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Graham Ford appeared unfazed as his side left Chelmsford after a damp draw against Essex

Will Macpherson at Chelmsford10-May-2016The opening match of Sri Lanka’s tour of England, against Essex, could hardly be filed under “dream starts” but coach Graham Ford appeared unfazed as his side left Chelmsford with a damp draw.Having been bowled out by a schoolboy on debut under perfect skies on Sunday, the Sri Lankans took just four Essex wickets in 100 overs (the maximum the game’s regulations allowed), as England aspirants and solid county pros alike made hay, before the final day – in which they would have been batting to save the game – was washed out.To compound their problems, seamer Dhammika Prasad – who so impressed in their series win two years ago – left the field with a shoulder injury on the second afternoon; Sri Lanka later said a scan had proved inconclusive but he would certainly sit out the second warm-up match against Leicestershire starting on Friday.”There is no doubt that we could have done with the time out there,” Ford told ESPNcricinfo. “We are going to require more time to adjust to the conditions. One or two of the batters showed some decent form and, pleasingly, there weren’t many soft dismissals, but without question we are going to have to work on how we play the swinging ball. The bowlers needed a bit of a gallop but I felt that, while we didn’t start great with the ball, there were patches yesterday where we bowled a hell of a lot better.”Yesterday was a long day for the bowlers, and I’m sure they will have benefitted from that; time in the legs, having to bowl long spells and hit good areas for sustained periods. We batted on quite a lively wicket on day one, which was a test and some players showed some form on that, then the wicket did get a bit flatter and we had to work quite hard with the ball. That’s a pretty reasonable exercise, I’d say.”Ford admitted that selection for the first Test – at Headingley a week on Thursday – is far from ironed out. The two men competing for the No.3 spot – Kusal Mendis (who occupied the position in this match) and Niroshan Dickwella, who batted at No.8 – were the stand-out batsmen, making aggressive and attractive half-centuries on the first day. Lahiru Thirimanne, who would also be in contention for the spot, is recovering from his hamstring injury and could play the second game at Leicester. “He’s close,” said Ford, “he’s done everything the S&C coach and physio want of him, which is a good sign.”It’s too early to be clear on the side,” he said. “Mendis and Dickwella, what’s exciting there is that they are both showing that they can play and are finding form, which is all you can ask in the early part of a tour. We have a bit of cricket to play, so we shall make decisions on things like who will keep wicket [Dinesh Chandimal and Dickwella both took the gloves at times in this game] closer to the time. That’s one of the things that is frustrating about losing that time today.”The game at Grace Road, which begins on Friday, poses selection issues of its own. Among the bowlers, Rangana Herath will return, and Dushmantha Chameera and Suranga Lakmal are also expected to play. “The bowling was much improved yesterday, but the bowlers need to improve our lengths and find some swing, because we know what a weapon that is. We will certainly be looking at one or two other options.”We have a few questions we need to answer, and at Leicester it’s important the batsmen show some real form. There’s nothing like time in the middle. We want big scores and we want them at the crease for long periods of time.”Ford seemed more surprised at the stunning weather for the opening day than Tuesday’s rain. “I knew we would get some dodgy weather at some stage,” he said, “but it’s still frustrating. We were lucky on Sunday, but we actually need to be getting used to the cold fingers and hands for when we head to Leeds and Durham. Suddenly we will run into that and the adjustment will have to happen pretty quickly!”Ford, who coached Surrey as recently as last season, was also unsurprised by the quality of opposition his side faced. “This Essex side is a particularly strong batting unit, but I was massively impressed with young Aaron Beard. Tom Westley made runs against Surrey and I’m well aware of his ability – he’s a wonderful talent. Things are looking very good for them here.”

Eden Hazard admits to always returning for pre-season overweight, with the ex-Chelsea and Real Madrid star making sure that he enjoyed his summers.

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Belgian forward faced fitness questionsAdmits to letting himself go at timesRetired from football at the age of 32WHAT HAPPENED?

The former Belgium international regularly faced questions of his physical condition when linking up with training camps ahead of any given campaign. That criticism intensified during his time at Santiago Bernabeu, as form and fitness proved hard to come by in Spain.

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Hazard accepts that he would come back a little heavy, but makes no apologies for that as he was determined to make the most of a break in competitive action. With his body pushed to breaking point during gruelling domestic, continental and international campaigns, he was reluctant to do any kind of serious exercise when there was too much fun to be had.

