Can Sporting keep up their remarkable run through the Champions League even without the manager who established them as title winners in Portugal once more? Tuesday should offer the first indication as a Ruben Amorim-less side welcome Arsenal to the Estadio Jose Alvalade.
Sporting’s first game since their head coach departed for Manchester United proved to be a comprehensive triumph for new boss Joao Pereira, but Arsenal will pose a much greater challenge than third tier Amarante, who lost 6-0 in the fourth round of the Portuguese Cup. With the Gunners in form and having rested several players for the win over Nottingham Forest, this promises to be an intriguing clash. Here is how you can watch the match and what you need to know:
Viewing information
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 26 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
Location: Estadio Jose Alvalade — Lisbon, Portugal
Sporting: Pedro Goncalves’ absence could be a profound headache for Pereira. The 26-year-old may not be as starry a name as Viktor Gyokores but do not underestimate his ability to drive Sporting up the pitch as an auxiliary midfielder while providing the sort of double figure goal and assist return more associated with a forward. In his place could come former Tottenham winger Marcus Edwards.
Left wing back Nuno Santos will also be missing for Sporting due to a knee injury while promising defender Zeno Debast is a doubt with a muscle issue.
Possible Sporting XI: Israel; St. Juste, Diomande, Inacio; Catamo, Hjulmand, Morita, Quenda; Edwards, Gyokeres, Trincao
Arsenal: It was not just the return to winning ways that was so encouraging for Mikel Arteta on Saturday, but the way in which his side were able to overcome Nottingham Forest while also rotating the XI. Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli and Thomas Partey could all come into the XI, as might Declan Rice, whose recovery from a toe injury is being carefully managed.
Indeed with Kieran Tierney having joined first team it is only full backs Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu (both suffering knee injuries) who are certain to be unavailable for Arteta in Lisbon.
Possible Arsenal XI: Raya; Timber, Saliba, Gabriel, Calafiori; Odegaard, Partey, Merino; Saka, Havertz, Martinelli
Prediction
Don’t expect Sporting to run riot over Arsenal as they did City. The Premier League side should just about have enough. PICK: Sporting 1, Arsenal 2
New Sporting Lisbon manager Joao Pereira led his side to a dominant first win
Reported Man United target Viktor Gyokeres also contributed to the goalfest
Will Ruben Amorim be Man United’s saviour? LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Available wherever you get your podcasts. Episodes every Monday and Thursday
By YASEEN ZAMAN
Published: | Updated:
Sporting Lisbon won by a mammoth score in their first game since Ruben Amorim left to join Man United, beating Amarante FC 6-0 in the fourth round of the Taca de Portugal.
The league leaders, now managed by Joao Pereira, continued their perfect domestic record in Portugal with 14 wins in as many games.
United target Viktor Gyokeres played a hand in the goalfest, converting from the penalty spot in the 89th minute to score Sporting’s last goal of the game.
The Swede has now netted 24 times in 17 games, as the rumours about his future ramp up ahead of the January transfer window.
Ruben Amorim promised not to raid his former side at the turn of the year, but Gykores’ stellar form may earn him a lucrative summer contract offer from one of Europe’s elites if he continues this level of performance.
Former Spurs winger Marcus Edwards opened the scoring in the 10th minute, marking the start of Sporting’s new era.
Ruben Amorim joined his Man United squad on November 11 after leaving Sporting Lisbon
Viktor Gyokeres continued his stellar form in front of goal, scoring again in tonight’s 6-0 win
Former Sporting Lisbon player Joao Pereira succeeded Amorim as their new boss until 2027
After a solo run, he cut onto his right foot, wrong footing his defender, and perfectly curling the ball into the far corner from about 16 yards out.
Five minutes later, Ricardo Esgaio tapped in from close range to double the lead before Conrad Harder converted a one-on-one to make it 3-0 in the 28th minute.
Edwards secured his brace on the stroke of half-time, while Trincao and Gyokeres added two more goals in the second half to cap off a dream start for the new manager.
Sporting have now scored 59 goals and conceded just nine this season, as Amorim left his former side in excellent shape across all competitions; the Portuguese giants are also undefeated in Europe.
