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They join Donald Bradman, Alan Davidson and Arthur Morris in being honoured at the iconic ground

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Apr-2023The Sydney Cricket Ground has unveiled a set of gates named after Sachin Tendulkar and Brian Lara on Monday. They join Donald Bradman, Alan Davidson and Arthur Morris, all New South Wales (and Australia) legends in being honoured thus at the iconic SCG.April 24 was chosen as the date to unveil the gates to mark Tendulkar’s 50th birthday, and also the 30th anniversary of Lara’s 277 at the SCG, his first Test century, though that Test was played in January 1993.In a statement, Cricket Australia said that the gates, situated between the members pavilion’s away dressing room and the Noble Bradman Messenger Stand, are the ones visiting players will take to access the field.”The Sydney Cricket Ground has been my favourite ground away from India,” Tendulkar said in the statement. “I have had some great memories at the SCG right from my first tour of Australia in 1991-92. It is a great honour to have the gates used by all visiting cricketers to access the field of play at the SCG named after me and my good friend Brian.”Lara said, “I’m deeply honoured to be recognised at the Sydney Cricket Ground, as I’m sure Sachin is. The ground holds many special memories for me and my family and I always enjoy visiting whenever I’m in Australia.”That innings of 277 remained Lara’s highest at the SCG – he totalled 384 runs at the ground in four Tests overall – while Tendulkar had an average of 157 at the SCG, scoring 785 runs in five Tests over the years with three centuries, including the memorable 241 not out in January 2004.5:40

Shastri: All eyes were on Tendulkar when he batted in the nets in Pakistan

The gates were unveiled by SCG and Venues NSW Chairman Rod McGeoch AO, and CEO Kerrie Mather, as well as Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley.”Sachin Tendulkar’s record at the SCG is simply remarkable, while Brian Lara’s maiden Test century remains one of the most celebrated innings by a visiting player,” Mather said. “Both players continue to hold a deep affection for the SCG and they remain hugely popular whenever they visit Sydney.”Hockley said, “As the cricketing world celebrates Sachin Tendulkar’s 50th birthday, this is a fitting and timely gesture by the SCG to recognise Sachin and Brian Lara as two legends of the international game with exceptional records at the SCG.”Their feats will no doubt be an inspiration to not only visiting international teams, but all players fortunate enough to walk onto the hallowed turf of the Sydney Cricket Ground, for generations to come.”The Sharjah Cricket Stadium unveiled the Sachin Tendulkar Stand on his 50th birthday•Sharjah Cricket StadiumSharjah Cricket Stadium names stand after TendulkarThe West Stand at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium has been named after Sachin Tendulkar on the 25th anniversary of his “Desert Storm” back-to-back centuries. The unveiling of the stand coincided with Tendulkar’s 50th birthday.On April 22 1998, Tendulkar had made a sublime 143 off 131 balls in swirling dust and two days later, he followed it up with 134 off 131 balls to almost single-handedly put the Sharjah tri-nations cup in India’s hands.”I wish I was there but unfortunately I had prior commitments,” Tendulkar said. “Playing in Sharjah has always been a magnificent experience. From the electrifying atmosphere to the love, affection and support, Sharjah has been a special venue for Indian cricket fans and lovers of the game from around the globe. It’s given us so many special moments. A big thank you to Mr Bukhatir and his team for this kind gesture on the 25th anniversary of the Desert Storm match and my 50th birthday. Feels like the greatest 6 of them all!”

يلتقي منتخب إسبانيا، مساء اليوم الخميس، خصمه منتخب فرنسا، في إطار منافسات بطولة دوري الأمم الأوروبية، نسخة 2025.

ويستضيف ملعب “مرسيدس بنز أرينا” بمدينة شتوتجارت الألمانية، مباراة الفريقين، في إطار لقاءات نصف نهائي دوري الأمم الأوروبية.

ويلتقي الفائز من مباراة إسبانيا وفرنسا مع منتخب البرتغال، في اللقاء النهائي يوم الأحد المقبل، على ملعب “أليانز أرينا”.