WHAT HAZARD SAID

Hazard told the hosted by his one-time Chelsea team-mate John Obi Mikel when asked about his supposed weight issues: “It was true. But me, every summer I was putting on four or five kilos because I was thinking you give so much for 10 months, you put your body at the highest level and people kick you, so your time off is your time off. Don’t ask me to do anything. I enjoy being with my family, going to the beach, so don’t ask me to run in those three or four weeks. I can play football on the beach with my kids, no problem, but don’t ask me to run.

“But if you look throughout my career, the first month [of the season] is the bit where I was thinking it’s just the beginning, and then from September and October I was flying, because I needed time to put my body and mind in the best way. So yes, it’s true, I came back after holidays with five kilos, I knew it. As a Belgian guy, we love beers because my country has the best beers in the world, so I’m not telling you I used to drink every day because it’s not true, but sometimes after a good game, one or two is nice.”

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GOALWHAT NEXT FOR HAZARD?

Hazard announced his retirement in October 2023 at just 32 years of age. He had been released by Real Madrid after four forgettable seasons in La Liga and opted against taking on another new challenge despite being linked with clubs around the world.

Los Blancos may have beaten Liverpool handily at Anfield, but that performance was an outlier during what has been a tough 2023 at Santiago Bernabeu

Carlo Ancelotti's recent press conferences have become repetitive. On a weekly basis,the Real Madrid boss is asked about expiring contracts, his refusal to stick to one tactical system, and why Eden Hazard is, once again, injured. He is drilled about why Barcelona are nine points ahead in La Liga. And then, finally, in some form, he is asked about his long-term future at Santiago Bernabeu.

Such questions would be hard to believe for those who watched Madrid thrash Liverpool at Anfield just three weeks ago, but as the Italian coach prepares for the return leg, he does so under increasing pressure.

Los Blancos have fallen behind an inexperienced Barca side in La Liga, and will see their title defence all-but end if they lose to their arch-rivals in Sunday's Clasico.

📺 Watch Champions League games on Paramount+ in the U.S.💻 Watch Champions League games on BT Sport in the UK⚽️ Where to watch Real Madrid vs Liverpool

Their record against Barca this season doesn't bode well for them, have already lost the Spanish Super Cup final to Xavi's side, while they are 1-0 down after the home leg of their Copa del Rey semi-final.

At this point, then, it is likely to be Champions League or bust for the veteran manager. He simply has to finish the job against Liverpool on Wednesday, and perhaps go on and win a second succesive European Cup; his job could depend on it.

GettyFrom dominance to defeats

Ancelotti has steadily come under pressure as the season has worn on in Madrid.

This time last year, Los Blancos were pulling away domestically and pulling off miraculous Champions League comebacks. The ex-Chelsea boss was being hailed for his laissez-faire coaching style, with fans and media alike marveling at his side's controlled brilliance.

Madrid felt like a unique side in modern European football. They barely wavered from their own style, regardless of the match situation. They were battered for long periods, but always stuck in games, showing remarkable self-belief to work themselves out of situations that other teams would have wilted in.

Now, though, things have changed. Madrid are very beatable. Those displays where opponents got the better of them statistically are turning into actual defeats.

Ancelotti, meanwhile, has been steadfast in his tactics, even while the 'vibe' that he creates seems to be wearing off.

AdvertisementGetty Images The loss that changed everything

In fairness, everything seemed to be running pretty smoothly during the first few months of the season. Madrid didn't lose a single domestic game until November. They brushed off Xavi's new-look Barcelona in the first Clasico of the season, and held off Atletico in the Madrid Derby.

Although there was an occasional European slip up – marked by a frustrating but forgivable 3-2 defeat to a resurgent RB Leipzig – Madrid looked composed as the World Cup break loomed.

Then Rayo Vallecano happened.

Madrid were hoping to go top of the table with a win, but instead they let slip a 2-1 lead to lose 3-2 in a game where their hosts deserved to win by a far greater margin.

After the game, Ancelotti slammed his side. He singled out the performances of Vinicius Junior and Marco Asensio as being below-par, but did concede that his team were tired after a stretch of 11 games in 36 days.

