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Big picture – The ODI learning curve

And they said the middle overs in an ODI are dull. India and Sri Lanka are playing a series where all of the action is contained in the exact period where the 50-over format tends to be dull. And that’s largely because they have been playing these games – the first of which ended in a tie – on pitches that challenge a batter, in ways that extend far beyond technique.The Khettarama is asking people to play cricket thinking two overs ahead; to avoid the expansive drive just even if the ball seems to be tossed up, because that juicy half-volley is actually going to dip and turn to go past the middle of the bat and take the edge through to slip.Restraint is the very thing that India have spent the better part of two years beating out of themselves, but now it is the very thing that stands between them and a bit of a black mark on a very proud record. They have lost only five out of 22 bilateral ODI series. They have won the last 10 rubbers against Sri Lanka – a streak that will come to an end regardless of the result on Wednesday – and that is tribute to the way this Sri Lanka side has performed even though it is missing several first-teamers. They are certainly shading the middle-overs battle, averaging 24.7 and losing only 10 wickets to India’s 17.8 and 14 wickets.Related

• Washington: 'We need to find a way to get the job done in crunch situations'

• Big-innings accumulator to powerplay aggressor: Rohit finds ways to be extraordinary

• Vandersay brings the vibes back for Sri Lanka

• Vandersay six-for gives SL first ODI win over India in three years

• India, Sri Lanka throw it back to the '90s in Colombo classic

Throughout the series, the aggression of Rohit Sharma at the top of the order has made Sri Lankan fans wax nostalgic about the days when their line-up was littered with all-time greats too. In the same way perhaps, India fans might be looking at Dunith Wellalage, all of 21 years old, shepherding Sri Lanka through back-to-back collapses like someone who used to do it for them. He is one of two men in this series to strike at better than run a ball and the other one has been playing this format for almost as long as he has been alive.Whether India win and level the series or Sri Lanka win and claim it 2-0, these three games are likely to be an important learning curve for both teams and that is a check in the box next to why bilateral ODI cricket is still worth it (just, does it to be eight hours long?).

Form guide

Sri Lanka WTLWL
India LTWLW

In the spotlight – Virat Kohli and Avishka Fernando

Virat Kohli has only one fifty in his last 15 innings for India across formats. But here’s the thing. He doesn’t look out of form. And this is ODI cricket as well. He could probably write five different books about it – and star in their movie adaptations – and still not be done explaining how well he knows it. So a big score is probably on the horizon, and even if it isn’t, he isn’t the sort to be fussed about his numbers, not as long as he feels good in training and doesn’t have to force himself to be involved. That’s when there will be cause for worry.Avishka Fernando is the best of both worlds. He can finesse the ball to the boundary, or if the mood strikes him, inflict that same ball to a whole lot worse. He puts attacking shots together like the rest of us put two and two together. It’s just that natural to him. Except sometimes he might get carried away, which is why 26 of his 40 innings have ended at or before the 30-run mark and 17 of those innings have been single-digits. He’ll be pushing himself to justify the talent he has and take his place as one of Sri Lanka’s mainstays.Sri Lanka have edged the middle-overs battle so far in the series•AFP/Getty Images

Team news – Does Parag have a chance?

Sri Lanka hit a sweet combination packing their side with spinners for the last game, which helped them drag India down from 97 for 0 to 147 for 6.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Pathum Nissanka, 2 Avishka Fernando, 3 Kusal Mendis (wk), 4 Sadeera Samarawickrama, 5 Charith Asalanka (capt), 6 Janith Liyanage, 7 Dunith Wellalage, 8 Kamindu Mendis, 9 Jeffrey Vandersay, 10 Akila Dananjaya, 11 Asitha FernandoIndia might weigh up the pros and cons of Shivam Dube and Riyan Parag. Dube is a proven spin-hitter, which is sure to come in handy, but Parag offers them a bowling option that is better suited to the conditions. Or if they’re feeling really funky, they might drop a quick bowler to bring in Parag and hand Dube the new ball.India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Shreyas Iyer, 5 KL Rahul (wk), 6 Shivam Dube/Riyan Parag, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Washington Sundar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Arshdeep Singh

Pitch and conditions: Bit of rain around

There are chances of showers in Colombo both leading up to and during the game, but it is unlikely that the whole thing will be washed off. Spinners have bowled twice as many balls (812 vs 351) as the quicks and picked up almost four times as many wickets (29 vs 8). Consider yourself warned.

