Will Jordan says he is "excited" to see what Damian McKenzie can do when he returns to the starting line-up for New Zealand against Ireland.
He comes in as one of two enforced changes, replacing Beauden Barrett at fly-half, while hooker Asafo Aumua comes in for Codie Taylor, with the duo injured in their dramatic late win over England last weekend.
And Jordan is looking forward to seeing him back in the number 10 jersey when they walk out in Dublin.
"It's exciting. Damian is someone who loves to play the game with an attacking mindset and flair," said Jordan.
"I've had a couple of games with him at ten and me out the back, and I've enjoyed the combination we've had.
"I know he'll be excited to take this opportunity. He's had some great moments for us in the black jersey this year, and I'm sure he'll go out and nail it on Friday."
It is the first meeting between the two sides since the All Blacks clinched a 28-24 victory over Ireland in the 2023 World Cup quarter-finals, ending the latter's hopes of winning a second consecutive tournament.
They will be without the tighthead prop due to a hamstring injury on Friday, but Ronan Kelleher has won his fitness race to deputise for the injured Dan Sheehan.
Ireland are targeting a 20th straight win at the Aviva Stadium, but head coach Andy Farrell is expecting a tight affair.
"Irish rugby is in a good place and I think everyone knows New Zealand are always the team to beat," he said.
"I expect it to be as good as ever, if not better."
Julian Nagelsmann has handed a maiden Germany call-up to goalkeeper Stefan Ortega in his squad for the upcoming Nations League games.
The 32-year-old has only made four appearances for Manchester City this season, two in the Champions League and two in the EFL Cup, and was a surprise inclusion in the squad.
Ortega, who joined City in 2022, is the second-choice goalkeeper behind Ederson but received plaudits after filling in at the end of last season when the Brazilian suffered an eye injury.
There is also a return for Borussia Dortmund's Felix Nmecha, who is called up for the first time since September 2023. He has scored two goals and registered two assists in 14 appearances in all competitions this season.
Kai Havertz is also in the squad, having pulled out of their games in the October international break due to a knee injury.
Germany have already qualified for the quarter-finals of the Nations League, having collected 10 points from their opening four games.
Nagelsmann is not ready to ease up on the pressure when they face Bosnia-Herzegovina and Hungary, with the first of those matches on November 16.
"After making sure of a spot in the quarter-finals, we now want to seal top spot in the group," said Nagelsmann.
"Reaching the Nations League final four next year is an important milestone on our way to the 2026 World Cup."
Germany squad in full:
Oliver Baumann (Hoffenheim), Alexander Nubel (Stuttgart), Stefan Ortega (Manchester City), Robin Gosens (Fiorentina), Benjamin Henrichs (RB Leipzig), Joshua Kimmich (Bayern Munich), Robin Koch (Eintracht Frankfurt), Maximilian Mittelstadt (Stuttgart), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid), Nico Schlotterbeck (Borussia Dortmund), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen), Robert Andrich (Bayer Leverkusen), Julian Brandt (Borussia Dortmund), Chris Fuhrich (Stuttgart), Pascal Gross (Borussia Dortmund), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich), Felix Nmecha (Borussia Dortmund), Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart), Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen), Serge Gnabry (Bayern Munich), Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Tim Kleindienst (Borussia Monchengladbach), Deniz Undav (Stuttgart).
England interim boss Lee Carsley has named the final Three Lions squad of his tenure before Thomas Tuchel takes the reins at the start of next year.
Carsley handed first senior call-ups to Southampton's Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Newcastle's Lewis Hall for their Nations League fixtures against Greece and the Republic of Ireland.
Harwood-Bellis has played in all the Saints' Premier League fixtures so far this season, and is someone Carsley knows well.
The defender made 21 appearances under Carsley with England's Under-21's side, more than any other player during his time in charge.
Hall has also been in fine form. His 11 successful crosses and 15 chances created are totals only bettered by Anthony Gordon (15 and 20) in the Premier League for Newcastle.
The only other uncapped player in the squad is Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones, while there is no place for Aston Villa's Morgan Rogers.
Cole Palmer has also been handed a place in the 26-man squad despite missing Chelsea training this week after picking up a knock against Manchester United at the weekend.
Kobbie Mainoo misses out through injury along with Manchester City's John Stones. Nick Pope was also dropped from the squad, with Aaron Ramsdale coming in.
England face Group B2 leaders Greece in Athens on November 14 before rounding off their Nations League campaign at Wembley against Ireland three days later.
