis, but there is cause for concern with the former U21s boss.

Why Southampton should not appoint Tonda Eckert

The Saints are in a position, having just come down from the Premier League, where this may be their best chance to return to the top-flight before they have to cash in on more of their top talents with parachute payments dwindling.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

This means that it would be a big risk to appoint a permanent manager based on five games as a first-team manager in England, as he had never managed a game at any level in any country before this run of matches, per Transfermarkt.

It is hard, therefore, to judge whether the first four wins were a byproduct of a ‘manager bounce’ or if they were down to his coaching, as he does not have a managerial history to back up his credentials.

Southampton need to find their next Nigel Adkins, who joined from Scunthorpe United to lead Saints to promotion from League One and the Championship and left the club in 15th place in the Premier League in his only season in the top-flight.

Instead of appointing Eckert, Sport Republic could hire their own version of Adkins by making a move for reported target and free agent manager Michael Carrick.

Why Carrick could be Southampton's next Adkins

Like Adkins, Carrick would arrive at St. Mary’s with a wealth of experience in English football already under his belt, thanks to his time with Middlesbrough.

The former Saints boss had managed Scunthorpe for four seasons, including two in the Championship, and won promotion from League One on two occasions, before taking Southampton from League One to the Premier League.

Carrick, of course, will not have to get the club out of the third tier, thankfully, but he is an English manager who has the potential to be a brilliant appointment.

Matches

16

30

Wins

4

18

Draws

5

4

Losses

7

8

Points

17

58

Points per game

1.06

1.93

League position

18th

4th

One of the reasons why he could be a great hire for the Saints is that he has achieved success in the position that they currently find themselves in, as he took Boro from 18th to 4th in his first season with the club.

The former Manchester United midfielder then led Middlesbrough to 8th and 10th place finishes in the second tier, but they ranked 5th and 6th for Expected Points in those two seasons, per FotMob, which suggests that his coaching deserved higher league finishes than it got.

Carrick, who Tom Cleverley once claimed “oozes class” as a manager, is a proven Championship head coach who has shown, over three seasons, that he can coach a team to deliver play-off quality performances, which Eckert, through no fault of his own, does not have in his corner.

The ex-Boro boss also picked up seven points in two games as interim manager at Manchester United in the Premier League before his spell in the Championship, and played 481 games in the division as a player, per Transfermarkt.

This suggests that he could also be an appointment with the Premier League in mind, because of his experience at that level, whilst Eckert has never played, managed, or coached in that league.

Therefore, Carrick appears more likely to be Southampton’s next Adkins than Eckert is, because of both his proven quality in the Championship as a manager and his potential to be a successful Premier League boss.

Southampton can hire big Eckert upgrade with move for "world-class" manager

Southampton can hire an even better manager than Tonda Eckert by making a move for this free agent boss.

ByDan Emery Dec 2, 2025

This is why Sport Republic should consider pushing to appoint the English tactician as their next permanent manager, rather than giving the interim German boss the job on a permanent basis.

After being scratched from the Atlanta Braves' lineup on Tuesday due to a back issue, Ronald Acuna Jr. returned on Wednesday with a bang. Acuna led off the game with a rocket home run, a long ball that apparently landed in uncharted waters at Sutter Health Park, as neither ESPN nor Statcast could get a good reading on the distance the ball traveled. But that arguably wasn't even Acuna's most impressive homer of the contest.

That came later in the top of the fourth inning.

Facing Athletics right-hander Mitch Spence, Acuna took the first two offerings for strikes, then opted to swing at a slider that was well out of the strike zone, but one that Spence hung nonetheless. The Braves' superstar somehow reached out and crushed the ball the opposite way to right field at 106 mph for his second homer of the game.

How indeed. The pitch was 1.19 feet from the center of home plate, which is tied for the furthest outside pitch that Acuna has homered on in his career, according to Sarah Langs of MLB.com.

Acuna certainly looks Home Run Derby-ready. The Braves' superstar will be swinging for the fences in the competition in front of the hometown fans at Truist Park on July 14 at 8 p.m. ET.

Florida State ended Stanford’s 17-match unbeaten run on Monday, winning its fifth national championship with an 87th-minute winner at CPKC Stadium in Kansas City. The No. 3 seed defeated the top-seeded Cardinal in the College Cup final for the second time in three years, adding a third national title in five seasons.

Getty ImagesWhat happened

Stanford entered the final with a nation-best 96 goals, but a lights-out performance from Florida State freshman goalkeeper Kate Ockene – who finished with a career-high nine saves – kept the Cardinal at bay. The Seminoles defended nearly flawlessly, surviving 18 shots, nine on target, before Wrianna Hudson seized on a late defensive lapse in the 87th minute.