Stats and trivia

• Sri Lanka last beat India in a bilateral ODI series in August 1997.
• Rohit has hit 90 of his 122 runs in this series in fours and sixes.
• Charith Asalanka has 11 ODI wickets from 61 matches; 10 of them have come against India, six in this series.

Quotes

“We have very good batters. When it comes to their attack they’ve got great variety in legspin, offspin and left-arm spin. We need to find a way to put them under pressure. That’s why a left-hander is in the middle in the middle overs.”
Washington Sundar breaks down the importance of a left-hand batter against a quality attack

David de Gea has explained why it was “impossible” for him to accept Premier League offers on the back of leaving Manchester United in 2023.

Released by Red Devils as a free agentSpent a year mulling over his optionsEnjoying new challenge with FiorentinaFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

After 12 years at Old Trafford, during which he made 545 appearances and became a four-time Player of the Year, Spain international De Gea was surprisingly released by the Red Devils as a free agent when his contract expired.

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Questions have been asked of that decision on a regular basis as De Gea’s successor in Manchester, Cameroon international Andre Onana, has found the going tough in English football – with a number of costly errors being made across his two seasons as No.1.

DID YOU KNOW?

De Gea opted to enjoy a 12-month sabbatical after severing ties with United, eventually signing for Serie A side Fiorentina in 2024, with the 34-year-old snubbing several approaches from England before heading to Italy.

gettyWHAT DE GEA SAID

De Gea has told : “I turned down offers from England because after spending so many years at a club like United, you feel like you don't want to play for another club in England.

“I only wanted Manchester United, and while it's true that I received offers from England, I knew it would be impossible for me to play anywhere else. I've spent my whole life there; it's the club that shaped me and allowed me to have a wonderful career.

“I felt it was time to rest and come back even stronger. People asked me, 'When are you coming back?' I reassured everyone, 'I'm fine, I'll be back’. It was normal for people to have some doubts after a year out, but I was sure that after a game or two I'd be back to my old self.”

Yet again in his glorious Manchester City reign, Pep Guardiola is overseeing a rebuild. Following a largely underwhelming 2024/25 campaign, it is a case of out with the old and in with the new.

Indeed, having previously phased out the likes of Yaya Toure, Vincent Kompany, David Silva and Sergio Aguero in the past, the Catalan coach is now repeating the process in relation to his treble-winning side of 2023.

The great Kevin De Bruyne is on his way to Napoli by all accounts, while Kyle Walker – fresh from his own sojourn to Serie A – is expected to seal a permanent exit this summer, after eight years at the Etihad.

With doubts also emerging over the futures of Bernardo Silva and Jack Grealish, among others, there could well be a fresh feel to the Citizens next season, having already begun the overhaul with four new additions in January.

That quartet appear to be just the start of things, if recent reports are anything to go by, with the Premier League giants seemingly closing in on a first move of the window, amid the imminent arrival of Tijjani Reijnders.

Latest on Man City's transfer search

While the search to replace that man De Bruyne has dominated talk in recent weeks – amid interest in the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and the Liverpool-bound, Florian Wirtz – a further priority also lies in finding a suitable partner for Rodri in that number eight berth.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The Manchester outfit did only recently fork out £50m for the signing of Nico Gonzalez from Porto, albeit with the Spaniard seemingly deemed as a replacement rather than a partner for his compatriot, having been dubbed a “mini-Rodri” by Guardiola.

With that in mind, sporting director Hugo Viana has turned his attention elsewhere in the bid to bolster those midfield ranks even further, with transfer guru Fabrizio Romano revealing that City have a “verbal agreement in place” for AC Milan star, Reijnders.

The signing of the 26-year-old – for what is expected to be a package of around €70m (£59m) – could well be followed by the capture of Lyon’s Rayan Cherki, with Romano also outlining that personal terms have been agreed with the playmaker.

