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Inter goalkeeper Josep Martinez has been given time off and psychological support after being involved in a tragic road accident near the club’s training base that claimed the life of an 81-year-old man. The Spaniard was expected to be on the bench for Inter’s midweek game against Fiorentina, but will now take a week off to recover from the emotional trauma.

• Inter offer full support to struggling Martinez

  The tragic incident occurred on Tuesday morning near Inter’s training base in Fenegro, when Martinez’s car struck an elderly man who was crossing the road in a wheelchair. The Spaniard reportedly did his best to help the victim, who was later identified as Paolo Saibene, until emergency services arrived. An air ambulance being called to the scene, but the 81-year-old man was later pronounced dead in hospital.

  The Serie A club quickly recognised the seriousness of the situation and moved quickly to support a visibly shaken Martinez. By the time Martinez arrived home on Monday evening, a psychologist was already waiting on him to provide support in coping with the emotional trauma, having been called in by the Milan club. According to , teammates and staff have stayed in constant contact, and Inter gave the goalkeeper the week off to recover from the tragic incident.

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  Inter cancel press conference and reach out to victim’s family

  The incident happened shortly before 10am on Monday, leading Inter to cancel head coach Cristian Chivu’s scheduled pre-match press conference ahead of the Fiorentina game and morale was reportedly low during training, with the thoughts of the players and staff with the victim and the Spanish goalkeeper. 

  Club officials are also expected to contact Saibene’s family to offer condolences and support. Meanwhile, Martinez went through routine drug and alcohol tests at Saronno hospital, with club officials present to assist him. Authorities in Como are still reviewing the accident, and a full report from reconstruction experts is expected later this week.

  "Unfortunately, a serious and delicate event has occurred," Inter president Beppe Marotta said on Tuesday. "Our deepest sympathies are clearly with the family of the deceased, and we also feel for our player, whom we know very well. These are situations and misfortunes that, unfortunately, are part of everyday life, but I hope that we can also benefit from this tragic situation."

• Martinez settling in at Inter

  This season had started well for Martinez. Born in Las Palmas, Martinez came through Barcelona’s La Masia academy before joining RB Leipzig in 2020. After two years in Germany, he moved to Genoa and later signed for the Italian giants in the summer of 2024. The Spaniard was beginning to settle in and gain confidence, earning back-to-back starts against Sassuolo and Cagliari as he worked to prove himself as a reliable option behind veteran keeper Yann Sommer.

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  Distraught Martinez cuts himself off from social media

  Martinez won’t return to training until next week as he continues to recover from the emotional shock. The goalkeeper has been in touch with his teammates, coach Chivu, and club officials, who have all reached out to check on him and offer support. The 27-year-old has also stepped away from social media, deactivating his Instagram account to avoid online abuse. Meanwhile, Inter, who are currently fourth in Serie A standings, are doing their best to protect Martinez as he focuses on getting through one of the toughest weeks of his career.

Manchester City experienced an almighty fall from grace last season, as Arne Slot’s Liverpool took over the reins of being the Premier League’s classiest side with ease.

Heading into the 2024/25 season, Pep Guardiola’s unstoppable force had collected four Premier League titles in a row, with many wondering if the Sky Blue domination of the English top-flight could ever be stopped.

Yet, come the end of the 38-game marathon, City sat – bruised and battered – with 71 points next to their name and nine defeats picked up, 13 points off the Reds at the summit of the tough division.

Even the likes of Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne, who are both world-class operators in their own right, couldn’t spearhead a push up the punishing league, with that crash back to reality proving to be the revered Belgian’s final season at the club, after a FA Cup final loss to Crystal Palace only added more unbearable salt to the gaping wound.

Ultimately, losing Rodri for the entire campaign through injury was the sickener, with the Spanish enforcer experiencing a superhuman 2023/24 season for both club and country, which was then, unfortunately, met by injury heartbreak.

How Rodri became the best in the world at Man City

Rodri was a standout signing from the get-go, having cost a club-record fee in 2019 of £62.8m to bring to England from Atletico Madrid.

Swiftly, the Madrid-born midfielder would become the heartbeat of a frightening Citizens side gearing up for domestic domination, with only three top-flight games missed during his debut season as his new employers lost out on the title to the unstoppable train of Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, who amassed a mighty 99 points.