It was unusual to see a manager as calm as Ancelotti criticise individuals. The Madrid boss had so regularly hailed his players and praised performances that a negative press conference was hard to believe.

GettyBarca hand out a Supercopa embarrassment

That showing was forgotten somewhat as Madrid brushed off Cadiz in their last game before the World Cup, but some of the same problems from that Rayo defeat have remained since the break for Qatar 2022.

Madrid regularly show a lack of bite in front of goal, predictability in attack and errors in progressing the ball out of the back.

It all came to a head in the Spanish Super Cup final in mid-January as they faced Barcelona. The Blaugrana were hardly flying when they entered the contest, as they had scraped past Atletico Madrid in the league and then needed penalties to beat Real Betis in the semi-final. Robert Lewandowski was serving a lengthy league suspension and Barca were struggling to create chances in his absence.

But in Riyadh, the Blaugrana battered Real Madrid.

Xavi introduced a new formation, playing four central midfielders in a modified 4-2-3-1 formation. Ancelotti, meanwhile, stuck with his traditional system, and could only watch on as Barca scored twice in the first half, with a late consolation goal from Karim Benzema doing little to dress up a 3-1 embarrassment.

More pressing than the result, though, was the performance. Madrid constantly gave the ball away in midfield, and were blown apart in transition by a younger, quicker and more alert Barca side. It was all very out of character for an Ancelotti team.

Ancelotti inadvertently highlighted the worrying nature of the result after the loss: "Real Madrid usually win finals, and we’ve lost this one," he said following the result.

The result was a breaking of the usual mould. Madrid, perennial winner and masters of big games, had lost their most significant of the season so far.

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Getty ImagesPersistent mistakes

A series of faults and failures in the league have followed, although Madrid aren't losing games in spades; they're simply drawing too often. Since the World Cup, they have drawn with Real Betis, Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad. They have also lost to Villarreal and Mallorca.

There's a pattern to these performances, too, with Madrid relying too heavily on the brilliant but mercurial Vinicius.

They run everything through their star winger, who can change a game at any given moment, but that predictability has allowed opposing teams to adapt. The Brazilian is double or triple-teamed every time he touches the ball, and kicked whenever he rounds an opponent.

Defensive mistakes have followed, with first Ferland Mendy and then Eduardo Camavinga leaving Los Blancos exposed at left-back.

Ballon d'Or winner Benzema has struggled with injury, while knocks and tired legs in midfield have prevented Ancelotti from fielding a consistent XI in 2023.

It all amounts to a spluttering squad, one that is steadily being figured out by the teams around it.

Most managers would change. They would see the faults in their system and experiment. Another coach might realise that teenager Alvaro Rodriguez is a more direct striking option, and employ him as a No.9 instead of the attacking midfielder Rodrygo when Benzema is absent. A different manager could adjudge that defensive-midfielder Camavinga cannot simply be slipped into a left-back spot without cover.

Ancelotti, though, has stuck to his guns. He probably has every right to. The Italian has won everything in football, and has been notoriously reluctant to fiddle with things. Ancelotti is, for better or worse, set in his ways.

The right-back is under no illusions that Manchester City need to win the Champions League final to be considered among the greatest teams ever.

Walker has spent six glorious seasons with City, winning almost every trophy imaginable. But he wants his side to be talked about as among the best teams the Premier League has ever seen. And he knows that, without the Champions League, there will always be a question mark hanging over Pep Guardiola's side.

Despite lifting a fifth Premier League crown in six seasons, reaching a record 100 points in 2018 and collecting six domestic trophies, including beating Manchester United in Saturday's FA Cup final, Walker believes that in the eyes of many people, City are still not regarded as the very best.

He believes that title, for now, belongs to United's treble winners in 1999 and the Arsenal 'Invincibles', who clinched the 2003/04 title without losing a single game. But he knows that if his side can beat Inter in the Champions League final and complete a treble of their own, the debate will be over.

"I think that United team, along with the Invincibles, is probably up there with the best Premier League teams of all time," Walker tells a pack of reporters at City's training ground four days before the final in Istanbul.

"What us and Liverpool, to a certain extent, have done where we have been battling for the last number of years, I think we should be in consideration. Both teams as we both have fantastic players.

"But they have silverware and they have got the big Champions League trophy that we can never say we have got. For us to be in contention of talking around that we need to go and pick up this one."

