Tag Futebol

Acknowledges that the three Tests are in quick succession but says, “we have had a chance to prepare physically leading into this”

ESPNcricinfo staff21-May-2021Tim Southee believes that workload management would not be a concern for New Zealand as they gear up to play three Tests – a two-match series against England followed by the World Test Championship (WTC) final against India – in a 21-day period, stressing that the players have prepared for the rigours.”It’s exciting to play three Test matches in a short space of time,” Southee said after the first training session six squad members took part in following the touring party’s three-day hotel-room isolation in Southampton. “It is something that the team doesn’t get to do that often. We’ve come off a bit of a break, which has been nice, and (we have) been able to get some conditioning into our bodies, the guys that have come from the IPL and are going to be playing some cricket.Related

WTC final: India and New Zealand to share trophy in case of a draw or a tie

Kyle Jamieson banking on the experience of his fellow pacers for England tour

Jamieson wary of expecting too much from Dukes ball in England

Cricket-obsessed Ravindra prepped for New Zealand call of duty

Williamson excited for England Tests, WTC final

“So the guys are refreshed in some sort of way, using the next couple of weeks to get ourselves prepared and ready to play three Test matches. They are in quick succession but we have had a chance to prepare physically leading into this with some strength and conditioning stuff. Now, it’s just getting our loads to a point over the coming weeks so that we can rock on to those three Test matches.”New Zealand arrived in London on Sunday afternoon with most of the Test squad and staff having then transferred to quarantine in Southampton, where they will spend the first two weeks of the tour. A three-day intra-squad game begins on May 26 at the Ageas Bowl, where six local bowlers who have isolated in advance will help make up the sides.

“It’s about familiarising yourself with some footage which we are seeing through and trying to come up with plans for these guys that we haven’t seen a lot of”Southee on New Zealand’s preparation against new members of England’s squad

The two-Test series against England kicks off on June 2 at Lord’s, with Edgbaston the venue for the second game, before New Zealand return to Southampton for the WTC final.”It’s nice to be here [Ageas Bowl]. The guys can familiarise themselves,” Southee said. “I imagine we’ll probably be in the same room when we come back and it’s nice for guys who haven’t been here to be able to come here and experience it. And when you come back for the final, you’re a little bit more comfortable having spent some time here and use the facilities and hopefully can get out and make the most of that later in the squad game in the middle.”Southee echoed his team-mate Neil Wagner in making it clear he doesn’t view the Test matches against England as being warm-ups for the WTC title clash against India.New Zealand will bank on the likes of Neil Wagner and Tim Southee for success on the three-match England tour•Getty Images”Nah, I think anytime you get a chance to play a Test match for New Zealand, it’s an amazing opportunity and it’s something that you treasure, so I don’t think you would treat them as warm-ups,” he said. “It’s a two-match Test series against England and so our focus is first and foremost on those two matches against England.”For us, it is great to have those matches in the lead-in to the final that follows on afterwards. It’s great preparation for the final but in saying that, for us it’s a two-match Test series that we’re really looking forward to, and the quality English opposition in these conditions.”England are very tough in their own conditions. They obviously perform pretty well in these conditions. They’ve got a few new guys who are probably going to be very excited at the opportunity to play for England and try and get their mark on international cricket over the summer. I’m sure, as it always is, when New Zealand plays England that’s usually a pretty exciting, pretty close Test series and I imagine this is going to be no different.”In order to familiarise themselves with the uncapped opponents and the Dukes ball – the New Zealand players who were not at the IPL had trained with it before leaving for England – the squad, Southee said, has been analysing video footage.”There’s a few new faces in this English side that we haven’t seen a lot of. So it’s about familiarising yourself with some footage which we are seeing through and trying to come up with plans for these guys that we haven’t seen a lot of,” he said. “So it’s just about coming up with plans and looking at footage and things that have worked for you personally in these conditions as well.”

This summer has been a successful one for Nottingham Forest, moving away from the erratic dealings of seasons prior and focusing on signing quality over quantity.

With less than a week remaining in the transfer window, the Reds have already secured six first-team additions in the form of Alex Moreno, Jota Silva, Ramon Sosa, Nikola Milenkovic, Carlos Miguel and Elliot Anderson.