Hudson, the team’s leading scorer with 15 goals, delivered the winner with a finish from the top of the six-yard box. With four minutes remaining, Stanford pushed hard for an equalizer, but Florida State managed the closing moments with composure, keeping the game under control until the final whistle.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesA rematch of 2023

Florida State beat Stanford 5-1 to win the 2023 NCAA National Championship, though Stanford still leads the all-time series 4-3-0. That meeting marked FSU’s fourth title and second in three years, with four different Seminoles finding the net.

Entering Monday, Florida State owned four national titles while Stanford had won three. Both returned to the final with different storylines. The Seminoles, ranked No. 3, reached the championship match for the seventh time in the last 11 years. Senior forward Jordynn Dudley, a MAC Hermann Award finalist, arrived with 11 goals and was a constant threat, firing four shots even if she didn’t score the winner.

Stanford entered as the favorite, averaging a nation-best 4.0 goals per game. The attack was led by Jasmine Aikey, who finished the season with 21 goals.

Getty ImagesThe MVP

Freshman goalkeeper Kate Ockene had the performance of her life as she was tested throughout the entire match and stepped up on each occasion to keep a high-octane Stanford attack at bay. 

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Getty ImagesThe big loser

Stanford’s back line finally broke in the 87th minute. A corner kick set the sequence in motion, and the Cardinal failed to fully clear the initial delivery, which dropped at the penalty spot. The loose ball eventually fell to Janet Okeke, who played Taylor Suarez down the right. Suarez drove a low cross back into the six-yard area, where Wrianna Hudson arrived unmarked to finish.

The group had conceded just one goal in its last three matches prior to Monday's loss.

India will eye a series win and may not want to tinker much with their XI after a close match

Sidharth Monga02-Dec-2025Big picture – Raipur’s second ODI everThere is a reason why ODIs are a format after India’s heart. Why, at a time when ODIs fight for relevance outside the World Cup, do Indians still sell out stadiums to watch their team in action? It doesn’t demand as much devotion as Tests do, but still provides enough time and certainty for their heroes to showcase their skill and fitness. And when two of the greatest of all time, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, find the form they did during the first ODI between against South Africa, it’s all the more reason for a three-match series to be frenzied.While ODIs are less reliant on luck than T20Is, the first ODI was also an example of how much heavy lifting the side losing the toss has to do. Despite all the pedigree they have, India came within a couple of connected full tosses of possibly losing to a side that has been chopping and changing, and has played 37 players in this year alone.Ranchi was India’s experience and skill coming up against the conditions and the incredible hitting depth in the South Africa line-up. You’d expect the same for the rest of the series if India keep losing tosses – they have now lost 19 in a row – but the only ODI Raipur has ever hosted was a bit of a dream for seam bowlers, who bowled New Zealand out for 108 in early 2023.Related

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It happened to be the match immediately after one that mirrored this series’ Ranchi ODI. Asked to bat first back then, India rode on Shubman Gill’s double-century to post 349 for 8 – exactly what India got against South Africa in Ranchi – and had New Zealand reeling at 131 for 6, but the lower order gave India a scare once the dew came in, getting to within 12 runs of the score.This time, you’d hope Raipur gives us a closer contest than the Ranchi thriller. Not least because if India are on the dealing end of a one-sided game, the series will then have to feature a dead-rubber in Visakhapatnam.Form guideIndia: WWLLW
South Africa: LLWLLIn the spotlight: Harshit Rana and Nandre BurgerIndia had only a brief window of movement in Ranchi before the dew turned bowling into a nightmare. But Harshit Rana took two wickets in that small window to put India ahead. He has now shown that not only can he be effective in hitting the pitch hard with the old ball, but also with the new ball. Rana’s next challenge might be taking the new ball in the afternoon, when it tends to do little.Unlucky to not be a regular part of the Test set-up just yet, Nandre Burger took on that challenge in the afternoon in Ranchi, and came out with credit. He bowled at consistent high pace, and found a way to challenge the batters. If Burger can find a way to do even better, he will be a theme in the rest of the series.Team news: Bavuma, Maharaj should be backIndia will not want to be fickle with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Washington Sundar at Nos. 4 and 5, respectively. Now that they have started the series with them there, one match against a soft ball shouldn’t be enough to push the two players out.India (probable): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Ruturaj Gaikwad/Rishabh Pant, 5 KL Rahul (capt, wk), 6 Washington Sundar, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Harshit Rana, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Prasidh KrishnaTemba Bavuma should be back after resting in the first ODI•ICC/Getty ImagesSouth Africa rested regular captain Temba Bavuma and Keshav Maharaj for the first ODI, but they were both quite active. Bavuma spoke to the players during drinks breaks, and Maharaj served as a substitute fielder for a while. So they should come right back in. Maharaj is an easier swap for Prenelan Subrayen, while Bavuma should replace one out of Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton, both of whom scored ducks in Ranchi.South Africa (probable): 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Quinton de Kock/Ryan Rickelton (wk), 3 Temba Bavuma (capt), 4 Matthew Breetzke, 5 Tony de Zorzi, 6 Dewald Brevis, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Corbin Bosch, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Nandre Burger, 11 Ottneil BaartmanPitch and conditionsThe India vs New Zealand match from 2023 remains Raipur’s only day-night List A game, so there isn’t much history to go by. But the endeavour generally is to not produce a pitch too loaded in favour of the bowlers. So that 108 all out of nearly three years ago will likely be an aberration more than the trend. The weather promises to be pleasant for cricket, with temperatures not likely to go higher than 27 degrees celcius or lower than 14.Stats and trivia Rohit Sharma now holds the record for most ODI sixes: 352. The 681 runs scored in Ranchi was the highest aggregate for an India-South Africa contest.

