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Sri Lanka, Netherlands and Namibia are all still in the fray, but weather could make things tricky

Sampath Bandarupalli18-Oct-2022Sri Lanka –
Sri Lanka were expected to enter the Super 12s without too much fuss. But a loss to Namibia in the tournament opener by 55 runs put their campaign off track. However, the 2014 champions recovered with a 79-run win against UAE to boost their net run-rate.Their ask now is simple. They need to beat Netherlands. If they do, the Namibia vs UAE result doesn’t matter to them because of their strong NRR. A defeat, meanwhile, will make Sri Lanka bank on UAE, who then have to beat Namibia by 28 runs more than Sri Lanka’s losing margin against Netherlands. Sri Lanka will not make it through to the next round if the remaining two Group A games end without results.Netherlands –
Netherlands are currently top of Group A with back-to-back wins, but a defeat against Sri Lanka on Thursday could end their campaign. Their NRR of 0.149 is the lowest among the teams that will finish with four points – if Sri Lanka and Namibia win. Therefore, if they lose to Sri Lanka, Netherlands need to hope Namibia lose to UAE. They will proceed to the Super 12s if one of the two games on Thursday is washed out.Namibia –
Despite the loss against Netherlands on Tuesday, Namibia are well-placed to qualify for the Super 12s. Their NRR of 1.277 is by far the best in their group, and a win against UAE would be enough for them.Namibia can go through to the Super 12s even if they lose to UAE, but only if Sri Lanka lose to Netherlands too. Namibia can afford to lose by 27 runs if Netherlands beat Sri Lanka by the narrowest of margins. Since Namibia play last, they will have the advantage of knowing the equations in advance.Namibia will go through along with Netherlands if both the matches on Thursday are washouts.UAE –
Even though UAE have lost both their games, they are not quite out of the race to qualify for the Super 12s. However, the 79-run defeat against Sri Lanka on Tuesday has put them in a position where they would need a bit of a miracle.They must beat Namibia by at least 66 runs to go ahead of their NRR and hope Sri Lanka lose to Netherlands by about 40 runs. The smaller the losing margin for Sri Lanka, the higher UAE need to win by. If Sri Lanka get points from the Netherlands game, UAE will automatically be out of the race.

The likelihood of a comfortable 2-0 series win can’t disguise the frailty in the hosts’ line-up

Firdose Moonda04-Jan-2021South Africa knew 621 was a mirage.Their score at SuperSport Park, built on former captain Faf du Plessis’ 199, seemed too good to be true … because it was. A depleted Sri Lanka were down to one frontline bowler for parts of that innings and, although it still took application to get runs on the board, the challenge of scoring them was greatly reduced.But does that mean 84 for 9 is reality?Bearing in mind the context (the collapse came after South Africa had reached 218 for 1, 61 runs ahead with oodles of batting to come) and the circumstances (the Wanderers surface quickened up on day two and the ball was moving around substantially) and you might be tempted to call it an aberration. But look at recent history, and you will have to question whether this showing at the Wanderers simply reflects the true state of South Africa’s batting.Last season, South Africa lost five wickets for less than 100 runs at some point in all 14 Test innings against India and England, and five for less than 50 runs in seven of those. Wickets fell in clumps at every stage of their innings, bookended by the tail folding in Vizag and the top and middle order stumbling at the Wanderers. And there are no mitigating circumstances, such as unplayable surfaces, to justify their performances. The pitches in India were good enough for the hosts to register seven centuries in the series between them, while at home, England scored three hundreds to South Africa’s zero.Lack of confidence appears to be South Africa’s biggest issue at present, with a few players in need of technical tweaks, and it’s something that can only be fixed with form. The domestic competition provides a place for players to re-find their feet, as it did for Aiden Markram and Dean Elgar who both scored first-class centuries (Markam has three) in the lead-up to this series.Related