Getty Images'All big teams have to go through setbacks'

Walker and City have been to the Champions League final before and lost. Their 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in Porto two years ago hit Walker hard and it was the first of two agonising final defeats that summer, as England made it to the European Championship final two months later only to lose to Italy on penalties.

But Walker believes it was also something they had to go through, an obstacle they needed to climb over to build resilience.

“I don't think any great team goes straight to the final and wins it. I think you always have to go through setbacks, those nearly games, those losses – even with the national team each step of the way we have got to a semi-final, got to a final, and hopefully big things are around the corner," Walker said.

"I think all big teams have to go through setbacks to actually maybe give you the little bit of desire where you want to actually turn that… seeing people walk up the steps at Wembley and change that to you are actually walking up and people are clapping you.

“I didn't really have much time to get over it as I had to tune back into England and go and compete in a tournament for my country. It was hard seeing all the Chelsea boys there.

"You say congratulations to them because they are your team-mates now but it was tough but then I experienced a loss against Italy in the final and then I had to pick myself up again and get ready for the season. That's football, it's part of your career that everything is not going to go swimmingly well."

AdvertisementGetty ImagesBeing publicly questioned by Guardiola

Walker knows that only too well. He has spent his career dealing with doubts from outside about his ability, about the fact City paid £50 million to sign him in 2017. And this season he faced doubts from his own manager.

Guardiola took him out of the team for a sustained period between March and April, including benching him for key games against Liverpool, RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich while he tried out a new system.

If that wasn't bad enough, Walker then had to endure the bizarre spectacle of Guardiola openly expressing his doubts about the player's ability in a press conference. Walker has previously spoken about how hard it was to take his manager calling him out in public. But he had little choice but to get on with it and try to prove him wrong.

“It's his opinion. He's my manager and I have to listen to him, if his opinion is right or wrong it's not my decision. He's the boss of this club and makes the decision who goes onto the field and I have to accept that, right or wrong, get my head down, do my extra work in the gym," Walker said.

"Make sure I am putting in performances on the training field so when I am called upon he's not saying 'That's why I was dropping you, because you are not playing well'. When I have got the chance I have tried to do what I do, play good football and defend well and hopefully that will give him the confidence to carry on picking me in the big games."

Walker came back fighting and two weeks later he was back in the team for the title showdown against Arsenal. He has kept his place for the biggest matches, putting Vinicius Junior in his pocket in both matches against Real Madrid and putting in another fine defensive display against United in the FA Cup final.

Standing his ground when the going gets tough

Walker has always had a thick skin, which he developed during an unforgiving upbringing on the Lansdowne estate in Sharrow, Sheffield. He has spoken before of witnessing horrific scenes as a child, such as an arson attack on his street, and a man who took his own life right by his flat.

Asked if that difficult childhood has helped him deal with footballing setbacks, he agrees. "Kind of. My upbringing is my upbringing. When I say certain things about it people look at me thinking 'What actually happened?' but that was my upbringing. It has channelled me into this path where I am now," he said.

"Do I think I can overcome certain things when the going gets tough, can I stand my heels in the ground and then keep moving? I think I can do that. But that is just the way I have been brought up, especially in England where people bring up up to pull you back down. That's the way the world works, especially this country."

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Getty Images'More excitement than nerves'

Walker's years of experience at the highest level means he will not be feeling pre-match nerves, even ahead of the Champions League final. But he will be itching for the game to start. He confessed that he dislikes late kick offs and Saturday's game at Istanbul's Ataturk Olympic Stadium will be even worse as it kicks off at 10pm local time.

“I wouldn't say it's nerves, I'm 33 now so I wouldn't say I get nervous. I hate eight o'clock games because it is the wait of all day to go to the game. I'd rather it kicked off at three o'clock and then it is done then," he said.

"Obviously there is a little bit of nerves and I think nerves are good, you have to channel them in the right direction to make you perform well, but it is more excitement rather than nerves."

Before matches, all he does is "eat and sleep". "Obviously you need to get your nutrition in and move around the hotel if you need to get some treatment but it is about preparing so you are mentally fresh for the game. What else can you do, you can't bring the game forward, I just have to deal with it and have a little nap in the afternoon. Then I don't sleep after the game."

Gio Reyna has his smile back, with the Borussia Dortmund star enjoying a “great night” at club level after a two-goal showing for the USMNT.

