كشف الإعلامي أحمد شوبير، عن موقف رمضان صبحي لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي بيراميدز، من المشاركة مع فريقه السماوي حال الطعن على قرار إيقافه 4 سنوات.

وأصدرت المحكمة الرياضية الدولية، قرارًا بشأن قضية رمضان صبحي لاعب فريق بيراميدز، بخصوص تعاطيه للمنشطات، بإيقافه 4 سنوات بسبب التلاعب في عينة المنشطات الخاصة به.

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وكانت المحكمة قررت حبس رمضان صبحي، على ذمة قضية “تزوير محرر رسمي”، خلال الأيام الماضية، وسبق أن تم القبض على اللاعب عقب عودة بعثة فريق بيراميدز من المعسكر الخارجي من تركيا في بداية الموسم الحالي.

وقال الإعلامي أحمد شوبير، في برنامجه الإذاعي صباح اليوم الخميس: “هاني زهران محامي رمضان قال إنه يستعد لتقديم طعن على قرار إيقاف رمضان صبحي 4 سنوات أمام المحكمة الفيدرالية”.

وتابع شوبير: “رمضان صبحي لن يحق له المشاركة مع فريقه بيراميدز في المباريات حال تقديم طعن إلا عندما تصدر المحكمة حكمها”.

وأضاف: “رمضان صبحي سيكون أمامه بعد الطعن إما الغاء العقوية بشكل كامل، أو تخفيف العقوبة، أو تطبيقها كما هي، مثلما حدث مع النجم الفرنسي بول بوجبا”.

Southampton have been one of a number of teams with a managerial vacancy in the Championship during the international break, alongside Norwich, Middlesbrough, and Swansea.

Boro are set to appoint Kim Hellberg from Hammarby and Vitor Matos is in talks to take over at Swansea, but it is Norwich who have made the most eyebrow-raising appointment.

The Canaries have hired Belgian coach Philippe Clement, who has won four domestic cups in Belgium and Scotland and four Belgian top-flight titles in his career, per Transfermarkt, working for Club Brugge, Genk, Monaco, and Rangers.

Norwich are 23rd in the Championship table, with half as many points as Southampton, yet they have attracted a head coach who has won 170 of his 287 league games as a manager, averaging 2.00 points per game, per Transfermarkt.

The latest on Southampton's managerial search

According to Daily Echo reporter Alfie House, as relayed by SaintsExtra, Southampton are set to hand interim head coach Tonda Eckert the next three Championship matches before further assessing the situation.

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The Saints play Charlton, Leicester City, and Millwall in those three games, after Eckert beat QPR 2-1 and Sheffield Wednesday 3-1 in his first two matches in the dugout.

House’s update adds that Southampton have spoken with managerial targets and that they do not have a clear standout candidate at this moment in time, which is why Eckert will be given the next three games to stake his claim for the permanent job.

Instead of appointing the interim on a permanent basis, Sport Republic could hire their answer to Norwich’s ambitious Clement swoop by bringing reported target Brendan Rodgers to St. Mary’s.

Why Southampton should appoint Brendan Rodgers

If the Canaries are able to attract a manager like Clement, who has won eight trophies and managed some big European clubs, whilst second from bottom in the Championship, Southampton should make a statement of their own with a move for the former Celtic boss.

Described as “world-class” by Gabby Agbonlahor, like the new Norwich manager, Rodgers would come in with an incredible career behind him and a history of winning games and trophies on a consistent basis. In fact, he won the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership title with Celtic ahead of Clement’s Rangers side.

The Northern Irish boss, who was hailed as a “pillar of strength” by Hoops captain Callum McGregor, is an incredibly experienced tactician who has been there and done it in England and Scotland.

League games managed

597

287

League games won

322

170

League games drawn

122

63

League games lost

153

54

Points per league game

1.82

2.00

Trophies won

13

8

League titles won

4

4

As you can see in the table above, Rodgers is even more experienced than Clement and has won five more trophies in his career, with 11 of those coming at Celtic, and the other two with Leicester.

