انطلقت منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا لموسم 2025-2026 في يومها الثاني مساء الأربعاء، بالجولة الأولى لمرحلة الدوري، وكان يومًا مليئا بالإثارة.

وحل نادي تشيلسي الإنجليزي بقيادة مدربه إنزو ماريسكا ضيفًا على نظيره بايرن ميونخ الألماني في ملعب “أليانز أرينا” في مستهل مشوارهما في بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وتمكن بايرن ميونخ من إحراز الهدف الأول في المباراة عن طريق تشالوباه مدافع تشيلسي بالخطأ في مرماه بالدقيقة 20 من عمر اللقاء.

وفي الدقيقة 27، احتسب حكم اللقاء ركلة جزاء لصالح رجال المدرب البلجيكي فنسينت كومباني، نفذها المهاجم الإنجليزي هاري كين ببراعة داخل مرمى الحارس الإسباني سانشيز.

وجاء الرد سريعًا من فريق تشيلسي وقلّص الدولي الإنجليزي كول بالمر، الفارق في النتيجة وسجل الهدف الأول لصالح البلوز بالدقيقة 29.

لكن هاري كين أعاد أفضلية فريقه مرة أخرى في النتيجة وسجل هدفًا رائعًا في الدقيقة 63، وبعد ذلك فشل تشيلسي في تسجيل أي هدف لتنتهي المباراة بفوز البافاري بثلاثية مقابل هدف. أهداف مباراة بايرن ميونخ وتشيلسي في دوري أبطال أوروبا

وفي ذات السياق، استطاع نادي باريس سان جيرمان أن يحقق فوزًا عريضًا على نظيره الإيطالي أتالانتا برباعية نظيفة في مستهل مشوراهما ببطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

افتتح المدافع البرازيلي ماركينيوس أولى أهداف الفريق الباريسي في الدقيقة التالتة من عمر اللقاء، ثم أضاف خفيتشا كفاراتسيخيليا الهدف الثاني في الدقيقة 39، وبعد ذلك أحرز نونو مينديز الهدف الثالث في الدقيقة 51 قبل أن يضرب كفارا أتالانتا بالهدف الثاني له في اللقاء والرابع لصالح فريقه. أهداف مباراة باريس سان جيرمان وأتالانتا في دوري أبطال أوروبا 

وفي ملعب “أمستردام أرينا”، استطاع إنتر ميلان أن يحقق فوزًا مهمًا في أول مباراة بدوري أبطال أوروبا على نظيره أياكس الهولندي بثنائية نظيفة جاءت بأقدام الشاب الفرنسي ماركوس تورام في الدقيقتين 42 و47.

It’s a step into the unknown for West Bromwich Albion next season with Ryan Mason at the helm.

Appointing the 33-year-old rookie boss is a bold next step that might well pay off for the Baggies, but he will have his work cut out for him from the get-go, with the likes of Grady Diangana, who had been a part of the furniture at the Hawthorns for some time, now heading out the exit door.

After those high-profile departures soured the mood somewhat, the ex-Tottenham Hotspur coach has been backed, notably with Aune Heggebo leaving Brann behind for a fee around the £4.7m mark to join the Championship side.

The additions up top might not grind to a halt here, however, despite the Nordic striker’s lavish fee, as more attacking signings look to be prioritised.

West Brom's next moves in the market

Diangana isn’t the only notable name in attack that could desert the Hawthorns, with Mikey Johnston still likely despondent after a £5m move to Flamengo fell through at the last minute.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Spurs youngster Mikey Moore might well be on the West Brom shopping list to bolster down this depleted left-hand side, therefore, but Heggebo could also have competition up top very shortly if the West Midlands outfit power on to snap up an EFL-experienced striker for free.

Indeed, a new report by the Sheffield Star has revealed that Rhian Brewster is unlikely to pen a new contract at his current employers Sheffield United, which will open the door for a suitor to snap up the ex-Liverpool forward for nothing.

