da roleta： Após empatar com o São Paulo em 1 a 1 pela 19° rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro, o Flamengo volta as suas atenções para o jogo contra o Grêmio, pelo segundo jogo das semifinais da Copa do Brasil. Os times iram duelar nesta quarta-feira (16), às 21:30, no Maracanã.
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da brwin： Mesmo com a vantagem de 2×0 no confronto, o Flamengo vem em um clima conturbado. Depois do caso de agressão entre o atacante Pedro e o ex-auxiliar do Flamengo, Pablo Fernandez, nesta terça (15), Gerson e Varela tiveram um entreveiro que pesou ainda mais o clima no Ninho do Urubu. Mesmo com a confusão, Varela e Gerson provavelmente serão escalados para o jogo.
+ Confira o chaveamento da Copa do Brasil
Já o time gaúcho vem bem, venceu o Fluminense no domingo (13), por 2 a 1 e conta com os retornos de Carballo e Cristaldo para o jogo decisivo.
O classificado deste duelo enfrentará São Paulo ou Corinthians pela grande final da Copa do Brasil. Os times paulistas decidiram a vaga mais cedo, às 19:30, no Morumbi.
FICHA TÉCNICA FLAMENGO X GRÊMIO – SEGUNDO JOGO DAS SEMIFINAIS DA COPA DO BRASIL Local:Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro (RJ) Data e horário:Quarta-feira (16/08), às 21h30 (Brasília) Árbitro: Braulio da Silva Machado (Santa Catarina) Assistente 1: Danilo Ricardo Simon Manis (São Paulo) Assistente 2: Nailton Junior de Sousa Oliveira (Ceará) VAR: Wagner Reway (Pernambuco)
Onde assistir:Globo, SporTV e e Tempo Real doLance!
FLAMENGO (Técnico: Jorge Sampaoli) Matheus Cunha; Varela, Fabrício Bruno, Léo Pereira e Ayrton Lucas; Gerson (Thiago Maia) e Victor Hugo; Éverton Ribeiro, Arrascaeta e Bruno Henrique; Gabigol
Desfalques:Wesley (suspenso), David Luiz (lesionado); Pendurados:Ayrton Lucas e Gabigol
GRÊMIO (Técnico: Renato Gaúcho) Gabriel Grando; João Pedro, Bruno Alves, Rodrigo Ely e Reinaldo; Villasanti, Pepê, Bitello e Franco Cristaldo; Ferreira e Luis Suarez
Desfalques:Kannemann (suspenso), Geromel, Bruno Uvini – Carballo e Cristaldo estão recuperados vão para o jogo Pendurados:-
India vs South Africa, T20 World Cup 2024 final Bridgetown, June 29, 10.30am local time, 2.30pm GMT
Big Picture – It’s just a cup… right?
There are no fairytales in life, obviously, but sport does a great deal to make up for it, to the extent that it offers gifts like this Saturday, when, at the end of 40 overs – give or take a Super Over – 11 men will realise the difference between fantasy and reality is that fantasy was never quite as good as this.What would that feel like for South Africa? At the start, they couldn’t even play in these World Cups. Then, they changed some things that desperately needed changing and have since been specialising in the impossible. Jonty Rhodes switching gravity off in 1992. Twenty-two runs off 1 ball. Lance Klusener upending the natural order in 1999. Allan Donald run out without the bat even in his hand. There is no team with as rich a history in these tournaments, both good and bad, and there is probably no team that wants this more. The catharsis, should Aiden Markram find himself on that podium, will be seismic, because he will have with him an entire nation that at some point or other thought they might never see the day.Related
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There are those in India who might have felt similarly after November 19, 2023. Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid, for example. Their days are already numbered. The coach is set to depart and the captain may not have a lot of time on his hands as well. But, together, they are responsible for harassing a great team out of its comfort zone and into a place where anything seems possible. All of this – the acceptance that what they were doing in T20 cricket wasn’t working and the commitment to keep on this new path despite considerable personal lows – has been in search of silverware.For 40 overs – give or take a Super Over – nothing will matter as much as the ball and bat they will be holding in their hands. But after that, whether they win or lose, both India and South Africa should be reminded that they are excellent teams and exceptional people. They should both be able to share their love with family. Toast their time with colleagues. Chase after their children. Enjoy the compassion of their fans. If any of that is contingent on the colour of the medal around their necks, we’re doing something really wrong.