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It’s not surprising then, that in such a run-desert, Elgar has been the oasis. Since January 2019, Elgar has scored more runs than all the other openers combined and is second only to Quinton de Kock among the rest of the line-up. Take de Kock, Elgar and Faf du Plessis away and no South African batsmen has scored more than 367 Test runs in the last two years, which suggests that the newcomers are not making the step up as well as it was hoped they might.Markram has just made his return from injury (although there had been pressure mounting on him before he broke his hand and then his finger) so we’ll cut him some slack and put the the spotlight on Rassie van der Dussen and Temba Bavuma, who are both being spoken about as candidates for the Test captaincy and have to start converting.Van der Dussen is newer on the international scene and has done better so far, especially in this Test with a knock that started patiently and built promisingly. After waiting 25 balls for his first run yesterday afternoon, he showed his strength on the pull and the drive this morning and though he was dropped on 44, once he got his half-century, it didn’t seem there was too much in the way of him carrying on. Then, he was strangled down the leg-side, attempting one swipe too many. Van der Dussen has now gone 43 international innings across all formats without a century, even though he appears to have the temperament to score many.Bavuma’s drought is much longer – five years almost to the day – since his only Test century and the concern around him now is the ways he has been getting out. After walking at SuperSport Park, he shouldered arms to an in-ducker when he should have offered a shot. By the time Bavuma was dismissed, Sri Lanka were already well into the tail so perhaps there’s little more he could have done, but a handy not-out would have done his average some good and showed a level of responsibility.Vishwa Fernando celebrates his maiden five-wicket haul•AFP via Getty ImagesCredit must go to Sri Lanka’s attack for showing glimpses of what could have been had more of their first-choice players been available to them through this series. Vishwa Fernando, who was the leading wicket-taker when Sri Lanka beat South Africa two years ago built on that with his maiden five-for and has now taken more wickets than any other Sri Lankan seamer in South Africa.Vishwa found seam movement and, for the most part, pitched it up and lured the South African batsmen in the channel outside off. De Kock and Nortje both nicked off that way. Equally impressive was debutant Asitha Fernando, who made good use of the bounce with back-of-a-length deliveries – one so short it sconed Lungi Ngidi – and deserved at least one more wicket. Van der Dussen was dropped off Asitha’s bowling.But Sri Lanka’s find of the tour must be Dasun Shanaka, who last played a Test three years before this series, and was expected to be a bit-part bowler in this series. Instead, he stood up in an injury crisis at Supersport Park, and snagged van der Dussen and du Plessis to open South Africa up here. His set-up of du Plessis, with a lifter on the penultimate ball of his 12th over and a fuller one with the final ball, to have him caught behind for 8, was when the momentum of the innings switched camps. Van der Dussen had fallen four overs before, de Kock went the over after, and Sri Lanka had South Africa by the neck. They went on to force a choke, but it has probably come too late.Dimuth Karunaratne has pushed them into a lead but, with three days left in the match, it will need to swell closer to 300 to raise realistic expectations of an upset. But that doesn’t mean the hosts don’t have things to think about, especially ahead of a visit to Pakistan and three Tests against Australia, in which a collapse will surely have greater consequences than it did here.

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A 8ª rodada da fase de grupos da Copa do Nordeste se encerrou na noite desta quarta-feira (27). Com oito jogos simultâneos, os clubes definiram os classificados para o mata-mata do torneio.

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CEARÁ 2 X 1 ITABAIANA

Fora das quartas de final durante boa parte do confronto, o Ceará iniciou a partida perdendo para a equipe sergipana. No entanto, o Vozão conseguiu a virada com gols de Facundo Castro e Erick Pulga na reta final do segundo tempo e garantiu a 4ª colocação do Grupo A.

SPORT 3 X 0 JUAREIZENSE

O Leão da Ilha fez valer o favoritismo atuando na Arena Pernambuco e não tomou conhecimento da Juazeirense. Com isso, o Sport se classificou com a liderança do Grupo A e uma campanha quase impecável na fase de grupos.

