Barcelona director Deco has labelled discussion of coach Hansi Flick's style "irrelevant" after a chaotic 3-3 Champions League draw with Club Brugge. Despite defensive frailties, Deco insists the club "know perfectly well" where to improve and will rely on nothing other than hard work, drawing parallels to overcoming difficulties last season.

• Barcelona's defensive frailties exposed in chaotic Brugge draw

  Flick's side twice came from behind before they ultimately needed a 77th-minute own goal from Christos Tzolis to salvage a point in Belgium. The result has intensified scrutiny on Flick's high-risk, possession-based system, which has produced 12 goals but also conceded seven in four Champions League matches.

  The match at the Jan Breydel Stadium perfectly encapsulated Barcelona's current struggles. The Catalans dominated the ball, enjoying 77% possession and registering 23 shots, but were repeatedly carved open on the counter-attack.

  Club Brugge, in contrast, were ruthlessly efficient, scoring three times from just 11 total shots, with six of those hitting the target.

  Barcelona found themselves trailing after just six minutes to a Nicolo Tresoldi goal before Ferran Torres equalised. Carlos Forbs put the hosts back in front, and after Lamine Yamal's 61st-minute leveller, Forbs struck again just two minutes later to make it 3-2.

  Despite Flick previously stating he would not compromise on his aggressive style, the recurring defensive lapses have raised questions about the squad's suitability for the system.

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  Deco insists 'style discussion is irrelevant'

  Speaking to the club's media during an open training session at the Camp Nou, Deco was clear that the club's hierarchy is not panicking and is aware of the problems.

  When questioned about Flick's style and the team's defensive vulnerabilities, the sporting director shut down the debate.

  "The issue of discussing style is irrelevant," Deco said. "We already know perfectly well where we can improve and the difficulties we face.

  "Last season we also went through some difficult times and we were able to overcome them. By getting players back and regaining our form, staying united, and working hard… That's what we have to do.

  "We did it last season and we're going to do the same this season. Nothing can change things except hard work and dedication."

• La Masia's new generation yet to play at 'spectacular' Camp Nou

  Deco's comments were made as the squad trained at the still-under-renovation Camp Nou, a move designed to familiarise the team's new faces with their future home.

  The director noted the "spectacular" progress of the stadium and the squad's anticipation of a return from their temporary home at Montjuic.

  "All of us at the club who are still in Montjuic miss being here," Deco said. "It feels like it was a magnificent stadium before, and now it's even more so. There are memories, of course, but the most important thing is that we can return as soon as possible. It's different playing here; the players have the same feeling."

  He also highlighted a remarkable statistic: that eight members of the current squad, many of them homegrown, have never played an official match at Camp Nou due to the two-and-a-half-year renovation.

  "This is a sign that things have been done well, that there are homegrown players, from La Masia, and this is important and a good sign because in the last two and a half years that we've been away, we've been able to bring through important players from La Masia," he said. "That's what Barca is about; the president was looking for this project."

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  What next? Barcelona's precarious Champions League position

  The 3-3 draw in Belgium leaves Barcelona in 11th place in the new Champions League league-phase standings. With a record of two wins, one draw, and one loss, they remain in a solid position to qualify for the play-off round (spots 9-16).

  However, the result puts significant pressure on their final four league phase matches if they hope to secure a top-eight finish, which guarantees direct entry into the last 16.

  Flick and Deco will be acutely aware that conceding seven goals in four European matches is not a sustainable rate for a team with ambitions of challenging for the trophy. The immediate priority will be to find a defensive balance in La Liga before their next European test, without sacrificing the attacking principles Flick is determined to maintain.

استطاع نادي برشلونة قلب تأخره اليوم السبت بهدف أمام ديبورتيفو ألافيس، إلى فوز صعب بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف واحد، ضمن منافسات الجولة الـ14 من بطولة الدوري الإسباني للدرجة الأولى.

واحتضن ملعب كامب نو لقاء اليوم، والذي شهد تفوق برشلونة على ألافيس، على الرغم من أن الأخير قدم مباراة جيدة بالفعل.