The Star further indicates that Sunderland are looking at the hit-and-miss Blades striker, but a report by SportsBoom right at the start of July also suggested that the Baggies were keen on a move for the free agent.

This interest might well accelerate back into motion now this exclusive development has come to light, with West Brom perhaps eager to work their Josh Maja magic again on the former Blades number seven in unearthing a goalscoring diamond in the rough.

How West Brom can work their Maja magic on Brewster

Before transforming into West Brom’s number one option in attack, Maja had been through the wringer during his often bumpy playing days.

The one-time Nigeria international would initially come onto the radar of English football fans when rising the ranks at Sunderland, with Maja powering home a promising seven strikes from 29 Sunderland U23 appearances, before taking it up a notch even further when finding the back of the net 17 times in the senior picture.

However, everything started to unravel when he left the comforts of the Stadium of Light behind, with his spell at Bordeaux ridden with injuries, whilst then struggling to find his feet back on English soil with the likes of Stoke City and Fulham.

West Brom have managed to get the best out of the unfortunate 26-year-old again, with an impressive return of 12 strikes coming his way last season in Championship action, but he is still prone to an extended stay in the treatment room.

Games played

190

Goals scored

48

Assists

18

Games missed through injury

158

Days missed

1157

Brewster has an eerily similar story to Maja’s, considering the 25-year-old once had the world at his feet when leading the line for Liverpool in the U23 scene, before finding the men’s game to be a cruel beast.

He has since found his way back on the horse despite an injury-plagued few seasons in South Yorkshire, with a promising seven goal contributions coming his way last season, which led to his then-Blades boss Chris Wilder heralding him as “amazing” for his perseverance.

He might well be Mason’s very own Maja-like project if a move is sealed, with the London-born forward amazingly ahead of his Nigerian counterpart in terms of second-tier strikes bagged, as seen in his 18 strikes and counting, next to Maja’s 15.

With Brewster missing only seven clashes last campaign through injury, the hope will be that he can kick on and reclaim his former Reds magic – which saw him net a blistering 13 U23 goals at Anfield – only this time around it could secure a promotion in the senior game.

West Brom could land the dream Johnston replacement in "future superstar"

If Mikey Johnston does end up finalising a move away from West Bromwich Albion, this rising star could be a perfect replacement.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 8, 2025

Stalemate ensues at Chester-le-Street after lengthy rain delays

ECB Reporters Network29-Sep-2024Kent 353 for 8 dec (Leaning 84, Evison 77, Denly 63) drew with Durham 360 (Lees 144, Bedingham 66, Parkinson 6-109)Excellent knocks from Jack Leaning, Joe Denly and Joey Evison steered already-relegated Kent to a creditable draw in their rain-affected Vitality County Championship clash at Durham.Leaning and Denly led a good Kent batting performance, something that has been all too rare this season, and secured a draw on day four at the Seat Unique Riverside with some good batting with the tail from Evison.Leaning and Denly came together after an early wicket for the hosts and combined for a partnership worth 124, with Kent finishing on 353 for eight as the captain’s shook hands at 4:20pm.The draw gives Kent a good end to a disappointing season, with the county finishing bottom of Division One and as a result they will be playing in Division Two in 2025, where they will be targeting an instant return to the top tier.Meanwhile for Durham, they have secured a mid-table finish in their first Division One season for eight years and there’s plenty of positives for the North East county to take from their first season back amongst the elite, most notably the emergence of youngsters Ben McKinney, James Minto and Daniel Hogg. They will look to close the gap to the top of the table next season, with Will Rhodes, Sam Conners and Emilio Gay all joining permanently for the next campaign.In addition to that, depending on the schedule in 2025, they could also have England Test skipper Ben Stokes to call upon, he was spotted continuing his recovery from a hamstring injury at Chester-le-Street as he targets a return from injury for the Pakistan Test series.Kent resumed on 96 for three after an eventful third day at Chester-le-Street, with skipper Leaning and nightwatchman Jas Singh at the crease.Singh did his job and didn’t last long with him feathering a Bas de Leede ball down the legside to Ollie Robinson in the second over of the day.Leaning played a lovely straight drive from the bowling of de Leede to get himself going on day four.Denly looked in good touch and played a lovely cut shot on the offside for four as the former England man halted the hosts’ push for wickets along with his captain.Leaning then reached his fifty from 108 balls to give the already-relegated visitors some hope of picking up a creditable draw in the North East.At the other end Denly continued to find the boundary, with the experienced right-hander whipping a Chemar Holder delivery through mid-wicket for four.Durham had a chance to get Denly out as he played an aerial shot off the bowling of Minto, but Callum Parkinson dropped it at fine leg. It was a drop that the hosts would later regret as Denly reached his half-century, which came from 82 balls and included five fours.The visitors reached lunch without further loss and Leaning hit the first ball after the break through mid-wicket for four.Parkinson then dropped Denly again after he failed to take a tricky return catch off his own bowling. However, it was third time lucky for the left-arm spinner as he got Denly caught and bowled for 63.Leaning then quickly followed him into the pavilion for an excellent 84 after he pulled a de Leede delivery straight to Minto on the legside boundary.Evison came to the crease and swung some momentum back to the visitors, with the all-rounder carving a Hogg delivery to the offside boundary and he then pummelled a Parkinson ball down the ground for six.Marcus O’Riordan then departed after he edged a Hogg delivery to Colin Ackermann at slip for three.Evison continued to motor alongside Grant Stewart as they took Kent past the follow-on target, but Stewart departed for 40 just after tea, handing Holder his first wicket of the match.Evison reached his fifty from 67 balls and saw out the draw for the visitors alongside Matt Parkinson.