England squad in full:
Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Aaron Ramsdale (Southampton); Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Levi Colwill (Chelsea), Rico Lewis (Manchester City), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Lewis Hall (Newcastle), Taylor Harwood-Bellis (Southampton); Conor Gallagher (Atletico Madrid), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Morgan Gibbs-White (Nottingham Forest), Angel Gomes (Lille), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Curtis Jones (Liverpool); Jack Grealish (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Chelsea), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham).
Kylian Mbappe has been left out of France's squad for their upcoming Nations League matches, with Didier Deschamps saying it is a "one-off decision".
Mbappe played the full 90 minutes in Real Madrid's 3-1 defeat to Milan in the Champions League on Tuesday, and Deschamps did not say if the forward was injured.
The France captain also missed Les Bleus' last two matches, being rested despite his return to fitness in time for the October international break, with Mbappe coming under scrutiny for his absence.
The 25-year-old has struggled for form as of late, and although he has scored eight goals in 15 appearances since joining Madrid, he has hit the back of the net just once in his last six outings.
"I've had discussions with him, it is a decision that I took for this block of matches only," Deschamps told a press conference on Thursday. "Kylian wanted to come."
Meanwhile, Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier has received his first call-up, replacing Alphonse Areola in the squad. There are also recalls for Adrien Rabiot and N'Golo Kante as the injured Aurelien Tchouameni misses out.
France face Israel in the first of their two games on November 14 before finishing their Nations League Group A2 campaign against Italy three days later.
France squad in full:
Lucas Chevalier (Lille), Mike Maignan (Milan), Brice Samba (Lens), Jonathan Clauss (Nice), Lucas Digne (Aston Villa), Wesley Fofana (Chelsea), Theo Hernandez (Milan), Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool), Jules Kounde (Barcelona), William Saliba (Arsenal), Dayot Upamecano (Bayern Munich), Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid), Matteo Guendouzi (Lazio), N'Golo Kante (Al-Ittihad), Manu Kone (Roma), Adrien Rabiot (Marseille), Warren Zaire-Emery (PSG), Bradley Barcola (PSG), Randal Kolo Muani (PSG), Christopher Nkunku (Chelsea), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), Marcus Thuram (Inter).
Arne Slot believes hard work and intensity have been key to Liverpool's form ahead of their Premier League meeting with Aston Villa on Saturday.
Slot has won 14 of his 16 matches in all competitions since taking charge at Anfield and, despite his magnificent start, he pointed out that it has not been easy.
"You only look at results. Brighton was a difficult one on Saturday where we were 1-0 behind and had to fight really hard and that is what you saw," he told the Independent.
"We have to work really hard with incredibly high intensity to win our games and that has a lot to do with teams who think Anfield is the best place to play, so every team we play against is at the top of their game. If you want to win you always have to be consistent in your intensity."
Having taken over from Jurgen Klopp, it was understandable that expectations had lowered when Slot took over, but after a stellar start to the season, Slot said he was unconcerned by the pressure.
"I think if you work at any club around the world there is always pressure. For some managers it is not to go down, for some they have to win a lot,” he added.
"In our position, there is always pressure and that is the pressure we give ourselves."
Villa, meanwhile, go into this game having lost back-to-back games against Tottenham in the Premier League and Club Brugge in the Champions League.
A bizarre penalty conceded by Tyrone Mings provided the winner for the Belgian side on Wednesday, but Unai Emery was still pleased with the intensity his side showed.
"The first half we played like we were planning... It was a mistake," Emery said after that game.
"It is difficult and here it is not strange. You watched the match and [Villa] playing, they finished exhausted. It was not intensity, it was that the match changed completely after our mistake."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Liverpool – Mohamed Salah
No player has been involved in more Premier League goals than Mohamed Salah (12) so far this season, with seven goals and five assists. He has also had the most touches in the opposition box this term (96), while of players to have had 20+ shots, no-one has hit a higher percentage of them on target (67% - 20/30).
The Egyptian has scored in four of his last five appearances at Anfield in all competitions, while he was also credited with two assists in the 4-0 victory over Leverkusen last time out.
Aston Villa – Ollie Watkins
Only Erling Haaland (16) has had more big chances than Ollie Watkins (14) in the Premier League this season.
While Watkins has only scored five league goals, with four of those coming from the big chances, he is still Villa's top goalscorer.
MATCH PREDICTION: LIVERPOOL WIN
Liverpool have won five of their last six home games against Villa (D1), while the visitors have lost 16 of their last 18 Premier League away games against sides starting top of the table (D2).
A large part of Liverpool's early-season success has come from their defence, with only Manchester City (32) facing fewer shots on target than them (34) in the league. Liverpool, meanwhile, have conceded the fewest goals in the Premier League (six).
