Sri Lanka seamer was leading wicket-taker on recent tour of England

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Dec-2024

Asitha Fernando took 17 wickets on Sri Lanka’s recent tour of England•Getty Images

Glamorgan have signed Sri Lanka fast bowler Asitha Fernando for the first two months of the season. He is expected to be available for seven County Championship fixtures up until the end of May.Asitha, 27, has taken 72 wickets 26.66 in Tests and impressed on Sri Lanka’s tour of England earlier this year, when he finished as the leading wicket-taker on either side as well as winning a spot on the Lord’s honours board for his first-innings five-for.He has played county cricket previously for Nottinghamshire, and will become the first Sri Lankan to represent Glamorgan.”I would like to thank Glamorgan Cricket so much for this opportunity,” Fernando said. “I am extremely thrilled to be a part of Glamorgan and to return to the county cricket scene this year.Related

Phillip to rejoin Lancashire for County Championship, Blast

Surrey legend Hollioake appointed as Kent's head coach

“My last stint helped me to improve my game a lot. I am looking forward to playing with Mason [Crane], Colin [Ingram] and all of the Glamorgan team, and am hoping to do my very best during the upcoming season.”Glamorgan’s director of cricket, Mark Wallace, said: “We’re delighted to be able to welcome a bowler of Asitha’s quality to Sophia Gardens for the start of the 2025 season.”Asitha has good experience of conditions in the UK having played county cricket previously and also while performing very well in Sri Lanka’s series with England here last summer. We look forward to Asitha taking the field for Glamorgan as the first Sri Lankan player to represent the club.”

With Alexander Isak pushing for a move to Liverpool and Benjamin Šeško firmly on the radar of Manchester United, Newcastle United’s hunt for a new striker has taken on renewed urgency.

A replacement who can offer a consistent goal threat, hold-up play, and experience at the highest level is now a top priority for Eddie Howe and his recruitment team.

Though Šeško has long been considered Newcastle’s ideal replacement for Isak, the difficulty of securing the Slovenian this summer has forced the Magpies to explore alternatives.

RB Leipzig are open to a sale, but with growing interest from Manchester United, Newcastle are unlikely to match the wages on offer at Old Trafford.

What they need is a reliable, Premier League-proven scorer who can slot straight into Howe’s system without a lengthy adaptation period.

And crucially, someone who wants to join.

Newcastle looking at Sesko alternative

Enter Yoane Wissa.

The 28-year-old Brentford forward has emerged as a frontrunner in Newcastle’s striker search, and with good reason.

While not their first-choice profile due to age, Wissa has made it clear he wants to move to Tyneside, refusing to train with Brentford in a bid to push the transfer through.

Well, there seems to be an expectancy that the move goes through. Speaking to Football Insider, former Manchester United and Sunderland chief scout Mick Brown revealed this week:

“He’s made it clear he wants to leave, he’s told Brentford that and he’s refusing to train, so Brentford have to decide whether they want an unhappy player at the club. I expect they’ll reach an agreement at some stage.”

Despite competition from Tottenham, Wissa’s priority is reportedly to join Newcastle.

Brentford, who have already lost Bryan Mbeumo to Manchester United and Christian Nørgaard to Arsenal, may be forced to lower their original £50m valuation.

So why are Newcastle willing to consider a player much older than their usual recruitment age of 24 and under?

Comparing Wissa to Šeško

The answer lies in Wissa’s output.

In the 2024/25 Premier League season, only Mohamed Salah scored more non-penalty goals.

Wissa notched 20 goals and four assists in 3,072 minutes, a remarkable return in a Brentford side that struggled for form at times last season.

His efficiency in front of goal is particularly eye-catching.

Though he only averaged 1.26 shots on target per 90 minutes, his movement and composure inside the box meant he made those moments count.

Thomas Frank was keen to point this out: “Wissa, we knew, has always been a goalscorer. It’s remarkable. I definitely think he is best as a No. 9. He’s got that nose for goals.”

However, he’s also far more than a poacher. According to FBref, he ranked higher than Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland for completed passes (76.5%) and recorded more shot-creating actions per 90 than Dominic Solanke.

Wissa’s mobility and involvement in buildup play give him an edge over other traditional No. 9s.

Touches per 90 (2024/25 PL Season)
Joao Pedro	43.5
Alexander Isak	33.5
Yoane Wissa	28.5
Liam Delap	23.7
Erling Haaland	21.0
Source: FBref

Still, comparisons with Šeško are inevitable.

