Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti insists he does not have “freedom of expression” to talk about referees as he prepares his side for their Champions League Group C trip to Sporting Braga.
Ancelotti appeared to back referee Ricardo de Burgos Bengoetxea after the weekend draw in Sevilla but later conceded on his club’s official media channels that he used “irony” when questioned about officials.
In a pre-match press conference dominated by questions about the state of refereeing, Ancelotti refused the opportunity to echo Spanish referees’ chief Pedro Rocha and call officials from the country the best in the world.
Ancelotti said: “If you ask me who the best players in the world are, I say Real Madrid players. There are some very good referees with a lot of experience and there are others who need to improve.
“You know that I don’t have freedom of expression when it comes to talking about referees. If I say what I think, I get suspended and I want to work and make the most of the matches, which excite me. I can’t answer these kinds of questions.”
Ancelotti says his players will not be distracted by next week’s El Clasico against Barcelona as they look to make a statement by winning their second straight game in the group.
“We’ve never talked about the next game we have in the league, we’re focused and dedicated to the one we’re playing right now,” added Ancelotti.
“The players are making the most of it and recovering well to get to full strength for tomorrow’s game, which is the most important one at the moment.”
Real are once again without Thibaut Courtois and Eder Militao but David Alaba is expected to feature after coming through against Sevilla, while Nacho is in the squad despite currently serving a domestic suspension.
Braga, bidding for a fifth straight win in all competitions, fought back from 2-0 down to beat Union Berlin 3-2 in Germany in their previous Group C match earlier this month.
Artur Jorge’s side finished third in the Portuguese top flight last season to secure Champions League football for the first time in 11 years and beat Serbia’s Backa Topla and Panathinaikos to reach the group stage.
Former Braga defender Jorge is relishing Braga’s first-ever meeting with the Spanish giants.
He told a press conference: “This game will be very special and will go down in Braga’s history.
“We are playing against one of the best teams in the world, but we always seek to be competitive and fight in every match. We will have our opportunities and must try to be effective in the big moments.”
Jaden McDaniels played a big role in the success of the Minnesota Timberwolves last season and is being rewarded.
A day before the start of the NBA season, McDaniels and the Timberwolves agreed to a five-year, $136million extension.
The deal was first reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic on Monday.
McDaniels averaged a career-high 12.1 points on 51.7 per cent shooting to go with 3.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists in starting all 79 games he played for Minnesota in 2022-23. Though he doesn't shoot a high volume of 3-pointers, he is a reliable shooter from beyond the arc, connecting on 39.8 per cent from 3-point range.
With averages of 0.96 blocks per game and 0.94 steals, McDaniels is also considered one of the NBA's top wing defenders.
Minnesota went 42-40 in 2022-23, and much of the team's success came down to McDaniels' scoring output.
When McDaniels scored at least 12 points, the Timberwolves went 26-13, but when he scored 11 or fewer, the team went 15-25.
A first-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, McDaniels is entering his fourth pro season - all with Minnesota.
With McDaniels firmly in the fold, the Timberwolves boast a talented core of Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert.
Minnesota has made the playoffs each of the last two seasons and opens this year Wednesday against the Toronto Raptors.
Mikel Arteta is hoping he will be left talking about football after his Arsenal side take on Sevilla in Spain on Tuesday.
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jr was allegedly racially abused during Saturday’s LaLiga clash at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.
Vinicius later took to social media to praise staff in the ground for ejecting a fan and reporting him to the authorities.
The Brazilian then said he had also seen footage of abuse being aimed at him from a child, posting on X, formerly known as Twitter: “Congratulations to Sevilla for their quick positioning and punishment in yet another sad episode for Spanish football.
“Unfortunately, I had access to a video of another racist act in this Saturday’s match, this time carried out by a child.
“I am very sorry that there is no one to educate you. I invest, and I invest a lot, in education in Brazil to form citizens with attitudes different from these.”
Just three days later and Arsenal will be the visitors for their Champions League Group C clash.
Arteta echoed Vinicius’ sentiment and is hoping he is left discussing the result when he addresses the media after Tuesday’s game.
“What I can say is Sevilla reacted in a really strong and quick way,” he said.