Form guide
India WWWWW (last five completed T20Is, most recent first) South Africa WWWWW
In the spotlight – Jasprit Bumrah and Heinrich Klaasen
At times, it feels unfair that Jasprit Bumrah gets to bowl four overs in a T20 game. Depending on allegiance, that is either too much or too few. For a sport that is built around pure spectacle, there can be no better ambassador than a man who detonates the wickets, leaves impact craters on the bat, the pad and even the mind of opposition batters, and does it all with a smile on his face.2:10
How do South Africa tackle Kuldeep and Bumrah?
Heinrich Klaasen is on similarly good terms with the forces that make simple human beings extraordinary. He shows the ball new places to go to and it takes flight all too willingly. This World Cup is yet to see him at his destructive best but the thing is, players of his quality rarely go too long without making a contribution.
Team news
India arrive in the final with seven wins from eight games (one rained out) and in almost all of them, they’ve been dominant. The only time they were really challenged was three weeks ago, on a treacherous New York pitch after posting 119 against Pakistan. South Africa arrive in the final with eight wins from eight and they’ve gone through the ringer. Except each time, with the game on the line, and the pressure at a peak, they coped. Given all this context, it is unlikely that either team will be making any changes (unless South Africa decide the conditions warrant an extra seamer).India (probable): 1 Rohit Sharma (capt), 2 Virat Kohli, 3 Rishabh Pant (wk), 4 Suryakumar Yadav, 5 Shivam Dube, 6 Hardik Pandya, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Ravindra Jadeja, 9 Arshdeep Singh, 10 Kuldeep Yadav, 11 Jasprit Bumrah.South Africa (probable): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Reeza Hendricks, 3 Aiden Markram (capt), 4 David Miller, 5 Tristan Stubbs, 6 Heinrich Klaasen 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Kagiso Rabada, 10 Anrich Nortje, 11 Tabraiz Shamsi/Ottneil Baartman2:23
Morkel: Markram’s got the mix perfectly right to connect SA’s team environment
Pitch and conditions – Feisty conditions again
Outside of New York, Kensington Oval has offered the most wickets to fast bowlers in the T20 World Cup: 59 at an average of 20.22 and economy rate of 7.88. There’s been one total above 200 but the rest fit in a range between 109 and 181 (the latter made by India at the only game either of these finalists have played at the venue this World Cup).The final will be played on pitch No. 4, which was used for the games between Namibia and Oman, and Scotland and England. It’s the fourth pitch of eight on the square, so neither boundary should be significantly longer than the other.There is a threat of rain over this final but it does have a reserve day.
Stats and trivia
This is only the seventh T20 World Cup match between India and South Africa. The first four squeeze into a five-year time-frame between 2007 and 2012.
Never has this tournament yielded a champion who has remained unbeaten. That’s about to change.
There isn’t a lot to separate India and South Africa on bowling metrics: 56 wickets at an average of 15.21 and economy rate of 6.42 vs 59 wickets at an average of 15.23 and economy rate of 5.95
But the batting is a different story. India average 25.80 and strike at 132.13 with six fifty-plus scores. South Africa average 21.90 and strike at 106.14 with three fifty-plus scores
Quotes
“You know, I don’t really believe in this ‘Do it for somebody’. I love that quote about somebody asking somebody else, ‘Why do you want to climb Mount Everest?’ and he says ‘I want to climb Mount Everest because it’s there’. I want to win this World Cup because it’s there. It’s not for anyone, it’s not for anybody, it’s just there to win” “It’s a game of cricket. Someone has to win, and someone has to lose ultimately. That’s the name of the game. You take it in your stride. You do get belief, though, from winning close games and potentially winning games that you thought you weren’t going to win. It does a lot for your changing room and the vibe in the changing room.”
