Southee tells ESPNcricinfo some of the secrets behind what makes New Zealand what they are
ESPNcricinfo staff08-Mar-2025Another ICC tournament, and it’s another deep run for New Zealand. What is it about the team and the culture around it that allows them to consistently compete at the highest level?With the Champions Trophy final coming up, Tim Southee joins Yash Jha on the Stump Mic podcast to share his thoughts on the New Zealand way, which makes them ever-present contenders on the biggest cricketing stage.
Tadeo Allende struggled early, but his hot streak has arrived at the perfect time – and Inter Miami may need him more than ever in their push for MLS Cup.
Early in the season, Tadeo Allende kept missing chances – and he got plenty of them. The Argentine attacking midfielder, brought in by Inter Miami on loan from Celta Vigo last winter, was supposed to be the final piece in the Herons’ attack. His job was straightforward: bury the opportunities that would inevitably fall his way.
And there were always going to be plenty. That’s the reality of playing with Lionel Messi. When Messi gets on the ball, opponents tilt, their shape breaks, and gaps appear everywhere. The responsibility then shifts to those around him to exploit those spaces, time their runs and, ultimately, finish. Soccer is more nuanced than that – the rotations, the off-ball movements, the choreographed patterns – but at its core, Allende’s remit boiled down to one thing.
The problem was that he wasn’t finishing often enough. His 15 goals in all competitions looked solid on paper and even exceeded his xG, but Miami created such a high volume of chances that it always felt like there were more out there for him. Too often, he wasn’t getting into the most dangerous spots, and a few big opportunities slipped away.
Now, that has changed. Allende has found his scoring touch – and at the perfect time. Miami are charging toward MLS Cup, with Messi producing at a historic postseason rate, tying the league’s all-time playoff goals record with eight. But Allende has become the razor-sharp edge that completes the picture. And on Saturday, against Vancouver, the version of Allende that shows up may well determine whether Javier Mascherano’s side survives or goes home.
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A puzzling acquisition
And now, we have to talk about Inter Miami’s transfer policy. It’s a tiring thing to discuss, all said. Many eagle-eyed onlookers noticed that focused heavily on Argentina-born talent. Their manager, Mascherano, played with Messi. Some dubbed Miami’s moves "Messi’s signings." Leo gets what Leo wants. And there could be an element of truth there.
One thing is for certain, though, Allende ran counter to a lot of what Miami needed. The Herons, during last year’s playoffs, were undone by a lack of pace in central defense and aging legs in midfield. What they required was a center back capable of stewarding a backline and a rugged, MLS-experienced supporting cast to plug holes in the midfield.
What they got, instead, were questionable options in defense and a Celta Vigo loanee with no MLS experience. Allende was a strange acquisition, unproven in the Spanish top flight and relatively inexperienced for a mid-table club in the Argentine league before.
The messaging from the club was that Allende could contribute all over.
"We're pleased to bring in attacker Tadeo Allende to further strengthen our attack. Tadeo's versatility bolsters our options up front as he can perform in different positions across the pitch. We're excited to bring him on board to help us compete in multiple competitions in 2025," said president of football operations Raúl Sanllehí at the time.
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A mixed start
Allende was a mainstay in the side from the first minute, playing, as the club had promised, in a variety of different roles. But his primary task was, like for Messi's Argentina, to put in plenty of legwork and open spaces for when their star man had the ball – and do everything to win it back when they lost it. The early returns were good enough. Allende found the back of the net in four straight, and looked a real threat in the opening stages of the season.
But the goals soon dried up. After bagging against Charlotte on March 15, Allende went two months without finding the net. In that time, he tallied 15 shots – over two per game – and put just three of them on target. His chances were all pretty good ones, too, shots from close range – often from Messi feeds. In effect, Allende was asked to apply a finishing touch. And he wasn't doing it.
Still, he was good enough off the ball to justify his inclusion, and the mere fact that he chipped in here and there with a goal made him a worthy addition. He started all but six of Miami's regular season games in all competitions, and scored a crucial goal against Palmeiras in the Club World Cup.