They sit second in the Champions League table, their record only being eclipsed by Arne Slot’s all-conquering Liverpool team.
Pereira’s squad now turn to Tuesday night where they face another massive challenge – hosting Arsenal in the Champions League.
Manchester UnitedRuben Amorim
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Ruben Amorim’s replacement makes PERFECT start to life at Sporting Lisbon as Portuguese champions SMASH rivals in 6-0 rout… and Man United target Viktor Gyokeres is on target again!
Elite sport is that peculiar amalgam of ritual, repetition, ingrained twitches, drilled skill, known strengths and feared limits. But it matters not a jot without passion – and sometimes even that is not enough.
At 38 and in reasonable if not optimum shape, Rafael Nadal brought all of those elements together in Málaga on Tuesday night as best he could, but not with enough conviction to seal his farewell with a win. He took defeat in his last match with as much dignity as victory in his first, aged 15. But he lost. And it hurt. He would not have wanted it any other way.
At least he can put the grind and process behind him now. No more hours of sweating in the gym, picking at his shorts, tugging at his headband, wiping his brow with his wristbands, no more lining up the water bottles at his courtside chair or waiting for the draw or a call from one of his many doctors. Finally, he can get out the golf clubs and the fishing rod, relax under the Spanish island sun, free at last from the privileges and pressures of genius.
Nadal – one of the most gracious champions it has been my pleasure to know – will walk away from his sport fulfilled, yet frustrated in the manner of his leaving. He gave all that he had in the last match of his career, against the uncomplicated hitting machine, Botic van de Zandschulp, a spelling mistake waiting to happen who is the Netherland’s No 2, the world No 80, in the quarter-finals of the Davis Cup.
Nadal needed more than a sustained lift from the Spanish crowd against an opponent who had beaten his young compatriot, Carlos Alcaraz, in the US Open. What brilliant moments he conjured in their two sets in Málaga arrived like flickers of a dying flame.
At least he was not Mike Tyson against Jake Paul. He let his hands go when he could. But too many blows – 26 in all – did not find their target. He had his chances and could not take them. Like Tyson, he had made others pay in his pomp, but no more. “The crowd was tough,” the winner said. “Understandable. If I was in the crowd, I’d be cheering for him as well.”
Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating Tomas Berdych to win the 2010 Wimbledon final. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian
Who didn’t want Nadal to do it one more time? I’ll forget the 6-4, 6-4 score soon enough. Other recollections will remain fixed for ever. In 2008, Marca, the Spanish newspaper, were looking for someone to do an extra preview of the Wimbledon final between Nadal and Roger Federer. “Who do you think will win?” their correspondent asked as I idled in the press room shortly before what was to be one of the great matches of all time. “Nadal,” I said, with an eye on a few extra Euros. The gig was mine.
From that awesome win over five sets until now, my professional objectivity has been strained to the limit.
Nadal was, in the words of Bob Dylan, forever young. Or at least he wanted to be. Before he faced Andrey Rublev in the quarter-finals of the 2017 US Open, I asked him if he remembered what it was like at that age. “Rublev is 19?” he replied. “If I can come back to 19, I take it. When you’re young, [you have] a lot more years to enjoy the tour, a lot more years to enjoy the life. Of course, it’s better to be 19.”
He paused and added: “I always wanted to be young. Even when I was eight years old, I was not very happy when it was my birthday to be nine. I’m still the same. I am 31 and I am not happy when my birthday is going to be 32. I am happy being young, no? I don’t want to get older. For the moment, I didn’t find the way to stop that clock.”
He would batter Rublev without compassion, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2, then Juan Martin del Potro and Kevin Anderson in the final to win the tournament, one of his 22 majors.
Seven years on, his hair has thinned, his feet have slowed and his muscles still ripple but less convincingly. He is, in the cruel judgment of his sport, old. And done. But what a life, what a career.
Nadal has always been blindingly honest, in a second or third language he embroidered with naivety and unintended humour. For many years – he pronounced “doubts” as “doobts”, until, to the annoyance of those of us who steered him towards the mispronunciation with mischievous questioning, a British tennis writer corrected him.