وتأهل منتخب إسبانيا إلى منافسات نصف نهائي بطولة دوري الأمم الأوروبية، بعدما فاز على هولندا بركلات الترجيح بنتيجة 5/4، وذلك عقب تعادل المنتخبين في لقائي الذهاب والإياب بنتيجة 5/5 بالدور ربع النهائي.

بينما تأهل منتخب فرنسا إلى الدور ذاته عقب الفوز بنتيجة 5/4 بركلات الترجيح أمام كرواتيا، عقب تعادل المنتخبين في لقائي الذهاب والإياب بالدور ربع النهائي بنتيجة 2/2. موعد مباراة إسبانيا وفرنسا اليوم في نصف نهائي دوري الأمم الأوروبية

تنطلق المباراة في تمام الساعة 10 مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة ومكة المكرمة. القناة الناقلة لمباراة إسبانيا وفرنسا اليوم في نصف نهائي دوري الأمم الأوروبية

تُذاع المباراة عبر قناة beIN SPORTS 3. معلق مباراة إسبانيا وفرنسا اليوم في نصف نهائي دوري الأمم الأوروبية

سيعلق حفيظ دراجي على أحداث مباراة الليلة.

ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنـــا.

In a contest that was a fitting endorsement for a final, Mumbai dug deep to pull off a sensational last-over win and inflict heartbreak on Himachal Pradesh in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy final in Kolkata. The victory was all the more special since it was their maiden T20 crown.On a nippy evening, with the Eden Gardens surface doing just enough to keep the seamers interested, Himachal stuttered with the bat to finish with 143 for 8 but kept themselves in the game courtesy some outstanding bowling and fielding for large parts.Then with 28 needed off 17, Kanwar Abhinay had a moment to forget when he put down a swirler at short fine leg to reprieve Sarfaraz Khan. It would prove costly as Sarfaraz inflicted two body blows on Himachal to change the complexion of the match.With Mumbai needing 16 off 8, Sarfaraz flat-batted medium pacer Abhinay for a six over long-off and followed that up with a neat, little deflection past the keeper for four to bring the equation down to six runs needed off the final over.Tanush Kotian, who had picked up three wickets with his thrifty offspin earlier in the evening to set up the game, then hit the winning runs when he pulled Rishi Dhawan into the stands at fine leg to trigger wild celebrations in the Mumbai camp.Avasthi and Kotian give Himachal the shiversPlaudits shouldn’t just be reserved for just Sarfaraz and Kotian. Mohit Avasthi, predominantly a swing bowler, set the game up with the early strikes of Ankush Bains and Sumeet Verma, whose 25-ball 51 in the semi-final against Punjab was among the reasons for Himachal’s entry to their maiden Syed Mushtaq Ali final.At 20 for 2, Himachal had two options: rebuild or fight fire with fire. They chose the second option as Nikhil Gangta took the attack to the bowlers. But his attacking approach brought Mumbai a third wicket when he holed out to Aman Khan at deep midwicket to give Kotian his first wicket.Things got from bad to worse when Nitin Sharma tamely lobbed a return catch to Kotian off the next delivery. Four balls later, when Rishi was deceived by a Shivam Dube cutter that he heaved to midwicket, Himachal had lost three wickets for one.Kotian wasn’t done yet. Off his second over, he had Prashant Chopra courtesy some indecisiveness when he stabbed at a drifter on a length to lob a catch to a diving Prithvi Shaw at backward point. At 58 for 6, this threatened to be a no-contest.The lower order rallyHowever, Himachal weren’t willing to go down without a fight. Mumbai briefly switched off and saw Akash Vasisht and Ekant Sen drag Himachal back with a swift counter-attack. But it wasn’t blind slogging. Vasisht tactfully used his crease to pick gaps behind square as Kotian and left-arm spinner Shams Mulani erred in length. At the first sign of overcompensation, Sen was aware of the possibility of hitting over the infield to pick up his first six. It set the tone for a 60-run stand off just 46 deliveries to give Himachal some impetus. Mayank Dagar then built on this partnership by providing the late flourish. His unbeaten 12-ball 21 lifting Himachal to 143.Sarfaraz Khan kept his calm in a tense chase•BCCI

