The tournament will be called Zim Afro T10, with Zimbabwe hopeful of attracting the top players from around the world
Firdose Moonda07-Dec-2022Zimbabwe Cricket has announced their first privately-owned franchise league, a T10 tournament, which has been established with Mulk International – the founding company of the Abu Dhabi T10. The six-team tournament is slated to take place in March 2023 and will be called the . The Abu Dhabi T10 has been played since 2017 and has just completed its sixth season.”We are pleased to announce the introduction of Zimbabwe’s own franchise-based T10 league, a powerful format that we believe is exactly what our changing, fast-paced world needs right now,” Tavengwa Mukuhlani, ZC Chairman, said.ZC is hopeful that the tournament will attract top players from around the world, more than a decade after they last dipped their toes into attracting big names with the Stanbic T20. The competition boasted 20 foreign names, including Chris Gayle and Shaun Tait, across Zimbabwe’s five domestic teams and had a headline sponsor but was owned and run by ZC. It was played for three seasons before Stanbic pulled out and since then Zimbabwe’s domestic competitions have been played without much fanfare, and sometimes not at all.In a country wracked by economic woes, Zimbabwean Cricket has not been exempt and the game has lurched through a massive debt crisis, a temporary ban on its administration at the ICC and some of its biggest name players (Heath Streak and Brendan Taylor) banned for their involvement in corruption. But, the sport seems to be finding its feet after Zimbabwe’s men’s team made it to the Super 12s of the most recent T20 World Cup and their women’s team only narrowly missed out on qualifying for the T20 World Cup in South Africa in 2023.With more international fixtures on the horizon, Zimbabwe are also looking to dabble into the lucrative league structure and with neighbours South Africa launching an all-owned IPL T20 league, the SA20, they have entered the T10 market. The participating franchises, player auction dates, fixtures and other details will be announced at a later date, with the tournament scheduled to begin on March 29, 2023.
Arsenal making a deadline day offer for one “underrated” centre-forward is apparently one to watch, following a rumoured setback in their pursuit of versatile Bayern Munich starlet Mathys Tel.
Arsenal identify Mathys Tel as top target for deadline day
The Frenchman has been a hot topic over this last fortnight, with a plethora of Premier League clubs having shown serious interest in obtaining his services before 11pm tonight.
£80k-per-week striker "top" target for Arsenal with club "happy" to offload
Mikel Arteta said anything can happen today.
By
Emilio Galantini
Feb 3, 2025
Tel publicly rejected a move to Tottenham, which will surely put him in good stead with the Arsenal faithful already, and Man United aren’t having much luck in persuading the 19-year-old either – with a move to both of those sides apparently off the table.
Arsenal have contacted Bayern over a deal for Tel in recent days, and they’ve also held talks with the player’s camp, as reiterated by Fabrizio Romano. There remains a concrete chance he could leave the Allianz Arena in the final hours, so this appears to be one of the more high-profile stories to watch.
Sky Sports reporter Gary Cotterill, speaking earlier this morning, also says that Tel is a top deadline day target for Arsenal – along with a certain Ollie Watkins.
“We know that those looking at the market are looking short-term, medium-term, long-term for anyone that can improve the squad,” said Cotterill via Sky’s live blog.
“There have been all kinds of strikers linked this January. Top of the list as we go into Deadline Day are Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins and Mathys Tel.
“The difficulty with Watkins is Villa don’t want him to go, even though the player might be keen. With Tel, it’s different. The player himself doesn’t seem keen to leave Bayern Munich on a permanent deal or on a loan with an obligation, even though the club seem happy for him to leave.”
Arsenal could make deadline day bid for Ollie Watkins after Mathys Tel blow
However, according to Football Transfers, a move for Tel is certain to breakdown due to Bayern’s financial demands – with Vincent Kompany’s side clear they want either a permanent sale or a loan with the obligation to buy.
As a result, Arsenal could make a deadline day bid for Watkins instead, despite having a £60 million offer rejected earlier in the window.
Given Unai Emery has already lost Jhon Duran in a mega-money move to Al-Nassr, it is arguably very unlikely that Villa will sanction a sale at this stage, even if their deals for Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio seriously strengthen their forward options.
The £130,000-per-week Watkins, called an “underrated” striker by Leon Osman, boasts 11 goals and nine assists from 33 appearances in all competitions already. An attacker of his calibre won’t be easy to replace, so it could take an absolutely mammoth offer from Arsenal to even get Villa thinking.