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Injuries have held midfielder backHas rediscovered form and fitnessLooking to add consistency to his gameWHAT HAPPENED?

The 20-year-old midfielder has endured a tough time with injury through his relatively short professional career to date, with enforced spells on the sidelines preventing him from making the desired impact with club and country.

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There is, however, no doubting Reyna’s ability when clear of fitness problems, and he has been reiterating that point of late. Having put any differences with national team boss Gregg Berhalter to one side, the talented youngster bagged a brace for the United States in their recent 4-0 victory over Ghana.

DID YOU KNOW?

He had to make do with a place on the bench when returning to domestic action in Germany, but an impressive 28-minute cameo for Dortmund saw him help his club side to a 1-0 win over Werder Bremen – leading to him enjoying a “great Friday night” with team-mate Donyell Malen.

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WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Reyna has only seen 54 minutes of Bundesliga game time for Dortmund this season, after shaking off his latest knock, but he is enjoying his football again and will be hoping to add greater consistency to his game over the coming months as he steers clear of the treatment table.

Arsenal made Champions League history as they wreaked havoc in the first half of their clash against Lens on Wednesday.

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Arsenal run riot in the EmiratesFirst English team to lead by five at half-timeJoint-fastest to score four goalsWHAT HAPPENED?

The Gunners are dancing their way into the Champions League last 16 as group leaders after an exhilarating first-half performance against the French outfit on at the Emirates. They were 5-0 up before half-time with goals from Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard. Mikel Arteta's men etched their names in the history books as they became the first-ever English side to lead by that many goals at half-time in Europe's top-flight cup competition.

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It was 15 minutes of blitzkrieg from the north London side that saw them score four goals before their skipper Martin Odegaard added another at the stroke of half-time. Those minutes fired them to another bit of record-making history as they became the joint-fastest English side, along with Manchester United, to score four times in the first 27 minutes. Notably, the Red Devils attained the feat against Brondby in the 1998-99 season – the same campaign when they bagged the record-breaking treble.

DID YOU KNOW?

Havertz has been in scintillating form this November as he netted his third goal in four matches. The German international once again ghosted into space to slot beyond Lens keeper Brice Samba from close range after Gabriel Jesus set him up with a flick-on.

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(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

Arsenal will sail into the knockouts by finishing top of Group B, irrespective of their result against PSV away from home on December 12. After the dominant victory in Europe, Arteta will now shift focus to the Premier League where they are set to host Wolves next on Saturday.

Pakistan tried to sink their teeth into the target and suddenly found it was more than they could chew. The top three fell early, but Shoaib Malik and Umar Akmal buckled down and took Pakistan to a seven-wicket victory against UAE in Mirpur

The Report by Alagappan Muthu in Mirpur29-Feb-2016 by seven wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details1:08