England women go to the Caribbean for the World T20 with some uncertainty, having really only tested their skills in the Super League and the Big Bash
Melinda Farrell04-Nov-2018It was swelteringly hot at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium in Delhi. And there was no respite from the stuffy atmosphere as journalists waited in a dark room for the post-match press conference. When England coach Mark Robinson and captain Charlotte Edwards walked in to dissect the five-run loss to Australia, it was hard to tell if the temperature plunged or rose even higher; there was both the heated flush of embarrassment at the manner of England’s exit from the tournament and the cool assessment of England’s failure – primarily a lack of fitness that left twos untaken and made a modest target unreachable.”We’re looking for players who can stand up and be counted, and play under the pressure, and have the aerobic fitness to do the job necessary,” Robinson told the gathered media. “That will be a necessity for any women’s team going forward.”***The aftermath of England’s 2016 Women’s World T20 camp was comprehensive. A little more than two years later, seven players from the team that lost in Delhi will head to the Caribbean for this year’s edition after the sweep of a broom that also saw the end of Edwards’ long tenure as captain.The current squad also contains three debutants and several players who have pushed their way into the England frame since the 2016 campaign. So that ticks off the old cliché of “a good mix of youth and experience”, then, but just how much has this England side changed?There is certainly a sense that while Heather Knight leads on the field, this is very much Robinson’s side. He had limited experience of the women’s game before taking up the position of head coach at the end of 2015, and recalls meeting some of the squad for the first time at the airport when they were heading to South Africa for a tour that preceded the World T20 in India.England allrounder Nat Sciver made 362 runs and took ten wickets in Surrey Stars’ title-clinching 2018 Super League campaign•Getty ImagesHe has not shied away from making strong selection decisions and has been vocal about the need to improve fitness – a particular bugbear – as well as increasing the players’ skill level, and lessening the reliance on slow bowlers who offer little in the way of genuine spin or attacking options. At the same time he has encouraged batsmen to test the limits of their power-hitting. The results can be seen in the improved performances of players such as Tammy Beaumont, Nat Sciver and Dani Wyatt.”We’re definitely fitter, we’re definitely more resilient,” said Robinson in the weeks leading up to England’s departure for the Caribbean. “So, in many ways we’ve made a move. The key bit is, you’ve obviously got to do your skills as well. You’ve got to outscore, outbat and hopefully out-field the opposition.”The other bit is, we needed to be tougher at big moments and to win more close games and to get over the line when we should get over the line on a more frequent basis, and I think we’ve done that, which is brilliant.”Winning the big moments was clearly a key to England’s success in the 2017 World Cup, a title that probably came earlier than expected in the wake of Robinson’s shake-up of the status quo. The consequence is that it has raised expectations for their performance in the shortest format.The problem, however, with trying to gauge England’s form in T20Is is that, like other countries, they simply don’t play much of it; in the two and a half years since the last tournament, England have played only 16 T20Is. As a result, Robinson sees a similarity to England’s position before the 50-over World Cup: he thinks they have a good chance, but he doesn’t know where they truly stand.”You’re having to use the KSL [Women’s Super League in England], anything that happens in the women’s Big Bash, your own players, to try and formulate a plan and get a handle on where you are,” said Robinson. I think the players are ready to show they’ve made a move, but I don’t really know, and we’ll know a lot more at the end of the time in the Caribbean.Coach Mark Robinson thinks England’s improvement in T20Is can only be judged by how they do in this World T20 because there aren’t enough international performances to go by•Getty ImagesEngland will undoubtedly miss the multiple talents of wicketkeeper-batsman Sarah Taylor, who elected not to take part in the tournament as she continues to deal with mental-health issues. And there are concerns over the fitness of one of England’s most experienced campaigners and new-ball bowler Katherine Brunt.Robinson believes Taylor’s replacement, Amy Jones, is second in the world to the