As for Miami, things were a little mixed. probably reached par as a team, losing to a superior side in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, finishing third in the Eastern Conference, and getting bounced from the Club World Cup by Champions League winners PSG. And, to be clear, Allende was not the problem for Defense was a clear issue. But Miami didn't lose a single game in which he scored.
It couldn't be ignored: when Allende was finding the net, good things were happening.
Getting hot in the playoffs
In the playoffs, though, something has clicked. Somehow, Allende has become lethal. He has scored eight thus far in the postseason and seven in his last three games. He's not missing tap-ins, skewing headers, or making silly mistakes. His hat-trick that carried Miami past NYCFC in the Eastern Conference Finals was a truly wonderful thing, three excellent finishes to cap off a fine performance.
The third goal simply had Mascherano laughing. Yannick Bright provided the pass in behind. Allende timed his run perfectly, beat the defender for pace, and, with time to think, consider the angles, measure his shot, and contemplate all of the ways he could miss, he unleashed a delightful chip that floated over NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese and into the back of the net. It was the finish of a seasoned striker and a player operating with total confidence in his own abilities.
Mascherano suggested it was all about confidence:
"There’s nothing stronger in soccer than a player’s conviction. When your players are convinced where to go and which road… tactics don’t exist anymore, nothing else exists. For me, is about joining them in that conviction and make the less mistakes," he said after the win.
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A slumping Luis Suarez
Messi, historically, has needed a running mate. These things usually just happen, in truth. At Barcelona, he was surrounded by elite attacking talent everywhere: Neymar, Thierry Henry, Suarez, David Villa – to name a few. At PSG, he had Kylian Mbappe. For Argentina, various superstars have come and gone.
This isn’t necessarily American sports where a single superstar can be entirely shut down. You can’t ever really guard Messi out of a game. But he does need help. Last year, that was Suarez, who was truly excellent in his maiden MLS campaign. This season, though, his form has dropped. Suarez isn’t ineffective altogether, but his goal return has plummeted, and he, like Allende, was missing chances for fun at times. Miami, then, needed someone to step up at the right time.
And more broadly, that’s the role that Allende has fulfilled with aplomb. He is the clinical No. 2 at the moment, the reliable guy to make things happen when Messi is otherwise occupied. And perhaps more importantly, he’s the guy that Messi trusts enough to give the ball to. With Suarez slumping, that could be invaluable.
Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor has revealed that Hannah Hampton could miss the rest of 2025 with a quad injury, potentially ruling her out of the Lionesses upcoming friendlies against China and Ghana later this month. The renowned shot stopper missed Chelsea's 6-0 win over St. Polten in the Women's Champions League, after picking up the injury during the Blues 1-1 draw with Arsenal last Saturday.
Hampton to miss big games for both Chelsea and England
Bompastor confirmed that Hampton will miss the next few weeks of action at the very least, ruling her out of key fixtures for both club and country. The 24-year-old completed her side's draw with rivals Arsenal despite the ailment, but was ruled out of their midweek demolition of the Austrian champions.
Chelsea travel to Liverpool tomorrow in the Women's Super League, before hosting Barcelona in the Women's Champions League on November 20. The inaugural winner of the Women's Yashin Trophy would have been a nailed on starter for Sarina Weigman's side in the upcoming international window as the European champions work towards the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil.
Hampton was also absent from England duty last month with an elbow injury. She was replaced by Manchester City keeper Khiara Keating, who conceded twice in the first 20 minutes of her debut against Brazil. The Lionesses eventually fell to a 2-1 defeat to the Selecao.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportBompastor: Hampton will be out for a "few weeks"
In her pre-match press conference ahead of the Liverpool clash, Bompastor said: "Hannah won't be here. She picked up a quad injury.
"She will be out for a few weeks. We'll see if we see her before the end of the year but I'm not sure."
When the French manager was asked if that would rule the 24-year-old out of international duty, she simply replied: "It could be the case, yes."