The Saints target also has experience in getting out of the Championship. He won the play-offs in the 2010/11 campaign after a third-placed finish in the second tier with Swansea, which shows that he also has experience for what Southampton need this season.

Therefore, Rodgers could be a brilliant appointment for the club if they can convince him to make the drop down to the Championship, which is what Norwich were able to do with Clement.

Southampton can end Eckert experiment by hiring "insanely talented" manager

Southampton can replace Tonda Eckert by swooping to hire this experienced former Championship manager.

ByDan Emery Nov 18, 2025

The allrounder overcame a blow to the forearm and spent a lengthy stint in the middle then Cooper Connolly ensured against late alarms

Tristan Lavalette31-Oct-2025Cameron Green has been “hitting intensity” in training as he ramps up his bowling loads, but it remains unclear whether he will have an overs-restriction in his expected return to bowling in the next Sheffield Shield round.Green played as a specialist batter in Western Australia’s drawn Shield match against South Australia at the WACA. Batting in his preferred No. 4 spot, Green gave WA some hope of chasing down the 303-run target before he unluckily fell for 41 after a dubious caught behind decision.Immediately after the match ended due to bad light, Green had a 30-minute bowl in the middle of the WACA until rain fell on the ground.Related

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Green has bowled just four overs since returning from back surgery. He is likely to play as an allrounder in WA’s next Shield match against Queensland at the WACA starting on November 11 although he might be placed under bowling restrictions.”We’ll just make sure he can bowl first and then we’ll work that bit out,” WA coach Adam Voges said. “My hope is that he’ll be able to play as an allrounder the next game. He’s still building nicely. From what we’ve seen in the nets, he’s hitting intensity.”Green did get some quality batting time at the crease after making a duck in the first innings in his return from side soreness that ruled him out of the India ODI series. He faced 108 balls, his longest stint in the middle since the third Test against the West Indies in July.Green was in command and appeared unaffected after copping a stinging blow in the left forearm by quick Henry Thornton. He was eventually adjudged caught behind off a length delivery from Liam Scott that he tried to fend away from his body.Green threw his head back in disappointment at the decision following a half-hearted appeal from South Australia.Cameron Green inspects his arm after a blow from Henry Thornton•Getty ImagesAfter the match appeared destined for a draw, there was a late twist when Aaron Hardie and Joel Curtis fell in quick succession to Scott. But Cooper Connolly held firm with an unbeaten half-century to ensure WA avoided a third consecutive defeat to start the season. It capped a strong allround performance for Connolly, who also claimed two wickets in South Australia’s second innings.With the pitch flattening out as the match wore on, South Australia captain Nathan McSweeney opted for caution and declared 30 minutes before lunch. Their hopes of an unlikely victory rested on spearhead Brendan Doggett, who produced a spectacular delivery to dismiss captain Sam Whiteman before being thwarted by Green and Cameron Bancroft, who top-scored with 58.Doggett finished with seven wickets for the match in his return from a hamstring injury, with his only previous game this season being in the One-Day Cup on September 20.With relentless accuracy and menacing movement, Doggett showed why he is likely to be a fast-bowling reserve for the Ashes having been on the fringes for the past 12 months.”I think he would be around the mark for the squad, it’s nice to see him come out and bowl like he did,” South Australia coach Ryan Harris said.After taking six wickets in WA’s first innings to claw South Australia back into the match, Doggett again loomed as South Australia’s talismanic figure. He stepped up in his first over to knock over Whiteman, who shouldered arms only to watch in horror as the ball swung back wickedly to hit the top of the off stump.All eyes were on Green, who entered at 37 for 2 early in the second session after Hilton Cartwright on 12 drove straight to mid-on. Green was rock solid and locked in as gleaned by his routine of stepping to the side and looking up at three of the WACA’s massive light towers after every delivery.Green had most of the strike and took his time, scoring just 8 off his first 32 balls. Bancroft appeared to be cruising towards a brisk half-century until Thornton bent his back and produced a hostile spell. But Thornton was left despondent when he had two big shouts against Bancroft turned down.Thornton then whacked Green’s forehand, with medical attention needed. But Green shrugged off any concern with several delightful strokes to give WA renewed enthusiasm heading into tea.Bancroft reached his half-century on resumption, but fell shortly after when he cut straight to Conor McInerney who juggled the catch at gully. Quick Nathan McAndrew resorted to a short-ball tactic against a patient Green, who did not bite but WA’s task proved beyond them as the match inevitably headed towards a draw.The result leaves the teams, who have won the last four Shield titles, still winless after three rounds.