The suggestion is that City will lodge a bid “in the next hours” amid their desire to get the deal done, amid rival interest from Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund, with prior reports indicating that Cherki could be available for as little as £25m.

Why Cherki would be a good signing

It may go against the Guardiola grain to be signing a “maverick” talent like the Lyon starlet, as hailed by pundit Rio Ferdinand, although the Citizens are in need of a fresh creative source, in the wake of De Bruyne’s imminent exit.

With the aforementioned Grealish – and England teammate, Phil Foden – providing just 11 goals and assists between them in the Premier League last season, the onus is on finding a suitable supplier for main man, Erling Haaland.

In many ways, Guardiola’s side are still seeking to find a suitable successor to Riyad Mahrez in the forward line, with one-time Leicester City hero having racked up 78 goals and 59 assists in 236 games prior to his 2023 exit, a return that included 28 goal involvements in all competitions during his final season.

Described as a player who can “change the game” by his manager, the now 34-year-old was simply a genius during his time in English football, possessing a wand of a left foot and an ability to create something out of nothing down that right flank.

Those are traits which the veteran no doubt shares with young Cherki, with the France U21 international – who qualifies to play for Algeria, like Mahrez – also a creative weapon. Equally, like Mahrez too, the left-footer is comfortable operating down the right flank or in a number ten berth.

Hailed as a “future Ballon d’Or winner” by The Athletic’s Alex Barker, Cherki is fresh off the back of a campaign that ended with a remarkable haul of 32 goals and assists from just 44 games, including 19 goals and assists in Ligue 1.

Such form in France’s top-flight saw the 21-year-old notably create 22 big chances and average 2.5 key passes per game, during his 30 league outings, as per Sofascore, having also averaged 1.6 successful dribbles as a sign of his breathtaking ability to beat his man.

Non-penalty goals

0.35

0.19

Assists

0.49

0.47

Shot-creating actions

6.44

5.44

Passes attempted

60.63

54.66

Pass completion

78.5%

82.2%

Progressive passes

9.08

3.56

Progressive carries

4.67

3.66

Successful take-ons

2.12

1.17

Touches in opposition box

5.82

5.16

Progressive passes received

8.11

11.34

When comparing his recent heroics with Mahrez’s final Premier League campaign, it is easy to see their statistical and stylistic likeness too, with the pair both ranking highly for assists and shot-creating actions per 90, indicating their unique ability to generate opportunities in the final third.

That desire to make things happen is also evident with regard to the ‘passes attempted’ metric, with that knack for conjuring a moment of magic seemingly needed to help replace the likes of the “predictable” Grealish, as described by Gary Neville.

With Mahrez having repeatedly delivered the goods for City in previous years, Guardiola could now find his heir apparent by plucking Cherki from Lyon.

"World-class" star now pushing to join Man City quickly; £59m+ offer needed

There has been a development in Man City’s pursuit of a key target…

ByDominic Lund Jun 3, 2025

da wazamba： The perfect night for Manchester City.

da roleta： On Tuesday, the Citizens swatted aside Bournemouth 3-1 at the Etihad, meaning they require just a point at Craven Cottage on the final day to secure a 15th successive season of Champions League football.

Well, given that the Sky Blues have won each of their last 17 meetings with Fulham, a sequence that dates back to 2011, one would imagine that they’ll get the job done on the banks of the River Thames on Sunday.

Not only that, Rodri made his long-awaited return, introduced as a late substitute 240 days after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament rupture against Arsenal in September.

Meantime, after the match, the Man City faithful paid tribute to Kevin De Bruyne, given that this was his last-ever appearance at the Etihad, widely considered to be the club’s greatest-ever player.

Looking ahead to the future, one player in particular impressed on the evening, giving Pep Guardiola food for thought going forward into the Club World Cup and next season.

How Manchester City swatted Bournemouth aside

Man City’s victory over Bournemouth was never really in doubt from the 14th minute onwards when Omar Marmoush’s absolute thunderbolt broke the deadlock, thwacking the post on its way in, giving Kepa Arrizabalaga no chance whatsoever.