وتقدم ألافيس في بداية المباراة، لكن برشلونة تمكن من العودة في النتيجة وتسجيل ثلاثة أهداف ليحق النادي الكتالوني الانتصار في نهاية المطاف.

وكشفت رابطة الدوري الإسباني عن رجل مباراة اليوم، والذي حصل عليه رافينها، العائد من الإصابة بعد غياب خلال الفترة الماضية.

طالع .. ترتيب هدافي الدوري الإسباني بعد هدف لامين يامال في مباراة برشلونة وألافيس

رافينها حصل بجدارة على جائزة رجل المباراة، بعد مستواه المميز اليوم وصناعته لهدفي برشلونة الأول والثاني.

وقدم رافينها التمريرة الحاسمة في هدف برشلونة الأول الذي سجله لامين يامال، ثم عاد الدولي البرازيلي ليمنح كرة الهدف الثاني والذي أحرزه داني أولمو.

وشارك رافينها بشكل أساسي في لقاء اليوم، قبل أن يخرج في شوط المباراة الثاني ليحل محله بيدري في الدقيقة 60.

وتعتبر عودة رافينها بمثابة مكسب كبير لبرشلونة، والذي يعول بشكل كبير على الجناح الأيسر وكان من بين نجوم الموسم الماضي للبرسا.

Tonda Eckert has been asked if he is hoping to become the next permanent manager of Southampton after guiding the club to a win over QPR on Wednesday evening.

It has hardly been the season that Southampton would have expected. In the 2024/25 campaign, they became the first team to be relegated from the Premier League with as many as seven games left to play. Even still, they were expected to be in contention for a swift return to the top flight.

Having established himself as a promising young coach in Ligue 1 with Reims and Lens, Will Still was appointed as Southampton’s new manager in May. Despite an influx of summer signings, however, Still struggled to have the impact he would have wanted at St Mary’s.

After just two wins in 13 Championship games, Still was dismissed following a loss to Preston, which was Southampton’s third successive defeat. In his place, Eckert was named interim boss as the club continue their search for a new manager.

Eckert answers questions about Saints future

Eckert’s first game in charge of the Saints was an away clash against Queens Park Rangers. The 32-year-old, picked out personally by sporting director Johannes Spors in the summer to take charge of their under-21s, guided Southampton to a 2-1 win at Loftus Road.

As reported by The Daily Echo, the young coach was then asked about his desire for the permanent job.

Evidently, Eckert is focused solely on guiding Southampton through their immediate future, with the club set to host Sheffield Wednesday in their next league game. Should they win, it would be the first time this season that they have won consecutive matches in the Championship.

Given their current position in the league, though, it would be a massive gamble for the Saints to hire a young and inexperienced manager, regardless of how much potential they may have.

Saints could turn to veteran to fill managerial vacancy

MatériaMais Notícias

A Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF) anunciou nesta sexta-feira (12) a Betano, casa de apostas esportivas, como nova patrocinadora da Série A do Campeonato Brasileiro. Válido por três anos, o acordo prevê um pagamento estimado em torno de R$ 70 milhões a R$ 80 milhões por temporada. As informações dos valores foram divulgadas pelo Ge.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Com isso, a competição nacional pode receber uma valorização de até R$ 30 milhões de reais por ano de contrato, uma vez que a antiga detentora dos direitos pagava R$ 50 milhões por temporada.

A empresa do ramo de apostas, que já possuía os namings rights de outras competições do futebol brasileiro, como Série B e Copa do Brasil, chega para substituir a atacadista Assaí, dona da propriedade nas últimas seis edições da competição.

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INÍCIO DO BRASILEIRÃO

A primeira rodada do Brasileirão começa neste final de semana e conta com partidas entre os dias 13 e 14 de abril. No sábado (13), o Internacional recebe o Bahia, às 18h30 (de Brasília), em partida que marca o início da competição. No mesmo horário, em confronto entre equipes que retornaram à elite nesta temporada, o Juventude visita o Criciúma.