On the player’s side, he probably won’t need too much thinking, as the 29-year-old is known to be a boyhood Arsenal supporter.
Just over a year after creating history as the fourth man to hit six sixes in an over in international cricket, batter Jaskaran Malhotra has been dropped from USA’s 14-member ODI squad for the four-match tour of Namibia later this month.Malhotra set numerous records with his 173 not out against Papua New Guinea in Oman in September 2021. But he has struggled to replicate those exploits since then, scoring just one half-century in 11 ODIs. That came in September against PNG when he made 53 off 44 balls as the match ended in a tie. His last significant contribution came against Scotland at Aberdeen in August when he made 36 not out off 25 balls, including 15 runs off the final over bowled by Safyaan Sharif, to help USA chase down a target of 250 in a dramatic two-wicket win.Called up in his place as one of five changes in the squad is former Pakistan U-19 batter Shayan Jahangir, who played as part of a representative side captained by Sami Aslam on a tour of England in 2013. Jahangir migrated to Texas in 2017 and was spotted in the club cricket scene by the then-owner of the Barbados Tridents (now Royals) franchise, leading to him being drafted in the CPL. He appeared in one match in 2020. He has since been playing for the Lone Star Athletics in the Minor League Cricket T20 competition. Jahangir finished 10th overall – but first among USA-eligible players – in 2022 with 507 runs at an average of 42.25 and a strike rate of 134.48 with four half-centuries.Among the other changes, the teenage batting duo of Rahul Jariwala and Saiteja Mukkamalla have been dropped along with fast bowler Kyle Philip and legspinner Yasir Mohammad. Sushant Modani, who missed the September tour to PNG due to visa issues, has been recalled along with Ian Holland who was unavailable in September due to his county commitments at Hampshire.Along with Jahangir, the other player who could possibly debut for USA is batter Saideep Ganesh. The 21-year-old had represented the Karnataka U-16 side in the Vijay Merchant Trophy in December 2016. Ganesh scored 402 runs at an average of 30.92 and a strike rate of 136.27 with three half-centuries and a best of 56 for the East Bay Blazers in the 2022 MiLC.Offspinner Usman Rafiq, who last represented USA in February 2018, has also been recalled. Rafiq finished sixth overall with 23 wickets as captain of Houston Hurricanes in the 2022 MiLC.USA’s first ODI on the tour is on November 20 against the hosts. They play two games against PNG before finishing the last ODI against Namibia on November 26. The tour completes USA’s full 36-match slate as part of Cricket World Cup League Two, the Associate qualifying competition on the pathway to the 2023 ODI World Cup.USA is currently third on the seven-team table with 29 points from 32 matches. The top three teams automatically advance to the 10-team World Cup Qualifier.USA squad: Monank Patel (capt & wk), Ian Holland, Saideep Ganesh, Shayan Jahangir, Aaron Jones, Nosthush Kenjige, Sushant Modani, Saurabh Netravalkar, Nisarg Patel, Usman Rafiq, Gajanand Singh, Jessy Singh, Cameron Stevenson, Steven Taylor.
A “sensational” striker is desperate for his club to let him join Arsenal before the 11pm transfer deadline tonight, according to a report.
Gunners pursuing a striker
The Gunners blitzed past reigning Premier League champions Manchester City on Sunday afternoon, and Kai Havertz found himself on the scoresheet, but some additional attacking firepower may be needed if they are going to catch Liverpool.
That is the view of Thierry Henry, who told Sky Sports after the game: “We need a No.9. Nobody is going to be asking for a No.9 after you win 5-1. But we should be asking for one – the situation is still the same. We’ve been asking for a No.9 for four transfer windows.”
There have been a number of top strikers linked with moves to the Emirates Stadium, including RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko following the Slovenian’s impressive showings in the Bundesliga.
Ollie Watkins, who is valued at above £80m by Aston Villa, has also emerged as a major target over the past few days, with Mikel Arteta’s side submitting a bid in the region of £45m, which was knocked back by the Villans.
With the transfer deadline just hours away, Arsenal are considering a last-gasp bid for Watkins, who is desperate to move to north London, according to a report from TEAMtalk.
The striker is said to be gutted that Villa have rebuffed the Gunners’ advances for him in the past few days, given that he grew up supporting the club, with his current employers unwilling to sanction his departure after already selling Jhon Duran this month.