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AMÉRICA-RN 1 X 0 NÁUTICO

Com um gol nos acréscimos de Rafael Diniz, o América-RN venceu o Náutico, embora já estivesse eliminado da Copa do Nordeste. Por outro lado, o clube pernambucano garantiu uma vaga na próxima fase.

MARANHÃO 3 X 2 FORTALEZA

Em um duelo emocionante, o Fortaleza abriu uma grande vantagem na etapa inicial com gols de Moisés e Lucero. No entanto, a equipe de Vojvoda parece ter sofrido um apagão e sofreu uma virada na segunda etapa. Ainda assim, o Tricolor do Piçi garantiu uma vaga nas quartas de final.

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VITÓRIA 3 X 0 TREZE

O Vitória não tomou conhecimento do Treze e fez uma partida tranquila do início ao fim do jogo. Com gols de Luiz Adriano, Léo Gamalho e Lucas Esteves, o Rubro-Negro garantiu os três pontos, mas não conquistou vaga na próxima etapa do torneio.

RIVER 0 X 1 ABC

No duelo entre River e ABC, as duas equipes entraram em campo sem chances de buscar uma vaga na fase seguinte. Mas o clube do Rio Grande do Norte garantiu o triunfo com gol de Vitor Marinho.

BOTAFOGO-PB 4 X 0 BAHIA

O Bahia entrou na partida com a classificação e liderança do Grupo B garantidas. Com isso, o Tricolor entrou com uma equipe muito alternativa. Nem Rogério Ceni comandou o time na beira do gramado, o que favoreceu para a goleada do Botafogo-PB, que garantiu uma vaga no mata-mata.

CRB 2 X 0 ALTOS

O CRB fez valer o favoritismo jogando em casa contra o Altos e construiu a vitória com gols de Anselmo Ramon e Léo Pereira. Ambas as equipes conquistaram classificação para as quartas de final da Copa do Nordeste.

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CearáCopa do NordesteSport

Newcastle United could now be without one of Eddie Howe’s mainstays in the Tyne-Wear derby following the latest injury news.

Newcastle vs Sunderland team news

It’s the biggest game of the season for both Newcastle and Sunderland, as they do battle in the Premier League for the first time since 2016. Form will go out the window, as one of English football’s most dramatic rivalries reignites on Sunday afternoon.

It’s particularly a must-win game for Newcastle, who have unexpectedly found themselves trailing Sunderland so far this season. Victory would change that, however, and could take Howe’s side back into the top four if other results go their way.

Howe knows exactly what’s at stake against the Black Cats and told reporters that he simply wants to do “the club, the city, our people proud”.

That said, it hasn’t been the easiest preparation for those at St James’ Park. Bayer Leverkusen’s late goal denied them a much-needed victory in the Champions League in midweek and it also handed Howe some ill-timed injury blows.

As revealed by the Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, although Nick Pope could be back in contention to play against Sunderland, Newcastle could be without summer signing Yoane Wissa once again due to illness and midfield star Joelinton.

Newcastle dealt fresh Joelinton injury blow

As reported by Hope, Joelinton could miss the Tyne-Wear derby thanks to a “groin issue” and will be assessed before Sunday’s meeting. After playing an hour against Germany, there’s no doubt that the Brazilian faces a race against time to feature in a game that no player will want to miss.

Whilst Joelinton hasn’t been at his best this season, the derby is exactly the type of game that he usually thrives in. If Howe’s side are to enter battle, they would no doubt prefer to do so with one of their best enforcers at the heart of their side.

As things stand though, the £150,000-a-week star may be forced to step aside for someone that knows all about the Tyne-Wear derby in academy graduate Lewis Miley.

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Posts 1 ByKelan Sarson 4 days ago

The 19-year-old emerged from the bench before finding the back of the net against Leverkusen on Wednesday night and may get the chance to repeat his heroics on the biggest stage.