Atual bicampeão do Brasileirão, o Palmeiras inicia a caminhada em busca do tricampeonato fora de casa. No domingo (14), a equipe comandada por Abel Ferreira visita o Vitória, às 18h30 (de Brasília), no Barradão.

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CONFIRA TODOS OS JOGOS DA PRIMEIRA RODADA

▪️ 13/04 – Internacional x Bahia
▪️ 13/04 – Criciúma x Juventude
▪️ 13/04 – Fluminense x RB Bragantino
▪️ 13/04 – São Paulo x Fortaleza
▪️ 14/04 – Vasco x Grêmio
▪️ 14/04 – Athletico x Cuiabá
▪️ 14/04 – Atlético-GO x Flamengo
▪️ 14/04 – Corinthians x Atlético-MG
▪️ 14/04 – Cruzeiro x Botafogo
▪️ 14/04 – Vitória x Palmeiras

Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoFutebol Nacional

England scored 153 runs in the 28 overs of the middle session to hurt India

ESPNcricinfo staff03-Aug-2025

Harry Brook made a 91-ball ton after coming in at 106 for 3•Getty Images

Tea A stunning partnership worth 195 between Harry Brook and Joe Root put England on the cusp of a series-sealing win at The Oval. India had taken control of the fifth Test when Brook walked out to bat at No. 5 with 268 runs still required, but he seized the moment with an audacious 91-ball hundred, his tenth in Tests and his first in the fourth innings of a match.Brook was given a life late in the morning session, picking out Mohammed Siraj at long leg with a miscued pull shot only for Siraj to tread on the advertising toblerone on the boundary rope. Rather than prompting a change in approach, the reprieve led Brook to double down, slapping India’s seamers around as he raced to 38 off 30 balls at lunch.If he rode his luck at times, his attacking intent worked in his favour: soon after lunch, Prasidh Krishna drew a thick outside edge which flew away between the solitary slip and gully, with the field spread to try and keep a lid on England’s scoring. He continued to bludgeon anything short through the leg side, but rotated the strike with ease through the afternoon.

Brook’s celebrations are typically restrained but he showed his emotion when sprinting back for two to reach three figures, pumping his fists, swishing his bat and throwing his head back in relief. He was out seven balls later, losing his bat as he attempted to swipe Akash Deep for a third boundary in a row, but the damage had been done.Root, meanwhile, played in Brook’s slipstream, ticking over with few qualms and occasionally freeing his arms – including belting Ravindra Jadeja back over his head for four, and swinging a high full toss over midwicket. India could not dislodge him, reviewing unsuccessfully after Siraj trapped him on the pad on 88, and he responded with back-to-back boundaries to reach 98.India’s session was personified by the exhausted Akash Deep: he attempted to stop a boundary by sticking out his boot, only to divert the ball back over the rope, and then lost his footing when Jacob Bethell skewed a caught-and-bowled chance back to him. Siraj kept charging in, bowling 17.1 overs in the first two sessions, but could not conjure up another game-breaking moment.

The Baltimore Orioles' match-up against the New York Mets on Thursday included a bit of pregame entertainment that admittedly wasn't for everybody.

Electronic musician Dan Deacon performed his unique rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at Camden Yards which, well… you can listen to below. Deacon, who has been meandering down his own psychedelic-esque path of music since the early 2000s, created a kooky, experimental piece that deviated from what one might expect for a standard national anthem performance and immediately elicited polarizing reactions from MLB fans.

Some called it bizarre. Others called it genius. One fan shared a video of Deacon's performance and wrote in the caption, "I think the Orioles have officially hit rock bottom."

That prompted plenty of people on social media to come to Deacon's defense, declaring that the Baltimore-based electronic composer is a legend in his own right. Judge it for yourself:

Aside from the continuous number of injuries they’ve had to deal with, it’s starting to feel like everything is falling into place for Arsenal this season.

Mikel Arteta’s side have pretty much perfected the art of set-pieces, have become near enough impossible to score against, and as a result, are sitting atop the Premier League table.

Moreover, while there is still a level to go for many of the attacking players, many of those who underwhelmed last year are starting to look back to their best.