It’s nearly a month now until Sunderland kick their Premier League season off on home turf versus West Ham United as the Black Cats’ transfer business continues at a hundred miles per hour.

Six new faces have joined the ever-expanding Stadium of Light ranks so far, with the pick of the recent bunch who have relocated to Wearside being Simon Adingra, as the Premier League-capable attacker left Brighton and Hove Albion behind for a fresh adventure up North.

Don’t be surprised if the number of exciting bodies to join the building rises into the double-digit range very soon, with more and more high-profile signings expected to be made before August arrives.

£9m star now on the Sunderland shopping list

Whilst the cash thrown around to land Enzo Le Fee, Habib Diarra and Chemsdine Talbi would have caught the eye of those with connections to Sunderland, as £67m was excessively splashed, the pick up of Adingra will be the most pleasing capture to date, considering his wide knowledge of the top-flight.

Aaron Ramsdale might well add to that if he joins Regis Le Bris’ camp very soon, with new rumours seeming to suggest that the goalkeeper might be the new number one the Black Cats desire when climbing back up to the Premier League.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin has even been allegedly on the Sunderland shopping list as well. However, the European markets will no doubt still be tapped into again as Le Bris and Co now enter the race to try and snap up Spezia gem Salvatore Esposito.

As per a report from journalist Graeme Bailey, the one-time Italy international is firmly on Sunderland’s summer radar, with the likes of Brighton, Burnley, Brentford, Everton, and Fulham all also interested in the 24-year-old after Spezia failed to win promotion to Serie A.

Valued at just £9m – as per Transfermarkt – this could well prove to be a great steal on the end of Sunderland if Esposito instantly acclimatises to the demands of the English game and shines, with the Spezia number five perhaps going to be an even better talent than the £30m-rated Diarra down the line.

How Esposito could be even better than Diarra

Of course, Diarra does have plenty of top-flight experience under his belt that will help him when trying to become an instant success on Wearside.

Indeed, the 21-year-old had amassed 94 Ligue 1 appearances for Strasbourg with a hefty tally of nine goals and ten assists also coming his way lining up for Liam Rosenior’s side.

Yet, it’s very clear when looking at the above table – even if Esposito has played the majority of his career in the Italian second tier to date – that the 24-year-old definitely has a higher ceiling than the Serie B, with a ridiculous 17 goal contributions next to his name from 34 league clashes last season.