All the players will provide needed cover in key positions, whilst also proving to be an upgrade on some of the players already at the City Ground, with centre-back Milenkovic arriving with a pedigree of European football under his belt.

However, there is still time for boss Nuno Espírito Santo to further add to his squad with the transfer deadline not until next Friday, with various players still under consideration.

One deal appears to be edging ever closer, with Forest set to make another expensive addition to bolster the forward line.

Nottingham Forest edge closer to Nketiah deal

After weeks of speculation surrounding Forest’s hunt for a new striker, it appears as though Arsenal man Eddie Nketiah will be the talisman chosen by Nuno and the hierarchy to lead the line in the Premier League this season.

The Reds had multiple bids rejected for Feyenoord forward Santiago Gimenez last week, before moving onto a deal to sign the Englishman, with personal terms agreed with Nketiah over a move to the East Midlands.

Whilst it’s unclear what the fee will be for the 25-year-old, journalist David Ornstein previously stated that the Gunners were holding out for a fee in the region of £30m – making him the club’s third-highest addition behind Anderson and Ibrahim Sangare.

It may come as a surprise on the face of it given Chris Wood’s excellent goal tally of 14 in the Premier League last season, but the Arsenal man will bring a different dimension to Nuno’s attack, with his ability to play on the shoulder a feature the Reds have been crying out for.

He could be joined by another player on Trentside who has previously caught the eye, with additions still potentially being made to the defensive department.

Why Chalobah could be Forest’s own Saliba

William Saliba has cemented himself as one of the very best centre-backs in the Premier League over the last couple of years, proving to be a vital part of Mikel Arteta’s side as they aim to end their 20-year wait without a league title.

Over the last two seasons, he’s started 65 of the Gunners’ 76 league outings – highlighting his importance, with his market value soaring to £67.8m, as per Transfermarkt.

However, the Reds have the opportunity to land their own version of the Frenchman this summer in a move for unwanted Chelsea man Trevoh Chalobah.

The English centre-back, who has been told he’s free to leave Stamford Bridge this summer, was subject to interest from Forest in January and also this summer, amid a potential cash-plus player offer for Murillo.

The 25-year-old, could be available for around the £25m mark, an excellent price for a player who has been likened to Saliba by FBref for his displays in 2023/24.

The comparison is hardly a surprise when delving into their respective stats, with Chalobah having the ability to be the Reds’ own version of the superstar.

How Chalobah & Saliba compare in the PL (2023/24)

Statistics (per 90)

Chalobah

Saliba

Games played

13

38

Minutes played

952

3420

Progressive carries

0.47

0.44

Tackles

1.13

0.68

Interceptions

0.8

0.8

Blocks

0.8

0.8

Clearances

4.8

2.1

Stats via FBref

Chalobah, who’s been described as a “monster” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, won more tackles per 90 than Saliba last season, whilst making over two times more clearances per 90.

He also managed the same amount of interceptions and blocks per 90 – showcasing his defensive abilities which would massively help Nuno’s side pull clear of another relegation battle this season.

While Milenkovic is an excellent addition for the Reds, the Chelsea ace could provide extra cover, whilst also offering Nuno the chance to switch to a back three should he need to.

Chelsea’s loss could be Forest’s gain, with the centre-back more than capable of replicating his form from West London in the East Midlands, in what could potentially be a massive coup for the Reds.

Related Instead of Osimhen: Chelsea plot hijack for Drogba-esque £50m striker

The Blues are ready to finish their summer spending with a flourish…

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Aug 22, 2024

Fabrizio Romano says Chelsea will now allow a "leader" of their squad to depart Stamford Bridge if they manage to strike a deal for Atletico Madrid star Joao Felix.

Chelsea in talks to sign Felix after Samu Omorodion deal collapses

As widely reported, Enzo Maresca and co are now attempting to re-sign Felix as the Blues set their sights on a different Atletico star to Samu Omorodion – who was expected to make the move to west London.

Related Chelsea ace just proved he's already at risk of being replaced by Omorodion

Chelsea create chances but fail to score until 90th minute

Posts ByConnor Holden Aug 11, 2024

Omorodion was on the verge of joining Chelsea and signing a seven-year contract with England international midfielder Conor Gallagher heading the other way in a separate deal, but a move for the former suddenly collapsed, with the latter now in limbo as he waits to resolve his future.