This was the best genre of goal; one where those in attendance are gasping with disbelief at what they’ve just witnessed each time the strike is replayed to them on the jumbotron.

Bernardo Silva lashed home a second on the cusp of half time, before the Cherries were presented with a glimmer of hope, with Mateo Kovačić sent off for a last-man foul on Evanilson.

Nevertheless, just six minutes later, Lewis Cook was also dismissed by referee Thomas Bramall for a knee-high tackle, extinguishing any hope of a comeback, before Nico González rubber-stamped the victory, scoring his first goal in the Premier League.

Daniel Jebbison did get Bournemouth on the board right at the death, very much of the consolation variety, and this did nothing to dampen the mood, with the Man City support in good voice and good spirits, and full credit to them, just three days after defeat in the FA Cup Final.

With a Champions League spot now all but secured, planning can well and truly start for next season, so has one player in particular staked a claim to be a central pillar in Guardiola’s future plans?

Man City star showed they can forget Wirtz

As was widely reported on Monday, including by Rob Dawson of ESPN, Manchester City have withdrawn their interest in Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Florian Wirtz due to the amount of money the deal would cost in terms of both transfer fee and wages.

Paul Hirst and Paul Joyce of the Times claim that die Werkself valued the 22-year-old at £126m, with Bayern Munich currently his most-likely destination, although Liverpool and Real Madrid remain interested.

For Man City, they won’t be getting their hands on Wirtz, but they did sign another Bundesliga superstar back in January that may help mitigate this blow.

Marmoush’s strike against Bournemouth, which we’ve already mentioned, was breathtaking, continuing his rich goal-scoring form since arriving from Eintracht Frankfurt for a reported fee of £63m earlier this year.

His sublime performance on Tuesday evening showed the Egyptian at his best.

Marmoush is both a creator and a goal-scorer, taking his tally to eight in Manchester City colours, these coming in just 21 appearances to date, with all seven of his Premier League strikes coming at the Etihad, most notably bagging a hat-trick against Newcastle in February.

Omar Marmoush statistics vs Bournemouth

Statistics

Marmoush

Match rank

Goals

1

=1st

Shots on target

1

=1st

Shots of target

1

=3rd

Shots blocked

1

=1st

Passing accuracy

93%

6th

Key passes

1

=4th

Sofascore rating

7.3

=3rd

All statistics courtesy of SofaScore

This is on top of the 20 goals he managed for Frankfurt before making the move, with only five players scoring more Bundesliga goals than him this season, namely Harry Kane, Serhou Guirassy, Patrik Schick, Jonathan Burkardt, Tim Kleindienst, despite his winter departure.

Analyst Ben Mattinson described Marmoush as a “proper maverick”, while Sultan Babajide of Breaking the Lines documents how he is a ‘versatile player’ who is ‘capable of being important in every phase of play’, praising his ‘technical skills, tactical understanding, and strong work ethic’.

Meantime, Karim El-Shesheiny of Total Football Analysis outlines how the Egyptian can be deployed in many ‘different positions’ across the forward line, adding that he is more ‘dynamic’ than most other forwards, while also ‘good at defending’ out of possession.

So, what is clear is that Marmoush is a very well-rounded attacker, both capable of creating chances, but also scoring them himself from all distances.

Thus, while many of Europe’s biggest clubs are searching for a new striker, Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Juventus and many more, Man City managed to snap one up, even though they already have Erling Haaland in their ranks of course, a duo most teams around the world will be envious of.

Related Forget Wirtz: Man City set to make bid for "world-class" £70m midfielder

With Manchester City now out of the running to sign Florian Wirtz, are they stepping up their interest to sign a different “world-class” midfielder?

Posts ByBen Gray May 20, 2025

Crystal Palace have reportedly received a massive boost to their Europa League aspirations after John Textor's Lyon were forcibly relegated from Ligue 1 over financial concerns.