Hampton injury presents an opportunity for Peng and Keating
Hampton's extended absence opens the door for Livia Peng to show her potential in the Chelsea goal. The Swiss stopper joined the Blues in the summer following an impressive two year spell with Werder Bremen. She was named to 's team of the season in 2024-25, as she kept seven clean sheets in 21 league games. The 23-year-old has cemented her spot as Switzerland's no. 1, starting all four of her country's during this summer's European Championship as the host nation was knocked out at the quarter final stage by eventual finalists Spain. She made her club debut in Chelsea's dominant win over St. Polten earlier this week.
City's Keating will also have the opportunity to stake her claim to be Hampton's clear backup at the very least. The 21-year-old has gone from strength-to-strength since supplanting Ellie Roebuck as the City No.1 during the 2023-24 season. She would go on to win the WSL Golden Globe at the end of that campaign, making her the youngest player to pick up the award. Keating has been in impressive form again this term, keeping nine clean sheets in all competitions.
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Getty Images SportInjury comes at challenging time for Hampton
After last season's resounding successes: winning the Euros, picking up the award for the best female goalkeeper in the game and winning the WSL for the second time, the start of the 2025/26 season has been a tough ride for Hampton.
The protracted fallout from Mary Earps autobiography, in which the former Sports Personality of the Year accused her understudy of being "disruptive and unreliable" has been an unwelcome distraction. Hampton presumably would have hoped to move on from that saga by letting her play do the talking, especially with the Three Lions on her chest. While she has been in impressive form for her club, conceding just four goals in eight league appearances this term, missing her second international window in succession with injury, is a cruel blow. Hopefully, she can recover before the end of 2025. The league phase of Chelsea's Women's Champions League campaign concludes with ties against Roma and Wolfsburg in December.
O Botafogo tem uma sequência decisiva pela frente, mas a movimentação nos bastidores não para. O CEO, Thairo Arruda, está em Brasília para tratar de um dos temas que tem sido prioridade para o alvinegro: o aumento da força política nos bastidores para garantir a voz do clube em temas de interesse institucionais.
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Faça as suas apostas na Libertadores 2024: quem será o campeão? Vem pro Lance! Betting!
Temas como a CP da Manipulação de Jogos e Apostas Esportivas, em curso no Senado, tem recebido atenção especial. Como representante de John Textor, o CEO tem marcado presença em reuniões com parlamentares para acompanhar o curso das investigações e prestar os esclarecimentos necessários. Outro tema que tem recebido especial atenção são os que envolvem as atualizações na Lei da SAF, também em tramitação no Congresso Nacional.
Como representante da Eagle Football e um dos responsáveis por convencer John Textor a investir no Brasil, Thairo é consultado pelos legisladores para contribuir no aperfeiçoamento do mecanismo. Embora o modelo das SAFs tenha se difundido, ainda são poucos os investidores estrangeiros a investir no futebol brasileiro.
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Nas costuras de temas de interesses institucionais em Brasília, o mandatário recebe a companhia do Vice-Presidente Executivo Jonas Marmello. O clube considera estratégico na função o conhecimento de Marmello por ser um especialista no tema da Lei da SAF.
Nesta semana, Thairo e Marmello tiveram agendas oficiais com os senadores Rogério Carvalho e Chico Rodrigues, com quem debateram ideias para a melhoria do futebol brasileiro. A dupla também se reuniu com Washington, o “Coração Valente”, Diretor da APFUT – Autoridade Pública de Governança do Futebol.
NEW YORK — Shane Bieber looked around the other day and realized something shocking: Eight years into his career, with nearly 900 innings pitched and a Cy Young award on his mantle, he is a rookie compared to his fellow Blue Jays starting pitchers.
“He’s 30!” says his 41-year-old rotationmate Max Scherzer with a laugh. “He’s a young buck! We should make him wear a pink backpack.”
Indeed, in an era of flamethrowers who are too young to turn on the stove, Toronto’s rotation looks closer to retirement than to retiring hitters. Scherzer; Bieber; Chris Bassitt, 36; Kevin Gausman, 34; and José Berríos, 31, make up the only contingent in the majors with no one in his 20s. Their average age, 34.4, would outlast nearly five generations of blue jays.