Sarfaraz the heroWhen Mumbai lost two wickets – Dube and Aman – in the space of three deliveries in the 17th over to Arora, Mumbai felt the shivers. To add to the chaos, Mulani did the dressing room no favours by looking for a glory hit, only to slice an attempted hack across the line to short third man. At 119 for 7, it was Himachal’s game to lose.Under immense pressure now, with the fast bowlers choking Mumbai on a surface that was holding up to make shot-making a tad difficult, Sarfaraz looked for one slog too many against Dagar’s left-arm spin. It was here that the match turned when Abhinay, back-pedalling from short fine leg, failed to judge the ball under the hazy night sky under pressure.Sarfaraz would soon find his release shots to take Mumbai home, much to the joy of the rest of the squad as they squeezed home to their maiden title win.

Leeds United’s attack has played a huge role in their success in the Championship this season, helping the Whites sit at the top of the table heading into the last few months of the season.

Daniel Farke’s side have netted 66 times in just 32 outings, 16 more than any other side in the division, with Middlesbrough the second-highest scorers on 50.

Joel Piroe has had his critics during his time at Elland Road but has proved countless people wrong this campaign, registering 14 goals and sitting as the club’s top scorer.

It’s safe to say he’s nailed down the number nine spot given his recent form, starring alongside Dan James and Manor Solomon within the final third as the Whites look to end their two-year Premier League exile.

Such a run of form will make it almost impossible for one player to dislodge him from the side upon his return to action from his latest injury setback in Yorkshire.

Patrick Bamford’s stats for Leeds United

Striker Patrick Bamford joined Leeds in a £7m deal from Middlesbrough back in the summer of 2018, looking to provide that star figure at the top end of the pitch the club had desperately been hunting for.

He would register double figures in each of his first three seasons, two of which included the promotion-winning campaign alongside the Whites’ first year back in the Premier League.

The Englishman had taken his game to the next level under Marcelo Bielsa, so much so that it earned him his maiden England call-up to Gareth Southgate’s side because of his form in 2020/21.

However, he’s failed to reach the same levels since the Argentine’s departure, only scoring 17 goals across the last four seasons, failing to find the back of the net in any of his 11 outings during the ongoing campaign.

His lack of form coupled with his injury run has seen him linked with a move to Wrexham, potentially bringing his time at the club to an end, whilst also seeing another player’s value hugely surpass that of Bamford’s.

The player who’s worth nearly 6x more than Bamford

It’s been a sad decline for Bamford over the last couple of years after his heroics in the top flight, but the 31-year-old now appears to be third choice at Elland Road after his recent troubles.

Piroe undoubtedly remains the number one option for Farke, with 21-year-old Mateo Joseph the backup to the Dutchman, having the potential to develop into a key player in Yorkshire.

The Spaniard joined the club in a deal close to £1m from LaLiga side Espanyol in 2022, making six Premier League appearances after his move during his debut year with the Whites.

Last season saw the youngster gain more minutes after their relegation back to the second tier, featuring 26 times, scoring three goals, including two superb efforts against Chelsea in the FA Cup.

The form of Piroe in 2024/25 has again restricted him to substitute appearances, starting 11 times in the league, registering a combined total of six goal contributions.

Given his tender age, he still remains a long-term project for the club, having plenty of time to grow into a key player – already featuring for Spain’s under-21 side, highlighting the potential he possesses.

Games played

31

Goals & assists

6

Pass accuracy

78%

Shots taken

2.9

Chances created

1.3

Duels won

4.1

Touches in opposition box

5.9

The hierarchy rejected an offer of £10m for his services from Real Betis during the closing stages of the window, undoubtedly not wanting to lose such a high-potential talent, but the fee does showcase the development he’s made in such a short period.

When taking the subsequent offer, he’s now valued at nearly six times more than fellow striker Bamford, with the injury-prone forward now only valued at £1.7m by Football Transfers.

The club certainly made the right call in rejecting the bid for Joseph, with the 21-year-old having all of the tools to continue his progression and be an important part of Farke’s side in their hunt for promotion.

Cost £7m, now worth more than Solomon: Leeds struck gold on "top-class" ace

Leeds United have completed some phenomenal business in the market over the last couple of years.