100 T20Is for Pakistan

UAE’s decision to bat seemed a bit like someone doing away with the veggies so they could get to the meat quicker. All their captain Amjad Javed hoped for was “120 to 130” runs; they got 129. Pakistan tried to sink their teeth into the target and suddenly found it was more than they could chew. The top three fell by the time the fourth over of the chase began, but Shoaib Malik and Umar Akmal buckled down and took Pakistan to a seven-wicket victory in Mirpur.While that margin indicates it was all hunky dory, Javed’s new-ball burst and the way he could rally his team together had given UAE a strong chance to record their first victory against a Full Member. He took three wickets off his first seven balls to make his team believe, and then made sure they did not waver by slinging his arm around every one of his bowlers while he was at the top of his run-up and clapping his hands until they stung.Pakistan were 17 for 3 when Akmal and Malik got together. They recognised the momentum was with UAE, but knew they could turn it around. They just had to bide their time, to keep their wickets intact and take the chase deep so that the ball wouldn’t be swinging and their experience could trump UAE’s adrenaline. The first boundary of their fourth-wicket partnership came off the 15th ball and the next one came off the 31st but overhauling a target of 130 doesn’t take pyrotechnics. Just patience.There was a moment when UAE could have stormed back. With 40 runs to win from 26 balls, Malik dragged a Mohammad Shahzad bouncer from outside off and the resulting top-edge seemed destined for deep square leg’s hands but Usman Mushtaq, who was brought into the XI in place of Saqlain Haider, dropped it. Malik reached his fifty with a four and a six off the next two balls he faced and along with Akmal sealed Pakistan’s victory with their unbeaten 114-run partnership.Javed was in uproar when the catch went down. He could have had a match-winning three-wicket haul after all. He dismissed Sharjeel Khan lbw, but replays showed the ball would have climbed over the stumps. Two balls later, Khurram Manzoor was caught behind playing an unwise cut against a rising ball that didn’t give him the requisite room to free his arms.Javed’s final wicket of the night though came about because of the room he offered to the batsman. Mohammad Hafeez thought he had an easy put away through the covers but failed to keep his drive down much to the glee of one of UAE’s best fielder Fahad Tariq. The one over he saved for the death turned out to be dreadful as Malik and Akmal caned 23 off it to pull ahead.That Pakistan would need to huff and puff a bit had not seemed likely when they had UAE at 12 for 3 in four overs. Mohammad Amir was in the thick of things again, bowling a first over that went for only one run and following up with a second that had five dot balls and an indipper that squeezed through Muhammad Kaleem’s limp defences. At the other end, Mohammad Sami made Rohan Mustafa pay for driving on the up by summoning some extra bounce. The batsman spooned a simple catch to mid-off and extra bounce from the seven-foot tall Mohammad Irfan accounted for Mohammad Shahzad.Pakistan were barely at full throttle. They even rested their fastest bowler Wahab Riaz to give left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz an international debut. But the rest stacked enough balls around middle and off stump to capitalise on the batsmen’s mistakes.Shaiman Anwar stuck it out for 46 off 42 balls, but he may have been helped by Pakistan resorting to spin soon after the Powerplay. Shahid Afridi brought himself on, at the other end came Nawaz and UAE found some relief. They were 20 for 3 and going nowhere, but seven overs of slow bowling got them to 70 for 4. Anwar even took Afridi for a hat-trick of fours – a cut right through the point fielder, a beautiful loft over extra cover and a superbly-timed sweep. Lucky over 13 yielded 17 runs, the most UAE have scored in one over against a Full Member in T20Is.There had been plenty of plays and misses because the UAE batsmen had not faced quick bowlers of this quality. At the 2015 World Cup, then captain Mohammad Tauqir had been shocked at the South Africa quicks roughing up their batsmen with bouncers. Here too, the company of Amir, Irfan and Sami were outclassing them. Amir had 21 dot balls out of 24, Irfan and Sami had 15 apiece.Still, UAE went down swinging in their death overs as edges and mis-hits flew to the boundary to get a total that gave them a chance. But once again, they couldn’t seal the deal and are now out of the Asia Cup.

Manchester United midfielder Casemiro has ended his career-long contract with Nike to sign with adidas, much like several other world stars.

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Casemiro left Nike for adidasAmerican brand forced to cut $2bn from budgetMartinez, Grealish previously departed NikeWHAT HAPPENED?

The Brazilian is now an ambassador for adidas, according to , and was seen wearing Predator boots during United's 2-1 win at Aston Villa on Sunday. The midfielder had been wearing Nike boots since beginning his career with Sao Paulo through to his trophy-laden spell with Real Madrid and his first 18 months with United.

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Casemiro is the latest high-profile to end ties with Nike after United team-mate Lisandro Martinez, Bayern Munich star Harry Kane plus Jack Grealish, Mateo Kovacic and Manuel Akanji of Manchester City. The exodus has coincided with Nike pledging to cut their budget by $2 billion (£1.58bn) over the next three years, leading them to rip up contracts with some of the biggest footballers.

DID YOU KNOW?

United have won all four matches since Casemiro returned to action in late January, having injured his hamstring against Newcastle on November 1.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR CASEMIRO?

The Brazilian has improved steadily after making a poor start to the season and his return to form has helped United revive their season. The Red Devils will look to build on their recent run of victories when they visit Luton Town in the Premier League on Sunday.

GOAL tells you everything you need to know about the new season, including which superstars have joined Cristiano Ronaldo in the Middle East…

Pep Guardiola knows a thing or two about spending sprees, so when the manager of Abu Dhabi-backed Manchester City says that Europe's elite clubs "need to be aware of what's happening" in the Saudi Pro League, you can be sure that something seriously significant is going down.