Entering Thursday, the Blue Jays have received 103 starts from pitchers 31 or older, the most in the majors this season and on pace for the most by a division winner since at least 2019. The only current team with a similar number of gray hairs is the Rangers, who employ 37-year-old Jacob deGrom, 36-year-old Patrick Corbin and 36-year-old Merrill Kelly, with 35-year-old Nathan Eovaldi on the shelf with a strained rotator cuff—but 29-year-old Jacob Latz and 25-year-old Jack Leiter help keep them youthful. And yet the Jays’ 31-plus starters have a 4.18 ERA, right in line with league average.
Scherzer famously pitched for the 2019 Nationals, who got 65 starts from 31-plus-year-olds and called themselves . He says he does not look back at that nickname and chuckle at his naivete. “I was old in ’19!” he says. “When you're 36 in the game, that’s when you’re old. That’s when all the GMs start looking at you funny.” (Perhaps that was a senior moment: Scherzer was 34 in 2019.) That club won the World Series on the back of its horses. But most teams these days value young studs who can spin the ball for five and a third innings, then turn it over to a bullpen full of even younger studs who can spin it even harder.
Have the Blue Jays noticed that many of them are more suited for an old-folks’ home than home plate?
“Man, you’re so blunt,” says Gausman with a laugh. “I’ve definitely noticed we’re not young.”
Toronto GM Ross Atkins has constructed a first-place staff that eschews the modern emphasis on velocity and spin. / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
General manager Ross Atkins puts it more delicately. “I’m aware of our experience,” he says.
Most of them use that word. “The majority of young guys now, they have the stuff,” says Gausman. “They can make a ball move 22 inches horizontally, vertically, in whatever direction. But where they lack is the experience on the field. They’ve thrown all the bullpens imaginable. They know the metrics. They know the axis on pitches. They can throw a pitch in-game, and you’ll see guys in game literally throw a pitch and look at the metric [on the scoreboard]. ‘All right. I need to turn my wrist a little bit more.’ It’s crazy. But where they lack is: All right, I threw this pitch for a strike. Now I need to throw this for a ball. Now how does this pitch play off this next pitch? How does my miss set up this next pitch?”
Those are the discussions they say they are having in the dugout. “It’s not trying to dummy down a conversation, so you don't overwhelm somebody,” says Bassitt. “It’s a lot more intricate than a normal conversation.”
And a lot less kind. “We don’t gotta be gentle,” he adds with a grin.
“[Scherzer] will say, straight up, ‘Why did you throw that pitch? That was stupid,’” says Gausman. “‘You shouldn’t have thrown that pitch.’ And things are just so easy for him. So you talk to him after an outing and you’re like, ‘Well, I was trying to throw this pitch down and away. I missed my spot by two feet.’ And he’s like, ‘Well, why didn’t you just throw it down and away?’”
They also value the same things. In early September, Bieber gave up five runs in a 35-pitch second inning to the Reds. He then allowed one baserunner over the following four frames as the Blue Jays came back to win. A week later, they’re all still raving about the job he did.
“Almost every single pitcher in the big leagues either loses that game or doesn’t go six—or both—and now we’re really in trouble,” says Bassitt. “That was one of the most impressive outings of the year for us.”
He adds, “We’re talking pitching. We’re not talking movement. We’re not talking how hard you’re throwing. We don’t care if Bieber’s throwing 95 [mph] or 91. It’s more so when to throw a chase pitch 1–0, knowing what pitch to do that, and understanding sometimes going 2–0 is better than trying to go 1–1, things like that. Small things that the young group has never been brought up like that. This is stuff that was getting screamed at us. You weren’t allowed to advance past High A if you weren’t throwing six innings. We came up in a very different environment, and it’s five guys that have the exact same mindset.”
They also enjoy not having to worry about monitoring anyone else’s workload or shutting down a major contributor during the stretch run. They know how to take care of their bodies—even if that gets harder every year.