The 22-year-old is a more natural fit for Newcastle’s long-term vision, standing at 194cm with a powerful frame that mirrors Erling Haaland.

His age, athleticism, and contract until 2029 at Leipzig make him a major investment, but potentially a transformative one.

Šeško scored 21 goals in 45 appearances last season, including 13 in the Bundesliga.

Data from FBref also revealed that he offered 1.78 progressive carries and 1.74 progressive passes per 90, alongside a solid 43.9% shot-on-target rate and 2.50 shots per 90.

While Šeško remains an exciting long-term project, Wissa is ready-made.

He has performed under Premier League pressure and is pushing to join a club where his profile suits the manager’s tactical outlook.

One point of concern, however, is availability. Wissa is likely to miss part of the 2025/26 season due to AFCON commitments with DR Congo, something Newcastle will need to weigh carefully.

At nearly 29, he also lacks the resale value that players like Šeško might offer.

Still, in terms of what he offers now, Wissa could be the stopgap solution that Newcastle need.

Newcastle may yet revisit their interest in Šeško if Isak is sold for a huge fee, but in Wissa, they’ve found a player who ticks more boxes than he’s given credit for, and who is desperate to prove he belongs at a higher level.

Elanga's new Wood: Big-money CF has agreement in principle to join Newcastle

A striker has reportedly agreed to join Newcastle United.

By
Will Miller

Jul 28, 2025

Tilak Varma closed in on Travis Head’s top spot in T20I batting by going up from third place to No. 2

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jan-20252:04

Buttler: ‘Rashid is the most important player for us’

England legspinner Adil Rashid has reclaimed the top spot in the ICC rankings for T20I bowlers, after his consistent performances in the first three games against India helped the visitors keep the series alive. Rashid starred with frugal figures of 1 for 15 from overs in the third game in Rajkot to register a 26-run win for his side. Prior to that, he had finished with 1 for 14 and 1 for 27 at the start of the five-match series.Rashid had first claimed the No. 1 ranking at the end of 2023 for about a year until Akeal Hosein had displaced him before Christmas in 2024.Varun Chakravarthy, who bagged a five-for in the third T20I on Tuesday, galloped 25 places to reach No. 5 place among the T20I bowlers whereas Jofra Archer went one place behind Varun by jumping 13 spots after taking five wickets in the three T20Is in India.Arshdeep Singh retained his ninth rank, Ravi Bishnoi slipped from fifth to 10th place whereas Axar Patel went up five spots to No. 11.Full rankings tables

Click here for the full team rankings

Click here for the full player rankings

Among T20I batters, Tilak Varma closed in on Travis Head’s top spot by going up from third place to second with scores of 18, 72* and 19* so far in the series, although Head still leads by 23 points. If Tilak manages to overtake Head with good scores in the remaining two games while Head plays a Test series in Sri Lanka, he will become the youngest-ever player to top the rankings. Abhishek Sharma went up as many as 59 places but is still ranked 40th.Noman, Warrican rise in Test bowling rankingsPakistan left-arm spinner Noman Ali, who took a hat-trick in the second Test against West Indies, jumped four places to move to No. 5 among Test bowlers although Pakistan lost the match to see the series being leveled 1-1. West Indies’ Jomel Warrican rose 16 spots to be ranked 25th after his match haul of nine wickets compared to Noman’s 10.Jasprit Bumrah still leads the Test bowlers’ rankings while Joe Root is on top of the batters’ list.

MatériaMais Notícias

Após o empate em 1 a 1 com o Atlético-MG, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro, o Palmeiras se reapresentou na manhã desta segunda-feira (29), na Academia de Futebol, dando início à preparação para o duelo contra o Fortaleza, pela Copa do Brasil. O colombiano Richard Ríos comemorou a sua rápida adaptação no Verdão, destacando também o ponto conquistado no Mineirão, e projetou o confronto diante do Leão do Pici, que acontece nesta quarta (31).

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasPalmeiras se reapresenta após empate e recebe visita ilustre na Academia de FutebolPalmeiras29/05/2023PalmeirasAbel Ferreira, técnico do Palmeiras, liga para repórter para pedir desculpas após episódio no MineirãoPalmeiras29/05/2023PalmeirasGol de Dudu ‘salva’ invencibilidade do Palmeiras e mantém equipe com melhor ataque do BrasileirãoPalmeiras29/05/2023

+ ATUAÇÕES: Palmeiras vê Gómez falhar, e sistema defensivo deixar a desejar em empate no Mineirão

– A minha adaptação está sendo boa, o time está me ajudando bastante, a comissão, o staff e todos os funcionários também. Isso tudo está sendo muito importante para mim. O jogo de ontem foi muito difícil, pois o Atlético-MG é sempre forte jogando em casa. A gente colocou em prática o nosso jogo, o que viemos treinando, e conseguimos um ponto importante fora de casa – disse Richard Ríos.