I hope to this day Rafa did not think we were being cruel behind his back. We weren’t. He was universally popular in the press box.
Nadal and Federer were good friends but greater rivals. It was the same with the third of the triumvirate, Novak Djokovic. They all turned into ruthless animals against each other when it mattered most, raising their play to unprecedented heights of excellence.
‘His legacy is going to be eternal’: Alcaraz hails Nadal after final game – video
What Nadal valued more than the opinion of others was, as he called it, “the real thing”. Nothing entranced him more than the reality that was unavoidable on the court. He was immune to the concerns of the smart writers and, occasionally, the crowd. He rarely smiled during a match although, afterwards, his ever-bright face would illuminate any room.
When the notoriously raucous Monte Carlo patrons booed him for a disputed line call during his 2017 semi-final against David Goffin, Nadal bore them no grudge, describing their infantile behaviour merely as sad.
He revealed later that, in the shower after the match, he and Goffin did not once mention the controversy that cost the Belgian a 4-2 lead in the first set – and possibly a famous victory – something the rich tax dodgers swilling champagne on the country club’s terrace overlooking Court Central that afternoon would struggle to understand. They were professional drunks; Nadal and Goffin were professional athletes.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in tears after their Laver Cup match against Frances Tiafoe and Jack Sock, the final match before Federer’s retirement in 2022. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Guardian
When Nadal announced his retirement last month, it was with similarly calm resignation. “I cannot be competitive enough,” he said. “The question to myself is: ‘OK, I can go one more year, but why?’ To say goodbye in every single tournament? I don’t have that ego. The end is about a feeling I have been thinking for a long time. My body is not able to do it now.”
Nor was his spirit. The passion, so strong for so long, had ebbed beyond usefulness. Inevitably, the tributes poured down on him. Federer, who won their final encounter aged 37 at Wimbledon five years ago, remembered it was a 17-year-old Nadal who won their first meeting, in 2004.
“I thought I was on top of the world,” he said of that match. “And I was – until you walked on the court in Miami in your red sleeveless shirt, showing off those biceps, and you beat me convincingly.”
Federer won 16 of their matches and lost 24. So who was the greater or the greatest? Does it matter? To some. Maybe to Federer. Certainly to Djokovic. But, beyond argument, not to the quiet man from Mallorca who will be busy this winter working on his +0.3 handicap at nearby Pula golf club.
Wow, Oklahoma State really started their wrestling season with a bang! And guess who was front and center to break it all down? That’s right—Olympic champ David Taylor. Riding the wave of energy from the opening weekend, Taylor dove into everything, from individual performances to team dynamics, leaving no stone unturned.
His insights really struck a chord with Cowboy fans. Taylor praised the squad’s effort but seemed particularly impressed with their team chemistry. It’s clear he sees something special brewing—something that aligns perfectly with his “always improving” philosophy. His reflections not only celebrated their victory but also set the tone for what lies ahead on their journey.
Dustin Plott embodies the “getting better” philosophy
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Now, let’s talk about Dustin Plott. David Taylor had a lot to say about him. Plott is one of those standout wrestlers for Oklahoma State, and Taylor couldn’t stop praising his work ethic and attitude. “It’s great when kids believe in what you’re saying, and that’s Dustin,” he said. “He’s really eager to keep getting better.”
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So, what makes Plott stand out? According to Taylor, it’s his willingness to listen, adapt, and take action without hesitation. In a recent match, Taylor suggested a strategic adjustment—cutting his opponent earlier to secure a stronger finish—and Plott didn’t hesitate. He made the change on the spot and emerged victorious.
Taylor kept it simple with his advice to Plott: just enjoy the ride. “Take it one match at a time and enjoy in these moments on the mat,” he said. It’s a good reminder that college wrestling is about more than just the competition; it’s all about those experiences.