Manchester United are battling Chelsea over the signing of RB Leipzig’s highly-rated young midfielder Assan Ouedraogo, as Ruben Amorim eyes up new additions.

The Red Devils fell to a woeful 1-0 defeat at home to Everton on Monday evening, failing to beat a Blues side who played most of the game with ten men.

It was a big setback for Amorim, with United now going three Premier League matches without a win, and the manager bemoaned the performance of his players at Old Trafford.

It was further proof that United need to look at midfield additions, whether that be in the January or summer transfer window, and an exciting update has now dropped in that respect.

Man Utd have upper hand on Chelsea in Assan Ouedraogo race

According to Sky Germany [via Sport Witness], Manchester United are pushing ahead in their efforts to sign Ouedraogo from Leipzig in 2026. The Red Devils’ interest in the 19-year-old is “becoming more concrete” all the time, with Premier League rivals Chelsea also pushing for a deal.

United have an upper hand in that they have already had contacts with the player’s camp, pursuing him before he left Schalke in June 2024, but a “top offer” will be needed to pry him away from Leipzig given he has no release clause.

Ouedraogo is a huge young talent with so much potential, so United should be looking at him as a fantastic option to add to their midfield in the coming months.

Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes are both in their 30s now, and struggled together against Everton, but the Leipzig star would be a long-term signing who would add much-needed fresh legs in the middle of the park.

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Ouedraogo recently scored on his debut for Germany, and he will be pushing to be one of the standout youngsters at 2026 World Cup, with scout Antonio Mango desribing him as a “midfield sensation” earlier this month.

While the German teenager is at his happiest in a central midfield role, he can also shine in a more attacking central berth, as well as on the left wing, and United beating Chelsea and others to his signature would feel like a major statement of intent.

Worse than Bruno Fernandes vs Everton: Amorim must bin Man Utd's 3/10 flop

There has been some understandable concern from some sections of the Leeds United fan base over the club’s recent run of results in the Premier League under Daniel Farke.

The Whites have lost their last three matches in the division, to Brighton, Nottingham Forest, and Aston Villa, despite taking the lead in the last two games.

This run of results has left the West Yorkshire outfit in the relegation zone, albeit only on goal difference, with a daunting run of fixtures on the horizon in the Premier League.

Leeds travel to The Etihad to face Manchester City this weekend before a clash with Chelsea at Elland Road in midweek and a game against reigning champions Liverpool next weekend.

Unless the Whites pull off a surprise result in one of those matches, which is not impossible when you consider that Farke did beat City with Norwich in 2019, they could find themselves adrift in the relegation zone.

If Leeds lose all three of those games, it would be six defeats on the spin and a spot in the bottom three for the club. That is a hard position for any manager to keep their job in.

The case for Leeds to stick with Daniel Farke

Farke’s Premier League record will, naturally, come into question after his dismal time in the top-flight across two seasons with Norwich and the Whites’ form this term.

The German boss has lost 42 of his 61 games in the league, averaging 0.61 points per game, per Transfermarkt, with the Canaries and Leeds combined, which is a concerning statistic for any supporter looking to the manager and hoping that he can keep the team in the division.

However, it is worth adding some context. Norwich spent money on one permanent signing, Sam Byram for £750k, in the 2019/20 campaign and they had to play their last nine games behind closed doors. Before the second season, Farke’s best player, Emi Buendia, was sold to Aston Villa just weeks after they earned promotion from the Championship.