“I think we definitely kind of push each other,” Gausman says. “Like, And honestly, it makes it fun. You know, it’s constant bitching and moaning, not really feeling too good.”
And Atkins dismisses the idea that calling up a young starter can sometimes provide the rest of the team with energy. “I think the thing that’s the most real is outs,” he says. In fact, Gausman says he derives energy just from watching Scherzer’s bullpens. “His competitiveness is like nothing I’ve ever seen,” Gausman says. “To have that at 41 when you’ve kind of checked every box—that’s impressive to me that he still pitches like some of these young guys, with that fire. I don’t think I’ll be like that at 41. I definitely won’t be pitching at 41.”
Scherzer shrugs. Really the only downside of aging, as far as he's concerned, is his bald spot. So he'll keep going—if only for the chance to work at a job that requires him to wear a hat.
Liverpool midfielder Florian Wirtz was substituted against Manchester City after another torrid performance from both the Germany international and his teammates.
Pep Guardiola celebrated his 1,000th game as a manager with a convincing win over an old rival as Manchester City overpowered Liverpool 3-0 on Sunday. Typically Erling Haaland was on the scoresheet, opening the scoring for a dominant City side at the Etihad Stadium with his 99th Premier League goal after missing an earlier penalty.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk had an equaliser controversially disallowed, but the champions were second best for much of a sodden afternoon and fell further behind to a deflected Nico Gonzalez strike before the break.
The outstanding Jeremy Doku, who tormented Liverpool right-back Conor Bradley, added a sublime third on his 100th appearance for the club. Victory lifted City back up to second in the table and within four points of leaders Arsenal, and condemned Liverpool to yet more soul-searching.
Arne Slot’s side had emerged from a recent slump with impressive back-to-back wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid, but the defeat was their fifth in six league games and left them eight points adrift of the Gunners. During the game, City fans made a point of criticising one particular Liverpool player as he was withdrawn from the match.
Liverpool signing Wirtz was a "waste of money"
Though they would spend more on Alexander Isak just weeks later, Liverpool broke the British transfer record when they signed Florian Wirtz for £116 million in the summer. Much has since been said about the German, who has struggled to swiftly adapt to English football.
Across all competitions, not including the Community Shield, Wirtz has racked up no goals and two assists in 14 games, hardly the return expected by a player who commanded such a transfer fee. Due to his form, questions have been asked about Wirtz’s position in the first team.
Against Man City, Wirtz’s Premier League struggles continued. The German was replaced by Federico Chiesa in the 83rd minute and as per Adam Bate of Sky Sports, was serenaded by the home support.
Florian Wirtz Against Manchester City
Minutes Played
83′
Goals
0
Assists
0
Key Passes
0
Shots on Target
0
Total Shots (Shots Blocked)
2 (2)
Accurate Passes in Opposition Half
11/16 (69%)
(All stats are from SofaScore)
Given the money spent across the summer, there is little excuse for Liverpool’s form throughout the 2025/26 season. Wirtz, however, similar to fellow new arrival Isak, has yet to showcase anything that represents the fee that was paid for him. The German midfielder is still, of course, in the infancy of his Liverpool career, but it is apparent that he needs to quickly find a vein of form on Merseyside.
تحدث قائد فريق ليفربول، فيرجيل فان دايك، لأول مرة عن أزمة النجم المصري محمد صلاح في النادي الإنجليزي، بسبب التصريحات النارية التي أدلى بها يوم السبت الماضي بسبب تهميشه من جانب المدرب آرني سلوت.
وغاب محمد صلاح عن مباراة ليفربول أمس ضد إنتر ميلان على ملعب “سان سيرو” في الجولة السادسة من دوري أبطال أوروبا، مرحلة الدوري، حيث حقق الريدز فوزًا بهدف دون رد.