ByEthan Lamb Feb 13, 2025

However, the same can’t be said for Bamford, with the higher ups needing to cash in on him in the summer, with new options needed, especially if the club are to return to the Premier League in the coming months.

MatériaMais Notícias

O dia 23 de maio recorda uma das partidas mais especiais da história do Corinthians. Há 10 anos o meia Paulinho marcava, aos 42 minutos do segundo tempo, o gol que colocava o Timão na semifinal da Libertadores de 2012, na qual o clube alvinegro seria campeão pela primeira, e até o então única, vez na história.

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> GALERIA – ATUAÇÕES: Cássio salva o Corinthians e é destaque contra o São Paulo

> TABELA – Confira e simule os jogos do Timão no Brasileirão

No dia seguinte, a capa da versão gráfica do LANCE estampava a foto do jogador comemorando o gol após escalar o alambrado do estádio do Pacaembu e abraçar um torcedor, e a manchete trazia ‘PQPaulinho’, reação de todo torcedor, tanto do Timão, quanto dos adversários que secavam o Time do Povo.

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A história de produção dessa capa emblemática você acompanha clicando aqui. Já o vídeo do gol você confere acima.

The 122 Afghanistan put up was eventually much too modest for an Irish batting line-up spearheaded by a 36-ball 46 from captain Andy Balbirnie

Hemant Brar11-Aug-2022Josh Little, Mark Adair, Curtis Campher and Gareth Delany picked up two wickets each before Andy Balbirnie’s 46 off 36 balls broke the back of a 123-run chase to give Ireland a five-wicket win in the second T20I in Belfast. The hosts now lead the five-match series 2-0.Afghanistan opted to bat first for the second time in two games but their innings never really took off. Both openers – Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Usman Ghani – were back in the pavilion by the third over. At the end of ten overs, they were hobbling at 62 for 4. The second half of the innings was no different and they finished with 122 for 8. Extras, with 19, were the second-highest contributor.Afghanistan needed early wickets to put Ireland under pressure but Balbirnie ensured that didn’t happen. The target was never going to challenge Ireland, and Afghanistan’s sloppy fielding made their task even easier. That meant despite a late wobble, they won with an over to spare.For the first time in his T20I career, Rashid Khan went wicketless in back-to-back games. After none for 25 in the first T20I, he ended with none for 27 from his four overs today.Ireland seamers dent Afghanistan in the powerplay
On what Mohammad Nabi described as a dry pitch at the toss, the Ireland seamers found movement and as well as extra bounce with the new ball to pick up three wickets in the powerplay.Adair struck with the first ball of the second over as Gurbaz sliced a full delivery to short third. In the next over, Little got one to jag back in to Ghani. The batter was looking for a cut but was cramped and ended up chopping the ball onto his stumps.Ibrahim Zadran walked in at No. 4 and tried to up the scoring rate. He took on Barry McCarthy, hitting the seamer for three fours in his first over. In the next over, he steered Campher to the deep-third boundary for his fourth four in nine balls. However, a stunning catch from Andy McBrine cut short his counterattacking knock. Ibrahim tried to loft Curtis over wide long-on on the final ball of the powerplay but ended up miscuing it towards deep midwicket. McBrine sprinted in from the deep and put in a full-length dive to take the ball just above the ground, leaving Afghanistan 41 for 3 at the end of six overs.Afghanistan fail to recover from early blows
Afghanistan needed a partnership to stabilise the innings; instead, they kept losing wickets at regular intervals. Najibullah Zadran started in his usual positive manner, reverse-sweeping McBrine for a four, but ended up uppercutting Campher straight to deep point soon after. Nabi didn’t last long either and holed out to long-on for 9 against Delany.Hashmatullah Shahidi did occupy one end but struggled for timing throughout his 42-ball 36. Ironically, when he nailed a reverse sweep, it went straight into the hands of deep point. With Rashid failing to provide any fireworks, Afghanistan could manage only 22 from the last four overs.Naveen-ul-Haq bowled Paul Stirling for four•Getty ImagesBalbirnie leads Ireland’s chase
Ireland lost Paul Stirling early in their chase and were 8 for 1 after three overs, but Balbirnie struck four fours in the next 11 balls to calm the nerves. A couple of overs later, he swept Mujeeb Ur Rahman in front of square leg for the first six of the match.Along with Lorcan Tucker, he added 65 off 54 balls for the second wicket; Tucker’s contribution was 19 off 20 balls. Mujeeb eventually broke that stand when Balbirnie attempted a fine sweep but the ball lobbed up off the back of the bat and Gurbaz pouched it.A late wobble but Dockrell sees Ireland home
With 42 required from as many balls, Nabi brought himself on for the first time in the 14th over and made an immediate impact. In the space of four balls, he sent back Harry Tector and Tucker. But his second over, which featured four leg-byes, went for 13. That left Ireland with 20 needed from 24 balls. Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen gave away only 12 in the next two overs, with Farooqi also dismissing Campher. But George Dockrell kept his calm. On the final ball of the 19th over, bowled by Farooqi, he chipped a full toss over wide long-on to seal the game with a six.