This includes one of Arteta’s signings, who has even been compared to the iconic Santi Cazorla – and no, it’s not Martin Zubimendi.

Santi Cazorla's Arsenal career

Cazorla joined Arsenal for a fee of just £16m from Spanish outfit Malaga in the summer of 2012, and it did not take him long at all to make an impact at the club.

The mercurial midfielder put in a man-of-the-match performance against Sunderland in what was his debut for the North Londoners, and ended up finishing that first campaign with a tally of 12 goals and 14 assists in 49 games.

By the time he left the Gunners in August 2018, he did so with an impressive haul of 29 goals and 45 assists in just 180 appearances, but it wasn’t the output that made him such a firm fan favourite, but the way in which he played the game.

When fit, the 40-year-old magician was seemingly able to do it all, from playing outrageous balls from one side of the pitch to the other, to driving with the ball and beating opposition defenders with ease.

At times, the two-footed wizard was the embodiment of what Wenger wanted his teams to do on the pitch, someone who was capable of winning games with some incredible skill, but doing so while also entertaining the paying fans.

There are really countless examples of the Spaniard doing something remarkable in the famous red and white, but perhaps the most iconic and impactful was his free-kick in the 2014 FA Cup final, which kick-started the club’s comeback.

Had he managed to keep fit, there is no telling what Cazorla could have accomplished at Arsenal, and while the club have not quite had a player like him since, there is someone in the current squad who has been compared to the Emirates icon.

The Arsenal star compared to Cazorla

Now, the first player many of you might think of here is Zubimendi. After all, he is a Spanish midfielder with a great range of passing and the ability to use both feet when needed.

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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, in this instance, the comparison to the former Arsenal star comes from another former Gunners’ great, Kevin Campbell, and concerns Leandro Trossard.

Yes, when speaking back in 2023, Campbell was full of praise for the Belgian, saying that while “they don’t play in the same spot”, he could “see the comparison because he has such quick feet like Santi did.”

He went on to compare the way in which the former Brighton & Hove Albion gem is also able to “see things quickly and Santi saw things quickly.”

Another similarity the 30-year-old shares with the Spaniard, aside from wearing the number 19, is his impressive ability to use both feet without much trouble at all.

You can see this during games, and then on top of that, his former coach at Genk once told Sky Sports that the dynamic left-winger is indeed “right-footed and left-footed.”

Finally, while there are still plenty of other differences between the pair, one more key point of overlap is the Maasmechelen-born gem’s ability to make something happen, generally by finishing a chance most would consider too difficult.

After all, that is why Arteta has referred to him as a “little magician” and Ian Wright made the bold claim that he’s the Gunners’ “best finisher.”

Ultimately, Trossard is not the same player Cazorla was at Arsenal, but from his two-footedness to his technical class and ability to make things happen, he certainly shares a great deal in common with the Spaniard.

Arteta must boldly bench Saka & unleash Arsenal's "phenomenal" talent

Mikel Arteta must be bold ahead of Arsenal’s League Cup clash and drop Saka.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 29, 2025

Tournament opener to be held in Guwahati; Navi Mumbai to host second semi-final and, potentially, the final on November 2

Nagraj Gollapudi22-Aug-2025The DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai has replaced Bengaluru as the fourth Indian venue for the upcoming women’s ODI World Cup starting September 30, the ICC announced while issuing the revised schedule for the eight-team tournament on Friday. According to the updated itinerary, Guwahati will now to host the tournament opener between India and Sri Lanka.Navi Mumbai will host two group fixtures involving India (against New Zealand on October 23 and against Bangladesh on October 26), the Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh game (originally slotted for Colombo on October 20), the second semi-final (October 30) and potentially the final, on November 2, if Pakistan don’t qualify. One other game – Sri Lanka vs England (October 11) – has been switched from Guwahati to Colombo. The Bangladesh vs New Zealand game on October 10 has moved from Visakhapatnam to Guwahati, while England vs New Zealand on October 26 – the only day game in the tournament – has gone the other way, Guwahati to Visakhapatnam.The changes became necessary after the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) failed to obtain police clearances to host games at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in the wake of the stampede that led to 11 deaths and many injuries during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) IPL victory celebrations on June 4.Prior to Navi Mumbai, the BCCI had identified Thiruvananthapuram as a potential replacement for Bengaluru. While the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) expressed its readiness to host, it’s believed that the lack of direct flights from the city to some of the other venues proved a hurdle.Related