Omorodion's botched move to Chelsea has had serious implications on Gallagher's move to Madrid, as Diego Simeone's side will no longer receive the mooted £35 million fee for their unwanted striker.

These funds would have contributed towards Atletico's £34 million deal for Gallagher, but the transfer domino has now stalled for the time being with Omorodion not heading to west London after all.

Chelsea's best-performing players in the Premier League last season

Average match rating (WhoScored)

Cole Palmer

7.48

Conor Gallagher

7.13

Nicolas Jackson

7.07

Moises Caicedo

6.85

Noni Madueke

6.84

Chelsea are attempting to find another solution, though, with Romano breaking news over the weekend that Chelsea opened talks to sign Felix as an alternative. The Portugal international, who spent the second half of 2022/2023 on loan at Chelsea, could now rejoin the Blues in Omorodion's stead.

Felix has also attracted interest from Aston Villa this window, but a move to the Premier League may well beckon with a return to Chelsea instead.

The 24-year-old spent last season on a temporary spell at Barcelona, scoring seven goals and assisting three others in 30 La Liga appearances, whilst also performing in the Champions League with three goals and one assist in nine outings.

Supporters will be watching on to see whether they can bring an ex-star back to the club whilst also allowing Gallagher to depart.

Chelsea will allow Sterling to leave if Felix joins

While the 24-year-old's future hinders on Felix's arrival, the same can now be said for Raheem Sterling.

The winger, signed for £50 million two years ago, will be permitted to find a new club if Chelsea can sort a deal with Atletico. That is according to Romano, who says Chelsea are ready to green-light an exit for Sterling if Felix joins.

While the 29-year-old found himself on the bench more often than not during the latter stages of Mauricio Pochettino's only campaign in charge, Gallagher has called Sterling a "leader" in the Chelsea dressing room.

"[Sterling] is brilliant, really nice guy and top player of course, you see his career," said Gallagher (via BBC Sport).

"He's been really professional and a leader at Chelsea so credit to him, he's mentally very strong and hopefully he can keep playing like he played against Burnley because he's why we got that win.

"You need a bit of experience [in the squad] and when you've got young players in the squad, I think Raheem helps a lot of young players. He shows his experience and his qualities on the pitch and he's very appreciated at Chelsea."

Shakib, who was picked up by the Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 3.20 crore in the 2021 auction on Thursday, wrote to the BCB asking for the leave

Mohammad Isam19-Feb-20214:12

For us, bringing Shakib back to KKR was a big thing – Venky Mysore

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has granted Shakib Al Hasan leave during next month’s Test series against Sri Lanka so he can take part in the IPL, according to the cricket operations head Akram Khan. Shakib, who was picked up by the Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 3.20 crore in the 2021 auction on Thursday, wrote to the BCB asking for the leave, which the board agreed to.”Shakib wants to play T20s at the moment,” Khan told . “He doesn’t want to play Tests. He has asked for a leave for the IPL. We also don’t want to force someone who doesn’t want to play Tests, which is why the board has decided to grant him the leave.”Bangladesh’s Test series against Sri Lanka that was postponed twice last year due to the pandemic, is being planned in April to keep up with the ICC’s extended World Test Championship (WTC) deadline. The dates haven’t yet been announced but since the BCB have granted him the leave, it seems likely that the two competitions were clashing for Shakib. The IPL is reportedly scheduled to begin on April 11.According to the report, Shakib has told the BCB that he wants to return to the national team for the ODIs against Sri Lanka slated for May. The BCB had reportedly set an IPL window for Bangladesh’s cricketers till May 19, but there is also a stipulation in the players’ contract that they must remain available for Bangladesh’s matches during this window too.The BCB has in the past said that Bangladesh players would be allowed to be part of two franchise-based T20 tournaments per year, but there have been a few instances in the last seven years when Shakib had to skip the IPL due to national committments.

With Kevin de Bruyne's Manchester City future recently thrown into doubt, the Blues could now join a fierce race to sign a £105m star ahead of rivals Manchester United this summer.

Man City transfer news

Following a fourth consecutive Premier League title in a season that also followed winning the treble, it seems as though certain Manchester City stars have been left pondering their future, perhaps wondering whether their work in England is now complete. Among those stars are Ederson and De Bruyne.