Then, of course, Farke wanted Leeds to strengthen their attacking options in the summer transfer window, but the club were unable to get a deal done for Harry Wilson on deadline day, which has left the manager short of options in the final third.

xG

14.3

13th

Goals

11

19th

xGA

16.1

12th

Goals conceded

22

17th

xGD

-1.8

12th

GD

-11

19th

As you can see in the table above, Leeds should be in midtable based on their performances, but the players have not taken their chances and their goalkeepers have conceded more than expected.

Whilst all of this mitigation is a case to save Farke’s job, a fresh report suggests that the club may be making a change in the dugout in the coming weeks.

The latest on Daniel Farke's future at Leeds

According to Football Insider, the owners are ‘preparing’ to part ways with the German boss if he is unable to oversee an improvement in the team’s results in the next week or so.

The report claims that the club are planning to sack Farke if he does not pick up any points from the matches against Manchester City and Chelsea, as harsh as that may seem given the level of opposition.

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It adds that the Whites are already looking at possible options to come in and replace the German manager in the dugout if they do have a decision to make in the next seven days.

Football Insider reveals that Valencia head coach Carlos Corberan is one of the names in the frame to possibly replace Farke, stating that he has moved ahead in the race to move to the Premier League.

If Leeds are able to convince their former U21s boss to return to Elland Road, the Spaniard could arrive as an upgrade on Farke and the club’s new Marcelo Bielsa.

Why Leeds should appoint Carlos Corberan

Whilst, as aforementioned, there is plenty of mitigation that suggests that Farke would be somewhat unfortunate to lose his job, this latest update clearly shows that Leeds are preparing for a change.

With this in mind, the focus should be on getting the best possible manager in to take the job, and there may not be many better and realistic options than Corberan, due to his history with Leeds and his managerial career to date.

The Spanish boss, who has played a 4-4-2 and a 4-2-3-1 in LaLiga this season, was a first-team coach under Bielsa at Elland Road before taking his first senior posting outside of Cyprus with Huddersfield in 2020.

Since then, he has managed Olympiacos, West Bromwich Albion, and Valencia, gaining vital experience, and has had his coaching style compared to that of Bielsa’s, as shown in the post below.

This suggests that the Whites would be signing a more pragmatic manager than Farke, and one who may be able to implement more subtle tactics within matches to secure results.

That is backed up by his record in LaLiga with Valencia since he made the decision to move on from West Brom to make the move to Spain midway through the 2024/25 campaign.

Matches managed

61

34

Wins

9

12

Draws

10

11

Losses

42

11

Points

37

47

Points per game

0.61

1.38

As you can see in the table above, the ex-Leeds U21s manager has a far better record in a major European league than Farke has, with ten more points from almost half as many games.

Of course, there is the aforementioned mitigation to take into account for Farke, but the Valencia boss is now a proven operator at that level of management, whilst the German is still yet to prove that he can successfully keep a team up.

Corberan was once hailed as “elite” by scout Petar Petrov for getting more out of his group of players than expected, which is exactly what the Whites need in the position that they are currently in.

Therefore, the Spaniard could arrive as an upgrade on Farke, due to his proven ability to get the most out of his players at the top level in Europe, whilst also being Bielsa 2.0 with his pragmatism and willingness to adapt, which is why the club should move for him if they sack Farke.

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Joshua Kimmich was not too impressed by the style of play imprinted by Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta into his team after Bayern Munich slumped to a 3-1 defeat against the Gunners in the Champions League on Wednesday. The German international explained that Bayern simply couldn't deal with the "sheer number of corners" they conceded, playing right into Arsenal's set-piece supremacy.

Arsenal outclass Bayern in the Champions League

Arsenal proved they mean serious business this season after defeating Bayern 3-1 in the Champions League at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday, with the defeat bringing an end to the German heavyweights' 18-game unbeaten run across all competitions in the ongoing campaign. 

Jurrien Timber broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute, but wonderkid Lennart Karl made it all square 10 minutes later. The two teams matched each other in intensity in the first 45 minutes, although the hosts seemed to be in better control of the proceedings. 

However, Bayern were all over the place in the second half. Hampered by an attack that failed to impose their influence on the game, Bayern could only muster six shots in the 90 minutes, only two of those on target. Harry Kane's return to north London didn't go as planned, as he cut a frustrating figure against his former rivals. 