Building Champions: Oklahoma State’s dynamic lineup
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When it comes to Oklahoma State’s roster, Taylor had some interesting insights. He pointed out that the blend of newcomers and seasoned wrestlers isn’t just a smart tactic; it’s part of their culture. This mix creates a vibe where everyone pushes each other to grow and thrive. “They’re not just teammates; they’re all about helping each other score those bonus points and succeed,” he said. Taylor really believes that this kind of supportive environment is key to long-term success. The younger guys soak up knowledge from the veterans, while the older ones stay motivated by competing with these eager newcomers.
He gives a lot of credit to this teamwork for Oklahoma State’s strong start and sees it as a solid base for even more achievements down the road. He imagines a team that doesn’t just rack up wins but actually gets better with each match, creating this awesome cycle of growth and friendship.
Mumbai, November 13: Buoyed by back-to-back victories in as many games, hosts India will look to work on the finer points of the game with an aim to thrash minnows Thailand in the women’s Asian Champions Trophy here on Thursday. Both India and reigning Olympic silver medallist China are unbeaten so far from two matches but the hosts have an inferior goal difference. China are atop the points table with a goal difference of 20, while India have a goal difference of five and a handsome victory on Thursday will only help their cause ahead of final two round robin matches against China and Japan. Women’s Asian Champions Trophy 2024: Deepika Sehrawat Scores Brace As India Hockey Team Secures 3–2 Win Against South Korea.
Japan are placed third in the points table ahead of Korea. The top four sides from the round robin stage will qualify for the semifinals of the six-team continental tournament. In both the matches India created plenty of scoring chances but failed to score the amount of goals they would have liked.
While India defeated Malaysia 4-0 in their tournament opener, they scored a late goal to eke out a narrow 3-2 win over South Korea. The Indian players were guilty of rushing and faltered in choices once inside the opposition circle, a fact which chief coach Harendra Singh admitted.
Another factor which would be a cause of concern for Harendra is the team’s poor penalty corner conversion rate. Against Malaysia India secured as many as 11 penalty corners but utilised just three and that to from indirect attempts.
If that was not enough, India failed to make use of eight set pieces they managed to earn against Korea on Tuesday.
The bright spot for India has been the performances of forwards Sangita Kumari and Deepika, both scoring three goals apiece. Sangita specially has been a livewire upfront with her deft stick work, but the likes of Sharmila Devi, Preeti Dubey, Beauty Dung Dung need to share more responsibility.
Going by rankings, ninth placed India are the second best side in the tournament after world no.6 China and Thailand, who are ranked 29th in the world, should be an easy outing for the Indians. Meanwhile in other matches of the day, Korea will take on Malaysia while China will be up against Japan.
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
The Oasis singer-songwriter’s role alongside Ally McCoist and Darren Fletcher for Manchester City’s 4-1 trouncing by Sporting on Tuesday drew criticism from footballing traditionalists.
Murphy, a regular co-commentator on the BBC, suggested it “doesn’t add much value” to hire partisan fans who have never worked in football. “It would upset me,” Murphy told talkSPORT radio as the station discussed the prospect of celebrity commentary becoming a trend.
“I wouldn’t want to hear that. Partly from a selfish perspective. Because I know how much work I put in and how difficult it is to try and see things, engage things, spend years watching different techniques and games to try and analyse them.
“So, yeah, that would annoy me. I’ve got no problem with listening to different types of people watching football, pre [or] post [match], maybe even after.
“As co-commentary, it’s neither here nor there. It doesn’t add much value for me. It’s a very difficult job. I know from doing it. As a third one [like Gallagher], it’s fine. But there’s not much there you’re going to learn.”
Gallagher’s appearance on TNT divided opinion, with many viewers also welcoming his insights about his “friend” Pep Guardiola.
However, fate conspired against the rock star during the match as he uttered “I wasn’t expecting this to be so easy” just 90 seconds before Viktor Gyokeres grabbed the equaliser and the game swung dramatically in the Portuguese club’s favour.
Before the match, he had spoken about his relationship with Guardiola as well as the manager’s impact on his club and the wider game in England.
“When he got here, we just scraped top four… he said to me, before the [next] season started, we were going to win the league,” Gallagher said. “I was thinking, ‘that is a big shout’. But he did the 100 points. He’s a wizard… The players are completely under his spell, and they run through brick walls for him… He’s got it all.”