– A gente sabe que será um jogo difícil lá, mas a gente também vai tentar impor o nosso jogo na casa deles. Fizemos uma vantagem importante no Allianz Parque com a nossa torcida, mas vamos em busca da vitória.

continua após a publicidade

Ainda, Ríos valorizou o empenho de seus companheiros de equipe, valorizando a estrutura oferecida pelo Palmeiras para o descanso e recuperação dos jogadores.

– Dá para ver que o time está se cuidando bem e aqui no clube temos estrutura para isso, para nos recuperarmos bem rápido. Eu e meus companheiros estamos dando o nosso máximo tanto dentro quanto fora do clube, estamos todos nos alimentando e descansando bem. E vamos continuar nesta pegada – concluiu o colombiano.

continua após a publicidade

+ Abel Ferreira, técnico do Palmeiras, liga para repórter para pedir desculpas após episódio no Mineirão

Na próxima rodada do Brasileirão, o Verdão encara o Coritiba no domingo (4), às 18h30, no Allianz Parque. Antes disso, enfrenta o Fortaleza nesta quarta-feira (31), às 19h, no Castelão, pela partida de volta das oitavas de final da Copa do Brasil. Na ida, o Palestra derrotou o Leão do Pici por 3 a 0. Logo, pode perder por até dois gols de diferença para avançar diretamente às quartas da competição.

Tudo sobre

Copa do BrasilPalmeiras

Afghanistan dragged themselves to a position of advantage on an attritional third day, with Rahmat Shah’s gritty century, his third in Test cricket, headlining their much improved batting display from their first innings.On the second day where 13 wickets fell, Afghanistan conceded an 86-run first-innings lead to Zimbabwe and lost three wickets before wiping out even half the deficit.But on Saturday, Rahmat, with help from Shahidullah and debutant Ismat Aslam, stretched Afghanistan’s lead beyond 200 with three wickets still remaining, before rain forced early stumps.For Zimbabwe, Blessing Muzarabani added two wickets to his overnight tally of two, while Richard Ngarava struck twice, including the prized scalp of Rahmat, but they know with Ismat still at the crease along with Rashid Khan, who is capable of scoring some quick runs, they are going to be staring at a steep chase on a pitch where batting fourth is a daunting proposition.Afghanistan’s innings revolved around two partnerships. The first was a 67-run stand between Rahmat and Shahidullah that saw the visitors take a 50-run lead by the time it was broken.The pair got together after Afghanistan lost two wickets in the first hour of play while still 17 runs behind.From the way Rahmat started the day, it was evident he wanted to bat long for Afghanistan to get into a winning position. He played out 19 balls before scoring the first run off his bat on the day.Ngarava removed the nightwatcher Zia-ur-Rehman the very next ball, and dismissed Afsar Zazai soon after.This prompted Rahmat to take the initiative as he punished two consecutive bad balls from Muzarabani – a full toss and a half-volley – with drives down the ground for boundaries.There was a short rain delay that followed, after which the two dealt in singles till Afghanistan were in the lead in the 30th over.Rahmat and Shahidullah took on Sikandar Raza and Newman Nyamhuri for two boundaries off the next two overs before Rahmat brought up a half-century off 99 balls. The boundaries kept coming as the two trudged along to lunch with a 39-run lead.In the fourth over after tea, a smart piece of captaincy brought about Shahidullah’s downfall.Blessing Muzarabani accounted for two more wickets on Saturday•Zimbabwe Cricket