player she comes in for behind the stumps (“I’ll argue that passionately with anyone”), while newcomers Kirstie Gordon, Linsey Smith and Sophia Dunkley have all impressed at domestic level.”They haven’t come out of the cold,” said Robinson. “What they haven’t been able to do is put on an England shirt yet, and we don’t really know how they’ll handle that until they get the opportunity.”Although England are the current champions of the 50-over format and West Indies hold the World T20 title, which they earned by beating Australia in the final at Eden Gardens, it is – as ever – the Australians who wear the favourites tag in the Caribbean. And that’s not just because their best batsman and captain, Meg Lanning, is free from the shoulder injury that plagued her during last year’s World Cup campaign.One of the key findings in the recently released FICA report on the payment and conditions of female players around the world names Australia as having the only “fully professional” set-up for women, while England and India are listed as “partly professional”. Other countries lag even further behind in areas such as central contracts, access to medical care, and multi-year contracts that provide security. The women’s game has come a long way, but there is further to go.Holding England back from becoming fully professional is the fact that the structure of women’s domestic competitions is held to ransom by the contentious dealings between the ECB and the counties.Amy Jones replaces Sarah Taylor behind the stumps for the World T20•Getty ImagesAfter steadily building a fan following, increased media coverage, and promise as the world’s second major women’s T20 domestic tournament, the Women’s Super League already has a kill-by date. It will cease after next season so that the way is clear for the women to take part in The Hundred. While there may be greater publicity and marketing opportunities involved in pairing with the men’s competition, England can simply not afford to not have a women’s domestic T20 tournament – the format is too important internationally. And while there have been murmurings that such a competition will emerge, it is worth remembering that when the Super League was originally mooted, the ECB also said a 50-over women’s domestic competition, involving the same teams or hosts that made up the Super League, would follow within a year or two. It never did, and England currently have one year of high-level domestic T20s left with no equivalent beyond in the two formats that matter in international competition.But such things are out of this England team’s control in St Lucia, where they must first perform in the group stages against Sri Lanka; Bangladesh, the Asia Cup champions; West Indies, the current World T20I champions; and South Africa, the most improved team of the past few years and the one that came excruciatingly close to knocking England out of the World Cup in their semi-final clash.And for all the uncertainty surrounding England’s current standing in T20Is, Robinson believes the nature of the format renders many predictions irrelevant.”It’s probably going to be a more keenly contested competition from the outside looking in before it starts,” he said. “The shorter the format, the more an individual can influence it; the longer the format, the more the collective can come into it. A lot more teams in the world have now got players who individually can influence a game and that’s what makes it exciting.”
da dobrowin： Na última terça-feira (5), a CBF pegou todos de surpresa ao anunciar o técnico Fernando Diniz como novo treinador da Seleção Brasileira, pelo menos até a chegada do italiano Carlo Ancelotti. Diniz conciliará o trabalho na Seleção com o comando do Fluminense em uma temporada.
da roleta： Diniz dará conta do recado com Seleção e Fluminense? Redação do LANCE! opina
‘Inventividade e criatividade’: saiba como a Seleção Brasileira deve jogar com Fernando Diniz
Essa situação ‘diferente’ não é novidade na CBF. Isso porque, em 1998, Vanderlei Luxemburgo dirigiu a Seleção Brasileira juntamente com o Corinthians. Logo após o vice-campeonato na Copa do França para os anfitriões, Zagallo deixou o comando do Brasil e a CBF tinha dificuldades para acertar com um novo treinador.
+ Galvão elogia Diniz, mas critica CBF por mudança no comando da Seleção: ‘É um erro’
+ Cupom LANCEFUT com 10% OFF para os fanáticos por esporte em compras acima de R$299,90
Então, Ricardo Teixeira, presidente da entidade na época, acertou com Luxemburgo, que estava empregado no Corinthians. Mas o treinador deu uma condição: continuar dirigindo o Alvinegro até o final do ano. A CBF aceitou e Luxa foi campeão brasileiro daquela temporada enquanto comandava a Seleção Brasileira, vencendo o Cruzeiro na decisão.