Arteta's men tightened the screws in the second half, thanks to their dominance in midfield and immaculate pressing structure. Bayern finally succumbed to the pressure after keeping the hosts at bay for the first 23 minutes of the second half, with substitute Noni Madueke converting Riccardo Calafiori's brilliant delivery in the 69th minute. Gabriel Martinelli put the tie to bed eight minutes later and will be thankful to Manuel Neuer for making a mess just outside the Bayern box.

The result not only cemented the Gunners’ status as the only team in this season’s Champions League with a perfect record, but also strengthened their reputation as arguably the favourites to go all the way.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportKimmich undermines Arsenal's victory

Speaking to reporters after the game, Kimmich admitted that Bayern deserved to lose, but also claimed that Arsenal weren't their toughest opponents yet. 

“It was definitely a deserved defeat. I thought we didn't do well at all with the ball. We weren't brave enough, we weren't active enough, we didn't give ourselves enough options," said Kimmich.

"We weren't physically up to par against the ball, although it was clear what kind of game it would be. It was clear that it wouldn't be a game like the one against Chelsea, where it's mostly about playing football. It was clear that it would be a lot about fighting, lots of long balls. Arsenal then naturally made every ball dangerous.

"I think the main problem today was the sheer number of corners we conceded. At some point, it simply becomes difficult to defend against that over and over again.

"This is an extremely important game for us. I'm convinced that we'll take a lot away from it, that we'll learn a lot from it. There were many aspects that we need to improve. Last season we had a few games, like the Barca game [from last season], which also weren't good, but we learned a lot from those as well."

Having beaten Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain already in the competition, Kimmich was asked if the London club have been the toughest opponents so far.

"No, I don't think so! PSG was our most difficult opponent… Arsenal is completely different. They rely a lot on set pieces. Against Paris, it was more of a football match," he said.

Arteta 'extremely proud' of Arsenal's display

Arteta was thoroughly delighted with what he saw from his players on Wednesday. The win stretched their unbeaten streak to 16 games across competitions.

"Well, I'm extremely proud to what I've seen tonight. I think, we've seen a team that, in my opinion, playing against the best team in Europe has behaved with a real presence, authority, determination, and belief, and that's what I wanted," Arteta explained. "You need some huge performance individually. We certainly had that. We took our moments, and I think overall, we just have to win the game.” His summary highlighted not only the collective strength on display but the individual excellence that fueled the win.

Arteta also spoke about the impact of his substitutes, who played an important role in the win. He added: “Yes. I mean, everybody's ready. Whether it's a starter and a finisher, the impact that the boys are having is tremendous because we have dealt with a lot of injuries, this season already. But, the fact that everybody's raising the level is hiding a lot of those issues, and I'm very pleased because, everybody's important. We're gonna need them, and I'm happy that the ones that even given the chance, they're constantly taking it."

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Getty Images SportBayern's next opponents – St. Pauli

While the defeat to Arsenal is sure to raise several questions, Bayern can nullify the external noise by returning to winning ways this weekend. The Bundesliga table-toppers will welcome St. Pauli at the Allianz Arena on Saturday.

The left-hander will play for South Australia in the Sheffield Shield next week ahead of the first Test

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Nov-2025

Travis Head has opted for a red-ball game before the Ashes•AFP/Getty Images

Travis Head will miss the final two matches of the T20I series against India as he switches to Ashes preparation with an appearance for South Australia in the Sheffield Shield.Head will be available to face Tasmania in Hobart next week in what will be his first first-class match since the tour of West Indies in July. He has had a relatively lean run in white-ball cricket over the last month with a top score of 31 in eight innings across T20Is and ODIs after making 142 against South Africa in August.Related