With Muzarabani testing him outside off from around the wicket, Craig Ervine brought on a silly point fielder and the next delivery, Shahidullah fended at a length ball in the corridor to offer the simplest of chances to Takudzwanashe Kaitano at silly point.Zimbabwe knew they had to capitalise on the opportunity, and put the screws on Afghanistan.Ismat, who was out without scoring in the first innings, copped a blow on the helmet trying to duck under a Muzarabani bouncer that stayed low and needed multiple check-ups from the physio over the next few overs.Rahmat survived an lbw chance when Raza, who toiled away for 23 wicketless overs in the day, got one to spin in sharply to strike his pad only for the umpire to turn it down. Rahmat responded by dancing down the track and lofting him down the ground for a boundary before he took a hit on the shoulder from an Ngarava short ball.But the two were unfazed and went about steadily increasing Afghanistan’s lead. Rahmat brought up his century with a single of Nyamhuri off 209 balls, following up on his double in the first Test.Ismat, who was on 16 off 46 at the point, then started to shift gears with two boundaries off Nyamhuri before tea.After tea, there were 11 consecutive overs of spin, but Raza and Bennett couldn’t break through or keep the scoring rate down to apply pressure.As soon as the new ball became available, Zimbabwe found some immediate chances. Ngarava drew the edge from Ismat but he was dropped by Ervine at first slip, when he was three runs short of his fifty. One over later, Ismat brought up a half-century.The set batters used the extra pace of the new ball to cash in on a few more boundaries before Muzarabani finally broke the stand on 132 – the highest for the seventh wicket for Afghanistan.Muzarabani got a length ball to seam in past Rahmat’s inside edge and hit his back pad. Rahmat wasn’t best pleased when the umpire ruled him out leg before, but with no DRS available in this series, he had to walk back after a marathon innings.Rashid then quickly moved to 12 off as many deliveries, hitting Nyamhuri through midwicket for a boundary off what proved to be the last ball of the day before the players were called off for rain.

يشهد اليوم الخميس 9-10-2025، عددًا من المباريات في تصفيات كأس العالم 2026، لـ قارتي إفريقيا وأوروبا، وذلك بجانب عدد من اللقاءات الودية.

فعلى صعيد القارة الإفريقية، تبرز مواجهة الجزائر والصومال، إلى جانب لقاءات أوغندا مع بوتسوانا وغينيا ضد موزمبيق، فيما تلتقي كينيا مع بوروندي وليبيريا مع ناميبيا وغينيا الاستوائية مع مالاوي.

أما في أوروبا، فتقام قمم مثيرة أبرزها التشيك أمام كرواتيا، وهولندا ضد مالطا، وإسكتلندا أمام اليونان، بينما تواجه الدنمارك نظيرتها بيلاروسيا، والنمسا يلتقي منتخب سان مارينو.

ويخوض منتخب مصر الثاني مباراة ودية اليوم في إطار معسكره الحالي بالمغرب، والذي يتخلله المشاركة في دورة ودية رفقة المغرب والبحرين.

طالع | تشكيل منتخب مصر الثاني المتوقع أمام المغرب اليوم وديًا

ويشارك منتخب مصر الثاني، في بطولة كأس العرب، المقرر إقامتها في قطر، تبدأ في 1 ديسمبر وتختتم بالنهائي في 18 ديسمبر 2025. مواعيد مباريات اليوم الخميس 9-10-2025 والقنوات الناقلةموعد مباراة مصر والمغرب الودية

مصر أمام المغرب، في تمام الساعة 08:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتذاع عبر قناة اون سبورت1. مواعيد مباريات تصفيات إفريقيا المؤهلة لكأس العالم اليوم

كينيا أمام بوروندي، في تمام الساعة 4:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

الجزائر ضد الصومال، في تمام الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، عبر منصة شاهد.

أوغندا أمام بوتسوانا، في تمام الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، عبر منصة شاهد.

ليبيريا ضد ناميبيا، في تمام الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

غينيا الاستوائية أمام مالاوي، في تمام الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية.

غينيا ضد موزمبيق، في تمام الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية. مواعيد مباريات تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة لكأس العالم اليوم

فنلندا أمام ليتوانيا، في تمام الساعة 7:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 1.

التشيك ضد كرواتيا، في تمام الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 2.

إسكتلندا أمام اليونان، في تمام الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 3.

بيلاروسيا ضد الدنمارك، في تمام الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 4.

قبرص أمام البوسنة والهرسك، في تمام الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 5.

جزر فارو ضد الجبل الأسود، في تمام الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 6.

هولندا أمام مالطا، في تمام الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 7.

النمسا ضد سان مارينو، في تمام الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 8. مواعيد المباريات الودية الدولية اليوم

رومانيا أمام مولدوفا، في تمام الساعة 9:00 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، وتذاع عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 1.

إنجلترا ضد ويلز، في تمام الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 2.