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Lyon have been relegated to Ligue 2Clears the way for Palace's UEL participationFinal decision set to be taken at CFCB meetingFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Ligue 1 club – majority-owned by the Eagle Football Holdings company chaired by American businessman John Textor – was officially demoted to Ligue 2 after failing to satisfy French football’s financial watchdog, the DNCG (Direction Nationale du Contrôle de Gestion), despite months of negotiation and attempted remedies. The ruling found that the club had not demonstrated sufficient progress in resolving its estimated €500 million (£418m) debt crisis. However, Lyon is likely to appeal the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to seek relief.

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To comply with UEFA’s multi-club ownership regulations, Textor agreed to sell his 43 per cent ownership in Palace to fellow American investor Woody Johnson. This transaction, though not finalised before UEFA’s critical March 1 deadline, is intended to eliminate any conflict of interest between Lyon and Palace, both of whom secured Europa League qualification; the French side through Ligue 1 standings and the English club by virtue of winning the FA Cup. But with Lyon now relegated to Ligue 2, it should clear any potential competition-specific obstacle for Palace to participate in the Europa League.

TELL ME MORE

If the CFCB determine that the rules have been violated due to Textor's multiple ownership of clubs, Palace could be redirected to the Europa Conference League instead of the Europa League. In that scenario, Palace will challenge the decision at the CAS, arguing that Textor’s exit from the club’s ownership renders any concerns about dual control moot.

DID YOU KNOW?

On the other side of the argument, Nottingham Forest, who would stand to inherit Palace’s Europa League spot in the event of their disqualification, are reportedly monitoring the situation closely. Should UEFA allow Palace to remain in the competition, Forest could also take their case to CAS, citing UEFA’s firm ownership deadline of March 1 as grounds for appeal.

Manchester City have announced the signing of Lyon and France star Rayan Cherki, who has penned a five-year contract at the Etihad Stadium.

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• City confirm Cherki deal
• Attacking midfielder available for Club World Cup
• Becomes latest signing after Rayan Ait-Nouri

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  City have announced the signing of Cherki on a five-year contract from Lyon for a fee of €36m plus €6m in potential add-ons. His arrival will boost the creative midfield options currently available to manager Pep Guardiola, with stalwart Kevin De Bruyne's exit at the end of his deal confirmed earlier this year.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Cherki arrives just in time to be added to City's squad for this month's Club World Cup and is their latest signing following the recent arrival of Rayan Ait-Nouri from Wolves. It is thought either James McAtee or Claudio Echeverri could now be sent to Lyon on loan as part of the agreement.

  Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream now

• WHAT CHERKI SAID

  Cherki told City's website: "This is a dream for me. Honestly, to be joining a club like Manchester City and have the opportunity to make the next step in my career here is something very, very special.

  "Everyone knows how good City are – they have been so successful for many years now. The responsibility to help the team continue winning is something I want to embrace.

  "I can't wait to show City fans what I can do."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR CHERKI AND MAN CITY?

  Cherki is now free to feature for City during their Club World Cup campaign, which includes matches against Wydad Casablanca, Al-Ain and Juventus in Group G.

لم يُخفِ نادي ريال مدريد استيائه من القرارات التحكيمية خلال منافسات بطولة الدوري الإسباني، وآخرها طرد لاعبه دين هويسن أمام ريال سوسيداد.

والتقى ريال مدريد وريال سوسيداد يوم السبت على ملعب “أنويتا” ضمن مباريات الجولة الرابعة للدوري الإسباني “الليجا” لموسم 2025-2026.

وتغلب ريال مدريد على ريال سوسيداد بهدفين لهدف، في مباراة شهدت طرد لاعبه دين هويسن ببطاقة حمراء مباشرة في الدقيقة 32 من اللقاء.

وذكرت تقارير صحفية أن ريال مدريد سيقدم استئنافًا ضد طرد هويسن بالأدلة التي يراها تدعم حجته، لإلغاء البطاقة الحمراء للاعب.

ويرى ريال مدريد أن قرار البطاقة الصفراء كان كافيًا في اللقطة التي تسببت بطرد هويسن، وهو ما وضحه المدرب تشابي ألونسو في تصريحاته عقب المباراة (طالع التصريحات كاملة من هنا).

ومع ذلك، تشير صحيفة “موندو ديبورتيفو” الإسبانية، إلى أن فرص إلغاء إيقاف هويسن ضئيلة للغاية، وأن جميع الدلائل تُشير إلى فشل ريال مدريد في مساعيه.