He later added that: “I personally think he’ll stay for one more year because it gives everybody a chance to breathe and reflect on what he did.”
Murphy suggested Gallagher was better off providing input pre or post-match rather than during the game itself. “I’d rather see him before or after the game, giving his little anecdotes about Pep [Guardiola] and the players,” Murphy said.
“He gives you something different. Some people will like it because of the novelty. I wouldn’t want to hear it every week, put it that way.”
Rajgir: The Indian women’s hockey Team has arrived in Gaya, marking the start of the first international hockey tournament hosted in the state.
The Women’s Asian Champions Trophy 2024 will take place from November 11 to 20, featuring defending champions India alongside Paris Olympics silver medallists China, as well as Japan, Korea, Malaysia and Thailand, all set against the mesmerising backdrop of the historic town of Rajgir.
Led by captain Salima Tete and vice-captain Navneet Kaur, India will commence their campaign against Malaysia on November 11, followed by a match against Korea on November 12. After a day of rest, India will face Thailand on November 14. On November 16, India will challenge Paris Olympics silver medallists China and conclude the pool stage with a match against Japan on November 17.
“We have been training rigorously at SAI Bengaluru for the Asian Champions Trophy. In previous matches, we faced challenges in the final third of the pitch, so we have focused significantly on improving in that area. We will take it match by match and aim to perform well in each one; every team poses a different challenge, and we won’t take any opponent lightly. This is the first time we’re playing international hockey in Bihar, and we hope to inspire all the girls in the region with our performances. We’ve prepared well, and we’re confident our hard work will show on the turf,” captain Salima Tete shared upon her arrival.
India must secure a top-four finish among the six teams to advance to the semi-finals on November 19. The winners will then progress to the final, scheduled for November 20. This tournament marks the Indian women’s team’s first Asian competition under chief coach Harendra Singh, who took charge earlier this year.
“For the first time, international matches will be held in Bihar at the upcoming Asian Champions Trophy. I would like to thank the Bihar government, Hockey India, and all hockey fans for helping bring international matches to the state. Each team will come with the goal of winning the trophy, and we have spent the last five months preparing with the Asian Champions Trophy in mind. We identified areas for improvement, such as combinations and decision-making in the shooting circle, and have worked on them. I am confident that hockey fans will witness a new side of the Indian Women’s Hockey Team this time, and they won’t be disappointed,” added Harendra Singh.
Marc Cucurella says Chelsea have to qualify for Europe’s most elite competition
Spaniard was previously booed by his own fans but has now become a cult-hero
LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off!, available wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes every Monday and Thursday
By Kieran Gill
Published: | Updated:
Marc Cucurella says Chelsea simply have to secure Champions League football for next season, with the Spanish revelation of Euro 2024 enjoying a remarkable renaissance at Stamford Bridge.
Cucurella was previously booed by his own fans who thought he was a £63million waste of money, but the left back signed from Brighton has become something of a cult hero at the club.
He assisted Spain’s winner against England in the final of Euro 2024 and now inverting into midfield under Enzo Maresca, Cucurella says he is loving life at Chelsea. All that is missing is a trophy and an invite into Europe’s most elite competition.
‘It changed very fast,’ Cucurella said. ‘I tried to work on me and what I can do better. We have started to create something important so we need to keep going.
‘Sometimes it’s difficult, we have a personal life, some problems, but now we are very good. I try to work on me and myself. I try to work on my confidence.
Marc Cucurella has been enjoying a remarkable renaissance at Stamford Bridge recently
The Spaniard was previously booed by his own fans who thought he was a waste of money
‘It’s not easy. It’s the most difficult part of football. One day if you play badly, you feel like you are the worst player. Another day if you play good you might think you are the best.
‘But you need to stay in the middle. If you lose, you’re not the worst. If you win, you’re not the best. Just stay there, focus on what you can improve and try to build on this and trust yourself.
‘If you play for Chelsea, it’s because you have strong qualities. In all careers, you have better and worse moments. But it’s about never stopping working and believing in yourself.’