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Head shapes as a crucial cog in Australia’s Test line-up where he will slot in at No. 5 with the ability to change games with his counterattacking approach. It’s understood that it was largely left for Head to decide whether he wanted a four-day game before facing England.His appearance for South Australia will add to a star-studded round of Sheffield Shield ahead of the first Test with most, if not all, of the squad – which will be named later this week – expected to appear.Josh Hazlewood, who departed the T20I series after the second game in Melbourne, and Mitchell Starc are set to play for New South Wales against Victoria in an attack that will feature Nathan Lyon. Sean Abbott, who will also leave the T20I squad following the Hobart game, is also available for NSW. Steven Smith will play the second of his two matches after making 118 against Queensland at the Gabba.Victoria are expected to have Scott Boland for his third Shield outing of the season after he was rested for the match against Tasmania in Melbourne.Cameron Green will feature for Western Australia against Queensland in a game that should see him return to bowling for the first time since the opening match of the season.Marnus Labuschagne will likely be keen for another outing before the Test series, where he is certain to earn a recall, while Matt Renshaw has been in the opening conversation.Beau Webster will play for Tasmania against South Australia who will have Alex Carey available alongside Head. Brendan Doggett, who could have been named among the back-up quicks by then, is also due to play for SA.Meanwhile, legspinner Tanveer Sangha has been released from the T20I squad to play for NSW in the One-Day Cup match against Queensland in Sydney on Monday. He has been providing cover for Adam Zampa who is awaiting the birth of his second child.As previously announced, left-arm seamer Ben Dwarshuis will come into the squad for the final two matches on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane having overcome a calf injury.The T20I series is level at 1-1 following India’s five-wicket victory in Hobart.

Following India’s win at the Women’s World Cup 2025, the BCCI has announced a cash prize of INR 51 crore for the players, support staff and the selection committee. The team will also receive USD 4.48 million (approx. INR 40 crore) as prize money from the ICC.”On behalf of the board, I congratulate the Indian women’s cricket team on this historic world championship victory,” BCCI president Mithun Manhas said in a statement. “The team’s resilience, talent and togetherness have lifted our nation’s hopes. This triumph vindicates the investment and faith the BCCI placed in building a world-class women’s programme.”India defeated South Africa by 52 runs in front of a crowd of 39,555 at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on Sunday. Asked to bat, the Harmanpreet Kaur-led unit posted 298 for 7 with Shafali Verma scoring 87 off 78. Led by Player-of-the-Tournament Deepti Sharma’s five-wicket haul, India then bowled South Africa out for 246 despite captain Laura Wolvaardt scoring a century.Related

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“This phenomenal achievement is the result of relentless preparation, flawless execution and the unshakable belief of our women cricketers,” BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia said. “The coaching staff, support personnel and every state association have played a role. Congratulations to each and every member of the team. This team has made the entire cricket fraternity proud.”India had won the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in 2023 but this was their first senior world trophy. They had come close twice, finishing runners-up in 2005 and 2017. India beat Australia in the semi-final at the same venue to set up a title-clash with South Africa, who had overcome England in the other semi-final in Guwahati.From the squad that won the World Cup, Shafali Verma has been named North Zone captain for the Senior Women’s Inter-Zonal T20 Trophy starting November 4 in Nagaland. She will miss the opening match as the victorious Indian team is due to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on November 5.

GOAL runs the rule over the British players earning a living away from their homeland, with plenty more stars deciding to leave their comfort zones in search of a better footballing life elsewhere. The Premier League is still obviously one of the world's most entertaining divisions and the Championship can prove fantastic for development, but there are more options out there.

This was, however, a weekend of mixed emotions for Britain's most high-profile footballing expats. Real Madrid's English duo endured a frustrating night against one of La Liga's most out-of-form teams, though Scotland's 2025 Ballon d'Or nominee played his part in a massive Serie A win for Napoli. There were also victories for Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund's prized Englishmen, but neither was able to leave a lasting mark on proceedings.

Every Monday this season, GOAL has the definitive lowdown on British stars abroad, what they're getting up to, who is reaching the greatest heights and who appears to be suffering with homesickness. Let's get stuck into this week's edition… 

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Kane takes backseat as Bayern leave it late

  Is it time to panic?! Harry Kane failed to find the back of the net for the second game in a row on Saturday as Bayern Munich ground out a dramatic 3-1 win over St Pauli in the Bundesliga. Kane played the full 90 minutes, but it was another subdued display from the England captain, who also failed to spark into life during Bayern's 3-1 Champions League defeat at Arsenal in midweek.