The 29-year-old has previously stated it would be a “dream” to play for the club he supported growing up, and he still wants to join, but time is running out.
Their answer to Tel: Arsenal preparing bid for Arteta's "superstar" target
Arsenal could make a move to land their own version of wanted man Mathys Tel.
1 ByEthan Lamb Feb 3, 2025 Villa unlikely to let Watkins leave at this stage
Villa wrapped up a deal to sign Marcus Rashford on loan earlier today, with the Manchester United man being handed the number 9 shirt, but it still seems unlikely they will sanction Watkins’ departure at this stage of the transfer window.
It will be very difficult for Unai Emery to bring in a replacement at this stage, and Arsenal may not be able to satisfy the Villans’ demands, considering they want over £80m, given the England international’s fine record in front of goal.
Season
Premier League appearances
Goals
2020-21
37
14
2021-22
35
11
2022-23
37
15
2023-24
37
19
2024-25
24
10
Premier League legend Alan Shearer has previously described the Villa star as “sensational”, and given that he is so keen on the move after growing up as a fan, it could have been a perfect fit.
However, Arsenal may be better off waiting until the end of the season before making a move for a striker, and Sesko could be the preferable option, given that he is just 21-years-old, while Watkins is now 29.
Arsenal may well have secured a 1-0 victory over Wolves at Molineux on Saturday but it wasn’t without an almighty struggle, yet an immense show of character.
Myles Lewis-Skelly was sent off in controversial circumstances in the first half for tripping Matt Doherty and from that moment onwards, it was another uphill battle for Mikel Arteta’s side.
They have faced a number of setbacks this season, notably with red cards, but this was perhaps one of the most puzzling yet.
Alas, Arsenal fought hard and through unlikely goalscorer Riccardo Calafiori, they found their winner in the second half.
What the game did underline, however, was a further need for a goalscorer. Kai Havertz missed a succession of chances once again and as a result KSE simply have to spend this January if they want to give Arteta the best chance of winning the Premier League title.
Just hours after the game Erling Haaland was scoring again and despite not being truly at the races this term, his goals have been the difference in the last two title races. Arsenal could certainly do with their own version of the Norwegian superhuman.
Arsenal’s hunt for a centre forward
As it happened, the Gunners came up against one of their reported targets in Matheus Cunha this weekend who fortunately for Arteta, couldn’t get the better of William Saliba and Co.
Meanwhile, another target, Alexander Isak, was celebrating a further two goals for Newcastle United at the same time.
Alexander Isak
While that was happening, Havertz missed another simple opportunity and demonstrated why a player like Cunha or Isak is needed.
That being said, there’s another centre forward who could well arrive at the Emirates Stadium in 2025. His name is well known to supporters now; Benjamin Sesko.
The RB Leipzig forward was a priority target for Arsenal last summer but he ultimately penned a new deal with the Bundesliga outfit and stayed in Germany.
Now rated at around £70m by some reports, he’s still on the club’s radar, but according to new claims from transfer insider Ben Jacobs, via Football Transfers, a deal is difficult to do in January.
The reporter did have some positive news for Arsenal fans, however, saying that he would prefer the north Londoners over other suitors.
Jacobs said: “Last summer when the project was pitched from Arsenal, Chelsea and Man United, Sesko picked Arsenal and then made a secondary choice of whether it was now or to stay at Leipzig.
“With Sesko, some contact has been made with Leipzig to understand whether anything is possible. Even though Leipzig are out of the Champions League, they’re pushing in the cup and to qualify again next season. It’s going to take a crazy offer or be impossible in January because Leipzig’s position is very firm.”
How Sesko compares to Erling Haaland
Manchester City have been a dominant force in English football for a while now but the aforementioned Haaland has really taken them to the next level since he signed from Borussia Dortmund in 2022.
In 2022/23, they won the treble as City finally got over the line in the Champions League. That term, the inevitable Norwegian scored a mindblowing 52 goals.
While there was not a consecutive Champions League title in 2023/24, they did win the league again on the way to Haaland bagging 38 times.
Arsenal evidently miss that. Bukayo Saka was the club’s top marksman last season with 20 goals and this time around, their top scorer is Havertz on 14, ten behind Haaland’s tally.
So, signing an out-and-out goalscorer like Sesko certainly ticks a lot of boxes. The Slovenian has scored 14 times in 27 outings in 2024/25 but at the age of 21, his potential for growth is still immense.