Sri Lanka hit back with Babar’s wicket late in the day but Pakistan need just 120 runs to win

Andrew Fidel Fernando19-Jul-2022For so much of the afternoon and the evening sessions, it seemed as if Pakistan were marching non-plussed towards their monumental target. Abdullah Shafique had hit as flawless a hundred as you could hope for on a fourth-day Galle surface. Babar Azam had been solid in partnership with him, and the stand was nearing a hundred.Best of all for Pakistan, Sri Lanka’s bowlers seemed to be getting very little out of a surface that should be a spin-bowling fantasy strip by now. But suddenly, around 75 overs through the innings, the pitch came to life. Shafique and Babar had only played and missed at the occasional delivery since tea, confidently padding plenty away, leaving the ones outside off alone, and getting enough bat to the rest that even half-chances were sparse.In the last 10 overs of the day though, Pakistan’s batters were suddenly under huge pressure. Though they had batted to get themselves within striking distance and put themselves ahead in the chase, the 120 to get at stumps seemed a distance off even with seven wickets in hand.They had batted exceedingly well to even give themselves a chance, however. Shafique led the effort and was unbeaten on 112 by stumps, frequently using his feet to create the single options, using the depth of the crease when the bowlers pitched slightly short, while using all the defensive manoeuvres against spin – padding away balls that pitched outside leg, letting the ones that weren’t threatening the stumps go. All up, he’d hit only 26 runs in boundaries – mostly legside fours and a six into the sightscreen. This was an innings built on patience and supreme confidence in his defence.Abdullah Shafique embraces Babar Azam after reaching his century•AFP/Getty ImagesHe’d set the platform with Imam-ul-Haq, as the openers took Pakistan to 87 for no loss. That partnership was not without its early jitters, however. Shafique could have been out lbw to Prabath Jayasuriya in the third over, but the review showed the ball failed to hit enough of leg stump to overturn the not-out decision. Imam then given out against Kasun Rajitha, but reviewed successfully – the ball projected to have been passing over the stumps. Not long after that, Imam sent a difficult catch over the infield as well, and a diving Dinesh Chandimal could not hold on, sprinting back from cover.That this stand was broken was more down to nifty wicketkeeping and batter error, than sustained pressure from the bowlers. Batting on 35, Imam raised his back foot after leaving a Ramesh Mendis delivery. In the fraction of a second Imam’s boot was in the air, Niroshan Dickwella whipped off a bail. The third umpire’s decision was several minutes and many replays in the making, but there was one angle, from side on, showing the boot to be clearly in the air. Azhar Ali then batted 32 balls but was caught at slip off Jayasuriya’s bowling.Where Shafique was measured through the course of his innings, Babar imposed himself on the opposition early in his knock. He announced his arrival with a whip through mid-on for four, then crashed a six and a four off over midwicket in one Jayasuriya over, to get Pakistan moving again after the loss of the second wicket. He too, though, soon settled into a pattern of accumulation, favouring the legside for his bigger shots. He had a desperate lbw review burned on him shortly before tea. He and Shafique seemed intent on doing it as risk-free as possible – 31 of Babar’s 55 came from singles, and there was a solitary two.Dimuth Karunaratne often likes to make batters face as many balls as possible at Galle, putting fielders on the boundary even early in their innings. The rationale here is that eventually, there will be a delivery that gets the batter out. Shafique and Babar defied this for 237 balls, during which they made 101 runs. Babar was eventually bowled trying to pad away Jayasuriya, who was coming over the wicket to pitch into the rough. He survived plenty that spun sharply from the dark spots, but late in the day, in the middle of that period in which the pitch suddenly started to spit, he didn’t quite get his front foot far enough to leg. Jayasuriya pitched it beyond the reach of his stride and turned it back into leg stump.Early in the day, Chandimal added eight to Sri Lanka’s overnight score, but missed out on a century when Naseem Shah burst through Prabath Jayasuriya’s defences.The match is now set for a tantalising final three hours. Pakistan are close. Sri Lanka have a new ball in hand, which tends to spit and spin more than the older ones. Shafique’s wicket seems like the vital one.