  Kane has scored only twice in his last seven games across those two competitions, well short of the standards he set earlier in the season. But the reality is, they were never going to be maintained across the campaign. Last term, Bayern suffered whenever Kane was slightly off his game, but the pressure on his shoulders is no longer so extreme. Natural dips in form are excusable because the Bundesliga leaders have more firepower elsewhere to hurt the opposition.

  Luis Diaz has been especially impressive during this quiet period for Kane. The former Liverpool winger is making a case for the title of best value signing of the summer, and notched two more goal involvements against St Pauli, taking his overall tally for the season to 18 in 19 appearances.

  St Pauli grabbed a surprise lead at Allianz Arena inside six minutes, and Bayern didn't find an equaliser until moments before the half-time whistle, when Diaz somehow produced a prodded assist for Raphael Guerreiro despite losing his footing in the box. The hosts laid siege to the St Pauli penalty area thereafter, but struggled to find a way through their stubborn rear-guard.

  A magical or superhuman moment was needed, and Diaz delivered in the third minute of stoppage time, busting a gut to get in behind enemy lines and head home a teasing Joshua Kimmich cross. Nicolas Jackson then added a third for good measure, but this was Diaz's night. Kane won't mind if the Colombian overshadows him as long as Bayern keep marching towards back-to-back Bundesliga successes, with Kompany's side now holding a healthy eight-point cushion over second-place RB Leipzig.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Alexander-Arnold still not convincing

  Real Madrid's impressive Clasico win over Barcelona on October 26 feels like a very long time ago. Los Blancos were five points clear at the top of La Liga after that result, but fast-forward just two months, and Barca have clawed their rivals back after reeling off four consecutive victories. 

  The reigning champions are now first by a point ahead of Madrid, who have drawn three in a row, with relegation-threatened Girona the latest team to inflict a damaging blow to the Xabi Alonso project. Los Blancos were made to pay for a dismal first-half showing at the Estadi Montilivi that saw them muster only one shot on target, with the hosts heading in at the break one up thanks to a lovely first-time finish from Azzedine Ounahi.

  Madrid improved in the second half, and secured a share of the spoils thanks to a Kylian Mbappe penalty, but on current form, they have little hope of dethroning Barca. One of Alonso's biggest concerns will be Trent Alexander-Arnold, who again failed to impose himself in attack and defence.

  The Liverpool academy graduate is enjoying an extended run in the team with Dani Carvajal out injured, but Real have looked far worse with the 27-year-old filling in at right-back. He was guilty of not tracking his man for Girona's goal, and almost gifted them another after misplacing a pass. 

  "It's his first year, and this adjustment period is normal," Alonso said when quizzed on Alexander-Arnold's poor form before the game. "He's also demanding of himself, and we have to support him through this significant change." But how long can Madrid afford to wait? The England international has to start proving his worth, or else Carvajal will instantly be reinstated to the starting XI when he returns to action in the New Year.

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  McTominay helps Napoli edge top-of-the-table clash

  November was a very mixed month for Napoli. The Serie A title holders opened with successive goalless draws against Como and Eintracht Frankfurt before losing 2-0 at Bologna, after which Antonio Conte sparked talk he may resign by declaring, "I don’t want to accompany a dead man".

  But Napoli have since come out fighting for their manager. A 3-1 win over Atalanta got them back on track domestically before they put Qarabag to the sword in the Champions League, which perfectly set up a meeting with Serie A leaders Roma on Sunday.

  As expected, it was a tight game at Stadio Olimpico with so much at stake. In the end, Napoli edged it courtesy of a superb goal from David Neres, who ran almost the entire length of the field to finish off a rapid counter-attack after good work from Rasmus Hojlund. 

  Usually, it's Scott McTominay who inspires Napoli in the biggest games, but the Scotland international didn't get the time or space to make a decisive impact in Rome. That is partly due to the fact he is being asked to play in a more withdrawn role as Conte deals with a mini-injury crisis and a change in formation.