Apesar da dupla ‘preocupação’, pode se dizer que o seu retrospecto na Seleção foi bom. Luxa dirigiu o Brasil em 34 partidas, entre 1998 e 2000, com um aproveitamento de 69,60%, sendo 21 vitórias, oito empates e cinco derrotas. Ele conquistou a Copa América de 1999, vencendo o Uruguai na decisão por 3 a 0.
da poker： Um dos lances mais polêmicos da vitória de virada por 2 a 1 sobre o Goiás na noite deste sábado (27), no Morumbi, resultado que levou a equipe para o G4 do Campeonato Brasileiro, foi o gol impedido de Marcos Paulo, que seria o da vitória tricolor. O meia-atacante comemorou à beça, mas acabou frustrado pela decisão. Nos vestiários após a partida, o jogador comentou sobre o lance e brincou: se fosse o auxiliar, não teria marcado, óbvio. Confira:
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da leao： + Todos os jogos do Brasileirão você encontra no Prime Video. Assine já e acompanhe o seu time do coração!
+ Clique aqui e veja como apostar no Brasileirão
+ Confira os jogos e classificação resultados do Brasileirão-23 na tabela do LANCE!
It’s not certain yet if Kohli will take part in the warm-up fixture in New York
PTI31-May-2024
Virat Kohli Kohli has so far missed three sessions of training in the USA•PTI
Virat Kohli has linked up with the India squad in New York on Friday for the T20 World Cup 2024, days after his team-mates arrived. However, it is still unclear if he will play the warm-up game against Bangladesh at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on June 1.Kohli, who is coming on the back of a superb IPL season where he scored 741 runs in 15 games, will still get three net sessions before the first game against Ireland on June 5.There was an optional training session on Friday morning in which the likes of Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube and Mohammed Siraj sweated it out under the guidance of the support staff.
The team management and the BCCI have made exceptions for Kohli in the past too. He was permitted a break before the South Africa Test series last year to leave for the UK for personal reasons before rejoining the squad. He skipped the entire England Test series at home earlier this year for the birth of his second child.Related
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The Indian team travelled to New York in batches, with players from teams eliminated after the league stage of IPL 2024 travelling first, except Hardik Pandya, who reached after a break, followed by players as and when their teams were eliminated from the playoffs. Kohli has so far missed three training sessions.India’s first game at the World Cup will be on June 5, against Ireland, followed by group-stage fixtures against Pakistan on June 9, USA on June 12, and Canada on June 15. The first three games will be played in New York and the last in Lauderhill, Florida.
The USMNT Transfer Notebook tracks American player movements, with latest developments for those in the U.S. national team pool
The Summer of Soccer is fully underway, with the CONCACAF Gold Cup and FIFA Club World Cup both being played in the U.S. The USMNT opened their Gold Cup campaign with a dominant win over Trinidad and Tobago. Several Americans are playing in the Club World Cup, including the Juventus duo of Weston McKennie and Tim Weah.
At USMNT camp, newcomer Damion Downs – who missed the opener due to an illness – has been the subject of interest from clubs all around Europe. Reports surfaced last week that Southampton are monitoring his situation.
Another striker to watch this summer is Ricardo Pepi. Transfer speculation surfaced this week, as Premier League side Fulham is reportedly considering an approach. In Italy, it seemed all but certain that Yunus Musah was set to swap AC Milan for Napoli. However, there's been a snag in talks, and the deal is stalled.
Meanwhile, Brentford is set to promote 19-year-old goalkeeper Julian Eyestone to the senior team next year, as the former Duke University standout makes waves with the Premier League side. There's also a handful of potential moves on the cards involving prominent USMNT contributors, including Josh Sargent, midfielder Johnny Cardoso, and goalkeeper Matt Turner.
GOAL tracks all of the American player movements in the USMNT Transfer Notebook, a recurring feature covering the latest developments for those in the U.S. national team pool.
Getty ImagesEyestone eyes first team football
Julian Eyestone is set to represent the U20 U.S. men's national team at the U20 FIFA World Cup this fall, and with that, he's set to be rewarded by Premier League club Brentford, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Eyestone, 19, is set to be handed a new contract with the , where he will be locked down until 2031. In addition, he's set to be promoted from the club's B team to the senior team, and is expected to be with the first team for the Premier League campaign next season.