Hansi Flick has won over the Barcelona squad with his approachable nature, while also laying down strict rules when it comes to discipline.

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• Flick enjoying successful debut season with Barca
• Has shown a no-nonsense attitude towards indiscipline
• Players and staff admire the German coach's approachability

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Hansi Flick is overseeing a fabulous debut season at the helm for Barcelona, and the German manager has instilled a winning mentality within the squad, fostering team unity and synergy, while also adopting a no-nonsense approach towards indiscipline.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Flick has quickly earned the respect of Barcelona’s squad with his mix of approachability and strict discipline, according to Mundo Deportivo. His hands-on approach has given players like Raphinha and Inigo Martinez a fresh start, making them key figures. Flick’s intensity is evident on matchdays, using half-time to correct mistakes, though his passion sometimes leads to frustration, such as an incident that saw water bottles thrown away in anger.

  Indeed, the former Bayern Munich head coach has punished Jules Kounde on several occasions for turning up late to the team's pre-match routines and meetings, showing intolerance towards any form of unpunctuality and indiscipline.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The rules set by Flick extend beyond the players, even applying to Barcelona's top officials, including president Joan Laporta. During Barcelona’s pre-season in the United States, Laporta and his directors arrived at training sessions in their typical formal attire. However, on one of the early days, Flick made a direct request, encouraging them to adopt a more casual dress code to better suit the informal atmosphere of training.

  However, he has a soft side to him, too, believing in building personal relationships with his players and staff. He has often hosted dinners and gifted his staff expensive wine and turron for Christmas.

  "Before I came here in the summer, he was at the Euros and I was talking to him. Honestly, I was really surprised by the affection he has for all of us; he tries to talk to everyone," Lamine Yamal told Mundo Deportivo in February, emphasising on the coach's efforts to keep the morale high within the dressing room.

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR HANSI FLICK?

  Flick has led the Catalans to the Champions League quarter-finals, where they will face Borussia Dortmund, while they are also in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, where they will play Atletico Madrid in the second leg next week after a 4-4 draw in the first meeting.

  As for La Liga, Flick's side are currently at the top of the table, level on points with rivals Real Madrid albeit with a game in hand. They will next be seen in action on Thursday, March 27, when they take on Osasuna in a fixture rearrangement that has angered the club.

On Sunday, Celtic defeated their fierce rivals in the League Cup Final at Hampden, prevailing on penalties following a thrilling 3-3 draw.

The Hoops fell behind on the cusp of half time, only for quick-fire goals from Greg Taylor and Daizen Maeda to fire Brendan Rodgers’ men in front.

Rangers did hit back, but Nicolas Kühn then seemingly won it for those donning green and white, only for the Gers to equalise straight away, almost immediately from kick off.

To penalties we went, for only the second time in Old Firm history, with the Celts converting all five spot-kicks, meaning just one save from Kasper Schmeichel was enough to see Rodgers’ side regain the trophy.

Callum McGregor hoisted the League Cup high into the Glasgow night sky, maintaining his record of having won all 14 cup finals in which he’s featured, with the Celtic skipper taking his tally to 23 major honours overall; only current teammate James Forrest and Lisbon Lion Bobby Lennox, both 25, are more decorated in Celtic’s illustrious history.