Rodri would only get better and better from this point onwards, though, as his personal trophy collection at the Etihad started to overflow.

The assured number 16 would collect 13 goal contributions just in the Premier League alone to guide his untouchable outfit to back-to-back Premier League titles, before becoming an untouchable world-beater during the memorable 2023/24 season for both Guardiola’s men and his nation.

The signs were there that Rodri was about to undergo a Ballon d’Or-winning journey, considering the close of the 2022/23 campaign saw the calm 29-year-old confidently stroke this effort home to finally bring an elusive Champions League back to the Sky Blue half of Manchester. Clearly, he had got a taste for being the man of the moment.

A stunning tally of eight goals and ten assists in league action from the reliable Spaniard the following campaign would clinch a mighty four Premier League titles in a row, leaving Guardiola to hail his dependable hero as “the best midfielder in the world” at that point in time, and it was an argument that was hard to knock down.

It would lead to Rodri picking up the illustrious Ballon d’Or accolade late last year, with the award all but sealed for the 29-year-old to collect when he was the glue that Luis De La Fuente’s Spain needed to lift the 2024 Euros, at the cruel expense of England in the final.

While only one goal contribution would come his way in the fast-paced tournament, Rodri was crucial in other ways as the battling, yet composed figure Spain needed in some crunch moments, with a 93% pass accuracy average, as per Sofascore, matched by a hunger to win 5.2 duels per pain-staking match-up.

Consistently playing at the peak of his powers very much took its toll on the much-loved number 16, though, with a cruciate ligament tear sustained last season by Rodri, obviously devastating news for those with connections to Guardiola and Co. and La Roja.

The road to recovery saw him miss a colossal 53 games for both club and country, as City’s elite club status took a battering, but Rodri looks to be slowly getting up to speed now, as City attempts to challenge Liverpool again for major honours.

Even with the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner now back available for selection, Guardiola actually has another Rodri-like player in his camp at the moment, who is also considered one of the world’s best in his own spot on the pitch.

Man City now have another Rodri-type player

Having experienced such a turbulent season last time out, City clearly felt like splashing significant wads of cash in the summer would suture up their problems effectively.

It has worked out somewhat, too, with new recruit Tijani Reijnders already being branded as “unbelievable” by Guardiola after powering home a confident strike on his Premier League debut against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Having cost a sizeable £46.5m to obtain in the summer, the first impression is that this is money well spent.

For around £16m cheaper, though, City have arguably won themselves the steal of the transfer window when landing Italian favourite Gianluigi Donnarumma, with the brand-new number 25 playing at the very top of his game for some time now, since making his AC Milan debut at just 16 years of age a decade ago.

His agent, when he was just a teenager, in Mino Raiola, even wildly claimed that Donnarumma could go on to become “the best goalkeeper in the world”, with his outlandish comments now looking like unbelievable hindsight when you scan over his very successful career, leading up to his big Etihad move.

The 6-foot-5 beast has become well-known for being a serial trophy winner off the back of collecting 180 career clean sheets – much like Rodri at City – with 12 major accolades coming his way when being the number one stopper for both the Rossoneri and PSG.

In a similar fashion to Rodri, too, he has broken Three Lions hearts for his beloved Azzurri on the international stage, with Donnarumma the penalty shootout hero that saw Roberto Mancini’s Italy upset England at Wembley during the 2021 Euros final.

Also helping PSG to the Champions League glory last season via “elite” saves such as this one tallied up against Arsenal – with Mikel Merino labelling the Italian as such after the close contest at the Parc Des Princes – it’s clear that Guardiola bringing in the 78-time Italy international was done to try and kickstart another patch of success in Manchester, much like what Rodri offered up all those years ago when deserting La Liga.

With just four goals surrendered during his opening three clashes in England, it’s clear that Raiola’s crystal ball prediction wasn’t just wild praise for the sake of it, with Italy legend Alessandro Costacurta reinforcing this notion that he is an elite stopper when calling him “the best in the world” after that standout Gunners showing.