He’s also got an extraordinary profile. Right-footed and standing at 6 foot 5, the tall and powerful striker has a cannon of a shot and a lengthy running pattern to race beyond defenders.
In a nutshell, he’s like Haaland. That’s the viewpoint of many in the know, including talent scout Jacek Kulig who has described him as “the new Erling Haaland”.
Data analyst Ben Mattinson elaborated on that comparison via social media, explaining that Seko is an “an amazing athlete with elite range of movement that enables acrobatic improvised finishes.” He continued that the young Slovenian is “the type of striker who throws his body at the ball to score. Sesko scores with style & finesse. Similar to a young Zlatan Ibrahimovic, mixed with Erling Haaland.”
So how do the pair compare over the last two years?
Goals
0.73
0.88
Assists
0.13
0.12
Shots
2.58
3.98
Shots on target
1.39
1.94
Key passes
0.63
0.96
Progressive passes
1.56
0.80
Successful take-ons
1.16
0.44
Carries
16.3
11.6
Progressive carries
1.56
1.02
Aerials won
2.45
1.50
Unsurprisingly the City sensation is streets ahead for goals. No one is going to rival him there but there are some parallels. That said, it actually looks as though Sesko is the more well-rounded striker, offering different types of attributes, chiefly the ability to carry the ball further, beat a man and hold the ball up with a higher percentage of aerial duels won.
As Mattinson further describes, the Leipzig forward is a “diamond in the rough” and at the age of 21, can only get better as he seeks out some of the records Haaland has broken in years gone by.
Is this the Haaland-like signing to catapult the Gunners to the next level? Arteta will certainly hope so if he can conclude a deal.
He completed only 43% passes: 5/10 Arsenal man proved KSE have to spend
Arsenal sealed a big win away at Wolves despite going down to ten men.
Emi Martinez's "attitude" has been questioned by a fellow World Cup winner, but the Argentine is considered to be the same level as Thibaut Courtois.
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South American won the World Cup in 2022On-field behaviour has been questionedRegarded as one of the best in the businessFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Martinez’s antics, particularly in penalty shootouts, have attracted criticism. His record speaks for itself, though, with Argentina being helped to a global crown in 2022 and two Copa America triumphs.
AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Their No.1, who plays his club football for Premier League side Aston Villa, is a two-time winner of the FIFA Best Men’s Goalkeeper award. He is about to test himself against European heavyweights as Villa face Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals.
WHAT FRANK LEBOEUF SAID
Former Chelsea and France star Frank Leboeuf, who won the World Cup with France in 1998, has told when assessing Villa’s upcoming clash with PSG: "Aston Villa are having a great season; Unai Emery is having a brilliant time there and it’s nice to see players like Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio playing their best football and fitting in well. I’m a big fan of Boubacar Kamara too.
"I’m less of a fan of Emiliano Martinez – he’s a great goalkeeper but I don’t like his attitude. He’s up there with Thibaut Courtois on ability for me and they can absolutely trouble Paris Saint-Germain.
"If PSG play how they did against Liverpool, it’s hard to see Villa progressing but you never know. Villa must believe they can do something and it’s great to see teams like this at this level with a real chance against a European titan, good luck to them. It will be hard; PSG have already taken out the tournament favourite, Liverpool."
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Martinez has been beating Real Madrid shot-stopper Courtois to prestigious individual prizes. He is now hoping to emulate the Belgium international by landing a Champions League title of his own.