“Great. Let’s enjoy a beautiful football atmosphere. It doesn’t get much better than the atmosphere here and I hope that we can just talk about the football and enjoy that atmosphere tomorrow.”
Arteta is once again expected to prefer David Raya over Aaron Ramsdale in goal, although the latter has travelled despite reports he would stay in England following the birth of his child on Saturday.
The goalkeeping position at the Emirates Stadium has dominated discussion in recent weeks, especially following a nervy performance from Raya in the 2-2 draw at Chelsea on Saturday.
Asked if Raya was suffering from the intensity of the attention at the moment, Arteta replied: “I haven’t seen that. If I am fair, I haven’t seen that at all.
“That’s the pressure of playing in big clubs where you have to win and you have to be at your best, and you have someone next to you who is pushing you every single day.
“If we go player by player, position by position, you will tell me what’s happening at left-back, what happens with the holding midfielder.
“That’s the debate. That’s the beauty of the game as well. The fact that you have other options as well is going to make those talks more frequent.”
Boss Rudi Garcia admits Napoli must beat Union Berlin to ensure they maintain a strong position in the Champions League.
Garcia’s men sit second in Group C, three points behind leaders Real Madrid, who won 3-2 in Naples earlier this month.
Napoli opened their campaign with a 2-1 win over Braga in Portugal and now go to Union Berlin on Tuesday.
“We know all about Union Berlin’s recent history, they reached the Champions League after an excellent season last year,” said Garcia.
“They have strong players like (Leonardo) Bonucci and (Lucas) Tousart. The Champions League is a great competition to play for both players and coaches.
“We started well, but then we didn’t take any points against Real Madrid and we have to win tomorrow.”
The Serie A champions ended a run of successive home defeats by Real in Europe and Fiorentina in the league with a 3-1 win at Verona on Saturday in which Khvicha Kvaratskhelia scored twice.
However, they will once again be without star striker Victor Osimhen as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury.
Berlin coach Urs Fischer has told his Champions League debutants to have “fun” as they attempt to end a dreadful run of eight successive defeats in all competitions.
Fischer told a press conference: “We have a difficult opponent ahead of us, the Italian champions, but we must remain optimistic and remember that football is fun.
“We will face Napoli in the right manner to try to take away points.”
That is something the Germans, who finished fourth in the Bundesliga last season, have failed to do in either of their games to date after losing 1-0 at Bernabeu Stadium courtesy of Jude Bellingham’s stoppage-time strike before going down 3-2 to Braga at the Olympiastadion in a game in which they had led 2-0.
They have suffered on the domestic front too after going into the international break on the back of a 4-2 defeat at Borussia Dortmund and emerging from it to lose 3-0 at home to Stuttgart on Saturday.
However, midfielder Rani Khedira, who made his first league start of the season at the weekend after injury, insisted he and his team-mates had to remain optimistic.
Khedira said: “The key is to continue to have confidence and optimism. Tomorrow we will have to play with humility, and it will not be easy, but we must not get down about it and we must try to win.”
Germany international Robin Gosens is a doubt for the game, while much-decorated Italy defender Leonardo Bonucci will hope for a return after failing to make it off the bench at the weekend.
Track and field icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce has revealed that she is being patient with her recovery as she jump-starts her preparation for what will be her final Olympic Games in Paris next year.
The Jamaican superstar, who will be 37 years old in December, is attempting to win a third Olympic 100m gold medal to add to the ones she won in Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012. She will also be hoping to extend her incredible record of being the only woman to win a medal in the 100m at five consecutive Olympic Games.
It is a tall order, especially when one considers that she will be attempting these history-making feats against possibly the fastest women’s 100m field ever assembled, especially if the likes of world champion Sha’Carri Richardson (10.65), Shericka Jackson (10.65), Elaine Thompson-Herah (10.54), Marie Josee Ta Lou (10.72) and Julien Alfred (10.81) show up in their best form.
However, like the warrior she has been for more than a decade, the self-styled Pocket Rocket remains undaunted. But first, she has to heal her body that has been showing signs of wear and tear with knee, hamstring and other undisclosed injuries that significantly impacted her 2023 season.