  "Some said that McTominay is being sacrificed in this system, but in my view that is his role too, he is a box-to-box midfielder," the Italian coach said after the 1-0 win, which took Napoli back to second in the table, behind AC Milan on goal difference. "We couldn’t do anything else, as only [Eljif] Elmas is an alternative, and that’s not even his role. These lads are proving their enthusiasm, hunger and determination every day, it is what allowed us to win the Scudetto last season, something incredible."

  Indeed, McTominay's hunger shone through with his work off the ball. He posted four clearances and seven ball recoveries across the 90 minutes to help ensure Napoli kept Roma at bay. The former Manchester United midfielder always finds a way to lead by example, and Napoli will be there-or-thereabouts in the final title reckoning once again as long as he stays fit.

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  Jobe back to square one

  Borussia Dortmund have won six of their last nine matches across all competitions since losing to Bayern Munich in Der Klassiker back in mid-October, and their latest triumph was undoubtedly their most important yet. It wasn't always pretty, but Niko Kovac's side leapfrogged Bayer Leverkusen into third in the Bundesliga with a 2-1 win at Bay Arena on Saturday.

  Goals from Aaron Anselmino and Karim Adeyemi secured the three points as BVB gave up the lion's share of possession and hit Leverkusen on the break. The gritty, clinical performance pleased Kovac, who told reporters after the final whistle: "We played a really cool away game today. The team have shown that they can survive here as well. We made a lot of plans for this game. The team implemented them really well, and after this, hopefully the talk that we cannot win against big teams this season will stop."

  Unfortunately, though, Jobe Bellingham didn't really contribute to Dortmund's "cool game". The former Birmingham City wonderkid was restricted to a 10-minute cameo and managed only four touches, all of which came in his own half. 

  Bellingham seemed to have turned a corner after playing 90 minutes against Hamburg and Stuttgart, but it seems that Kovac still doesn't trust him in the most pivotal fixtures. He was also a late substitute in the 4-0 Champions League win over Villarreal last week, and it won't be a surprise if he's back on the bench when Dortmund face Leverkusen again in the last 16 of the DFB-Pokal on Tuesday.

  There is growing speculation that Bellingham could seek a move away from Signal Iduna Park in January, with BVB reportedly open to a loan amid interest from Paris FC in Ligue 1. While that would be a backwards step, the 20-year-old needs regular football to rebuild his confidence; only then will he have any chance of emulating his brother Jude and break into the England senior set-up.

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Você se lembra a última vez que o Palmeiras saiu derrotado de um jogo após os 90 minutos de partida?

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Pois é, nesta sexta-feira (8), vai completar quatro meses que o time de Abel Ferreira não sabe o que é derrota.

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A última vez que o Palmeiras perdeu nos 90 minutos de uma partida, foi no jogo diante do Flamengo, no Maracanã, em novembro de 2023, em jogo válido pelo Brasileirão de 2023.

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O Palmeiras saiu derrotado por 3 a 0 no Maracanã na noite de 8 de novembro, mas a derrota acachapante para o time de Tite não impediu que o Verdão levantasse o seu 12º título brasileiro um mês depois, em Belo Horizonte.

De lá pra cá, o Verdão entrou em campo 17 vezes, e só saiu com a derrota na Supercopa, nos pênaltis, após empatar por 0 a 0 com o São Paulo no tempo normal.

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Somando os 12 jogos de 2024 (sete vitórias e cinco empates) e os cinco últimos do Campeonato Brasileiro de 2023 (três vitórias e dois empates).

A invencibilidade desta temporada, fez com o que o Verdão chegasse na última rodada da fase de grupos do Paulista com a melhor campanha entre os 16 times que disputam o estadual.

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➡️ Veja os grupos e datas dos confrontos no Paulistão

Sábado (9), na Arena Barueri, o Verdão coloca sua invencibilidade à prova mais uma vez, dessa vez diante do Botafogo-SP, em jogo que fecha a participação do time de Abel Ferreira na primeira fase do Paulista.