As the Catalan has correctly pointed out, the SPL has "changed the transfer market" this summer, paying one inflated transfer fee after another for players convinced to move to the Middle East by stunning salaries. As Odion Ighalo put it when asked why he and the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo are in Saudi Arabia, "It's for money, bro."

The reasoning has been obvious from the start, though. The real interest lies in whether it's sustainable. It obviously is from a financial perspective. Saudi Arabian clubs have deep pockets, particularly Al-Nassr, Al-Ittihad, Al-Ahli and Al-Hilal – who have just been taken over by the country's Public Investment Fund in a clear attempt to create a 'Big Four'.

The historic spending spree that has followed has undeniably captured the attention of the footballing world – the question now is whether the SPL can keep a hold of it. An entertaining and competitive 2023-24 campaign would certainly help in that regard, with the emphasis on the new arrivals to not only elevate the standard of play but also make new fans out of the many interested overseas observers.

So, what can we expect from the new season? And who's likely to come out on top? GOAL tells you everything you need to know below…

GettyAl-Ittihad

Al-Ittihad are the reigning champions and obvious favourites to win this season's title after a very productive summer. After all, Nuno Espirito Santo had already turned them into the most well-balanced team in the Pro League. They scored 60 goals last season – only Ronaldo's Al-Nassr managed more – but conceded just 13.

It's not difficult, then, to see the champions being even better in 2023-24, with N'Golo Kante and Fabinho having arrived to give even greater protection to the backline, and current Ballon d'Or holder Karim Benzema set to spearhead an attack that has also been bolstered by the signing of former Celtic winger Jota, who could prove one of the surprise stars of the season, and still features last season's top scorer, Abderrazak Hamdallah.

Benzema, though, is obviously the key. He had his injury issues last season but he remains a world-class talent, which is precisely why Real Madrid were so desperate to keep him for another season. Indeed, the French forward is already banging in the goals in the Arab Club Champions Cup, so do not be at all surprised if Benzema beats former club-mate Ronaldo to the Pro League's top scorer award this season.

AdvertisementAl Nassr TwitterAl-Nassr

It's still hard to believe that Al-Nassr were top of the table when they signed Cristiano Ronaldo to great fanfare in January and yet failed to win the league. The Portuguese scored freely, of course, netting 14 times in just 16 games, but his frustration with Rudi Garcia's tactics quickly became obvious, and the French coach was sacked before the end of the 2022-23 campaign.

So the pressure now falls on Luis Castro to lead Al-Nassr to a first title since 2019. Ronaldo's compatriot doesn't exactly boast a stellar CV, but he did win the Ukrainian Premier League with Shakhtar Donetsk in 2020 and besides, he's taking over a squad that has been significantly strengthened over the summer.

How much Alex Telles will add to the defence is, of course, debatable after his trying time at Manchester United, but Seko Fofana should make a big impact in a midfield that will now be run by the excellent Marcelo Brozovic, who was Inter's best player in the Champions League final.

However, the signing that's generated most headlines is, of course, that of Sadio Mane. The Senegalese has endured a dramatic decline over the past 12 months that saw him go from a hero at Liverpool to a zero at Bayern Munich. However, the 31-year-old should still have more than enough left in the tank to run riot up front alongside Ronaldo, meaning Al-Nassr should once again be challenging for the title.

Hilal TwitterAl-Hilal

Al-Hilal's bid for a fourth consecutive Pro League title unravelled over the second half of last season, but that had a lot to do with the fact that they reached the final of both the Club World Cup, where they stunned Flamengo in the semi-finals, and the AFC Champions League.

However, the most successful side in Saudi Arabian football look far better equipped to win a record-extending 19th title this term – not least because they now have Jorge Jesus back in charge. The Portuguese fell out with his employers during his first spell at Al-Hilal, but he returns after four years away having only further enhanced his reputation as one of the game's great coaches by winning a Copa Libertadores with Flamengo, in 2019.

Jesus will also have a stellar squad at his disposal. Kalidou Koulibaly may have underwhelmed at Chelsea but the Napoli legend is an incredible acquisition for the centre of the defence, while Ruben Neves and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic have the makings of the best midfield pairing in the league.

Unlike many of the other players to have moved to Saudi Arabia this summer, both Neves and Milinkovic-Savic are still in their prime and the Serb, in particular, should quickly prove himself one of the most dominant players in the Pro League.