“It’s not really my knee alone that has been giving me trouble but at this stage of my career I am trying to be patient in my recovery, making sure I give myself enough time to come back and not to rush coming back,” said the five-time world 100m champion.
“One of the beauties about me is the fact that I am really tough mentally and I know what the end goal is, what I want to achieve and what I need to do to get there. So, I really want to be patient with myself and trust in my doctors and my team to make sure that next year I am ready to stand on the line first at the national championships and then ultimately, in Paris.
“I know within my heart that there is so much more to come and once I have that belief and that God will give me the strength to get to that point.”
She expressed unwavering confidence that once she is healthy again, she will be capable of taking on all challengers who will likely line up in Paris.
“Without a doubt. It’s athletics, injuries happen,” she declared. “I have been blessed to not have many throughout my career and I think that is what I am relying on, the fact that I have been relatively good in terms of health; apart from my knee and whatever else is happening, I’ve been good. I am just looking forward to just getting healthy 100 per cent fit and sometimes you won’t be 100 per cent but 90 is good enough for me.”
Fraser-Pryce, who boasts a personal best of 10.60 which makes her the third fastest woman all time, said she will rely on her tried and proven method of success that has seen her win two individual 100m gold medals, five World 100m titles, a 200m title and a chest full of other medals during the course of her career that began 16 years ago as a relay substitute at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka, Japan.
“The depth of the sprinters has always been there, for female sprinting. There’s always a host of different athletes that are coming and preparing and for me the focus is staying focused on your own lane, on what you need to do to get to the top, “she said. “As far as I am concerned having competition is good. It pushes you, it makes you aware that you can’t just go to practice and think that’s enough. You have to work, you have to be committed to that work and you have to be willing to go the extra mile.
“I don’t think about the depth, really, it’s always been there, it’s not going to change. It is what it is. It’s the Olympics, everybody wants to win an Olympic medal. So I don’t want to spend my time focusing on what others are doing but instead I invest the time and effort in my own craft and make sure that when the Olympics come around I will be ready.”
Former Ireland international Jean Kleyn acknowledges being on the verge of becoming a world champion with his native South Africa was “outside the realm of thinking” just months ago.
Munster lock Kleyn represented Ireland under Joe Schmidt at the 2019 World Cup in Japan after qualifying on residency grounds.
But, having been repeatedly overlooked by Schmidt’s successor Andy Farrell, the 30-year-old was in June cleared to switch allegiance back to the Springboks before being included in Jacques Nienaber’s squad for France.
Reigning champions South Africa are on course to retain their crown going into Saturday’s final against fellow three-time winners New Zealand in Paris.
“I think I’ve caught myself thinking about it probably too often,” Kleyn said of his curious Test career.
“It’s a strange one because if you’d asked me six months ago if I at all thought I had any chance of being here at the World Cup final playing for the Springboks, I would have told you you are absolutely insane.
“I’ll probably wake up when it’s all said and done and think, ‘was that a dream or did it actually happen?’. It was outside the realm of thinking.
“It’s been a fantastic journey for me. It’s been an absolute pleasure being part of it.”
View this post on InstagramKleyn, who joined Munster from the Stormers in 2016, played five times under Schmidt in 2019, with his final cap coming in Ireland’s 47-5 pool-stage win over Samoa in Fukuoka.
His lengthy spell in the international wilderness allowed him to revert to the Springboks, a decision he feared may be met with a backlash.
But the response in his adopted nation has been overwhelmingly positive and grown since Ireland’s quarter-final exit at the hands of the All Blacks.
“I’ve been absolutely inundated with messages from Munster supporters – obviously only after Ireland fell out,” said Kleyn.
“Then they really came after us and said, ‘listen, you’re our second team now, guys’.
“The support was really heartfelt from a lot of Munster fans and it made it a lot easier for me because I thought it would be quite a negative reaction when I declared for the Springboks.
“From my history with Irish media, I figured there would be a few negative articles but it was resoundingly positive, so I was really happy about that.”
Kleyn may have to settle for a watching brief at Stade de France this weekend as he has been restricted to just one start during the tournament – South Africa’s 76–0 success over Romania.
His only other appearance was off the bench in his country’s 13-8 Pool B loss to Ireland.