Reports suggest that the City duo have both been targeted by clubs in the Saudi Pro League in what could deal Pep Guardiola a major blow, with the Brazilian shot-stopper even offered a massive £500,000 per week deal to move.

Man City want to beat Man Utd to signing of "incredible" 16 y/o this summer

He is shining at academy level for club and country.

ByHenry Jackson Jul 6, 2024

According to Rudy Galetti for TeamTalk, De Bruyne has even agreed personal terms with Al-Nassr, who must now negotiate with Manchester City in order to get a deal over the line this summer. The Premier League champions would reportedly rather cash in on their star midfielder this summer than lose him for free upon the expiry of his current deal this time next year.

With a potential exit on the cards, those at the Etihad have reportedly drawn up a plan of their own, however. As per Galetti and TeamTalk, Manchester City will join a "fierce" race to sign Joao Neves if De Bruyne leaves this summer.

The Benfica star reportedly has a £105m release clause, so while not a direct replacement for the Belgian in terms of style, the funds raised from De Bruyne's sale would aid in getting a deal done without pushing the limits of PSR. He has also attracted interest from Manchester United.

Still just 19 years old, Neves is certainly one for the future and a player who could complete the near-impossible task of replacing De Bruyne's influence at Manchester City eventually, even if not providing the same attacking output.

The Cityzens rarely miss in the transfer market and the Portugal international is another player who would likely join Guardiola's long list of success stories in an illustrious career.

Neves and Foden can fill De Bruyne void

Whilst replacing De Bruyne will be no easy task, Neves has shown more than enough potential at Benfica to prove that he's capable of filling the potential void left behind by the Belgian. Given that Phil Foden finally became the main man at Manchester City last season too, the teenager would be able to ease himself into such a role, as Guardiola looks to replace his Belgian superstar by committee.

Minutes

2,311

1,221

Goals

3

4

Assists

1

10

Ball Recoveries per 90

8.25

3.97

A player who is naturally more active off the ball at 19 years old compared to 32-year-old De Bruyne, Neves would offer Guardiola a different type of midfielder in place of his current star, whilst turning to Foden when it comes to directly replacing the final third output next season.

What's more, City would be getting one over on rivals Manchester United by landing a deal for a player who Bruno Fernandes has previously praised. The Red Devils captain said via 90Min: "I don't know if United rumours are true, but I know he is ready for that big jump. He is an excellent player, he's with the national team, that's also why the big clubs are after him."

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is ready to back Ange Postecoglou with a £100 million war chest this summer, and it is believed that one player has now verbally agreed terms to join the north Londoners.

Postecoglou gives scathing assessment of Spurs squad

Speaking earlier this year, Postecoglou gave a scathing assessment of his current squad, who eventually managed to qualify for Europa League football next season despite the absence of former star striker Harry Kane.

Tottenham could smash £63m Ndombele record with "huge" bid to sign striker

The Lilywhites want to replace Harry Kane this summer.

By
Emilio Galantini

Jun 14, 2024

The odds were stacked against Postecoglou when he first took over from Antonio Conte in north London, having lost the club's record-goalscorer to Bayern Munich that summer, while also contending with a general ill-feeling after his predecessor's disastrous final campaign at the helm.

However, the Australian's brand of football and electric start to life at Tottenham turned many heads, and while they couldn't quite seal a place in the Champions League pot for next term, there are certainly positives to build upon.

Tottenham's most impressive results under Postecoglou last season
Aston Villa 0-4 Tottenham
Tottenham 4-1 Newcastle
Burnley 2-5 Tottenham
Man City 3-3 Tottenham
Tottenham 2-0 Man United

Postecoglou does suggest that this Spurs squad needs multiple windows of upgrades before they're contending at the Premier League summit, though.

"We've got a lot of work to do still on the squad and I don't think we're anywhere near where we want to be. It probably will take a little bit more than three windows to get there, for sure," said Postecoglou on Tottenham's current team.

"Just in terms of the robustness, adaptability, and compatibility of the squad, I think there's still a fair bit of change we need to do. I certainly don't think we're one or two players away from getting to where I want us to be, nowhere near it. Some of that will be natural evolution. Some of it hopefully means we continue to get the improvement we've had this year from some of our players. If that happens over the next 12 months, then we'll be in a great position.