With McGregor now 31-years old, having retired from international duty earlier this year, his club side may be looking to the future in that position too.

Celtic looking at new midfielder

As reported by Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Celtic are amongst a number of clubs interested in signing Benjamin Tahirović from Ajax.

Di Marzio also mentions PAOK Thessaloniki, Lazio and Fiorentina as potential suitors, noting that Tahirović’s priority would be to return to Serie A, having previously appeared for Roma, although a move elsewhere is far from off the table.

The 21-year-old is very highly rated, described by Jacek Kulig, who runs Football Talent Scout, as a midfield “diamond”.

After two seasons with I Giallorossi, Tahirović joined Ajax for £7m in June 2023, making 37 appearances during his debut campaign with the Amsterdam-based giants although, this season, he’s featured on only three occasions, out of favour since the appointment of head coach Francesco Farioli.

Having been born in Sweden, Tahirović has become a regular for Bosnia & Herzegovina, debuting against Iceland during Euro qualifying, before featuring in each of the Golden Lilies’ last eight internationals, taking his tally to 14 caps.

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So, given his lack of club minutes, could Tahirović be on the move in January?

Where Benjamin Tahirović would fit in at Celtic

Tahirović has almost exclusively been deployed as a number six in front of the back-line for Roma and Ajax, as well as by Bosnia, meaning, should he move to Celtic, he’d need to displace the club captain, so let’s see how the duo compare.

Callum McGregor vs Benjamin Tahirović (23/24 & 24/25)

Statistic

McGregor

Tahirović

Appearances

73

51

Minutes

6,098

3,254

Goals

9

2

Assists

8

5

Progressive carries

9

19

Progressive passes

54

121

Passes attempted

858

1,429

Pass completion %

91.6%

87.4%

Shot-creating actions

18

44

Tackles won

53

38

Interceptions

51

44

Touches

983

1,664

All statistics courtesy of FBref.com

As outlined in the table, McGregor and Tahirović have very similar profiles: playmakers who dictate play from deep.

Since the start of last season, for club and country, the youngster attempted more passes and had more touches, despite playing little over half the number of minutes, while the pair are comparable in terms of pass completion %, tackles and interceptions.

When the time comes, replacing McGregor is going to be nigh-on impossible for Celtic.

The same was said when Scott Brown left in 2021, departing having made 615 appearances, winning 23 trophies over 14 seasons, but McGregor has taken on the mantle of captain magnificently.

The Hoops have tried in the past to sign McGregor back-ups, but have never found one of the requisite quality.

Oliver Abildgaard (remember him?) filled in there when the captain was sidelined due to a knee injury, but departed having made a mere nine appearances, while Tomoki Iwata was sold to Birmingham last summer, having also failed to nail down a starting spot.

Tahirović is highly-rated and, should he move to the Scottish champions, he’ll have to be if he’s to earn a starting spot ahead of the skipper.

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Posts ByDan Emery Dec 17, 2024

It’s been quite the ride for those of a Liverpool persuasion. Over the past decade, the Reds have gone from being a Premier League laughing stock to one of the most imperious outfits on the continent.

Jurgen Klopp conquered English football and handed the Anfield side their sixth Champions League title too. He willed Liverpool into an incredible, attractive unit and left the squad in perfect shape for someone like Arne Slot to come in and take the reins.

Now, with Manchester City in a spin and Arsenal and Chelsea not quite so impressive, Liverpool are the early favourites to win Europe’s top competition in 2024/25 and are four points clear at the Premier League summit having played a game less than second-placed Chelsea.

Life is good, but it could be better yet in the months and years to come. It’s crucial to understand that the Merseysiders are technically in their first iteration, their nascent stage. Slot inherited a wonderfully talented crop, but he’s still pumping his teachings into the club.

Let’s put the brakes on a moment and remember the last time Liverpool were in their early stage as an elite-level outfit. Way back in 2017/18, they had broken free of mediocrity and were back in the Champions League, and oh how fun Klopp’s side were.

When Klopp's Liverpool were pure… fun

It was the year that Liverpool suffered heartbreak at the final stage of Europe’s elite club competition, and perhaps it felt like a once-in-a-generation opportunity missed, but Klopp’s lads rebounded to win the thing one year later.