• Venkatesh Prasad: 'Want to bring cricket back to Chinnaswamy'

• KSCA secretary, treasurer resign citing 'moral responsibility'

In June, the ICC, while announcing the dates for the tournament, had listed Bengaluru as one of the five venues for the tournament. Along with the opener involving hosts India, the city was also scheduled to host the October 30 semi-final and the final on November 2 (if Pakistan didn’t make it).This is the latest setback for the KSCA, which has been involved in several issues with the police and Bengaluru’s civic authorities as well as the electricity department, which has cut off power supply to the venue owing to non-compliance with fire-safety regulations.Bengaluru hasn’t hosted any top-flight cricket since May 17, when the RCB vs Kolkata Knight Riders IPL 2025 game was washed out. In the aftermath of the stampede, the state government had held the franchise and KSCA responsible for the mismanagement of the parade, and instituted a one-member committee to investigate the incident. The committee subsequently deemed the stadium “unsafe” to host large-scale events. Since then, the police has refused to give permission to the KSCA to host matches at the Chinnaswamy.This forced the KSCA to shift the Maharaja T20 – the state’s premier franchise tournament – from Bengaluru to Mysuru. The KSCA had offered to host the tournament behind closed doors, but even that wasn’t allowed by the authorities.

Seamer Jake Ball chimes in with 4 for 34 as Somerset win by six wickets

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay14-Aug-2025Somerset 252 for 4 (Vaughan 95, J Rew 53*) beat Yorkshire 247 (Revis 85, Ball 4-34) by six wicketsFour-wicket seamer Jake Ball and opener Archie Vaughan with a career best 95 starred as Somerset ended Yorkshire’s 100 percent winning start to this season’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup by bowling the Group B leaders out for 247 at York and then chasing confidently.Somerset joined their hosts on 12 points at the top of the table at the halfway stage in the group campaign courtesy of this six-wicket win with five balls remaining. Both counties having won three and lost one.Yorkshire still hold sway courtesy of a superior net run-rate, but they were second-best on a used Clifton Park pitch.Yorkshire lost wickets in clusters at either end of a scrambling innings which saw ex-England limited overs quick Ball take an excellent 4 for 34 from 9.4 overs and Matthew Revis top-scored with a middle-order List A best of 85 off as many balls.Ball’s best List A figures in just over six years preceded Sheffield-born teenager Vaughan’s classy 127-ball effort with 11 fours. It was ironic that this senior best should come against the county for whom his father Michael starred.Yorkshire, inserted, slumped to 28 for 3 inside 10 overs.Without injured in-form opener Imam-Ul-Haq (hip), they lost Adam Lyth bowled by a beauty from Ball, Will Luxton run out next ball and James Wharton caught behind one-handed going low to his right by James Rew off Ben Green.Luxton misjudged a push to mid-off, where Josh Thomas misfielded before recovering to throw the non-striker’s stumps down.Revis, who hit nine fours, held things together on the pitch used for Tuesday’s win over Lancashire, with Yorkshire compiling nothing more than a workable total.Fin Bean, on 28, cut 18-year-old debutant seamer James Theedom to backward point with the score on 72 in the 18th over.Revis oozed confidence following three recent Championship centuries and a 69 earlier in this competition. He reached a 49-ball fifty here shortly before Yorkshire reached the halfway-mark in their innings at 115 for 4.He found an ally in fellow all-rounder George Hill. They calmly shared a recovery fifth-wicket partnership of 102.Yorkshire then lost four quick wickets, including Revis and Hill caught pulling, as the score fell from 174 for 5 in the 36th over to 204 for 8 in the 42nd. Green’s second wicket accounted for Revis, 34-year-old Ball’s second was Hill for 41.Tom Lammonby’s left-arm seam also claimed two wickets in that period.Dan Moriarty heaved the only two sixes of Yorkshire’s innings in a career-best 30 before holing out to cover as Ball struck twice in the 49th over to wrap things up.Vaughan, in his first competitive senior career appearance against his birth county, steered Somerset’s stress-free chase.Lammonby was well caught at deep gully by Lyth off Hill en route to 48 for 1 after 10 overs before 19-year-old Vaughan shared a second-wicket partnership of 70 with Lewis Goldsworthy, 30.Vaughan was particularly strong off the back foot on either side of the wicket. He reached his fifty off 65 balls.Goldsworthy fell at 111 for 2 in the 25th over when he top-edged a pull at Revis to long-leg.Vaughan continued on unflustered, sharing 64 with his captain James Rew. But he was bowled looking to go over the top against Dom Bess’s off-spin. Still, at 175 for three in the 38th, Somerset were in a strong position.James Rew finished unbeaten 53 off 62, while brother Thomas also contributed 31.