"But you've got to remember, a lot of our group are in their first year of the Premier League. A good chunk of them have been ever-presents, we need them to keep improving at the rate they are. We've still got a lot of work to do with the squad. I think we're a long way away from having one or two players away from getting where we want to be."

Levy, according to Football Transfers this week, is ready to spend on behalf of Postecoglou as he looks to build a winning team.

Levy ready to spend £100m as Toney agrees terms to join Tottenham

FT claim Levy is prepared to support Postecoglou with a £100 million budget this summer, and it is believed they've made headway in pursuit of a potential Kane replacement – Brentford star Ivan Toney.

Toney has verbally agreed personal terms to join Tottenham, who Brentford value at around £65 million. However, there is a belief that a deal could be done for around £55 million given the England international's contract situation.

Spurs are said to have the financial firepower to outbid competitors in the race for Toney, but recently had their opening £40m offer rebuffed by Thomas Frank's side. While there is still work to do in club-to-club talks, it at least appears player terms have been resolved pretty early.

Multiple outlets have also backed that Tottenham are keen to sign Kane's heir this summer, so this could be one to watch.

Players have been sharing food and meeting in the hallways of their hotel which is not permitted under the government rules

Andrew McGlashan11-Nov-2020

The West Indies squad has been preparing in Christchurch•CWI

The West Indies squad has been barred from training for the rest of their managed isolation period in Christchurch after breaking protocols. This includes sharing food and socialising in hallways of their government-approved hotel.The situation has arisen because players from the two separate bubbles of 20 people, which are allowed to train separately, have mixed. This “compromised the bubble integrity of the quarantine facility.”Johnny Grave, the Cricket West Indies CEO, said an immediate investigation had been launched. This will be led by team manager Rawl Lewis. While more details, including CCTV footage, is awaited, Grave believes “around four or five players” were involved.There is no indication the larger bubble to the outside world has been breached by any of the squad leaving or anyone from outside entering the facility, and no suggestion at this stage that the tour is under threat, but the New Zealand Ministry of Health has said that the players will have to spend the remainder of their 14 days – which is due to expire on Friday – in the hotel.”We are extremely disappointed that some of the players seem to have interacted with other members of their respective bubbles,” said Grave, who was alerted to the breach in the early hours of the morning in Antigua. “We are in full support of the action taken by the New Zealand Ministry of Health.”My disappointment is mainly that our players are probably the most experienced in the world in dealing with these strict quarantine measures. I’m not for any second saying that they are easy and living in them day-in day-out is obviously a massive challenge.”But these players, the majority of them, have been a seven-week quarantine bubble for the England tour then all pretty much went to Trinidad for the CPL. It’s hugely disappointing that players who knew what the protocols were have clearly broken them by mixing together.”We are surprised that the players would have let themselves down and let Cricket West Indies down and potentially put the tour and the New Zealand population at risk, albeit I would say from the information we’ve got that the risks are extremely low.”All the Covid-19 tests from the squad before leaving the Caribbean and during their time in New Zealand have so far come back negative with the results of the final batch due on Thursday. The squad is then scheduled to leave isolation and travel to Queenstown on Friday ahead of two matches against New Zealand A.”As with other sports teams that have come to New Zealand, the West Indies cricket team were given certain exemptions from the managed isolation rules which apply to everyone else. This included being able to be in larger bubbles and train in preparation for their international games,” Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said at a daily briefing”It is a privilege to come here but in return they have to stick to the rules. Keeping Covid-19 out of our communities and keeping our staff safe depends on it. They didn’t do that, despite agreeing to abide by the parameters of the exemption.”Consequently, we have revoked the team’s exemption from those requirements of the Managed Isolation and Quarantine Order. This means members of the team will spend the remainder of their time in managed isolation and they are unable to train.”Dr Bloomfield added there was no risk to the public. “It’s important to note that all incidents occurred within the hotel facility.”A New Zealand Cricket statement said: “NZC was yesterday made aware that some members of the West Indies team had contravened protocols within the Managed Isolation Facility in Christchurch.”These incidents included some players compromising bubble integrity by sharing food, and socialising in hallways. There is no evidence, or suggestion, that any members of the touring party left the facility, or that any unauthorised persons accessed it.”NZC is supportive of the Ministry of Health and Government position. Public health and safety has always been our primary focus in hosting overseas teams and this remains our No.1 priority.”NZC will continue working with the West Indies team and management, and relevant Government agencies, to ensure there is no repeat of these violations.”The members of the West Indies squad who have been taking part in the IPL – plus the New Zealand players at the tournament – are due to arrive in the country on Thursday when they will begin a period of 14 days of managed isolation at the same Christchurch hotel which will end the day before the opening T20I in Auckland on November 27.”It’s a really significant blow to our preparations,” Grave said. “I know head coach Phil Simmons is particularly disappointed that a few members of the touring have left themselves down and created a real issue for their team-mates.”West Indies were the first team to tour when international cricket resumed amid the Covid-19 when they travelled to England for a Test series. That involved being in a biosecure bubble from start to finish as they moved between Old Trafford and the Ageas Bowl.On that tour the squad could mix together as an entire group, but were never able to leave the bubble whereas in New Zealand, under the current regulations, once the isolation is complete they become part of the general population.