While the Springboks lost that epic battle, they could still win the war.
“Obviously it was a pity for us the result didn’t go our way but here we are in the end still,” said Kleyn.
“No-one really looks back and says ‘you’ve lost a pool game’. They’re going to look if you win the World Cup.
“We were disappointed with the result back then but happy with where we are now. It was a fantastic game to be a part of. I enjoyed every minute.”
Ajax have announced that manager Maurice Steijn has left the Eredivisie club with immediate effect.
Steijn’s departure comes in the wake of a 4-3 defeat at Utrecht that left the Dutch giants sitting one point off the bottom of the table with just one win from their first seven games.
Steijn signed a three-year contract with the club this summer after moving from Sparta Rotterdam, whom he led to a shock sixth-placed finish last season.
Ajax chief executive Jan van Halst said: “We have worked intensely and professionally together over the last few months.
“But the sportive successes and the development of the team were lacking. That is why we decided to sit down together again today.
“This time, Maurice also expressed his concerns on whether he was the right man in the right place. Together, we decided that it would be best to part ways.”
Ajax have been hit by crowd trouble this season with their derby against Feyenoord forced to finish behind closed doors, while their loss at Utrecht was also temporarily suspended late on.
Hedwiges Maduro has been appointed in caretaker charge of the club, starting with Thursday’s trip to Brighton in the Europa League.
England’s Joe Root admits doubts over whether ODI cricket remains “relevant” have not gone unnoticed by players at the World Cup in India, with scrutiny increasing over the future of the format.
The defending champions have been in desperate form at the tournament, losing three of their four matches to leave their semi-final prospects dangling by a thread, but there are wider questions over the 50-over game as the T20 behemoth continues to grow unchecked.
Barring a few outliers, including a lively crowd for England’s loss to Afghanistan in Delhi, attendances have been well below expectations in a country renowned for its passionate support and the lack of close finishes has contributed to a lack of ‘buzz’ at the competition.
The PA news agency understands there are early signs of concern at host broadcaster Star Sports and The Cricketer has reported that the long-range prospects of the one-day game will be discussed at the International Cricket Council’s next board meeting in November.
ICC chair Greg Barclay has already said the success of the event can only be judged once it is complete and sources have rebuffed the idea that the format is under threat. They cite long-term rights deals that include 50-over World Cups in 2027 and 2031 and record streaming figures of 43million viewers during India’s victory over New Zealand on Sunday.
In the United Kingdom, Sky Sports has a direct agreement with the ICC running for the next eight years, including both of those World Cups.
But Root, speaking at England’s team hotel in Bengaluru, acknowledged the growing sense of uncertainty.
“There’s talk of whether this format is relevant any more anyway, in international cricket,” said Root, who helped England win their first World Cup title in 2019.
“Whether that gets changed…I don’t know. Who knows how things move in the future? Whether it’s domestically or internationally, I don’t think we play enough of it if we’re going to continue to look to compete in World Cups.
“I think it’s got a huge amount of history and it brings a lot to cricket. It will always hold a very special part of my heart for what it’s given me throughout my career, but I think it’s a question that should be posed to the next generation of players, and to everyone watching the game, really.
“It shouldn’t be down to, ‘is it bringing the most money for the sport?’ It should be down to what people want to watch, and what’s going to engage the next generation of players. Because in the long term, I think that’s going to be most beneficial for cricket all-round.”
The issue is acute in England, where the legacy of becoming world champions in the format has been a downgrading of the domestic competition to developmental status.
The Metro Bank One-Day Cup is now contested largely by emerging players and second-teamers due to its clash with The Hundred, meaning the newest faces in Jos Buttler’s side – Harry Brook and Gus Atkinson – have barely played the format and are effectively learning it on a global platform.
Root is uneasy with that situation and believes if ODI cricket is to continue, radical steps may be necessary.
The Hundred has significant critics, as a form of the game that is not played anywhere other than England, but Root has put forward the T20 Blast – reliably popular among counties and county members – as a potential sacrifice.
“It doesn’t make me change my mind about The Hundred. It makes me question whether we should be playing more 50-over cricket instead of T20,” he said, before backing away slightly from what is a thorny conundrum with no easy solution.