That 2017/18 season, however, was one of excitement and incredible moments, Klopp having birthed an iconic team but not yet fashioned it into something sustainable. Albeit, he came within a whisker.

Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino were playing their first term as a trio, and though they went on to achieve great things over a number of years, there was a remarkable period with Philippe Coutinho nestled in behind.

The Brazilian playmaker had been at Liverpool since January 2013, when he left Inter Milan in a bargain deal worth £8.5m, and for a while stood as the lonely bright spark in a grey pre-Klopp world.

With 54 goals and 45 assists across 201 outings for the Redmen, he was a real talent, indeed a beacon of hope, but Coutinho saved his finest football for those final few months.

Having handed in a transfer request in August 2017 as Barcelona lurked, seen it rejected by Klopp and his crew, and then played with a feverish intensity that lifted Liverpool into standing as one of the finest attacking teams on the continent.

Philippe Coutinho: PL Stats 17/18

Match Stats

#

Matches (starts)

14 (13)

Goals

7

Assists

6

Pass accuracy

79%

Key passes*

2.9

Dribbles*

2.8

Tackles*

1.2

Total duels won*

5.6

Stats via Sofascore (* = per game)

When Coutinho left, it felt pretty devastating, but La Blaugrana forked out an English-record-breaking £142m to bring the magician over to Catalonia, where he never hit the same giddy heights.

Liverpool then had the resources to mould Klopp’s project into something capable of not just dazzling in moments, but offering tangible routes toward illustrious prosperity with a consistency that fans could scarcely have dreamt of only months earlier.

Klopp described Coutinho as a “genius of a player” during the early stage of his tenure, but he didn’t prove to be indispensable and was actually the perfect sale for an outfit on the rise.

Why selling Coutinho was an incredible success

You could grind it down to a simple sentence: the stunning financial gain filled Liverpool’s coffers to the brim.

With Michael Edwards and Klopp not yet divorced and fractious toward each other, Liverpool were able to identify and swoop for targets deemed capable of taking the club to the highest level of European football.

Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk was signed in a deal worth £75m, a world record for a defender, in January 2018, and Roma goalkeeper Alisson Becker arrived the following summer for £67m, in the wake of the Champions League final defeat against Real Madrid that ended Loris Karius’ Anfield career.

Smart recruitment has been central throughout Liverpool’s successes of the past decade, but it’s clear that without Coutinho’s sale for such a staggering sum, the same heights wouldn’t have been reached, for the Reds would have been forced to settle for lesser parts in one area or another.

Just imagine a world where Van Dijk stands in Chelsea blue, playing for the Londoners after Liverpool were unable to act upon their vested interest.

How about you picture a Champions League landscape with Alisson Becker between the Santiago Bernebeu sticks, for he rejected Real Madrid in favour of Klopp’s Liverpool.

Neither of these dreadful eventualities proved to be anything more than paper talk. Talk about a watershed moment. The very framework of Liverpool’s prosperity over the past eight years is built on Coutinho’s sale, arguably the most important piece of transfer business conducted since Klopp’s arrival way back when.

Liverpool could count on Coutinho, now 32, for a moment of magic, but found something better in the players welcomed with the funds collected from his sale.

And for Coutinho, surely a sense of regret. Despite winning the Champions League with Bayern Munich and two La Liga titles with Barcelona, he’s indeed failed to ever reach the stunning level that he displayed under Klopp’s wing, having now been on Aston Villa’s books for the past several seasons.

That said, the Brazilian has spent the past few years out on loan, with Al Duhail in Dubai and now Vasco de Gama in his homeland, now valued at just £5m, as per Transfermarkt.

It would seem that Liverpool hit the jackpot at the perfect time with this one, not least because his dramatic fall in market value has left him worth less than Slot’s firing player Wataru Endo, who is 31 years old and valued at £11m.

The fact that even an ageing Endo – who looks set to depart in January – is worth more than Liverpool’s record-breaking sale is a testament to his decline, with the playmaker perhaps wondering what might have been had he never left Anfield behind.

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Posts ByJoe Nuttall Dec 12, 2024