Not just Smit: Newcastle looking to sign midfielder who's "Premier League-ready"

A draw with ten men aside, this has been a phenomenal little period for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.

Following an intense week in which they faced Spurs, Bayern Munich and Chelsea, they didn’t lose any of those fixtures. Subsequently, they top the Premier League and Champions League heading into the early stages of December.

They’ve managed to do so all with injuries plaguing the squad again. Ben White and Bukayo Saka were asked after the 2-0 win over Brentford on Wednesday if they have the best squad depth in the league.

White, ever the joker, simply replied, “I dunno.” Well, Ben, we’ll answer it for you. Arsenal’s depth is elite and it could well win them the league.

Andrea Berta worked hard to bolster the squad over the summer and it’s just as well considering the fitness issues that have ravaged Arteta’s team again throughout 2025/26.

At the moment they are missing their senior leaders at the back in Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba.

Before last week they were also missing all three strikers. Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyokeres are now back in the matchday squad but it means that emergency centre-forward, Mikel Merino, has had to lead the line again. He’s done it superbly well.

Mikel Merino: Arsenal's elite number 9

Nearly a year ago, all of the chatter as the January transfer window opened was about Arsenal’s need for a new striker.

While Kai Havertz’s importance was being elevated and Jesus had enjoyed a fabulous festive period, scoring that hat-trick against Crystal Palace, there was a sense that for the Gunners to win the league, they needed an elite goalscorer.

Chalkboard

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

Jesus then suffered an ACL injury and Arsenal’s need for a new forward was exacerbated. They did not sign one. What happened next? Havertz suffered a hamstring injury. Of course, he did.

As a result, Arteta sought a solution that was outside of the box. Could Merino become the emergency number 9 that Arsenal craved?

Remarkably, he could. It all started with that brace against Leicester City. The Londoners were struggling to find a goal but the Spaniard appeared from the bench to rescue his side.

Since then, he’s not looked back. He ended 2024/25 with nine goals, scoring against Real Madrid, Chelsea and Liverpool along the way. While we jest, he genuinely looks like an elite striker now.

The arrival of Gyokeres should have ensured Merino was never needed as a striker again but when the Swede hobbled off against Burnley last month, the former Real Sociedad was back in the limelight.

Well, is he now the number one option to lead the line? Quite possibly. Some of Arsenal’s best displays of the season, chiefly those wins over Spurs and Bayern, have come with Merino up top.

While he didn’t net in those contests, he’s knitted the play together beautifully, linking up with teammates and improving Arsenal’s all-around attacking play.

He has still been around the goals, scoring twice in Europe against Slavia Prague, while finding the net in back-to-back Premier League games, the wins over Chelsea and Brentford. Both of those goals were excellent headers.

So, with Gyokeres and Jesus back on the bench, who deserves the role as Arsenal’s leading man?

What Merino's form means for Gyokeres and Jesus

Arsenal’s big-money summer signing has been electric over the last two campaigns. During 2024/25, Gyokeres bagged 54 goals in 52 games for Sporting but hasn’t hit similar heights after his move back to England.

The Swede has been improving all the time and it was typical that he suffered an injury blow against Burnley, a game he actually scored in.

Gyokeres was beginning to find his feet in the top-flight but it would be a lie if we said Arsenal weren’t a better team at the moment with Merino in it.

So, for the time being, it’s likely the former Coventry City man will have to be patient as he searches for a way back into the side.

The same could be said for £45m man, Jesus, although his time in red and white sadly looks pretty bleak.

The Brazilian has been missing since picking up that ACL injury in the FA Cup 11 months ago and it’s a delight to see him back. Prior to that injury, he was arguably in the form of his Arsenal career, scoring six goals in six games across the festive period.

That injury meant that Arsenal simply had to strengthen in the summer. Gyokeres was a necessity. Jesus has been bumped down the picking order already because of that.

However, the emergence of Merino as a striker and the fact he’s now a genuine option in that position means that Jesus’ Arsenal career looks done.