بولندا أمام نيوزيلندا، في تمام الساعة 9:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 3.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا

Australia steamrolled Sri Lanka’s listless batting order across two innings on day four to complete a near-flawless performance

Tristan Lavalette01-Feb-2025

Matthew Kuhnemann finished with nine wickets•AFP/Getty Images

Australia brushed aside any concern over Galle’s fickle weather by steamrolling through Sri Lanka’s listless batting order across two innings on day four to complete a near-flawless performance in the first Test.After two sessions on day three were washed out, Australia’s push for a straightforward victory appeared under some threat with wet weather also forecast for later on the fourth day.But the rain held off and Australia resumed their domination by remarkably claiming 15 wickets to seal a massive innings and 242-run victory in a match that effectively only lasted nine sessions. Such was the gulf between the sides, Australia batted 154 overs in their sole innings compared to Sri Lanka’s 106.5 overs spread over two innings.Related

Jayasuriya: 'There was a serious problem with our shot selection'

Length, more than pace, key to Australia spinners' success, says Smith

Sri Lanka turn up, but do little else in Galle mismatch

Stats – Australia's new Asian high, Khawaja's big effort and Inglis' dream debut

Sri Lanka's spinners find no answers to Australia's proactive gameplan

It was a brilliant performance from a new-look Australia without skipper Pat Cummins and boasting a spin-heavy attack. Everything went to plan for stand-in captain Steven Smith after he won a favourable toss and Australia capitalised on a slow surface to post their highest ever total in Asia.Australia’s decision to reshuffle their batting order proved a masterstroke with Josh Inglis scoring a rapid century on debut. So too selecting three spinners with left-armer Matthew Kuhnemann underlining his value in the subcontinent with nine wickets for the match having made a speedy recovery from a thumb injury sustained in a BBL game on January 16.Australia were well prepared and executed their plans with bat and ball superbly, but they came up against an inept Sri Lanka. Matches between the teams traditionally have been highly competitive in this terrain, but Sri Lanka were completely outclassed and will need to regroup quickly before the second Test at the same venue starting on February 6.The result means Australia have retained the Warne-Muralidaran Trophy.After being forced to follow-on, having lost 5 for 9 to be bowled out for 165 in their first innings, Sri Lanka hoped to reset and muster enough fight to get them into the late afternoon when rain was expected.But Sri Lanka’s troubles continued in their second innings against left-arm quick Mitchell Starc and offspinner Todd Murphy, both of whom had not bowled in almost 24 hours.Opener Oshada Fernando in the third over fell plumb lbw to a fierce in-swinging delivery from Starc. Fernando, bafflingly, wasted a review in yet another hapless use of the technology from Sri Lanka in this match.Mitchell Starc removed Oshada Fernando•Getty Images

It meant Chandimal came to the crease less than an hour after his earlier dismissal in the first innings. But he watched from the other end as opener Dimuth Karunaratne had a horrible misjudgement and was clean bowled not playing a shot against Murphy.Sri Lanka had remarkably lost 7 for 15 across the two innings in little over an hour. But Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews combined for a 69-run partnership, Sri Lanka’s best of the match, to offer belated resistance.But disaster struck in the last over before lunch when Chandimal on 31 gloved Lyon to short leg as Australia successfully reviewed the not-out decision.When play resumed after the interval, the main interest was how quickly Australia could roll through Sri Lanka.But Smith, so astute in this match, made a rare misjudgement when he decided not to review an lbw shout on Mathews who missed an attempted reverse sweep off Nathan Lyon. Replays showed that the not-out decision would have been overturned, but it didn’t halt Australia’s momentum despite an entertaining cameo from Kamindu Mendis.Kamindu went on the attack and showed the type of aggressive form that powered him to average 74 from 10 Tests before this match. He whacked Kuhnemann down the ground for a boundary to race to 32, but on the next delivery he was unable to get under a delivery and holed out to deep midwicket.Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews shared a 69-run stand for the third wicket•AFP/Getty Images