Guardiola will hope he can be a thorn in the side of the Gunners in the Premier League, as well, as Donnarumma attempts to pick up more domestic silverware – having conquered both Italy and France – with City, knowing he has an equally trophy-hungry teammate next to him in Rodri.

Man City duo who "enjoy playing together" are the new Aguero and Dzeko

Sergio Agüero and Edin Džeko are arguably Manchester City’s best-ever strike partnership.

By
Ben Gray

Oct 15, 2025

Juventus defender Andrea Cambiaso has praised newly appointed coach Luciano Spalletti for the passion he has brought to the the club since his appointment. The defender praised Spalletti's ability to communicate his ideas clearly to the group and believe the ex-Italy manager's passion and clear communication it can propel Juventus to the Scudetto.

• Spalletti swoops in to salvage Serie A season

  Spalletti replaced Igor Tudor as Juventus coach after a difficult spell that saw the team lose form and confidence. Tudor had started the season brightly, winning his first three matches, including a thrilling 4-3 victory over Inter in the Derby d’Italia. However, a chaotic 4-4 draw with Borussia Dortmund marked the beginning of a steep decline, as Juventus went on to draw five consecutive games. Things worsened with three straight defeats to Como, Real Madrid and Lazio, during which the team failed to score in their last four matches. These results led to Tudor’s dismissal. 

  Spalletti’s arrival has already brought positive changes. Under his leadership, Juventus have registered one win and one draw, scoring three goals. Beyond results, Spalletti has revitalised the dressing room, instilling renewed energy, belief, and tactical clarity as Juventus look to rebuild confidence and return to their winning ways.

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  Cambiasso praises new manager

  In an interview with , Cambiaso praised Spalletti’s passion and clarity in communicating his ideas to players. Cambiasso said: “Pure passion: a technician is this and much more. He gets into your head, he gets to you. Sometimes he can be original in what he says, but he always gets the point.

  “In just a few days, he’s brought a lot of new things to the group. And compared to the man I knew in the national team, he’s changed a lot.”

  Cambiaso also highlighted Spalletti’s meticulous attention to detail and his hands-on approach in preparing the team, saying: “Attention to detail in every moment of the job: from the goal kick to the throw-in to the kick-off.”

  “He lives for football 24/7. I think he watches thousands of games. His method is a modern way of teaching football.”

• Are Juventus contenders for the Serie A title?

  Spalletti has urged Juventus to remain ambitious and not give up on their Scudetto hopes, insisting it is far too early to rule themselves out of the title race. The experienced coach, who took charge following Tudor’s dismissal, believes Juventus must rediscover their fighting spirit and consistency to climb back into contention. Spalletti has vowed to use his vast tactical knowledge and experience to help the team compete at the highest level once again. Earlier this week, striker Dusan Vlahovic called on his teammates to reflect deeply, noting that the club has already gone through three coaching changes in a short period. Spalletti echoed those sentiments, emphasising that true success comes from the players’ mentality and commitment on the pitch. He believes the squad possesses the quality needed to challenge for the title, provided they show greater unity, discipline, and belief in the months ahead.

  Teun Koopmeiners says he is also reaping the benefits of Spalletti's arrival, as he feels he is finally being played in the correct position after struggling under previous coaches Thiago Motta and Tudor. Spalletti has moved the Netherlands international into the three-man defence, instead of pushing him further up the field where he has struggled to make an impact.

  Cambiaso echoed Spalletti’s sentiments, emphasising how the team has fully embraced the coach’s leadership and shared ambition to chase the Scudetto. He said: “When he told us in the locker room at Continassa, we all followed his lead. Before Cremona, we were six points behind the leaders; after Cremona, we’re four. It’s a question of numbers.”

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  Juventus’ upcoming challenge

  Juventus will aim to close the gap on league leaders Napoli but face a tough challenge against city rivals Torino in this season’s first Derby della Mole. Spalletti will be hoping to extend his side’s winning run in Serie A when Juventus take on Torino tomorrow

The Oakland Athletics bunted their way to victory over the Houston Astros in 12 innings at Minute Maid Park on Tuesday night.

Literally.

The Athletics laid down four bunts in the game, including three consecutive bunts in the top of the 12th inning, en route to the eventual 4-3 win.