On Chelsea’s ambitions for this season, Cucurella said: ‘All of us dream of winning trophies. In the league, we know it’s difficult.
‘You have teams who stay with the same project for a long time so there are a few in front of us but our objective, for sure, is to play in the Champions League next season. It’s very important for us.’
Cucurella says Chelsea simply have to secure Champions League football for next season
Cucurella is surrounded by team-mates on much longer contracts than his own, even if it does expire in 2028. The Spaniard is settled in London, however, and would be open to spending many more years at Chelsea.
‘I’m really happy,’ he said. ‘My family is happy here. We are in a top club with good fans. Hopefully I can stay for a lot of time.’
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Marc Cucurella sets sights on Champions League football next season – as the Spaniard reveals how he changed his fortunes after difficult start to Chelsea career
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has credited the athletes and the sportspersons for their incredible achievement that ensure that the state draw the global attention.
Presenting the winners, runners-up and second runners-up trophies to Chennai, which had won a record more than 100 medals, Chengalpattu and Coimbatore, respectively in the closing ceremony of the CM’s Trophy held over two weeks across the State in the presence of Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin, he said the mega state games came to an end with a memorable high.
A total of Rs 37 crore was distributed as prize money to the medal winners of the CM Trophy 2024, at a grand event held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Thursday evening.
Addressing the athletes, Mr Stalin said, “TN has become one of the frontrunners among states in promoting sports in India and I congratulate all the winners. The CM Trophy tournament spread over various disciplines is to unearth hidden talent and the TN government will do everything to support athletes to shine on the national and world stage.”
The Chief Minister also spoke about the importance of participation in sports and said he was looking forward to a much bigger turnout next year and promised all help for the sportspersons, while highlighting the efforts taken by the state government with the Deputy CM at the helm holding the sports development portfolio, by organising various international tournaments, including Chess Olympiad, International surfing, ATP Tennis events, Asian Hockey, that put TN on the global map.
Mr Udhayanidhi also congratulated the toppers and advised better luck next time for those who could not finish in the podium.
Earlier, table toppers Chennai and second placed Chengalpattu signed off their campaign with a gold medal each on the final day as the Games will be remembered for the spirited performance by Cerebral Palsy athletes, Olympians and Paralympians facing off with upcoming stars and a festival feeling of sports that hooked one and all over the last 21 days.
Chennai expectedly topped the standing, winning 105 gold, 80 silver and 69 gold with only third placed Coimbatore joining them in crossing the 100 medals mark.
Chengalpattu took the second spot in the medals tally due to their superior gold medal count at 31 along with 26 silver and 36 bronze medals. Coimbatore ended with 23 gold, 40 silver and 39 bronze medals.
Salem was the biggest mover on the medals tally from the last edition as they jumped to fourth spot from 19th in 2023, winning 21 gold, 12 silver and 23 bronze. Dindigul was the other big moved as they jumped from 17th spot to 6th with 16 gold, 7 silver and 11 bronze.
The 2024 CM Trophy is one of the largest grassroot initiatives and this edition has attracted over 33,000 participants from 38 districts and competed across five categories–school, college students, public, government employees and differently-abled persons–in 36 sports disciplines.
Prior to the state meet, district level competitions were held across the state in which over 11 lakh players participated.
This was the first time that all the 38 participating districts found a spot on the medals tally with Nilgiris taking the last spot thanks to a bronze medal winning performance by A Nafila in school girls’ chess competition.
More importantly, all 38 districts managed to win at least one gold medal in the Games.
But more than the medals, it was the passion and spirit of cerebral palsy athletes that mesmerised the spectators as they competed in football and athletics competitions. This year also saw the addition of track cycling, para shot put, handball, chess, fencing, judo, gymnastics and squash to the Games program along with Esports as a demo sport, that attracted over 5000 competitors in 8 categories.
The district and regional level competitions saw a 42% increase in participation while the CM Trophy overall saw an increase of 72% in total registrations.
However, the most important take away from the Games was the abundance of talent that was on display from across the state and the government would now chalk out a forward path for the school and college athletes through SDAT scholarships and CM Champions Foundation.