Trent Rockets 113 for 7 (Rehan 37) beat Birmingham Phoenix 111 for 9 (Rehan 3-15) by three wicketsTrent Rockets geared up for their Eliminator showdown with Northern Superchargers by sneaking past Birmingham Phoenix with one ball to spare after a memorable debut in The Hundred for Ben Cox and an eye-catching all-round display from Rehan Ahmed.The Rockets confirmed their second-place finish in the group, behind Oval Invincibles on net run rate, and will go into Saturday evening’s contest at the Kia Oval full of confidence after claiming their sixth win in eight.Spin was the key for the Rockets, with their slow bowlers producing combined figures of 6 for 35 from 50 deliveries after Ben Duckett (20 from 15) and Will Smeed (23 from 12) had made a promising start.Rockets skipper David Willey may have been questioning his decision to insert the opposition when the Phoenix raced to 36 for 0 from 21 deliveries, but the innings stalled when Duckett scuffed a short delivery from Lockie Ferguson to Rehan at midwicket.Joe Clarke soon followed, slog-sweeping southpaw spinner George Linde to deep midwicket, and from there the wickets tumbled. The irrepressible Rehan (3 for 15) induced a chop-on from Smeed and snared Jacob Bethell for a duck three deliveries later before Linde (2 for 12) claimed his second when Liam Livingstone’s ugly heave met thin air.Rehan grabbed his third – and 10th in the competition overall – when Benny Howell picked out Max Holden on the boundary and Joe Root, whose 15 deliveries cost just eight runs, got in on the action when Liam Patterson-White’s edge was brilliantly held by Cox, who only received a call-up to join the Rockets yesterday following an injury to Adam Hose.Dan Mousley (26 from 25) gave the score some respectability but 111-9 looked well under par, even on a spin-friendly surface.The chase was far from easy though. After the early loss of Tom Banton for 1, caught at mid-on off Boult, Rehan sparkled once more, racing to 37 in 23 balls before an audacious slog sweep was caught in the deep off Livingstone. Root continued his good recent form in the tournament with a run-a-ball 25 that came to an end when he was bowled by Patterson-White and the left-arm spinner struck again five deliveries later, castling Willey with a devilish delivery that spun back sharply between bat and pad.Linde was run-out after a mix-up and Marcus Stoinis got a leading edge to cover off Bethell as the Rockets slipped to 89-6, and the left-arm spinner struck again when Sam Hain holed out to leave six required from five.Bethell was entrusted with the final set and conceded just three runs from his first three deliveries but Cox kept a cool head and swept the fourth to the boundary to finish unbeaten on 17 from 12 balls.Named Meerkat Match Hero after his three wickets and quickfire knock, Rehan said: “Coxy was always going to do it, I had full trust in him. There was a lot of assistance for spinners on this pitch. We train on similar surfaces so it was about going out there and doing the same thing. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity I’ve been given and hopefully I can do it in the next couple of games.”