With the score tied at 2 and second baseman Zac Gelof on second in the top of the 12th inning, Athletics outfielder Daz Cameron laid down a perfect bunt down the third-base line that was gloved by Astros catcher Victor Caratini, who had no throw to first. With Cameron at first and Gelof on third, Oakland decided to run the strategy back.

Max Schuemann bunted towards Astros pitcher Hector Neris, who appeared to lose his footing as he fielded the ball, resulting in a feeble throw home—and a run-scoring sacrifice for Oakland.

Then, infielder Nick Allen delivered the knockout punch: a pop-up bunt that Yainer Diaz narrowly missed catching, allowing Cameron to race home to give the Athletics a 4-2 lead.

Unconventional? Certainly. But the Athletics' small-ball approach undoubtedly effective and was well-executed, as manager Mark Kotsay noted. And it was also aided by Houston's less-than-stellar defense.

"We just didn’t do a good job of handling the ball there in that inning," Espada told after the game.

For the first time this season, Rangers have won a home Premiership match; Danny Röhl working wonders already!

On Sunday, the Gers beat Kilmarnock 3-1 at Ibrox, with Derek Cornelius breaking the deadlock, only for Killie to equalise on the cusp of half time, but goals from Danilo and Youssef Chermiti after the interval cemented the victory.

This is just the Gers second league victory of the season, beating Livingston at Almondvale in the last minute in September, thereby moving them up to fifth, just five points behind Celtic, albeit still 13 adrift run-away league-leaders Hearts.

New manager Röhl may only have been in situ for a week, but now faces a crucial seven days, with a tricky trip to Hibernian to come on Wednesday, before the small matter of a Glasgow derby at Hampden in the League Cup semi-finals next Sunday.

Ahead of these massive games, has Röhl unearthed an “exciting” talent who could replicate, arguably, the Premiership’s best striker?

Why Rangers should have signed Lawrence Shankland

During the summer, Rangers were heavily linked with a move for Scotland international striker Lawrence Shankland, given that his contract at Heart of Midlothian expired on 30 June.

After only a few days unemployed, Shankland decided to stay at Hearts, signing a new contract on 3 July, and he certainly showed Rangers what they could have had last month, scoring both as the Jambos won 2-0 at Ibrox.

Well, Heart of Midlothian are certainly the talk of Scottish football at this moment in time.

On Sunday, Derek McInnes’ side beat Celtic 3-1 at a raucous Tynecastle, going in front thanks to an early own goal, before quick-fire strikes from Alexandros Kyziridis and then Shankland from the penalty spot cemented a 3-1 victory.

This leaves Hearts eight points clear at the top, looking to become the first non-Old Firm champions of Scotland since Aberdeen 41 years ago, not facing one of the Glasgow giants again until they travel to Celtic Park on 7 December.

Shankland himself has now scored eight goals this season, five of which have come in the Premiership.

In contrast, right-back James Tavernier is the only Rangers player to have scored more than one league goal across their nine fixtures to date.

Thus, the Hearts captain, a boyhood Rangers fan, spotted at Ibrox for April’s Europa League quarter-final against Athletic Club, would unquestionably improve the Gers’ current team, but did Röhl discover his answer to Shankland during Sunday’s match, a forgotten star who could propel Rangers up the table?

Rangers have their own answer to Shankland

Sunday was certainly a memorable afternoon for new signing Youssef Chermiti, scoring his first senior goal since May 2023, but Danilo was the striker who caught the eye.

When he joined the club from Feyenoord for a reported fee of £6m in the summer of 2023, then-manager Michael Beale labelled him an “exciting player who likes to create and score goals”.

Meantime, Melvin Dupper of the Rangers Review described him as ‘quick’ and an ‘amazing instinctive finisher’, praising his work rate and pressing ability, but supporters have seen very little of any of that in the two and a bit years since.

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The Brazilian has scored just 14 goals in 61 outings for the club, sitting out 65 matches due to injury.

Sunday’s header was just his second goal since netting during the 3-0 demolition of Celtic in January.

Overall, as the table below outlines, Danilo had a very productive afternoon against Kilmarnock, despite limited involvement.