وقال فان دايك عن محمد صلاح، في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية: “الأمر صعب، لكنه وضع صعب جماعي نمر به جميعًا، الأمور تسير بين مو والنادي، هو ليس هنا اليوم، هذه هي الحقيقة، لا أعتقد أن شيئًا قد تغير في تركيزنا وعزيمتنا”.
وأضاف: “هل يجب على صلاح الاعتذار؟ لست أنا من يقرر ما إذا كان على شخص ما أن يعتذر، لقد كشف عن مشاعره خلال اليومين الماضيين، هذا أمر على النادي التعامل معه، وأنا أيضًا بالطبع، كان التركيز موجودًا، ولم يتغير شيء آخر، لقد تدرب أيضًا”.
وأفاد: “لا جدوى من قولي إن أحدهم خذل شخصًا آخر، هو لم يسافر بناءً على عواقب ما قاله، هذا كل ما في الأمر، تدرب أمس بشكل طبيعي تمامًا، لنرَ ما سيحدث عندما نعود يوم الجمعة”.
وأكد: “تركيزي منصبّ على الفريق، وفي هذه المرحلة، لا يزال محمد صلاح جزءًا من الفريق، سنرى ما سيحدث”.
وواصل: “الحقيقة أيضًا هي أن محمد صلاح سيذهب إلى كأس أمم إفريقيا قريبًا، أنا أعرفه منذ فترة طويلة، نحن أصدقاء جيدون ومررنا بفترات من النجاح والفشل، نتحدث، وهذه الأمور ستبقى خلف الأبواب كما ينبغي أن يكون الأمر، علينا أن نستعد ونواجه الضجيج الخارجي”.
اقرأ أيضًا.. روبرتسون يثير الشكوك حول صحة هدف ليفربول أمام إنتر ميلان.. ويصرّح: مستقبل محمد صلاح لا يخصني
وشدد: “الأهم هو أن نتحدث مع بعضنا البعض، علينا أن نتعافى ونعود إلى مواجهة برايتون فورًا، يجب أن نحتفل باللحظات الجميلة ونستمتع بها، وإلا فما فائدة الفوز؟ سنبيت هنا، وننام جيدًا ونتناول طعامًا جيدًا، نحاول ألا نبالغ في الفرح أو الحزن”.
وعن الفوز، قال: “إنه شعور رائع، خاصة في هذه الفترة التي نمر بها، حيث نسعى لتحقيق الثبات في الأداء والبناء عليه، نأمل أن تكون هذه الليلة من بين تلك العروض المميزة”.
واستكمل: “لطالما كانت المباراة صعبة، لقد تعاملنا معها بشكل جيد، كان من الممكن أن تنتهي بالتعادل السلبي، لكنها انتهت بشكل إيجابي لنا في النهاية، هذا لا يغير شيئًا، من الواضح أن هناك الكثير من الضجيج من العالم الخارجي، وهو أمر طبيعي عندما لا نؤدي بشكل جيد، إنه أمر مستحق أيضًا”.
وشدد: “نريد أن نتحسن، نريد أن نكون ثابتين في الأداء وأن نفوز بالمباريات، لا نفعل ذلك بالقدر الذي نرغب به، علينا أن نتكاتف ونكون متحدين كما كنا دائمًا، هذا ما يجسده ليفربول”.
وفيما يخص قرارات حكم الفيديو المساعد، قال: “كانت سريعة جدًا، لذلك لا أعرف إن كانت الكرة قد اصطدمت بذراعه بالفعل (هدف ليفربول الملغي من جانب كوناتي)، عندما يتخذ الحكم قرارًا كهذا، يجب أن يكون واضحًا وجليًا، لكنهم يبحثون عن شيء قد يكون موجودًا، لا أعتقد أن هذا جيد”.
De virada, o Palmeiras venceu o Independiente del Valle por 3 a 2, pela terceira rodada da Libertadores. Kendry Páez e Hoyos abriram o placar para a equipe equatoriana, Endrick e Lázaro conduziram o empate do Verdão, e Luís Guilherme, nos acréscimos, decretou a virada da equipe de Abel Ferreira.