Havertz is not miles away from returning to the fold and with Merino, Gyokeres and the German all set to battle it out for a place as the central forward, Jesus is unlikely to start another game for the club.

There are plenty of games to comes over the forthcoming weeks but such is the strength of Arsenal’s depth that the former Manchester City striker looks set to pay the ultimate price of leaving the Emirates Stadium.

It’s not the way he or the supporters will have wanted his career in England to end. He’s a cult hero, a joyful player to watch when he’s at his peak. However, Arsenal simply have better options now and options who are in form.

Merino’s impact has only rubbed further salt into the wounds. At the moment, he looks like Arsenal’s best centre-forward. How remarkable is that?

£50m Arsenal star who was becoming the new Zinchenko now looks undroppable

Arsenal’s £50m man has revived his career at the Emirates Stadium this week.

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By
Matt Dawson

Dec 4, 2025

The Pittsburgh Pirates are struggling yet again to kick off this MLB season, going 2-6 through the opening slate of games. As expected, Paul Skenes has been immaculate, allowing only two earned runs through his first two starts of the year. But the rest of the team has struggled to pick up the slack, and the lack of offense that doomed Pittsburgh more often than not in 2024 has reared its ugly head a few times already in 2025.

The Pirates opened this year with a seven-game road trip and dropped five of those contests. It didn't make for a very warm homecoming on Friday for the organization's home opener at PNC Park (which the Pirates also lost) as fans chanted for owner Bob Nutting to "sell the team." Speaking on the situation on Saturday ahead of Pittsburgh's matchup with the New York Yankees, Skenes delivered a strong message to those fans about who's really at fault for the poor start.

"Mr. Nutting and (manager Derek Shelton) aren't the ones playing," Skenes said, per ESPN. "We're the ones playing. If we were 8-0 through however many games we've played right now, the fans aren't booing. We've got to play better."

The Pirates have finished with a record above .500 exactly once since their last playoff season in 2015 and are generally consistent residents of the NL Central basement. The frustration of the fans has been boiling over for quite some time, regardless of the right party to blame. But Skenes wants everyone to remember it's still early days, and there's plenty of time to prove to the fanbase this season can be different.

"It's a long season," the reigning NL Rookie of the Year said. "I want to believe that it all evens out. But we aren't getting these games back. We will go on a stretch where we will go … 7-2 or wherever we are right now in an opposite way."

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A ausência de Pablo Maia no clássico do São Paulo contra o Palmeiras, que terminou na goleada por 5 a 0, mostrou um ponto importante para Dorival Júnior: a Cria de Cotia, mesmo com a pouca idade e pouco mais de um ano como profissional, é insubstituível no elenco.

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Inclusive, isso foi uma das grandes pautas da coletiva de imprensa dada pelo treinador após o vexame na casa do rival. Segundo as palavras do próprio treinador, a dificuldade de substituir o volante no Tricolor é justamente por não existir nenhum nome que apresente características parecidas.

Contra o Palmeiras, a tentativa foi Gabriel Neves. O uruguaio, por sua vez, atuando como primeiro volante, em uma função que não mostrou adaptação, tendo em vista que sempre se desenvolveu melhor no Tricolor como segundo volante (em um posicionamento parecido com o que Alisson exerce).

Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! São Paulo

O desempenho foi tão abaixo do esperado que chegou a ser substituído ainda no primeiro tempo, para a entrada de Rodrigo Nestor – um meia com características muito mais ofensivas.

Diferente do que Pablo Maia consegue mostrar, sabendo dominar as funções de marcação no meio de campo como primeiro volante e ter objetividade nos passes, o companheiro não conseguiu fornecer esta proteção na área, onde muitas das jogadas importantes do Palmeiras na goleada surgiram.

O impacto de Pablo Maia no elenco do São Paulo é tanto que Dorival Júnior revelou que, de todos os nomes disponíveis, é o mais difícil de ser substituído.