Sports Interactive has announced that Football Manager 25 has been delayed until March 2025.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

FM25 given lengthy delaySI explains they have been 'rushing' releaseFirst FM on Unity engineFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Football Manager 25 was scheduled to be released at the start of September, with Sports Interactive transitioning to the use of a new engine, powered by Unity. They initially delayed the game until the end of November, but have now confirmed that it will instead release in March. At the same time, they have offered to refund pre-orders and have also confirmed that the next gameplay reveal will take place in January.

AdvertisementTHE BIGGER PICTURE

FM25 has officially been announced just last week, with a roadmap also promised, but SI have now explained that they do not feel they can release an acceptable product within the current timeframe. How this now impacts FM26, because the games are released on an annual schedule, is yet to be seen.

WHAT SI SAID

In a statement, SI wrote: "After careful consideration, Sports Interactive have made the tough decision to further delay the release of Football Manager 25.

"Following discussions with SEGA, our licensors and partners, we have agreed the best course of action is to delay the launch until March 2025. Specific platform release dates will follow once confirmed.

"In our last Development Update in September, we explained that we needed to push FM25’s original release back to give ourselves more time to deliver the best possible experience for this first instalment in a new era of Football Manager.

"This additional time has not been sufficient to ensure the game quality and experience meets your expectations and our very high standards.

"In the previous blog we explained that it has been a difficult development cycle for the studio. Many things have been moving slower than we had predicted – despite everyone in the team working at an incredible pace to try and get everything done.

"Timelines were already tight and, as rightly pointed out by many of your recent comments, we were simply rushing too much and in danger of compromising our usual standards. This has put an enormous amount of pressure on everyone working across the studio, who are all passionately committed to delivering the best game possible.

"FM25 is the biggest technical and visual advancement in the series for a generation. We simply cannot compromise the delivery of this crucial juncture in Football Manager’s history by rushing to release it in November.

"Of course, this is not where any of us expected to be seven weeks out from our release but, in the spirit of our studio values, we always consider the bigger picture – and the bigger picture here is that we need this additional time to deliver a game that we can all be proud of."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Football ManagerWHAT NEXT?

This marks a disastrous period in SI's history as they aim to overhaul FM and have twice been forced to delay the most anticipated release in the game's history. Those wanting to role-play as a virtual manager will have to stick with FM24 for now.

Pep Guardiola revealed how Manchester City took care of Erling Haaland as he hailed the Norwegian for his match-winning brace against Brentford.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Guardiola hailed Haaland
• Norwegian was doubtful for Brentford
• Fourth straight win for reigning champions

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Haaland found the back of the net in his fourth straight Premier League match as his brace helped City bag yet another victory over Brentford on Saturday. The Norwegian goal machine already has nine goals to his name after the first four league games as the reigning champions sit at the top of the table after a perfect start to the new season.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The former Borussia Dortmund forward, however, was doubtful for Saturday's clash after it was reported Guardiola could grant a compassionate leave to the player. The Haaland family were grieving the loss of Ivar Eggja, a long-time family friend and confidant after he passed away at the age of 59. Eggja played a vital role in the striker's career and personal life, offering both guidance and support during his meteoric rise to football stardom.