The most exciting takeaway from the table, however, will be how well-rounded Esposito’s game looks as a midfielder who is capable of dazzling crowds with that output, but he is also a talent hungry to battle away for his team’s cause, as seen in his mammoth 7.3 duels being won per game last campaign as Spezia gunned for promotion.

Diarra’s numbers do fall flat in comparison, with the former Inter Milan man even going on to win that solitary Italy call-up when he was known as a rising gem.

Therefore, the “elegant” midfielder – as he’s been lauded in the past by football talent scout Jacek Kulig – should be able to make the first-team cut under Le Bris very soon, even if the jump up in quality is disorientating at first.

Diarra could well find that transition to be even trickier, considering he has that lavish £30m price tag above his head.

Whereas, for only £9m, Esposito – who has also been labelled as a “technical genius” by football analyst Ben Mattinson – won’t have that same level of anxiety on his shoulders, with the 24-year-old hopeful he can be an immediate success story that helps Sunderland to survive.

Contact made: Sunderland prepare bid to sign £25m star who is open to move

The Black Cats are making plenty of impressive moves…

1

By
Sean Markus Clifford

Jul 13, 2025

كشف روبرت ليفاندوفسكي، نجم نادي برشلونة، عن سعادته الكبيرة بفوز فريقه اليوم الخميس على حساب ريال أوفييدو اليوم الخميس بالدوري الإسباني.

ليفاندوفسكي تألق وسجل هدفًا وساهم في انتصار برشلونة على ريال أوفييدو بثلاثة أهداف مقابل هدف واحد اليوم الخميس، ضمن الجولة السادسة من عمر المسابقة المحلية.

وجعل هذا الفوز برشلونة يعزز موقعه في المركز الثاني برصيد 16 نقطة وبفارق نقطتين فقط عن ريال مدريد المتصدر.

أقرأ أيضًا .. رجل مباراة برشلونة وريال أوفييدو بالدوري الإسباني

وأكد ليفاندوفسكي في تصريحات لشبكة دازن، أن الإصابات أثرت على برشلونة ، موضحًا أنه يهدف بشكل مستمر لمساعدة البلوجرانا.

وقال ليفاندوفسكي: ”قدم ريال أوفييدو أداء جيدًا، وفي الشوط الأول، واجهنا مشاكل في إنهاء الهجمات، في الشوط الثاني سددنا أكثر وفي النهاية سجلنا ثلاثة أهداف”.

وأضاف ليفاندوفسكي في حديثه: ”في نهاية فترة ما قبل الموسم تعرضت لإصابة، وكنت بحاجة لخوض المزيد من المباريات لأستعيد إيقاعي. أريد مساعدة الفريق والتسجيل”.

وأوضح: ”كما هو الحال دائمًا، لأؤدي واجبي عادة، نخوض مباراة كل ثلاثة أيام ومن المهم جدًا مراقبة أسلوب لعبنا وكيف نريد اللعب، والفوز بالمباراة”.

وأردف: ”أنا صبور ولست مستعجلًا، الموسم طويل جدًا ولدينا الكثير من المباريات، وبالنسبة لي، أهم شيء هو أنني عندما ألعب أريد دائمًا أن أفعل ما أحبه وما أريد فعله هو تسجيل الأهداف ومساعدة فريقي في النهاية”.

واختتم: ”أشعر الآن أنني في حالة بدنية ممتازة، وبالنسبة للفريق أيضًا من المهم جدًا أن نحافظ على سلامتنا جميعًا من الإصابات والتي أثرت علينا، لنكون أقوى وعلى أوروبا أن تكون مستعدة لنا”.

The Haryana opener was the first to go past the 400-run mark in the Under-23 four-day competition

ESPNcricinfo staff10-Nov-2024Haryana opener Yashvardhan Dalal created history by scoring a record unbeaten 428 against Mumbai in the Under-23 CK Nayudu Trophy match on Saturday. He is the first batter to cross 400 in the history of the tournament, being played since the 1973-74 season.