Prolific wicketkeeper-batter had been England’s oldest surviving Test cricketer
ESPNcricinfo staff31-May-2022
Jim Parks, pictured at Hove in 2013•ESPNcricinfo Ltd
Jim Parks, the former Sussex and England wicketkeeper-batter, has died at the age of 90. He had been England’s oldest living Test cricketer.Parks played 46 Tests between 1954 and 1968, although his county career continued for another eight years, into his mid-40s. He later worked for the brewer Whitbread, and as marketing manager for Sussex, where he also served two terms as club president.Sussex announced that he had died at hospital in Worthing on Tuesday morning, having suffered a fall at his home at the weekend.Related
Sussex's smiling keeper
'Back then, wicketkeepers never worried about scoring hundreds'
Parks was born into a cricketing family. His father, Jim Snr, and his uncle Horace both played more than 400 times for Sussex, while his son, Bobby, kept wicket for Hampshire and Kent.Having come through as a batter who also bowled legspin, Parks went on to become a mainstay behind the stumps, helping to effect more than 1000 dismissals in first-class cricket. He debuted as an 18-year-old in 1949, playing 739 first-class games and 132 in List A, eventually finishing his career with Somerset.Parks made his Test debut against Pakistan at Old Trafford as a specialist batter, but might not have played again had it not been for the decision of Robin Marlar, Sussex’s captain, to instigate his conversion to keeping wicket after the retirement Rupert Webb. He returned to England’s Test XI on the 1959-60 tour of the West Indies and scored a century, cementing his place for much of the next decade.In all, he scored 1962 runs in Tests, with two centuries, as well as completing 103 catches and 11 stumpings.Parks was also an integral member of the Sussex side that won the inaugural Gillette Cup in 1963 – top-scoring with 57 in the final – and then retained the trophy at Lord’s the following year. He captained the side in 1967 and ’68, before moving to Somerset in 1973 after an offer from Brian Close.In his later years, he was a much-loved, frequently smiling presence at Hove. He is survived by Bobby and his wife, Jenny.
How ESPNcricinfo recorded a remarkable assault on Worcestershire’s bowlers
ESPNcricinfo staff06-May-2022
Ben Stokes smashed five sixes in an over en route to a comeback century for Durham•Getty Images
Ben Stokes marked his first first-class innings since being appointed England captain with a breathtaking innings of 161 from 88 balls for Durham against Worcestershire at New Road, including five sixes in an over, and 17 all told – a new record for county cricket. Here’s how ESPNcricinfo recorded his return to action.98.6 Gibbon to Stokes, FOUR, full face of the bat, punched clean through the covers to open Stokes’ account101.2 Leach to Stokes, FOUR, round the wicket, outside off, and bludgeoned hard and straight, almost through Leach’s outstretched right hand as Stokes heaves through the length ball107.1 Barnard to Stokes, SIX, that’s just dismissively huge! A stand-and-deliver swing through the line, pinging out of the screws high over wide long-on107.2 Barnard to Stokes, FOUR, back of a length, on the pads, flicked up and over square leg108.1 Finch to Stokes, SIX, a stride to meet the length ball outside off, and monstered high over long-off! I think he’s got his eye in now…109.1 Barnard to Stokes, SIX, leg-sided, and that’s flat and violent, picked up with murderous power off the pads, clean through wide long-on!111.2 Barnard to Stokes, FOUR, outside off, and panned through the covers, not until that winning stroke at Headingley, a full unleashing of the levers through the wide line111.3 Barnard to Stokes, (no ball) FOUR, two in two balls, back of a length from round the wicket, and dispatched through midwicket with a powerful swing112.1 Finch to Stokes, SIX, kneels into a lofted drive, inside-out, and high and mighty over extra cover!Ben Stokes made a 47-ball fifty … and then cut loose•Getty Images
113.2 Leach to Stokes, FOUR, too much width, walloped with a free swing of the blade through the covers115.4 Leach to Stokes, SIX, sits back in the crease, picks up the not-terribly-short length, and piledrives it over long-on once more!116.1 Baker to Stokes, SIX, blasted back over the bowler’s head, clearing the front dog and it clangs off the seating!116.2 Baker to Stokes, SIX, round the wicket, into Stokes’ arc on the pads, and hoisted over deep midwicket!116.3 Baker to Stokes, SIX, improvises as Baker fires it in flatter outside off, and launches down the ground over long-off116.4 Baker to Stokes, SIX, pongoed over the ropes once more… now this is getting interesting…116.5 Baker to Stokes, SIX, leans back, and battered violently over long-on, and Stokes reaches his hundred, though that’s not the story of this over…116.6 Baker to Stokes, FOUR, round the wicket… hacked down the ground… but it’s only a four! It travelled hard and flat, but Stokes thumps his pad in annoyance!117.5 Leach to Stokes, SIX, pirouettes into a pull, down the track, almost pulling