A product of Duke University, who previously was a part of the FC Dallas academy, the 6-7 goalkeeper made waves domestically before his move to England. In his lone season with the Blue Devils, he earned a spot on the Atlantic Coast Conference freshman team, as well as on the All-Atlantic Coast Conference second team.
Another goalkeeper in Europe within the USMNT's ranks will only benefit the national team, but there's stiff competition in his age group, with Barcelona's Diego Kochen and Chelsea's Gaga Slonina also looking for roles.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportDowns to England?
Recently relegated English side Southampton reportedly have interest in Damion Downs, according to Sky Sports Germany. The 20-year-old forward, who is a dual national with Germany, led FC Köln to promotion from the 2. Bundesliga this past season. The 6-4 striker scored 10 goals and recorded three assists in 29 regular-season appearances for FCK during the 2024/25 campaign.
Downs made his USMNT debut in a recent international friendly against Switzerland, coming off the bench and logging 15 minutes in a 4-0 loss – but he is not cap-tied to the program because it was a friendly. If he features in the Gold Cup, he will be.
Southampton, meanwhile, were relegated from the Premier League. They finished last in the standings this past season and are heading to the English Championship for the 2025-26 campaign.
Downs was part of the FCK squad that was relegated from the Bundesliga in the 2023-24 season. In that campaign, he made 10 appearances while scoring two goals off the bench – but it wasn't enough to keep them afloat in the top division.
A potential fee of $5.7M (€5M) is reportedly being discussed, but FCK doesn't want to lose him this window. Local media outlet Kölner Stadt Anzeiger has reported that FCK is prepared to offer the 20-year-old a new four-year contract with a hefty raise.
The question begs: is he willing to risk relegation with FCK once again, or is it worth moving to England in the Championship with a club known to offer a pathway to the Premier League?
Getty ImagesMusah deal hits a snag
Musah's agreement to join Napoli seemed all but settled last week, but recent developments have halted progress. According Milan News, the two clubs have come to a stalemate in negotiations over bonuses. The deal has been on the table for "days" according to reports, but there is no agreement over the bonus structure.
Antonio Conte's side were named Serie A champions in the 2024-25 campaign, topping Inter by one point in the standings to secure just their second regular-season title since 1990. The side has also added Belgian midfielder and former Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne this summer.
The 22-year-old Musah fell out of favor at Milan this past season, struggling under the leadership of Portuguese manager Sergio Conceicao during the second half of the domestic campaign. However, veteran Italian manager Max Allegri has since been appointed as the manager.
Allegri doesn't appear to be blocking any transfer away from the club for Musah. Talks are at a standstill, but if an agreement can be made, the 22-year-old could be wearing Napoli blue next season.
AFPPepi to the Premier League?
Ricardo Pepi could be on the move this summer, as clubs from all around Europe monitor his situation at PSV. Missing out on the Gold Cup due to injury, the 22-year-old is now reportedly the subject of an approach from Premier League side Fulham, according a report from Romano.
Across all competitions in 2024-25, the American scored 17 goals and recorded three assists for the Dutch club as they won their second straight Eredivisie title. However, he injured his knee in the Champions League in January and was ruled out for the remainder of the campaign in February.
Fulham finished their Premier League campaign in 11th on 54 points – 12 back from a European placement spot. USMNT star Antonee Robinson had a standout season for Fulham. Previous U.S. internationals to sport the Fulham badge include Clint Dempsey, Tim Ream, Brian McBride, Eddie Johnson, Luca De La Torre, Kasey Keller, and Carlos Bocanegra.
Their American representation over the years has earned them the nickname "Fulhamerica."
The Premier League side won't be the only club chasing Pepi this summer, the report added, as clubs from Italy and Spain are also monitoring his situation.
Glasgow Rangers showed plenty of fighting spirit under Barry Ferguson once again during his interim period in charge as they came back from 2-0 down to draw against Aberdeen.
The result was made even better by the fact that Ross McCausland was sent off for the Ibrox outfit after receiving a second yellow card just five minutes before the interval.
With the second leg of the Europa League quarter-final tie coming up against Athletic Bilbao on Thursday evening, it was evident that Ferguson was thinking ahead to that game, making nine changes to his team.