Manchester United have now submitted a £24m opening bid for a “powerful” midfielder, who has been compared to Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton.

Man Utd stepping up new midfielder pursuit

Man United could smash their transfer record to get a new midfielder through the door, having set out to bolster their options in the engine room in 2026, and Wharton has been identified as one of their top targets, even though the Eagles are set to hold out for over £100m.

The Red Devils are confident they’ll be able to sign the Englishman, and it is little wonder they are so keen, given the level of some of his performances so far this season.

However, given that the move would be on the expensive side, it remains to be seen whether a deal will be possible, and some cheaper alternative targets have now been identified.

According to a report from Sport Time (via Sport Witness), Man United have now submitted an opening offer of €28m (£24m) for Olympiacos’ Christos Mouzakitis, who has started to attract interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs.

Real Madrid have also made a slightly higher bid, but the Greek club aren’t in a rush to sanction a departure, and they are hoping to receive €40m (£35m) for the midfielder’s services in the January transfer window.

Olympiacos aren’t even willing to listen to proposals of less than €30m (£26m), so if a January deal is going to transpire, Ruben Amorim’s side will have to increase their offer.

"Powerful" Mouzakitis could be low-cost Wharton alternative

The advantage of signing Wharton is that he is already proven in the Premier League, but over £100m is a huge amount to pay for any player, and the Olympiacos star could be an interesting alternative option.

In fact, the 18-year-old has been directly compared to the Crystal Palace star by scout Ben Mattinson, who said: “Mouzakitis is a highly technical #8. As a profile if I was to compare him to someone, I’d say Adam Wharton and Granit Xhaka.”

“He’s that type of left footed #8 who’s tenacious off the ball, incredibly crisp passing through the lines, powerful ball striker, good weight of pass…”

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The starlet, who has made five Champions League appearances this season, also has a keen eye for creating chances, averaging 0.47 assists per 90 over the past year, which places him in the 99th percentile compared to other midfielders.

As such, the seven-time Greek international could be an exciting long-term addition to Amorim’s squad, but Man United should also bring in a midfielder who has more experience at the top level, with Mouzakitis yet to prove himself in one of Europe’s major leagues.

Taylor Walls absolutely lost it on Sunday.

The Tampa Bay Rays shortstop was ejected in the ninth inning of his team's 1-0 loss to the Houston Astros after a back-and-forth with home plate umpire Nic Lentz.

Walls stepped to the plate to face Astros closer Josh Hader with one out in the top of the ninth and the first pitch he saw was an 84 mph slider that wound up low and away.

Lentz called it a strike. Walls couldn't believe it, and stepped out of the batters box and said something to the 35-year-old umpire. He wasn't satisfied with the response, so he then tapped his helmet, giving a mock request to challenge the call in the ABS system MLB has yet to implement. Lentz ejected him for it.

Walls went nuts after learning he was ejected and had to be held back by several coaches, before escaping and running back to get into Lentz's face.

Video is below.

That was a terrible call by Lentz, but Walls couldn't have been surprised by the ejection. Tapping his helmet was a clear joking request for a challenge, which could easily be seen as showing up the umpire.

Christopher Morel replaced Walls to finish the at bat and struck out. Hader then struck out Junior Caminero to end the game.

Spanish tennis legend Rafael Nadal has offered his advice to teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, as the 18-year-old continues to adapt to the demands of fame since his rapid rise to prominence with Barcelona. Nadal advised Yamal to surround himself with the right people who genuinely want the best for him, warning him that fame can "make you unhappy" if you do not take the right path.