– Não tínhamos outro caminho. Quando a falta do Pablo Maia acontece, temos algumas dificuldades em relação à característica desse jogador que difere dos demais. Não são maus jogadores, espero que entendam, mas destoam das características. A estratégia depois é natural que não tenham sido positivas – explicou o treinador.

Assédio da Europa
Pablo Maia chama atenção pela pouca idade e pelo desempenho que mostra em campo desde seus primeiros momentos como profissional. Revelado em Cotia, começou a ser relacionado no elenco principal no começo do Campeonato Paulista de 2022, sob o comando de Rogério Ceni. Naquela edição, inclusive, chegou a receber um prêmio de ‘revelação do Paulistão’. Desde então, se tornou titular e chegou até mesmo a aparecer no radar de times da Europa nos últimos meses.

O volante chegou a ser muito bem visto por times da Inglaterra, principalmente na janela do meio do ano. Nomes como West Ham tiveram conversas com o jogador e o Tricolor.

Mas diferente do que acontecia no último ano, por exemplo, com nomes como Gabriel Sara, a postura do São Paulo quando se trata de joias agora é diferente. O Tricolor só negociaria por propostas muito boas, não precisando mais ‘vender por necessidade’.

Vale destacar que Pablo Maia teve seu contrato renovado em abril deste ano. O vínculo vai até dezembro de 2027.

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim looks to be on thin ice as inconsistent results have sparked concern about whether he is capable of taking United to the next level, with the manager set to be forced into personnel changes this weekend.

After securing a surprising win against world champions Chelsea, it looked like United were going to record their first back-to-back Premier League wins under Amorim as they faced relegation candidates Brentford. However, two early goals from Igor Thiago shattered United’s hopes, and they went on to lose 3-1.

This defeat has reignited speculation that Amorim may be replaced, with names like former England boss Gareth Southgate being linked. United’s next fixture is against newly promoted Sunderland, who have made a strong start to the season…

Amorim forced into changes despite Wilcox and Berrada faith

Reports indicate that there is internal concern at United that Amorim’s position will become untenable if he doesn’t make a change and suffers defeat to the Black Cats.

Indeed, Teamtalk journalist Dean Jones has shared a scoop from inside Old Trafford that Amorim has to change his personnel in light of his refusal to alter his system, and that failure this weekend could be the nail in the coffin.

“There is no way he can go into the Sunderland game and just play the same old tape yet again. I have spoken to connections close to the club, and there seems to be an expectation that this time, something does change. Realistically, it probably will not be the system.

“Because they have worked so tirelessly on his formation, he will probably roll it out again – but one thing he can do this time is change the personnel. This is the area that people seem to feel is most likely to change.

“It’s a huge game for him! And it really could lead to a big decision over his future if it goes badly. So let’s see whether he is brave enough to make a bold call or two. I get the feeling he might finally do it – maybe in goal or midfield…or both.”

The internal pressure that Jones mentions is reportedly not coming from Jason Wilcox or Omar Berarda, who both want Amorim to have until the end of the season to give him a chance to turn things around. Part of the reason they want this may be down to United leading the league in a number of attacking metrics like chances created this season, and they may be sympathetic with the head coach that his players are failing to capitalise.

How Man Utd could line up against Sunderland

Jones highlighted the goal and midfield as two areas where Amorim could make a change, but there are other positions that could be modified as well.

So far this season, Altay Bayindir has been Amorim’s favoured goalkeeper, with the previous first choice, Andre Onana, being exiled on loan to Turkey. However, a number of mistakes have led to calls for deadline day signing Senne Lemmens to be given a chance in goal. The 23-year-old has reportedly impressed in training, and against newly promoted Sunderland, he may be given a chance to start.

In midfield, the lack of game time for Kobbie Mainoo has upset fans, as it looks like he may push for a move away from the club in January. Re-introducing the Carrington graduate to the starting lineup would likely carry some favour with the United faithful and may help them out on the pitch.