“But I don’t want to get into a debate about this. I don’t want it to be seen as an excuse (for under performing) because that’s not what we’re about as a team. That’s not how I look at things, but I haven’t got any good argument for anything else.”
While matters of global infrastructure and international scheduling are sure to continue, England have more immediate problems after their unexpected run of adverse results which, thanks to Afghanistan’s shock win over Pakistan on Monday, have left them rock bottom of the table.
Thursday’s game against Sri Lanka is must-win to uphold any realistic hopes of reaching the knockouts and Root is hoping the do-or-die scenario can kickstart a revival.
“We’ll look at that as a World Cup final now, then do the same for the game after that and the game after that,” he said.
“I’ve played in a number of different England teams – good ones and bad ones. This is one of the very best; it’s a very together team and we know what we need to do.
“This white-ball team, over an eight-year period now, likes very simple messaging and has responded very well to it. We’ve got some very simple messaging in front of us right now: we have to go out and win. In some ways that unshackles us and frees us up to do what we do.”
James Doyle has been booked for the plum ride on Kameko Futurity Trophy favourite Diego Velazquez at Doncaster on Saturday.
His trainer Aidan O’Brien has an enviable record in the Town Moor Group One and is responsible for five of the 11 possibles.
The Ballydoyle handler has won the race a record 11 times already and is going for three in a row on the back of Luxembourg (2021) and Auguste Rodin last year and also has Battle Cry, Chief Little Rock, Capulet and Henry Adams engaged.
Doyle partnered O’Brien’s Warm Heart to a Group One double this season in the Yorkshire Oaks and Prix Vermeille.
“Diego Velazquez looks the main one for the Futurity Trophy on Saturday,” said O’Brien.
“We are very happy with him since his last run and James Doyle has been booked for him. We will probably run one other horse in the race and we are looking forward to it.”
Charlie Appleby and Godolphin supplemented impressive Autumn Stakes scorer Ancient Wisdom as expected having pleased in a weekend workout.
Appleby said: “He has come out of that piece of work in good shape so we were keen to supplement this morning. The ground is looking like it will be soft at Doncaster and I feel like he is going to be a very strong contender.”
Roger Teal is looking forward to taking on the big guns with Dancing Gemini, who followed up a Newbury maiden win by romping away with the Listed Flying Scotsman Stakes on Town Moor.
“Everything seems spot on with him and it’s all good at this stage,” said the Lambourn trainer. “He was very impressive at Doncaster last time and we’re looking forward to giving it a go.
“I think the mile will suit him, as he certainly wasn’t stopping there over seven furlongs – and when he won at Newbury, he was only just getting going in the closing stages.
“Soft ground obviously wouldn’t be a problem as it was pretty testing up there last month but, looking at the weather forecast, it could well end up heavy and that is always a bit of an unknown.
“But all we can do is roll our sleeves up and get on with it. It’s a good race and something like this is never going to be easy, but we’ll be giving it a real go.”
John and Thady Gosden could be represented by God’s Window, a course and distance maiden winner on soft ground when getting the better of Ben Brookhouse’s Redhot Whisper, who could reoppose.
David Menuisier will bid to follow up Sunway’s Group One success in France on Sunday by saddling Devil’s Point and outsider Deira Mile could make his debut for Owen Burrows after being switched from Charlie Johnston.
Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi believes red-hot Lautaro Martinez should be in contention for the Ballon d’Or.
The striker has scored 11 goals in nine Serie A games, including four in the 4-0 rout of Salernitana last month.
He also netted in Inter’s Champions League opener – a 1-1 draw at Real Sociedad – last month.
Martinez is on course to beat the Serie A scoring record of 36 goals in a season, set by Gonzalo Higuain for Napoli in 2015-16 and Ciro Immobile for Inzaghi’s Lazio in 2019-20.
Ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with RB Salzburg at the San Siro, Inzaghi feels his striker, who won the World Cup with Argentina last year, deserves recognition in the Ballon d’Or.
Inzaghi told a press conference: “Yes, given the journey he’s been on and the trophies he’s won, I think it’s only right that he’s among the candidates to win it and he needs to carry on working in the same way.