himself off his feet in the process! Another six, through midwicket117.6 Leach to Stokes, SIX, splatted over wide long-on, a fuller length into the pads, and deposited with disdain! Seven sixes and a four in eight balls!119.5 Leach to Stokes, SIX, banged in short, and Stokes swings into another lusty pull! It’s a brave effort on the edge of the rope at square leg, but the ball plops into the pile of covers behind the rope!119.6 Leach to Stokes, SIX, mashed high and hard down the ground! A golf swing through the line, and bouncing back off the sightscreen!121.1 Gibbon to Stokes, SIX, bludgeoned off a good length, across the line and high over deep midwicket! One more to equal Symonds’ sixes record122.1 Barnard to Stokes, FOUR, gallops down the track, another dismissive battering through the covers, and Stokes is a blow away from 150 before lunch!123.1 Gibbon to Stokes, SIX, smashes the first ball back over the bowler’s head! Sixteen sixes equals the record held by Symonds and Napier, and brings up his 150.124.6 D’Oliveira to Stokes, SIX, massive! Unfurls the levers, out of the blockhole, high over the bowler’s head, and that’s the record! 17 sixes in a county innings!126.5 D’Oliveira to Stokes, OUT, another massive hack to the leg side, but this time he can’t connect perfectly, and the fun is over! A stunning display from England’s new captain ends with a well-judged take from Haynes, two metres in from the ropeBA Stokes c Haynes b D’Oliveira 161 (126m 88b 8×4 17×6) SR: 182.95
The Argentine came off the bench and scored with the final touch of the game in stoppage time
Lionel Messi made a dramatic return Thursday evening in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, scoring Inter Miami's second goal with the final touch of the match as the Herons defeated Jamaican Premier League side Cavalier SC 2-0 (4-0 on aggregate) to advance to the quarterfinals. The Argentine had missed three straight matches due to "load management" but came off the bench in the second half to help secure the win.
Luis Suarez opened the scoring with a 37th-minute penalty, converting clinically to give Miami a three-goal aggregate lead. The penalty was earned after Tadeo Allende showed slick dribbling on the edge of the box before being taken down by a defender.
Messi padded Inter Miami's aggregate advantage in the 92nd minute, poking home from close range after a Santiago Morales assist set him up on his left foot – a chance he wasn’t going to miss.
Miami controlled the match comfortably, with few clear chances for either side as play largely unfolded in midfield or Cavalier's defensive third. The result was never in doubt.
A sold-out national stadium in Kingston saw 35,000 fans turn out to watch Messi and support their local club. The match was moved from Cavalier’s 3,000-seat home stadium to Independence Park to accommodate the crowd. It was Cavalier's most high-profile match since 1971, when they hosted Brazilian legend Pelé and Santos at the same venue.
With the aggregate win, Miami advances to the quarterfinals to face MLS rivals LAFC and France’s all-time leading scorer, Olivier Giroud, in a two-legged series for a spot in the semifinals.
GOAL rates Inter Miami's players from their Leg 2 win in Jamaica…
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Goalkeeper & Defense
Oscar Ustari (6/10):
Made one big save in the 74th minute to keep a clean sheet. Job well done.
Ian Fray (6/10):
Playing at right back, Fray adapted well and communicated well next to Falcon and Redondo. However, he was rarely tested.
Maxi Falcon (8/10):
Impressive on set pieces and rock-solid defensively. One of their best performers on the day.
Noah Allen (7/10):
Overshadowed by Falcon, but Allen was fantastic in playing out of the back. Crucial in maintaining possession, he was everywhere across the back line in transition.
Jordi Alba (7/10):
Inverted when asked, and navigated his flank to a precision. Locked up Cavalier defensively, and influenced the attack in transition.
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Getty Images Sport
Midfield
Sergio Busquets (7/10):
Ran the midfield show to a precision. Classy as always, the veteran held his own in the pivot, and allowed Redondo to push forward in transition.
Federico Redondo (6/10):
Didn't particularly impress, but didn't put in a foot wrong either. From a midfield perspective, that's a solid performance.
Getty Images Sport
Attack
David Ruiz (N/A):
Subbed off early in the first half after pulling up with what appeared to be a hamstring injury.
Telasco Segovia 7/10):
Impressive set piece delivery throughout the match, and a really solid performance in an attacking midfield role.
Tadeo Allende (7/10):
Earned the first half penalty, and was a menace in and around the box for Cavalier. Great performance.
Luis Suarez (7/10):
Clinical with his penalty kick, and navigated the final third of the pitch rather well.
Getty Images Sport
Subs & Manager
Benjamin Cremaschi (6/10):
Replaced Ruiz and did his job well. Had a great 1v1 chance in the second half, but squandered it looking a bit nervous in a tight angle.