Another change Amorim could make is in the right wing-back position. Diogo Dalot was largely at fault for Brentford’s first goal, and if Amad is ready to play following his leave last week, then that is a positive change that Amorim could make.

Jones said Amorim is unlikely to change his system, and since it’s creating chances, that isn’t surprising. With these potential changes, Amorim could both shore up his defence and add players who can score, but these changes would likely be one of the last rolls of the dice for the manager.

علق محمد رشوان خبير اللوائح على قرارات اتحاد الكرة بشأن العقوبات ضد الأهلي والزمالك في بطولة كأس السوبر المصري، والتي تم إعلانها اليوم.

وقال محمد رشوان في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “صدى البلد”: “ما زلنا نلعب لعبة التوازنات، وأتمنى كمواطن مصري المشاركة في بطولة خارجية دون مشاكل، لكن للأسف كل مرة تحدث أزمة تُعكر الصفو، لأننا لا نملك تعريفًا واضحًا للوائح”.

وأكمل: “الجميع قالوا إنه لا توجد عقوبة محددة على زيزو وفق اللوائح، لكننا فوجئنا ببيان اتحاد الكرة ثم تعديله لاحقًا لإضافة عقوبة زيزو، السباب الجماعي يجب أن يُواجه بحزم، والغرامة البالغة 100 ألف جنيه ليست رادعة، فلا بد من مواقف أكثر قوة”.

وواصل: “المشكلة ليست فقط في زيزو، بل تتكرر مع دونجا وأزمة النقاط وغيرها، وطول ما التوازنات هي التي تتحكم، لن نستطيع تطبيق القانون، البيان ذكر تكرار السباب الجماعي، ومعناه أن العقوبة يجب أن تكون مضاعفة”.

طالع.. رسميًا | عقوبات السوبر المصري 2026/2025.. تغريم الأهلي والزمالك وموقف زيزو

وأشار: “هشام نصر قال إنه لم يكن سيسلم على اللاعب، كلام لا يصح، وهو نفسه يستحق الإيقاف، لأن الموقف لا يُدار بالعواطف، ولازم تكون المسطرة القانونية واضحة”.

وزاد: “زيزو سيتظلم على القرار، وسيستند إلى ما قاله هشام نصر بأنه لم يكن سيسلم عليه، وإلى أنه صافح أحمد عبد الرؤوف واللاعبين على الدكة، وسيطالب بإبراز النص في اللائحة الذي يعاقب اللاعب إذا لم يصافح أحدًا”.

وبسؤاله هل ممكن يتم معاقبة مسؤول وفقا للائحة؟، أجاب: “لا يوجد، لكن الأصل في القانون أن يطبق على الجميع وأي عنصر من عناصر اللعبة، لازم يكون ليك علاقة كعضو مجلس إدارة، والأصل في الطعن هي على العقوبات التي لا تستند إلى القانون، زيزو سيقول أريد النص في اللائحة الذي على أساسه إذا لم أصافح أحد توقع على عقوبة”.

وأتم: “الزمالك أيضًا من حقه أن يتقدم بتظلم على عقوبة بيزيرا، وأعتقد أن العقوبتين سيم رفعهما، لكن أهم شيء أن تكون اللوائح واضحة منعا للقيل والقال”.

Guglielmo Vicario was the Tottenham hero as the Italian goalkeeper produced a heroic individual display to earn his side a 0-0 draw in Monaco on Wednesday. Spurs remain unbeaten in the Champions League and that is largely down to Vicario, who saved four times from Folarin Balogun and produced his best stop of the night to keep out a close-range Jordan Teze header.

Spurs saw the home side take the ascendency from the early stages, as Maghnes Akliouche and Ansu Fati threatened to cause havoc in a couple of early openings. Akliouche was the home side's outstanding player throughout and created countless opportunities.