“What comes to mind is Ciro’s record, as he achieved it with me. Lauti only returned a day-and-a-half ago from South America, he is in great shape and the team gives him all the support he needs too.”
Inter, top of Serie A, are second in Group D behind Sociedad on goal difference.
“This is a delicate match because the entire group is very balanced. Every game is important and we’ll need to be highly focused,” said Inzaghi.
“Heading into this game, we’re doing well. We won against Torino, which was no easy task. Tomorrow’s match will be important in a group that is very balanced.
“We need to stay focused because Salzburg are a tough side to face and won away to Benfica on the opening matchday.
“Salzburg play good football and have an aggressive playing system, even if they played differently in our pre-season friendly.
“They know how to switch it up and – when in possession – quickly get it to their forwards, who are very physical. We’ll have to produce a true Inter performance.”
Salzburg are a point behind in the group, having beaten Benfica and lost to Sociedad and boss Gerhard Struber expects an improvement after three winless games.
“We have to play better than we have done recently, for sure. It will definitely be a totally different match in a totally different competition. We won’t be favourites,” said the former Barnsley manager.
“We are playing a top Italian team who are right at the top of Serie A. We definitely have more to win than we have to lose and we want to play successfully there too.
“We have to put our core values out on the pitch again for that.”
Desert Crown, an effortless winner of last year’s Derby at Epsom, has been put down due to the injury he picked up on the gallops in August.
Sir Michael Stoute’s sixth winner of the blue riband Classic only ran once more following his victory last June.
A setback prevented him from running again last season and while he did make it to the track for this year’s Brigadier Gerard Stakes, he lost his unbeaten record to Hukum.
He was forced to miss the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes due to a minor setback but he suffered a much more severe one when being prepared for the Juddmonte International at York.
Desert Crown fractured a fetlock and while it initially appeared as if he could be saved and be able to enjoy a stud career, he lost the battle on Monday at the Newmarket Equine Hospital.
“There’s not a lot to say other than it is just very, very sad,” said Philip Robinson, assistant racing manager to owner Saeed Suhail.
“Everything was done to try and save him, we thought he was making progress but then he just started going backwards.
“With a severe injury like that there is a lot of pressure with the weight of the animal standing on it, but we really thought he was going to get there and it’s very sad he didn’t make it.
“You can try and help them with supports for the leg but at the end of the day they’ve got to be able to stand on their own.
“He had the best available treatment anywhere in the world, if he couldn’t be saved here then he couldn’t be saved anywhere.
“He was a fantastic horse and his Derby win was an incredible day that we’ll never forget.”
England will sign off an encouraging Rugby World Cup with Friday’s bronze final against Argentina at the Stade de France having lost 16-15 to South Africa in the last four.
Here, the PA news agency examines five things we learned from their progress through the tournament.
England in the right hands
The rancour of the latter stages of the Eddie Jones era saw the bond between England and their fans fray, but the act of defiance produced on a sodden Paris night has the capacity to reconnect team and supporters. Although it ended in heartbreak, there was much to admire as the Springboks were out-Bokked by a wet-weather masterclass devised by Steve Borthwick. Expectations heading into the World Cup were at an all-time low, yet Borthwick drove them to the brink of a World Cup final and the head coach described as a rugby “genius” by wing Jonny May has proved he is the right man to lead England forward.
End of an era
Supporters might have to show patience as tricky waters lie ahead in the form of the inevitable rebuild for Australia 2027. Stalwarts such as Courtney Lawes, Jonny May, Dan Cole and Joe Marler are likely to have played their last Tests and while there is an impressive core of players who are in the early phase of their career – Ben Earl, Freddie Steward, Marcus Smith and Alex Mitchell among them – it could be some time before Borthwick’s vision for England really takes shape.
Break the World Cup cycle
Under Jones everything was sacrificed at the alter of the World Cup, repeated poor Six Nations performances explained away by their place in the bigger picture. But the gut-wrenching defeat to South Africa, which was won by a 79th-minute Handre Pollard penalty, was an indicator of just how hard the tournament is to win. The Webb Ellis Trophy remains the ultimate prize, but it is just part of the sport’s landscape and should not be prioritised at the expense of other competitions.