There have been no superstar signings up front as of yet – unless you count former Barcelona winger Malcom, who has joined from Zenit – but in Ighalo they already possess a proven goalscorer at this level. All things considered, a title challenge appears inevitable.

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Al Ahli TwitterAl-Ahli

Back in the top flight after winning last season's First Division, Al-Ahli were without a manager until the end of July before managing to lure Matthias Jaissle away from Red Bull Salzburg, which caused quite a bit of controversy. The German had won back-to-back Austrian titles with Salzburg, so they were furious when it emerged that he was in talks over a move to the Jeddah just two days before the start of the new Bundesliga season.

Al-Ahli won't care, though, after finally filling their coaching vacancy with the highly-rated Jaissle, who could work wonders with arguably the most exciting attacking line-up in the league. Star summer signings Roberto Firmino, Riyad Mahrez and Allan Saint-Maximin really should form a fantastically fluid forward line with enough flicks and tricks to bamboozle even the best defences in Saudi Arabia.

However, Al-Ahli have also strengthened elsewhere, with the signing of Franck Kessie from Barcelona representing a real coup, given he was tipped to join Juventus. The Ivorian will add quality and physicality to the midfield, while ex-Roma centre-back Roger Ibanez is a great addition to the backline.

As for Eduouard Mendy, the Senegalese goalkeeper may have suffered a serious slump at Stamford Bridge, resulting in him losing his starting spot to Kepa Arrizabalaga, but if he can get back to anything resembling his Champions League-winning best, he could prove a real difference-maker.

A title triumph is perhaps too much to expect from the newly-promoted side, but the PIF-backed team will be expected to at least challenge for top spot.

Jurgen Klopp's men have been in imperious form this term and Goal has picked out some of the key moments from their incredible campaign

Liverpool are 25 points clear at the top of the Premier League and look set to win the title for the first time ever.

It has been 30 years since the Reds lifted the top-flight trophy and with 27 wins from their first 29 matches, that drought is in line to end.

Goal takes a look at the 10 moments that defined Liverpool's impressive season.

Getty Images10Chelsea 1-2 Liverpool

One of the biggest questions surrounding Liverpool heading into the 2019-20 season was whether they could improve on their poor record against the "big six", having won just one of their last 10 away Premier League games at those sides.

The Reds went to Stamford Bridge after starting the campaign with five straight wins and continued that run thanks to two first-half goals, with Roberto Firmino opening the scoring before Trent Alexander-Arnold powered home from 20 yards out.

It was not easy from there and Chelsea had a goal disallowed by VAR for offside before N'Golo Kante pulled one back, but Liverpool held on to maintain their 100 per cent record.

AdvertisementGetty Images9Fabinho gets injured in November

Fabinho became an integral part of Liverpool's midfield after signing from Monaco in summer 2018, establishing himself as a regular starter in October.

The Brazilian picked up where he left off at the end of last season, starting 11 of the Reds' first 13 Premier League games, but disaster struck when he picked up a ligament injury against Napoli in the Champions League in November.

Losing any key player can temporarily derail a season, especially after such an impressive start, but Liverpool refused to buckle and won all eight league games that Fabinho missed.

Getty8Liverpool 3-2 West Ham

After 26 games of the campaign, Liverpool were romping to the title with a 19-point buffer over Manchester City and a game in hand on them.

That fixture saw West Ham visit Anfield and it looked to be business as usual when Georginio Wijnaldum opened the scoring, but the Hammers turned the narrative on its head to lead 2-1 with just 22 minutes left.

It was a scenario that previous Liverpool sides would have struggled to overcome, especially having suffered a 1-0 defeat at Atletico Madrid just days before, however Mohamed Salah's shot squirmed under Lukasz Fabianski before Sadio Mane netted the winner with just six minutes to go.

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Getty7Aston Villa 1-2 Liverpool

Newly-promoted Aston Villa were unbeaten in their last four home league games prior to this fixture and were just seconds away from making that five after Trezeguet's goal looked to have given them all three points.

Dean Smith's men held off Liverpool, who were below their best, until the 86th minute when Andy Robertson crashed home a header to at least preserve the Reds' 10-month unbeaten run in the league.

Another famous comeback was then completed deep into injury time when Sadio Mane flicked a header agonisingly past the outstretched arm of Tom Heaton to make it 10 wins from 11 games in the 2019-20 season for the Reds.