• WHAT PEP GUARDIOLA SAID

  Speaking to City's website, the coach said: "[He told me he wanted to play] yesterday. That’s his strength. For 90 minutes you forget your personal life. It has been tough for his family, for anyone to pass away at that age is difficult for every human being. He has been down in the locker room, but we try to take care of everyone and be close to them.

  "Yesterday he was much better in his mood and the best way sometimes is to do your job. He, for many years, has done it perfectly. That’s his strength. For 90 minutes you forget your personal life and the punch in your face life gives to you. If he’s not ready to play he will come to me and say he is not ready to play. He has so much quality and he is a weapon that we have to use it."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR MANCHESTER CITY?

  Guardiola's men will be back in action this midweek as they begin their Champions League 2024-25 campaign against Inter at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.

Opener says enforced stay in bio bubble is an opportunity to bond with teammates rather than a restriction

ESPNcricinfo staff06-Sep-2020Three venues in the UAE will share the load of hosting 60 IPL matches this season. This, according to the Delhi Capitals opener Shikhar Dhawan, could be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the players won’t be flying between venues constantly like they do back in India. On the other, they might have to play a lot of matches on worn pitches.”Because there will be less travel, your body won’t tire as much,” Dhawan said during a media interaction organised by the Capitals. “Usually in the IPL, your match will finish late at night, and then you’ll take a flight at 11 the next morning. Now, all the players will be able to recover better between matches.”[From a batsman’s point of view], it’ll depend on the pitches. If we get good, true pitches, we’ll make plenty of runs, but it won’t be that easy if the pitches aren’t as good. We’ve not had cricket for all these months, so we’ll have to see how the pitches are prepared, how they are used. By the middle of the tournament, they’ll get used quite a lot [because there are only three venues], so it’s possible they will start turning, or keep low – all these things are possible.”ALSO READ: IPL 2020 schedule: A team-by-team guideTired, used pitches, however, might present the Capitals with an advantage over some of their rivals, given the strength of their spin attack, which has been bolstered by the acquisition of R Ashwin in an out-of-auction trade from Kings XI Punjab.”I feel that the wickets are going to turn a bit or get slower, because only three grounds are available, and that’s where we’ve got such great spinners in our side,” Dhawan said. “Ashwin has come in, Sandeep [Lamichhane] is there, Amit Mishra is there, Axar [Patel] is there, so we’ve got a very very strong side, and at the same time they bat well, so our batting goes deep, and with their experience, it’s going to be a huge advantage for us.”On-field challenges apart, the players in this season’s IPL will also need to endure two months inside a bio-secure bubble. Dhawan said players would need to be mentally strong to get through it.”There are challenges to living within the bubble, because you won’t get to meet new people, you’ll have to remain with the same people throughout. You can’t go to restaurants, you can only go to designated areas. Our team has an entertainment room, where we play TT or video games, so that’s a good thing we’ve been provided, plus we have team dinners.

“Where there are challenges, there are opportunities. I see it as an opportunity to bond with my team-mates and the entire team.”SHIKHAR DHAWAN ON THE BIO BUBBLE

“Where there are challenges, there are opportunities as well, and it depends on the person and how he views things. I see it as an opportunity to bond with my team-mates and the entire team.”Secondly, whether a player is doing well or badly, they can’t go out, they’ll have to remain inside [the bubble] and go through those emotions. There won’t be an outlet. You can’t go out and relax and divert your mind. People have to be mentally strong – as I said, it can be a challenge, it can be an opportunity too. I see it as an opportunity – I’m going to explore it and get stronger.”Beyond the IPL, Dhawan hasn’t given up hope of making a Test comeback. He is a regular for India in white-ball cricket, but he hasn’t played a Test match since September 2018.Since then, India have used Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw and KL Rahul as their Test openers, and all four remain above Dhawan in the pecking order for now. That, however, doesn’t discourage Dhawan. He said he was ready to make the best of any opportunity he might get to make his case, and used the example of the century he made for Delhi against Hyderabad in the Ranji Trophy last December – which had also strengthened his claims for an ODI comeback after Rahul had stepped in and scored plenty of runs in Dhawan’s injury-enforced absence.”I’m not in the Test team now, but that doesn’t mean I’ve given up the desire [to be part of it],” he said. “When I’ve got the chance… like last year when I made a century in the Ranji Trophy, I made a comeback into the one-day team, and if I get a chance, why not?”