Vicario would show his worth as the first half progressed, saving from Balogun three times as the goalkeeper came out on top in a tense battle with the former Arsenal striker. Coming out to thwart the United States international in a one-on-one, he then got down sharply to keep out Balogun once again just before half-time.

Other than the occasional spark from Wilson Odobert, Spurs rarely threatened – a theme which only heightened in the second period as Monaco turned the needle with a series of attacking substitutions and Thomas Frank's side struggled to react.

Takumi Minamino was off target three times when he should have scored, while Vicario was at his very best to keep out Teze. There was still time for Tottenham to create one decisive opportunity at the other end, as Pape Matar Sarr squared for fellow substitute Brennan Johnson, but the Welshman did not catch it cleanly, and his shot was blocked.

GOAL rates Tottenham's players from Stade Louis-II…

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Guglielmo Vicario (9/10):

A top performance by the goalkeeper. His three saves from Balogun in the first half prevented the home side being out of sight, while his point-blank reaction stop from Teze preserved a point.

Pedro Porro (6/10):

Played his part to ensure a point was earned, but had a tough evening as Monaco created chances from all angles.

Micky van de Ven (7/10):

Captain for the night, Van de Ven made a few crucial interventions to ensure his side left with a point. Came close with a header which flashed over at the other end.

Kevin Danso (7/10):

Put in a solid display at the back and has proven a worthy understudy for Romero. Vicario will get the headlines, but Spurs' entire defensive unit had a role to play in the shutout.

Archie Gray (8/10):

Making his first ever Champions League start, but you would never have been able to tell. Incredibly comfortable playing in several different positions, the teenager made several key interceptions and tackles, barely putting a foot wrong for his side.

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Joao Palhinha (7/10):

Did his job effectively and made some great tackles, though it was a tough assignment against the likes of Akliouche, who drifted across the attacking positions for Monaco.

Rodrigo Bentancur (5/10):

Struggled to exert any control in the middle of the park as Spurs were second-best for long periods. Taken off after an hour to be replaced by Sarr.

Lucas Bergvall (4/10):

Wasn't his finest showing. The Swede was dispossessed in his own half on a couple of occasions and twice bailed out by his goalkeeper with Balogun looking a certainty to score. Playing in a more attacking midfield area, he contributed little to chance creation at the other end and was withdrawn alongside Bentancur on the hour mark.

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Mohammed Kudus (6/10):

The Ghanaian's delivery continues to be impressive from the right, though he made less of a game-changing difference than in other recent fixtures and struggled to get into the match in the second half.

Richarlison (5/10):

Did not have as much service as he would have liked on his return to the side. One first-half opportunity was comfortably saved.

Wilson Odobert (7/10):

Showed a sign of things to come as he got in behind and flashed a ball across goal after just 15 seconds. The 20-year-old Frenchman justified his selection and was one of Spurs' biggest outlets, setting up chances for Richarlison and Van de Ven with great pieces of footwork. Faded slightly in the second half and was substituted after picking up a knock.

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Pape Matar Sarr (6/10):

Was not able to turn the tide in midfield but did his share defensively to keep out the home side, while his ball across led to arguably Spurs' best chance of the game for Johnson.

Xavi Simons (4/10):

Brought on to make something happen but appeared short on ideas. Content to slow down rare attacks rather than play a killer final ball, while a shooting chance from range flew well over the crossbar.

Randal Kolo Muani (5/10):

Struggled to get into the game following his introduction, but showed a willingness to run for his side as they held out for a point.

Brennan Johnson (5/10):

Could have been the hero late on, but it was not to be. Continues to suffer from a lack of minutes in recent weeks.

Djed Spence (6/10):

Replaced Kudus late on as Spurs looked to shore things up at the back.

Thomas Frank (6/10):

It was far from a vintage performance by his side, but they came away with a valuable point. Had it not been for Vicario's heroics and some wayward finishing by the hosts, though, Spurs would have had no complaints at returning to London with nothing.