Red Rose great
It did not need a strong World Cup to confirm Lawes as an all-time England great, but over the last two months, he provided emphatic confirmation nonetheless. The second row-turned blindside flanker retires from Test rugby after the tournament, a 34-year-old veteran of 105 caps, who saved his best performances for the biggest games. As a back-row warrior with sharp rugby instincts, he leaves giant boots to fill.
Martin the enforcer
While the English game says farewell to one ultra-physical back-five forward, Saturday hinted at the birth of another. George Martin was making only his fourth start, yet the 22-year-old rookie was the dominant second row on a pitch also roamed by Eben Etzebeth and Maro Itoje, making thunderous tackles and offering close-quarter muscle, particularly in mauls. The type of brutish presence every pack needs, he should become a fixture in England’s 23 for years to come.
Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel has hailed “world-class” Harry Kane ahead of their Champions League trip to Galatasaray where the German giants could move five points clear at the top of Group A.
Tuchel’s men have won both of their group matches so far but will come up against another unbeaten side in the form of the Turkish champions on Tuesday, and the goalscoring prowess of Kane could prove key in the clash.
The England captain took his tally to 10 goals in 11 appearances for Bayern when he found the back of the net in Saturday’s 3-1 win at Mainz, and Tuchel has praised the way his star striker has started since his summer arrival in Germany.
“He’s more than talented, he’s absolutely world-class,” said Tuchel, quoted on UEFA’s website.
“He has talent, ability, aura, personality, modesty, and love and dedication to the game. We persuaded the captain of England to leave England and I think we can pat ourselves on the back for that for a while.
“He’s a huge signing. Harry has made a super start and will get even better the longer he trains with us and once his family arrives too. When he feels at home here, we’ll see his full potential.
“With him everything is exemplary so it’s just good to have him here.”
Bayern travel to Turkey having beaten Manchester United and Copenhagen in their opening two Group A matches to establish themselves as firm favourites to reach the knockout stages.
However, Galatasaray have also started well, netting twice late on to draw against Copenhagen before stunning United 3-2 at Old Trafford.
They have also won eight of their nine matches in the league so far this season, and Tuchel knows the dangers his side face in Istanbul.
Tuchel, who led Chelsea to Champions League glory in 2021 and also reached the final as Paris St Germain boss, said: “The competition is so tight now that the group stage is never easy anymore.
“I’ve never had an easy group stage. You have to be alert, wide awake and focused for 90 minutes on what you’re doing.
“In a group with Galatasaray, Manchester United and Copenhagen, you can’t allow yourself to make a single mistake, never mind two, so we are working on becoming more resilient and robust.
“We’re well on the way to this. We have turned a few games around after falling behind. We didn’t let it rattle us and we’re developing a certain toughness in this competition.”
Tony Docherty wants Dundee to carry on from where they left off when they resume action against Ross County on Tuesday night.
Before the original fixture against County on October 7 was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at Dens Park, the Dark Blues had drawn 2-2 at home to Kilmarnock before a goalless draw against Hibernian at Easter Road made it just one defeat in five.
Dundee’s game at Aberdeen was called off at the weekend due to Storm Babet but Docherty is looking for his side to keep the positivity going against Malky Mackay’s Staggies, who are in 11th place, behind the Taysiders on goal difference.
He said: “The players are champing at the bit. We haven’t had a game since the 30th of September.
“We need to remember that we had real momentum going forward, it was a positive performance against Hibs away from home and prior to that we had a really positive performance going down to 10 men against Kilmarnock and getting a point.
“The players are in a good place now. It is important that we keep the confidence levels.
“So we need to maintain those performance levels, maintain the momentum we had. Although it has been tough not having a game for three weeks, I can’t praise the boys highly enough in terms of their training.
“We had a bounce game, a testimonial game and a couple of closed-doors games to keep them ticking over and even the training session we had this morning, I can really feel a hunger about them to get back into things so looking forward to the game.
“I get the feeling that the boys are up for it and looking forward to it.
“Ross County are in the same position, they haven’t had a game in that time either.
“They ask questions of you, free-kicks and long throws, and we need to be up for that.
“We realise how tough an opponent Ross County are and Malky always puts out a competitive team.”
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