In the grand scheme of things, the result wasn’t important, especially as the domestic season is all but done for the Light Blues.
The game did present an ideal chance for several fringe players to make an impression against the Dons. The likes of Danilo, Rafael Fernandes, Findlay Curtis and McCausland were all given starts at Pittodrie.
Given the most important match of the season is fast approaching, none of the aforementioned players took their chance to shine against the Dons.
Ally McCoist speaking to Barry Ferguson for TNT Sports.
In McCausland’s case, his brief cameo on the pitch could well turn out to be one of his last games for the Ibrox side.
Why Ross McCausland was sent off against Aberdeen
The Northern Irish winger was given his first league start since the 2-1 loss to the same opponents all the way back in October 2024.
He received an early yellow card before he chopped down Aberdeen player Topi Keskinen in what was a senseless challenge that saw him receive a second yellow and ensured the Gers would play the rest of the game with ten men.
After breaking into the first-team squad last season due to an injury crisis, McCausland looked to have a bright future ahead of him, although there were certainly a few things to work on.
The current campaign hasn’t exactly been much of a success, as the winger has featured 25 times for the club, with only seven of those coming in the starting XI.
A tally of just three goals and a solitary assist has been registered from those matches, hardly numbers which have given the Ibrox faithful much confidence in his abilities.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Across his 13 league matches this term, the youngster has registered only 1.2 shots per game while creating no big chances, averaging just 0.6 key passes per match and succeeding with only 0.8 dribbles each appearance for the Light Blues.
In Europe, these numbers decrease even further, as he has averaged no key passes per game while succeeding with 0.7 dribbles and recording only 0.4 shots a match in the Europa League.
Goals
3
0
Assists
4
1
Key passes per game
1.4
0.6
Big chances created
3
0
Successful dribbles per game
0.9
0.8
It has become evident that he isn’t up to the required standard to be a regular at the club, especially if the new manager wishes to embark on a title challenge next season.
If a decent offer arrives this summer, then McCausland should be offloaded at the first available opportunity, no doubt about that.
He isn’t the only one who must be sold when the summer transfer window opens either, as someone who was signed just last summer must headline the list of those expected to depart Rangers.
Bajrami's performance against Aberdeen in numbers
Nedim Bajrami was making his first start for the club since a 3-1 victory over Dundee United in January. With a chance to make a solid impression ahead of the second leg against Bilbao in midweek, it’s fair to say that the Albanian failed to take his chance.
Deployed in a deeper role than he is perhaps accustomed to, Bajrami struggled throughout the match, taking just 44 touches and completing only 25 of his 32 passes against the Dons.
Bajrami lost possession ten times, registered no shots and failed to deliver an accurate cross throughout his time on the pitch. The former Sassuolo man was subbed off with 25 minutes remaining and quite frankly, must not start again in Light Blue.
Bajrami
Journalist Ben Banks of Glasgow World gave Bajrami a match rating of just 4/10 for his performance on Sunday and it is clear he has regressed massively since arriving at Ibrox last summer.
With yet another lethargic display for the Light Blues, Bajrami may have started his last game for the club.
Why Bajrami could be sold this summer
The midfielder joined Rangers in a deal worth around £3.4m towards the end of the 2023 summer transfer window.
It appeared as though Philippe Clement had landed a decent signing, as Bajrami did showcase his talents during his first few months at Ibrox.
He scored on his first European start for the club against Malmö in September, adding goal involvements against Aberdeen, Dundee and Motherwell, with his goal against the latter sending the Gers through to the League Cup final.
Since the start of 2025, however, Bajrami has recorded only four assists in all competitions, with none coming in Europe.
Stevie Clifford, who runs the Four Lads Had a Dream, criticised the player back in January after a string of poor performances, saying: “I’ll highlight it again, it’s not singling him out, but Nedim Bajrami is not offering enough at all. We need him to influence games & be involved, largely anonymous so far, again. £4m is big money to do it in these type of games & he’s miles off it so far.”