As the table documents, Danilo was not often involved in build-up play, emphasised by the fact he touched the ball just 18 times in 69 minutes on the park, three touches fewer than goalkeeper Jack Butland.

Nevertheless, when his sole opportunity of the afternoon came, he took it, heading past Killie keeper Eddie Beach.

It may be stating the obvious, but having a reliable goalscorer could transform this team, with new manager Röhl attempting to rebuild a sinking ship that has hit rock bottom, following Russell Martin’s catastrophic if only brief reign.

Hearts would not be clear at the top if it wasn’t for the goals scored by Shankland and summer signing Cláudio Braga, with Rangers still searching for their own talisman in attack, following a scattergun summer of recruitment.

New signings Youssef Chermiti and Bojan Miovski look substandard when compared to the pair they are supposed to be replacing, namely Cyriel Dessers and Hamza Igamane, so could Danilo, a player they already had, but many had written off, prove to be the centre-forward Röhl can hang his hat on?

0 passes made: Rohl must drop Rangers flop who was worse than Aasgaard

Danny Rohl must drop this Glasgow Rangers flop who was even worse than Thelo Aasgaard against Kilmarnock.

1

By
Dan Emery

Oct 27, 2025

Barcelona’s are interested in signing Levante sensation Etta Eyong and with his latest comments, the forward has intensified the transfer rumours as he openly names Lionel Messi and Samuel Eto'o as his childhood idols, admitting playing for Barca is his dream. With six goals and three assists already this season, Eyong has become one of La Liga’s most talked-about emerging talents.

• Etta Eyong grew up watching Messi and Eto’o

  Eyong has made his ambitions clear. In a recent interview with , the 22-year-old striker said Barcelona has always been the club he dreamed of representing. He spoke about idolising Eto’o during his early years and admiring Messi as the “best” player he has ever seen.

  "When I was a child, I used to watch Eto'o's games at Barcelona. For me, Messi is the best, and playing with him would be a dream I wouldn't want to wake up from," Eyong said.

  The ambitious forward has his eyes on dominating two continents – targeting success on Europe's biggest stage as well as the African Cup of Nations. 

  "In two years, I see myself winning the Champions League-why not in a year-and the Africa Cup of Nations is also a goal for me in a few months," he added.

  Eyong says the foundation of his rise is focus and discipline, stressing that “the most important thing in life is your brain. If you don’t have concentration, you lose everything.”

  His performances this season back up his ambition. Six goals and three assists in 12 La Liga matches have put him among the top scorers in Spain.

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  Levante hold firm as clubs eye Eyong move

  Eyong’s impact has triggered interest across Europe. CSKA Moscow tested Levante with an early €30 million proposal, which the player and club rejected immediately. Barcelona and Chelsea have since shown admiration, while Arsenal, Real Madrid and Manchester United continue to track him closely.

  Despite the attention, Levante are firm in their stance: Eyong will not be sold this season. Club owner Jose Danvila said they receive offers “every day” but keeping the team in La Liga outweighs any financial temptation. Levante sit 19th in the table and consider the striker essential to their survival push.

  With no intention of leaving Spain, the idea of playing for Barcelona, the club he grew up watching, remains the one that excites him the most.

• Villarreal's contract web for Eyong transfer

  Eyong’s transfer situation is complicated by a detailed contract setup dating back to his time at Villarreal. When he left Villarreal for Levante in 2025, he signed a four-year deal worth €1m annually and a €30m release clause. But Villarreal inserted multiple sell-on conditions that guarantee them a share of any future sale.

  For deals under €7.5m they take 80%, between €7.5m and €15m the fee is split evenly, and anything above €15m gives Villarreal 20% of the proceeds. If Levante reject an offer above €15m, they must still compensate Villarreal for what they would have earned.

  Villarreal also retain the right to match any future bid for the striker. This means any negotiation for Eyong involves not just Levante, but Villarreal’s financial interests too.

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  Eyong's path to Levante glory and next steps

  Eyong’s journey to this point has been far from straightforward. He began at Cadiz B, making only scattered appearances before Villarreal signed him in 2024. He made his La Liga debut in April 2025 and scored his first top-flight goal weeks later, but limited minutes pushed him to seek a new start at Levante.