وتنص المادة 27 المتعلقة بتقارير التحكيم، على أن التقارير الموقعة من الحكم تُعتبر دليلاً مقبولاً وتُبرر موقفه، وتُقبل الطعون إذا أثبتت لقطات الفيديو بوضوح وجود خطأ جسيم يتعارض مع تقرير الحكم.

وإذا قُبل طعن ريال مدريد، فسترفع العقوبة عن هويسن، إذ لا يمكن للجنة تخفيض عقوبة الطرد إلى بطاقة صفراء.

ويمكن لريال مدريد اللجوء أولاً إلى لجنة الاستئناف ثم إلى المحكمة الرياضية الإسبانية، ومع ذلك يؤكد التقرير أن احتمالية خروج النادي الملكي بنتيجة إيجابية ضئيل للغاية.

ويستعد ريال مدريد لمواجهة أولمبيك مارسيليا الفرنسي غدًا الثلاثاء، ضمن مباريات الجولة الأولى لمرحلة الدوري في منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

MatériaMais Notícias

da supremo： O Santos conquistou uma vitória contra o Blooming-BOL, por 1 a 0, no final da partida. Após o triunfo na estreia pela Sul-Americana, houve uma confusão entre os dois elencos e os ânimos tiveram que ser acalmados.

Enfático, Bauermann reclamou sobre a postura da torcida do clube boliviano e exigiu uma punição para a equipe adversária.

+ Veja o guia completa da Copa Sul-Americana

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasSantosVÍDEO: Os melhores momentos da sofrida vitória do Santos sobre o Blooming na Sul-AmericanaSantos05/04/2023SantosBauermann lamenta confusão e objetos arremessados contra jogadores do Santos: ‘Que sejam punidos’Santos05/04/2023SantosATUAÇÕES: Sem evoluções aparentes no time, Bauermann salva Santos na estreia pela Sul-AmericanaSantos04/04/2023

Pep Guardiola's empire finally came crashing down – but which players were most responsible for the fall and which ones still did themselves proud?

It is one thing to get to the top, it is quite another to stay there. Manchester City remained at the summit of English football longer than any team in history, but the empire that Pep Guardiola built came crashing down in 2024-25, their fall as astonishing as it was unexpected. City looked hungry to lift a fifth-consecutive title when they won seven of their opening nine league games, but once they were beaten at Bournemouth for their first defeat in 11 months, the dominoes started to fall.

City lost six out of eight league games between November and December, effectively surrendering the title to Liverpool after their limp defeat at Anfield. They also struggled to adapt to the new Champions League format, nearly being eliminated from the league phase before being outclassed by old foes Real Madrid in the knockout play-offs, exiting the competition at their earliest stage in 12 years.

There was a serious risk of them even missing out on qualifying for next season's competition, but when push came to shove, City gritted their teeth and won seven of their final 10 games to finish third on 71 points, 20 fewer than last season and their worst showing in the Guardiola era. They did reach the FA Cup final but lost to Crystal Palace in an infuriating match that summed up their overall campaign.

GOAL rates all the players from a campaign no City fan will be keen to look back on…

• Getty Images Sport
  

  28Vitor Reis – N/A

  The teenage defender arrived amid the January spending spree for £30 million ($40m), but Reis' debut against Leyton Orient in the FA Cup was a baptism of fire and he was hauled off at half-time. He only started one more game against Plymouth Argyle, while his only appearance in the Premier League was an added-time cameo against Leicester City. He has a lot to learn.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  27Jahmai Simpson-Pusey – N/A

  The academy defender was drafted into the first team in October as a matter of urgency due to the injury crisis, with Guardiola simply referring to him as "the young lad". It was a brutal introduction for Simpson-Pusey as City lost three of the six games he played, only winning once -and that was against Salford City.

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  26Oscar Bobb – N/A

  The brightest player in pre-season looked to have a big year ahead of him, but Bobb fractured his leg in training before the opening weekend, meaning he missed eight months and only earned three brief appearances as a substitute when he returned.