Nadal warns Yamal against the dangers of fame and success

Nadal’s words of advice come amidst an ongoing shift where Yamal’s role for Barcelona and Spain is changing, from a storied teenage prodigy to a pair of young shoulders on which a lot of pressure is increasingly being placed.

Since turning 18 over the summer, a shift in Yamal’s public perception has begun to emerge, too – as speculation over lavish parties and public relationships with the likes of Argentine singer Nicki Nicole have begun to surface.

The fact that Yamal has spent a large portion of the 2025-26 season so far out with an injury in his groin area has not helped matters, but he has returned strongly from the set-back. His record of six goals and eight assists in just 12 matches in all competitions reflects the scary reality that he is only getting better. But, nevertheless, the impacts of fame must be managed, as Nadal has advised.

AdvertisementGetty Images Entertainment'It's important for him' – Nadal's words to Yamal

Nadal told : "He should surround himself with people who truly support him and who are smart enough to listen to what successful people prefer to ignore. He should surround himself with people who genuinely want his happiness, and he should know how to listen to them, which isn’t always easy when you are such a famous personality, in the spotlight. It’s important for him, given his young age.

"He needs to surround himself with people who will be beneficial to him, whether it’s his family or a team. Everyone’s reality is different, and everyone has their own mindset and personality. There are many paths to success, but the way you handle it and live with it over the years can make you a balanced and happy person, or on the contrary, success can make you unhappy, because fame eventually ends up consuming you."

Getty Images SportFormer teenage prodigy Nadal advises Yamal on steps to take

Amidst the ongoing growth of Yamal’s profile both on and off the pitch, Nadal’s words of advice reflect the fact that he must continue to let his football do the talking and surround himself with the right influences in his life outside of the game.

Tennis great Nadal himself rose to sporting fame at a young age, having turned professional at 14, and won his first French Open just days after his 19th birthday to ascend to No.2 in the world.

His words therefore offer great weight to the situation in which Yamal finds himself, as the Barca star aims to reach the very top of the footballing world himself.

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Yamal's injury drama ahead of Chelsea clash

Barcelona visit Chelsea in a crunch Champions League clash on Tuesday night, and Yamal will hope to be fully fit to take part in the encounter.

Recent reports detailed an intense recovery plan by Barca to have him ready for the match, having missed the international break with Spain. But Yamal returned to action last time out and played a full 90 against Athletic Club in La Liga, bagging two assists for Ferran Torres in a 4-0 victory, and so he is expected to be fully fit to face the Blues.

But club-versus-country drama was created over the international break, as Spanish football authorities claimed they were kept in the dark about treatment which meant Yamal would need to pull out of international duty.

They said in a statement: "The medical services of the Royal Spanish Football Federation wish to express their surprise and concern upon learning, at 13:47 on Monday 10 November – the day the national team's official training camp began – that Lamine Yamal had undergone an invasive radiofrequency procedure earlier that same morning to treat discomfort in his pubic area.

"This procedure was carried out without prior communication to the national team's medical staff, who only became aware of the details through a report received at 22:40 last night, in which a medical recommendation of 7-10 days of rest was indicated.

"In light of this situation, and with the player's health, safety, and well-being as the top priority, the Royal Spanish Football Federation has decided to release the player from the current squad."

Sri Lanka will finish above Pakistan and Bangladesh with five points, regardless of results in the final set of games

Madushka Balasuriya24-Oct-2025No result Sri Lanka’s match with Pakistan in Colombo was called off at 8:06pm local time, with only 26 deliveries possible in the game. Play was called off prior to the scheduled cut-off, with the umpires deciding the outfield was too waterlogged for a timely restart.The result means Sri Lanka will finish above Pakistan and Bangladesh with five points, regardless of results in the final set of games. For Pakistan, they end the tournament winless with three of their seven matches washed out.On a day forecast to have rain throughout, it was little surprise that the toss was delayed by two hours and 45 minutes after an initial downpour that had begun minutes prior to the scheduled toss. When play eventually restarted, the match was reduced to 34 overs a side of which only 4.2 was possible before the rain brought an end to the game for good.During the little play that was possible, Pakistan, who had been sent into bat, managed a circumspect start, scoring 18 runs and a solitary boundary. Malki Madara found early movement through the air, and was tight in her lines and lengths. Sugandika Dasanayake, however, struggled to grip an increasingly wet ball.In terms of team news, Sri Lanka had made one change bringing in spin-bowling allrounder Dewmi Vihanga for seamer Udeshika Prabodani. Pakistan made two, with Sidra Nawaz and Diana Baig making way for Eyman Fatima and Syeda Aroob Shah.The result will be a downer for two sides who between them have had five games washed out this tournament, and who crave more regular international cricket.