It was another tame dismissal for Sri Lanka and gifted Kuhnemann’s first wicket against left-handers in Test cricket having badly struggled up to that point, leaking 108 runs from 101 deliveries.Mathews soon fell to Lyon at short leg after failing to execute a reverse sweep before skipper Dhananjaya de Silva and Kusal Mendis combined for a half-century partnership to prolong the inevitable.Not for the first time in this match, Dhananjaya threw his wicket away and it was a matter of time despite a maiden Test half-century from Jeffrey Vandersay, who was Sri Lanka’s best bowler in Australia’s first innings.Lyon added a couple of wickets to finish with match figures of 7 for 135 after having had little to do during the recent series against India.The result was swift in the end, but Australia entered the day’s play with some anxiety. There had been questions raised over whether Australia batted too long in their first innings as they posted their highest total in Asia.Resuming their first innings at 136 for 5, Sri Lanka found themselves with unexpected hope of surviving with a draw due to the wet weather. But they desperately needed Chandimal to kick on having compiled an attractive half-century on day three.The pressure was on Chandimal and Kusal Mendis as the last recognised batters before the tail.Smith deployed Kuhnemann and Lyon from the get-go as Chandimal unfurled the reverse sweep which he had used to good effect on the truncated day three.It was a cautious start from Sri Lanka’s batters with Kuhnemann extracting awkward bounce that occasionally reared off the surface. Mendis went to his favoured sweep shot against Kuhnemann and he whacked a boundary to raise Sri Lanka’s 150.But Australia were well prepared with their tactics and baited Mendis into the sweep shot with two fielders positioned deep square of the wicket. Mendis couldn’t contain himself and top-edged a sweep to be well caught by a running Murphy at square leg.The burden fell to Chandimal, who had been unable to recapture his fluency from earlier in the innings. His rearguard finally ended on 72 when he missed a reverse sweep to fall lbw to Lyon as he reviewed in vain.Sri Lanka’s tail folded quickly with Kuhnemann claiming his second five-wicket haul of his Test career, after his 5 for 16 against India in Indore. But he was just getting warmed up as Australia continued on their merry way to inflict Sri Lanka’s heaviest defeat in Test cricket.

Ex-Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has vehemently defended the club in the Negreira case, asserting former refereeing chiefs had no influence over the club's results due to their biases favoured Real Madrid. With Rosell challenging critics to review matches and Real Madrid escalating complaints to FIFA, Spanish football faces a high-stakes debate over integrity, influence and accountability.

• Sandro Rosell’s defence in the Negreira case

  Rosell appeared before the judge last week in the Negreira case, which is investigating over €7 million allegedly paid by Barcelona to former referees’ chief Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira between 2001 and 2018. Audio recordings broadcast on capture Rosell’s assertive defence: he stressed that Negreira “had zero weight” in the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) and that the only influential figure historically was the CTA president, who “has always been a Real Madrid fan.”

  Rosell challenged critics to watch the matches from the period under investigation: "Yes, it's very easy. Let's watch all the matches and have five referee experts come and tell us in which match the referee helped us. Let them come. Here they can't say I filed the case due to lack of evidence. Here the evidence is in favour of the accused. It's the other way around."

  During the latest hearing, former presidents Josep Bartomeu and Rosell, along with Negreira’s son, also clarified that payments made between 2013 and 2018 were for sports and refereeing advisory reports, not to influence results. The court heard that services were provided for both the first team and reserves, and that Enriquez Negreira’s departure from the Federation was unrelated to his son’s employment at Barca.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Madrid's official complaint to FIFA

  Madrid’s recently submitted complaint focuses on refereeing inconsistencies, citing specific incidents such as Arda Guler’s disallowed goal, Kylian Mbappe's marginal offsides, and Dean Huijsen’s red card against Real Sociedad. Club president Florentino Perez insists on international scrutiny, arguing that domestic refereeing lacks credibility. When asked about the complaint, coach Xabi Alonso emphasised that defending the club’s interests is legitimate but cautioned against a one-track focus on refereeing.

  The complaint also references the Negreira case, contending that the scandal continues to cast a shadow over Spanish officiating, as many referees active today came through the system during Negreira’s tenure.

• Rosell critiques Madrid’s actions

  The former Barca president did not shy away from criticising Madrid’s recent refereeing complaints, pointing to their escalation to FIFA.

  "A gentleman's club should have accepted this and not dragged it out for life as they are trying to do to cover up other things," he said. "Like now, for example, after four league games, they have already gone to complain to FIFA about the refereeing. Where is Mr. Negreira now?"

  Rosell further took shots at Los Blancos and emphasised that sometimes you have to accept your defeat.

  "Here they can say that we're closing the case because the evidence supports the accused… and that's it. Let's all sit down and watch the games again. I'd love to. Maybe some people here wouldn't like to watch it again. I'm sorry. But sometimes you don't win. Sometimes you lose, and you have to accept that."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• AFP
  

  Will there be an official review of the Spanish referee committee?