He hasn’t become any more influential since Clifford said this and his spell in Glasgow may be short-lived, especially if a new coach comes in who wants to sell a few players to raise transfer funds.
If an offer comes in that would see Rangers recoup the majority of the £3.4m they paid for him, then the board will certainly be keen on accepting this, without a shadow of a doubt.
Some transfers work out well, while others don’t. That is the nature of the beast. In Bajrami, Rangers thought they had a player who might take them to the next level, especially considering he had shone at Euro 2024 and in Serie A. Unfortunately, it hasn’t quite worked out like that.
As bad as McCausland: Ferguson must instantly drop £5m Rangers man
Rangers fought back from 2-0 down to salvage a 2-2 draw at Pittodrie against Aberdeen, but one flop in particular came in for scathing criticism.
Barcelona are considering the possibility of bringing back Alejandro Grimaldo from Bayer Leverkusen, with Real Madrid also eyeing the left-back.
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Grimaldo could leave Leverkusen this summerBarca open to bringing back ex-academy starReal Madrid also have him on their radarFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
According to , Barcelona continue to closely monitor Grimaldo as a potential reinforcement for the left-back position as they aim to provide an adequate back-up to Alejandro Balde. The Leverkusen star, who developed in La Masia, is highly valued for his quality and understanding of the club’s playing philosophy.
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Although Barca are satisfied with Balde and Gerard Martin, there are concerns over the squad’s depth in high-stakes matches. Balde is the undisputed starter, excelling on both ends of the pitch, while the younger Martin impressed notably with two assists against Inter in the Champions League semi-final. However, relying on an inexperienced player like Martin in crucial matches is seen as a risk by the technical staff at the club. Given Grimaldo's adoption of the club's unique philosophy during his formative years, the Catalans believe that signing the Spanish international would be a sensible move.
DID YOU KNOW?
One thing that could complicate the deal for Barcelona is the fact that Grimaldo's ex-boss Xabi Alonso, who coached him for over two seasons, has recently become the head coach of Real Madrid. With Los Blancos hitting a stumbling block in their pursuit of Alvaro Carreras from Benfica, Grimaldo could be tempted to accept a call from Madrid and Alonso with the guarantee of becoming a starter.
gettyWHAT NEXT FOR ALEX GRIMALDO?
Grimaldo has a contract with Leverkusen until 2027 but is open to returning to La Liga. He reportedly has a release clause significantly lower than his €40 million (£34m/$46m) market value — estimated to be around €18m (£15m/$20m). It remains to be seen where the full-back heads next season.
يستعد مانشستر سيتي لمواجهة برايتون مساء الغد على ملعب أميكس ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة من منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.
وكشفت وسائل إعلام فرنسية أن مانشستر سيتي يعاني من إصابة جديدة بصفوف الفريق قبل لقاء برايتون في الدوري الإنجليزي، ويحاول السيتيزن إستعادة إيقاعه في المراحل الأولى من موسم 2025/2026.
وكان وصول ريان شرقي قد لقى ترحيباً حاراً من النادي والجماهير، حيث يعتبر صانع الألعاب أحد ألمع المواهب الشابة في قارة أوروبا.
أقرأ ايضاً.. مواعيد مباريات مانشستر سيتي في مرحلة الدوري من دوري أبطال أوروبا 2025/26
وبحسب “ليكيب” الفرنسية فإن ريان شرقي سيغيب عن مباراة مانشستر سيتي ضد برايتون مساء الغد الأحد بسبب تعرضه لإصابة في الفخد.
وقد تثير هذه الإصابة شكوك حول جاهزية ريان شرقي للعب مع منتخب فرنسا خلال مباراتي التوقف الدولي في شهر سبتمبر المقبل.
وسينصب التركيز حالياً على مباراة الأحد على ملعب أميكس، وقد يضطر بيب جوارديولا للاعتماد على خيارات أخرى لتعويض انتكاسة ريان شرقي.
وكان مانشستر سيتي قد بدأ موسمه بفوز كبير على ولفرهامبتون برباعية نظيفة، قبل أن يتعرض لخسارة على ملعبه ووسط جماهيره ضد توتنهام بهدفين نظيفين.