  The move transformed him. Signed for €3m, he earned a starting role almost immediately and responded with six goals in 12 matches.

  Eyong says hard work is behind everything. “I came here to play regularly and to help keep Levante in La Liga. The key to my scoring streak is simply hard work.”

  Levante manager Julian Calero has praised him as a player who “can change a match on his own,” and insists that keeping Eyong is vital for their season. 

Tampa Bay Rays catcher Ben Rortvedt tried to pull a fast one on MLB's new Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system on Friday afternoon.

In the bottom of the third inning of a matchup against the New York Yankees, Rays right-handed pitcher Eric Orze fired a 3-2 changeup high above the strike zone. When the home plate umpire called ball four to award a walk to Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr., Rortvedt tapped his helmet to challenge the call.

After a few moments, ABS confirmed that, yes, the pitch crossed home plate high above the strike zone and was properly called a ball.

The pitch tracker on MLB's Gameday agreed with the umpire and ABS that the seventh pitch of the at-bat was far above the strike zone. But to be fair, Orze did get Chisholm to chase a fastball high up in the zone earlier in the at-bat.

Barcelona enjoyed a successful return to the Camp Nou, as they dispatched Athletic Club 3-0 in their first game at their spiritual home in almost three years. A Ferran Torres brace and goals from Robert Lewandowski and Fermin Lopez gave Hansi Flick's side a comfortable victory. The visitors' job was made harder when Oihan Sanchet was given his marching orders for a horrendous challenge on Lopez.

Flick clearly set his side up to attack from the off on their return to the Camp Nou, deploying a side full of flair and attacking ingenuity in the absence of Gavi, Pedri and Frenkie de Jong. The tactic paid off from the opening whistle, with La Blaugrana fashioning several chances on goal in the first five minutes. Lewandowski opened Barcelona's account in their revamped stadium, when his powerful left-footed shot squirmed under Unai Simon at the near post. 

Athletic Club endured a frustrating afternoon in front of goal. A brief attacking flurry towards the end of the first half could have resulted in a goal for the visitors. the best chance fell to Nico Williams, who was booed throughout. However, his effort grazed the side netting. 

That set up Barcelona for a hammer blow just before the half. Lamine Yamal sprung Torres in behind the visitors' high line with a beautiful trivela through ball, Again, Simon should have done better, as Torres' effort squeezed under the Spain number one to double the lead. 

Fermin Lopez put the game to bed shortly after the break. Barca won the ball back high up the pitch, allowing makeshift midfielder Eric Garcia the opportunity to slide his running mate into the visitors box. Lopez calmly slid the ball past the onrushing Simon. 

Moments later, Sanchet's red consigned this side to a torturous final thirty minutes, where they enjoyed little of the ball. With all of Barcelona players breaking forward to get their name on the score sheet to cap a historic day, it was Torres who doubled his account in injury time. Again, it was Yamal who played provider, skipping past multiple Bilbao players before sliding an inch-perfect pass into Torres' feet for the winger to coolly curl the ball home. 

Here's GOAL's Barcelona player rating from the Spotify Camp Nou…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Goalkeeper & Defence

  Joan Garcia (6/10):

  Made a couple of smart stops on his return to first team. His acrobatic tip over the bar in the 78th minute came after a sleepy second half. Kept his concentration well.

  Jules Kounde (6/10):

  Got forward and kept things ticking over nicely in possession. A few moments where Williams threatened from his flank, but little to do defensively otherwise. 

  Pau Cubarsi (7/10):

  An easy day out for the composed youngster. 

  Gerard Martin (7/10):

  Started at centre back before sliding out to cover Balde's injury. Another who showed versatility in a makeshift eleven. 

  Alejandro Balde (6/10):

  Taken off at half-time with a suspected head injury. 

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  Midfield

  Eric Garcia (8/10):

  Provided some defensive ballast in an attack-minded set-up. Appeared eminently comfortable in the middle of the park. Got a standing ovation from the Barcelona faithful after exiting with fifteen minutes remaining.

  Fermin Lopez (7/10):

  Forced into a deeper role than usual, but still broke forward with abandon. Took his goal well.