  Barcelona now awaits the court’s judgment in the Negreira case, which will determine the fate of former presidents Rosell and Bartomeu. Meanwhile, Madrid are seeking FIFA scrutiny over refereeing inconsistencies.

  The unfolding situation raises a critical question: can there be an official review of the Spanish Referee Committee (CTA)? While the court addresses the criminal and financial aspects of the case, FIFA or the Royal Spanish Football Federation could potentially review refereeing standards, procedures, and oversight to ensure fairness and transparency in La Liga. This period of scrutiny represents a pivotal moment for Spanish football, as both legal and regulatory outcomes could reshape the governance of officiating for years to come.

Celtic’s lack of top-end attacking talent was made abundantly clear in their biggest game of the season.

On Wednesday night, the Hoops were held to a dire goalless draw by Kairat at Parkhead in the first leg of their Champions League play-off, having just three shots on target all night and mustering a solitary big chance.

Thus, next Tuesday evening, Brendan Rodgers’ side must win in Kazakhstan, something the Celts have never previously achieved in three attempts, losing two of them, to book their place in the Champions League league phase.

Raucous chants of ‘sack the board’ could be heard throughout the second half of Wednesday’s, potentially disastrous, draw, with supporters frustrated by the club’s lack of spending, but could that be about to change?

Celtic's lack of attacking options

For the crucial mid-week tie against Kairat, Rodgers deployed a front three of Daizen Maeda, Adam Idah, and James Forrest.

After a less-than-productive first half, Idah was hooked at the interval, with Maeda deployed down the middle, and Yang Hyun-Jun was introduced.

Within seconds of the restart, Yang found Forrest, who forced Aleksandr Zarutskiy into a very smart save down to his left, but this was followed by little else, with unproven summer signing Shin Yamada thrown on towards the end, but this merely underlined Rodgers’ lack of proven options in forward areas.

As they seek to address this, according to Dutch outlet Voetbal International, as relayed by Daily Record, Celtic have been told the fee they’ll need to pay to secure the signature of Calvin Stengs.

They claim that Feyenoord are ‘willing to cooperate in a sale’ for a player whom they value at £5.1m, but it remains to be seen whether or not the Premiership champions are willing to pay the asking price at this moment in time.

55 years ago, Celtic and Feyenoord met in the European Cup Final at San Siro, but just six men have represented both clubs, namely Colin Kazim-Richards, Regi Blinker, John Guidetti, Glenn Loovens, Pierre van Hooijdonk and, of course, the king of kings himself Henrik Larsson, so could Stengs add his name to that list?

What Calvin Stengs would bring to Celtic

Stengs joined AZ Alkmaar as an 11-year-old, and his senior breakthrough came while representing the Cheese Farmers, scoring 24 goals and registering 22 assists in 113 appearances for AZ, with five of these goals coming in Europe.

This earned him an £8.6m move to Nice in the summer of 2021, but he made almost no impact on the French Riviera, scoring just a solitary goal during his one season with the Ligue 1 outfit.

After a decent campaign on loan at Royal Antwerp, scoring three goals but racking up nine assists in Belgium, he returned to the Netherlands by joining Feyenoord, thereby reuniting with Arne Slot, who’d previously been his manager in Alkmaar.

As the table below outlines, Stengs certainly produced impressive statistics during his first Eredivisie season in Rotterdam.

Minutes

2,095

113th

Goals

6

40th

Assists

12

3rd

Expected assists

8.6

3rd

Shots

44

47th

Key passes

71

2nd

Shot-creating actions

129

6th

Goal-creating actions

17

6th

Big chances created

13

6th

Accurate final 3rd passes

397

14th

Average SofaScore rating

7.51

7th

As the table documents, despite somewhat limited minutes, Stengs was one of the chief creators in the Eredivisie, ending up third for assists, while also ranking highly for expected assists, key passes, shot-creating actions, and big chances created.

The highlight of his Feyenoord career actually came against Celtic, marking his Champions League debut by scoring this long-range free kick at De Kuip, one that Joe Hart believes he should’ve kept out.

Last season, however, things did not go to plan for Stengs, seeing a miserly 797 minutes of action due to knee, hamstring and ankle issues, starting just eight matches across all competitions.

To commence the new campaign, the 26-year-old has been an unused substitute for all four of Feyenoord’s fixtures, including both legs of their Champions League qualifying exit at the hands of Fenerbahçe, as manager Robin van Persie seemingly prepares for the winger’s departure.

Nevertheless, he is still a highly-rated talent.

Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labels him a “flamboyant winger”, praising his pace, dribbling ability, and creativity, while Nils Mackay of Opta adds that he is a “serious talent”.

Stengs is certainly a versatile player, predominantly deployed as an attacking midfielder during his time with Feyenoord, having made a name for himself as a right-winger at AZ, earning all eight of his senior Netherlands caps in that position out wide too, most recently bagging a hat-trick against Gibraltar at Estádio Algarve.

Following the sale of Nicolas Kühn, the aforementioned Forrest is currently Celtic’s starter wide-right but, at 34 years old, having scored just one goal last season, the club legend is no longer the elite-level difference-maker he once was.

Thus, there is a clear spot up for grabs, one that Stengs could come in and make his own, and all available evidence suggests he would be an excellent addition, which would result in Forrest dropping down to the bench after he started the last two games in the Premiership and the Champions League on the right flank.

Idah upgrade: Rodgers would love Celtic to sign "world class" star for free

As Adam Idah continues to find Celtic goals hard to come by, Brendan Rodgers would love to sign a “world class” striker available on a free transfer.

ByBen Gray Aug 19, 2025

Celtic have reportedly agreed a deal with Royal Antwerp to bring winger Michel-Ange Balikwisha to Parkhead for a fee of around £5m this week.

Sky Sports reveals that the 24-year-old attacker is due to undergo a medical this week before putting pen to paper on a permanent move to Glasgow from the Belgian side.

The left-sided forward scored 14 goals and provided nine assists in the last two seasons for Royal Antwerp in all competitions, per Sofascore, and will be hoping to provide a consistent threat down the left flank for Brendan Rodgers this season.

Daizen Maeda is currently the only natural left winger in the squad, which is why the impending arrival of Balikwisha is a much-needed one for the Hoops.

Celtic closing in on deal for defender

The Scottish Premiership giants are not only looking for reinforcements down the left side on the wing, though, as they are also keen on a back-up for Kieran Tierney.

Transfer Focus

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

According to Argentine outlet Diario Xeneize, Celtic are closing in on a deal to sign left-back Marcelo Saracchi from Boca Juniors before the deadline.

The report claims that the Hoops have already made one offer for the defender, proposing a loan with an option to make it permanent, but it was rejected by the Argentine side.

It adds that Celtic are now expected to return with an offer of a straight loan deal, with no option or obligation, and that Boca Juniors are willing to accept it, as they see it as a chance for the player to play football and increase his value ahead of next summer.

What Marcelo Saracchi could offer to Celtic

The 27-year-old star could be a shrewd addition to the squad as back-up and competition for Tierney, who has only played 132 minutes in two starts in the league so far.

Celtic are managing the former Arsenal full-back’s minutes and the arrival of Saracchi would help with that, because he is a natural left-back who can start or come off the bench to ensure that Rodgers has a quality alternative to the Scotland international.

The Boca Juniors full-back has been an unused substitute in five of his last nine appearances in the matchday squad, per Sofascore, which shows that he is not at the forefront of their plans, but his form in 2024 suggests that he does have something to offer to the Hoops.

Appearances

13

5

Goals

1

1

Assists

1

1

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.7

3.0

Ground duel success rate

53%

50%

Aerial duel success rate

50%

50%

As you can see in the table above, Saracchi put in solid performances in the Liga Profesional and the CONMEBOL Sudamericana last season, holding his own in physical duels whilst making several tackles and interceptions per game on average.

These statistics suggest that the Uruguay international, who previously played for Galatasaray and Levante, could be a steady operator down the left flank, providing a defensive and physical presence to allow the left winger ahead of him the freedom to stay high up the pitch.

That is why Balikwisha and Maeda could both benefit from this move because it will prevent Rodgers from playing Liam Scales out of position at left-back behind them when Tierney is unable to continue in matches.

Over the last 365 days, Saracchi ranks within the top 14% of full-backs in the Men’s Next 14 Competitions for progressive passes per 90 (5.05) per 90 and the top 4% for shot-creating actions (3.64) per 90.

Yang upgrade: Celtic have serious interest in deal for "flamboyant" winger

Celtic reportedly have a serious interest in a star who would be a big upgrade on Hyun-jun Yang.

ByDan Emery Aug 20, 2025

This essentially means that the Uruguayan defender is well above average when it comes to progressing play down the flank, which is another reason why Balikwisha and Maeda would love him, as the full-back can consistently provide them with the ball in dangerous areas with his progressive play.