Lionel Messi (7/10):
Scored with the final kick of the game in the 92nd minute after a lively cameo off the bench. A welcomed return.
Yannick Bright (6/10):
Replaced Busquets and locked down the midfield in a roughly 40-minute cameo.
Tomas Aviles (N/A):
Subbed on with 15 minutes to spare to close out the game.
Santiago Morales (7/10):
Introduced in 75th minute as the 18-year-old gained important senior minutes, and capitalized on the opportunity with a late assist to Messi.
Javier Mascherano (7/10):
Tactically, he emphasized putting pressure on their defense, and it worked early as Cavalier were forced into committing a foul in the box to hand Miami its spot kick. Perhaps he could have rotated more without using Messi due to the state of the pitch – the grass in the stadium was torn to shreds, with clumps and holes scattered everywhere. However, the club did what was asked of them, and Mascherano has them onto the quarterfinals. Job well done.
2019 is a poignant year for Tottenham. It’s the year they reached the Champions League final and rather shockingly, the same year Mauricio Pochettino was given the boot.
For all of the outstanding work Pochettino did in north London, turning the likes of Dele Alli and Harry Kane into genuine stars, he left the Lilywhites behind having not won a trophy.
So, what did Levy do? He went and hired one of the most successful managers of the 21st century; Jose Mourinho.
The self-proclaimed Special One has been there and got the t-shirt as far as English football is concerned. He’s a multiple Premier League winner, and a multiple FA Cup winner. He’s even won the Champions League.
Surely he was going to help Spurs earn the trophy they were craving? Think again. It all ended in tears.
Mourinho lasted just 86 games with a points-per-match record of 1.77, the third worst of his career. That rather said it all.
Mourinho's first transfers at Spurs
Entering in November of 2019, it wasn’t until January 2020 that the great Portuguese coach got the chance to welcome his own players to the capital.
It wasn’t the most rip-roaring start to proceedings, bringing Giovani Lo Celso and Steven Bergwijn to the club. The duo only just left Spurs in the summer but did so having not played very much football.
Tottenham Hotspur's Steven Bergwijn celebrates
The summer of 2020 was a tad more promising though. Despite a world ravaged by the global pandemic, he welcomed two faces to the club from Real Madrid.
Mourinho was the one to entice Gareth Bale back to English football, welcoming the Welshman back on a loan deal. Bale was rather forced out of Madrid despite several years of wonderful service, scoring in a Champions League final and winning three LaLiga crowns.
He wasn’t the only player arriving from the Spanish capital, however. Left-back Sergio Reguilon joined and initially started very well in Spurs colours.
Indeed, analyst Raj Chohan admitted that the Spaniard was “unstoppable” at points, notably after a first-class assist for Bale’s goal against Brighton in a 2-1 win.
Remarkably, via loan spells at Atletico Madrid, Manchester United and Brentford, he is still on the books at Tottenham.
First Impressions
What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.
Why it's time for Reguilon to go
It’s now been four years, some might say arduous years since Reguilon first arrived under the tutelage of Mourinho.
In that first campaign, he proved to be an excellent acquisition, supplying five assists in all competitions from the left-hand side of defence.
Reguilon’s Spurs career by season
Season
Games
Goals
Assists
2020/21
27
0
3
2021/22
31
2
3
2022/23
0
0
0
2023/24
0
0
0
2024/25
0
0
0
Stats via Transfermarkt.
In 2021/22, he still impressed in the final third, scoring twice and assisting three goals but he ultimately wasn’t fancied by a ruthless and no-nonsense Antonio Conte who shipped out on loan in 2022/23. Since then, the 27-year-old has struggled to ever really catch the eye.
United only signed him on loan because of a lack of fit left-backs and that deal was cancelled in January 2024. Brentford did come calling and he featured regularly but it wasn’t enough to force himself into Ange Postecoglou’s plans.
Serge Reguilon in action for Tottenham.
Reguilon – who earns £53k-per-week – is still on the books at Spurs but is simply stealing a living at this point.
He’s not played a single minute all season and for the good of everyone, he surely has to leave in the January transfer window. Although he is named in the club’s 25-man Premier League squad, he was omitted from their Europa League squad list.
The Spaniard has gone from being an unstoppable asset during the days of Mourinho to someone with no chance of ever earning minutes again at Spurs. The only good thing for the Londoners is that he is actually out of contract next summer. An end, it would seem, is finally in sight.
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