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Com o resultado, o Palmeiras chega ao sete pontos e lidera do Grupo F da Libertadores. A próxima partida do Verdão será o clássico Choque-Rei contra o São Paulo, na segunda-feira (29), pelo Brasileirão.
➡️ Siga o Lance! Palmeiras no WhatsApp e acompanhe todas as notícias do Verdão
✅ FICHA TÉCNICA INDEPENDIENTE DEL VALLE 2 X 3 PALMEIRAS 3ª RODADA – FASE DE GRUPOS DA LIBERTADORES 🗓️ Data e horário: quarta-feira, 24 de abril de 2024, às 21h30 (de Brasília) 📍 Local: Estádio Banco Guayaquil, em Quito(EQU)
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GOLS: Kendry Páez e Hoyos / Endrick, Lázaro e Luís Guilherme
➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários dos jogos do Brasileirão
⚽ ESCALAÇÕES:
INDEPENDIENTE DEL VALLE (Técnico:Jorge Célico) Moisés Ramírez; Landázuri, Carabajal, Richard Schunke e Roman Bucaran; Julio Ortiz, Kendry Páez e Cristian Zabala; Ibarra, Sornoza e Michael Hoyos.
PALMEIRAS (Técnico: Abel Ferreira) Weverton, Marcos Rocha, Gustavo Gómez, Luan e Piquerez; Aníbal Moreno, Richard Ríos e Raphael Veiga; Mayke, Endrick e Rony.
Arsenal have been handed another blow in their pursuit of the Premier League crown after star defender Gabriel hobbled off with an apparent groin issue for Brazil. The centre-back was playing on home soil at the Emirates, in an international friendly against Senegal. In the second half, he went down in some discomfort and was subsequently taken off, looking furious.
Gabriel added to Arsenal injury list
The Gunners already have a lengthy injury list, with the likes of Martin Odegaard, Viktor Gyokeres and Gabriel Martinelli all missing in recent weeks. Riccardo Calafiori has reportedly returned to north London after picking up an injury while training with the Italian national team, he will miss their upcoming World Cup qualifier against Norway as a result.
Gabriel looks to be the latest player heading for the treatment table, which is terrible news for the north London club ahead of three crucial games after the international break.
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Arsenal fans react to Gabriel injury
The sight of their most valuable defender exiting the pitch during an international friendly in their ground inevitably drew fiery reactions from the Arsenal faithful son social media.
One non-plussed fan, Jadinho97, wrote on X: "Gabriel getting injured on international duty at the Emirates has sent my head to Mars."
Edduizy posted: "Gabriel off injured for Brazil in yet another useless friendly."
Another X user, @sakamvent asked: "What is the point of international breaks? Calafiori and Gabriel are now injured, just when we thought we would catch a bit of break with injuries they start to pile up again."
LongJeff called the incident, "horrific horrible news."
BiancaKG had a more selfish reaction when she posted: "Gabriel getting injured doesn't bode well for my FPL Team."
Ever-present Gabriel the foundation of Arsenal's success
The handwringing of angry Arsenal fans is understandable. Gabriel has played every minute of the Gunners' Premier League campaign so far this season, and has appeared in all four of their Champions League fixtures too. When Gabriel has featured this term, Arsenal have conceded just five times, while the Brazilian has also chipped in two goals of his own going forward.
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Arsenal's upcoming fixtures — Gabriel out for north London derby?
The suspected injury could not come at a worse time for Mikel Arteta's side. First up after the international break, the Gunners take on their north London rivals Tottenham on November 23. That hellacious affair is quickly followed by a marquee matchup against Harry Kane's Bayern Munich. The Bavarian giants are undefeated this term, winning sixteen straight games to kick off their 2025/26 term. A massive week for the title hopeful's season concludes with another London derby, this time against third-placed Chelsea away at Stamford Bridge.
With a lengthening injury list, no player will be more crucial to these tricky fixtures than the totemic Brazilian. Arsenal fans will be hoping against hope that Gabriel was taken off as a precaution, and that he can feature in this upcoming gauntlet of games.