• Getty Images
  

  25Rodri – N/A

  Rodri started the season late due to his injury in the Euro 2024 final and his campaign was all-but over after just three games when he tore his ACL against Arsenal – days after warning of the danger of playing too many games. Winning the Ballon d’Or – arriving at the ceremony on crutches – was some comfort and his irreplaceable status has only grown as City stumbled so badly in his absence.

Large crowds turned up at a dilapidated stadium in Patna with warning signs around safety put up by the organisers

Syed Hussain06-Jan-2024The beginning of the 2023-24 Ranji Trophy brought crowds in big numbers to Patna’s Moin-ul-Haq Stadium – a venue that hosted World Cup fixtures in 1996 – and hosts Bihar gave the people plenty of reasons to cheer. After all, Mumbai, the 41-time champions, had been reduced to 235 for 9 on the opening day of their Elite Group B fixture.However, unknown to the crowd, a controversy was brewing on the sidelines. The Bihar Cricket Association (BCA) was in a tussle with its suspended former secretary Amit Kumar, who had named a squad of his own to take the field. Contrary to reports, though, the two teams had been named only on paper, and only the BCA’s squad – the “official” team – took the field. At the gates outside the venue, though, chaos ensued, with a fuming Amit Kumar allegedly attacking an official.”There was a life-threatening attack on BCA’s OSD Manoj Kumar by those involved in the fake team,” an official BCA release said on Friday afternoon. “The miscreants have been identified, and action will be taken against them.”Related

• Return to Elite tier shines harsh light on Bihar's disrepair

• Himmat replaces Dhull as Delhi captain after big defeat to Puducherry

• Rahul Singh smashes second-fastest double-century by an Indian

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Amit Kumar had once been part of BCA president Rakesh Tiwary’s faction, which had contested and won the BCA elections prior to the association receiving BCCI’s affiliate membership, and the team was allowed to contest in the senior domestic competitions ahead of the 2018-19 season.At the time, the Committee of Administrators, which had been tasked to run the BCCI by the Supreme Court of India, had appointed an independent election observer in a three-member committee to conduct free and fair elections. Saba Karim, the former India wicketkeeper, too, had visited Patna to oversee the formalisation of the body in his capacity as BCCI’s general manager of cricket operations.But Amit Kumar’s relationship with Tiwary is understood to have strained in 2022, when he was alleged to have been involved with one of the warring factions. When the matter was brought to the notice of the dispensation led by Tiwary, Amit Kumar was suspended. He hasn’t held any position in the association since, by virtue of which teams he appoints on paper remain “null and void”.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi debuts for Bihar aged 12

There was also a landmark when Bihar handed a first-class debut to Vaibhav Suryavanshi, aged just 12 years and 284 days. His official age, confirmed by the BCA, makes him the youngest Indian first-class debutant since 1986.Suryavanshi, a left-hand batter, made 93 runs in five innings at the Vinoo Mankad Trophy for Bihar. That earned him a spot in the Under-19 Challenger Trophy as well as in the Under-19 Quadrangular, also involving Bangladesh and England, following which the junior selection panel named their India squad for the Under-19 World Cup to be held in South Africa later this month. He didn’t figure in that.This is the condition of the stands at a stadium that once hosted World Cup matches•Syed Hussain/ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Spectators warned at dilapidated stadium

On an eventful day for the BCA, it also had to also grapple with the lack of facilities to accommodate the large crowds that had presumably turned up to get a glimpse of Ajinkya Rahane, Mumbai’s designated captain. However, Rahane was forced to miss the game after waking up with neck spasms. He walked around the boundary ropes to acknowledge the crowd.The stadium is in a mess. So much so that the spectators who came in were walking past posters that warned them to enter at their own risk. ESPNcricinfo understands that the crumbly structure can’t be tampered with, as the ground belongs to the municipal corporation and not the state association.”Yes, the condition is bad but there is a plan to make this stadium world-class, and the tender for it has also been passed,” Tiwary said by way of explanation. “It will be revamped very soon, [but] because the match was still to be played, we have somehow made it playable. We have full hope that soon this stadium will start shining like its old history.”