  Dani Olmo (6/10):

  With so many others chipping with goals and assists, he'll be disappointed he failed to exert more influence on the game. 

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  Attack

  Lamine Yamal (8/10):

  A delightful outside of the foot pass to set up Torres' goal. Followed it up with another another delectable pass in the final stages. 

  Robert Lewandowski (7/10):

  Of course he was the man to score the first goal at the revamped Camp Nou. Unai Simon really should have done better, but it was a powerful effort on the Pole's weaker left foot. Withdrawn after the hour with the game won. 

  Ferran Torres (8/10):

  A brace on a historic day for the club. Simon really should have done better for his first, but the former City man won't be complaining. 

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  Subs & Manager

  Ronaldo Araujo (6/10):

  Called into action for the injured Balde at half-time. Little to do defensively after the red card.

  Marc Casado (6/10):

  Introduced on the hour mark with the game effectively over as a contest.

  Dro Fernandez (6/10):

  Ran in behind to try and add his name to the scoresheet. Industrious. 

  Marc Bernal (6/10):

  Came on for the imperious Eric Garcia. Little left to do but keep things under control in the middle of the park. 

  Raphinha (N/A):

  Limited to ten minutes on his return from a lengthy injury layoff. Had one fizzing curled effort flash past the post. 

  Hansi Flick (8/10):

  Set his team up to score goals, and they delivered in abundance. Was still shouting his head off in the final moments. A hard taskmaster to the end. 

Wolverhampton Wanderers have decided who will take charge of their next Premier League match as they continue searching for a new manager.

Across the second half of last season, following his appointment in December, Vitor Pereira guided Wolves well away from any danger of relegation through a strong run of form. Across the summer, though, the club lost a number of key players, such as Matheus Cunha, Rayan Ait-Nouri and Nelson Semedo.

Having not replaced them with players of a similar quality, Wolves have endured a poor start to the 2025/26 campaign. They are without a win after 10 matches in the Premier League, a run that has seen Pereira be sacked from his post, despite signing a new contract just weeks ago.

Wolves are continuing their search for a new manager. Gary O’Neil, who Pereira replaced at Molineux, was linked with what would have been a stunning return to the club. Ultimately, the 42-year-old withdrew from the running. It would appear that, as per recent reports, the appointment will come after their game against Chelsea.

Interim bosses announced as three managers deemed 'unlikely'

As per Lyall Thomas of Sky Sports, James Collins and Richard Walker, bosses within the club’s youth set-up, will take charge of Wolves when they face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. The club are, reportedly, “short of a clear first-choice candidate”.

Wolves have been linked with Middlesbrough manager Rob Edwards, who spent time at the club during his playing career. There too have been suggestions that Wolves were interested in Erik ten Hag. No stranger to the Premier League following his time at Manchester United, the Dutchman was sacked after just three games in charge of Bayer Leverkusen earlier this season.

Another manager that has been linked with the Wolves job is Rui Vitoria, formerly of Benfica, who last worked with Panathinaikos. As per Thomas, however, all of these options are considered “unlikely” options for Wolves.

Though it has been a turgid start for the Midlands side, there is still enough time in the season for them to salvage their position. It remains to be seen, however, which manager they choose to try and lift them out of the bottom three.

Wolves chairman receives reply from manager candidate

Optimism is sky-high for the Boston Red Sox in 2025, but the team will have to begin its season with one of its starting pitchers out of the rotation.

Pitcher Lucas Giolito will begin '25 on the injured list, manager Alex Cora told reporters Thursday morning. Giolito, 30, has not pitched since 2023.

“We’re going to be tested right away," Cora said via Julian McWilliams of .

Giolito signed with the Red Sox on Jan. 3, 2024 before elbow surgery cost him all of last season. He exercised a player option for '25.

The pitcher remains best-known for his years with the Chicago White Sox. From 2017 to '23, he went 59-52 with a 4.20 ERA and 1,077 strikeouts, receiving Cy Young votes every year from 2019 to '21.

He spent a rough '23 season with three teams, going a combined 8-15 for the White Sox, Los Angeles Angels and Cleveland Guardians. Giolito began his career with the Washington Nationals in 2016.