Slot is also only the fifth manager to win eight of his first 10 Premier League matches in charge, with the club also unbeaten in their last seven (W5 D2) against Villa.
Slot's side have won four and lost one of their five home games in the league this season, accruing the joint third-most points (12).
However, Liverpool have conceded the first goal in their last two Premier League games but avoided defeat in both (2-2 v Arsenal, 2-1 v Brighton). Indeed, their win against Brighton was the 100th time they have come from behind to win a Premier League match, the third team to reach this milestone in the competition.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Liverpool – 61.8%
Draw – 19.7%
Aston Villa – 18.4%
Despite improving to a 7-1 record by beating the Boston Celtics, Steph Curry insists the Golden State Warriors "haven't done anything yet".
Curry impressed in the Warriors' 118-112 victory over the reigning NBA champions, as he finished with 27 points, seven rebounds, nine assists and four steals.
He played 34 minutes after missing a week with a sprained ankle, and moved to 30th on the NBA's all-time scoring list, passing Charles Barkley when he scored the 23,747th point of his career in the third quarter.
The win moved the Warriors joint-top of the Western Conference, but despite what looks to be a statement win, Curry was not getting ahead of himself.
"We haven't done anything yet," Curry said.
"A good team, or a relevant team, wins the games they are supposed to win, you steal a couple on the road against good teams, you protect your home court. We've done those things so far, but we got two more games on this road trip, two tough tests.
"So, I like where we're at, obviously. But [there's a] long way to go.
"Until proven otherwise, that's how we have to play [splitting up the contributors]. And we've talked about it.
"Coach has talked about it until he's blue in the face already. Every practice, every film session, every pregame, it's the same message. So, it is who we are right now. It's who we have to be."
The Celtics had taken the lead in the first quarter after a strong start, but they struggled to cope as the Warriors' constant rotation among defenders wreaked havoc on the hosts' offense.
Boston committed 12 turnovers as they failed to find their rhythm for most of the game, though coach Joe Mazzulla was fairly pleased with how his team adapted.
"They're physical, so they force you to fight for your space," Mazzulla said. "They have active hands, so I think in the first half, they got a ton of deflections.
"They were able to get some stuff there, but I thought we did a better job of handling the physicality in the second half and just have to put - again, we talk physicality, it's just as much about defense as offense.
"So, it took us a little while to get adjusted to that. Once we did, we executed really well. And then it just came down to a couple possessions at the end."
The Celtics sit second in the Eastern Conference behind the Cleveland Cavaliers, who hold a perfect record so far.
Ten matches into the Premier League season, Arsenal's hopes of ending their long wait for a league title are already in danger.
Last week's 1-0 defeat to Newcastle United made it just seven points from five games, and they now trail leaders Liverpool by seven points.
Injuries and suspensions have taken their toll on Arteta's men, and things do not get much easier for them on Sunday, against a Chelsea team currently above them on goal difference.
Enzo Maresca's Blues fought back to draw 1-1 with Manchester United last time out, and only Manchester City and Liverpool have beaten them since the Italian took over.
We delve into the Opta data to preview Sunday's headline fixture at Stamford Bridge.
What's expected?
Given the two sides are only separated on goal difference ahead of Sunday's match, the Opta supercomputer finds it difficult to split.
Across 10,000 pre-match simulations conducted by the supercomputer, Arsenal were victorious in 41.2%, giving them a slight edge over their hosts, who are a 33.2% shot.
The likelihood of a draw is rated at 25.6%, but you sense Arsenal need to take all three points after seeing their hopes of winning the title drop to 4.4% in Opta's season predictions. Chelsea's own hopes are rated at 0.3%, with City (61.9%) still clear favourites ahead of Liverpool (33.4%).
Chelsea have won just one of their last nine Premier League games against Arsenal (two draws, six defeats), a 2-0 away win in August 2021. The Gunners have managed three victories in their last four league trips to Stamford Bridge (one draw) – as many victories as they recorded in their previous 20 visits (seven draws, 10 defeats).
Arsenal have also won their last six Premier League London derby matches by an aggregate score of 22-3, winning six of those matches by five or more goals.
One such occasion was a 5-0 rout of Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium last April, their biggest-ever margin of victory against the Blues in all competitions.
Blues eye statement victory
When the Premier League fixture list was drawn up, even the most optimistic Chelsea fan may have struggled to visualise the Blues sitting ahead of Arsenal in the table after 10 games.
But Maresca's side have shown promising signs in the early stages of his tenure. Chelsea's last two Premier League defeats this season have come against last season's top three teams – 0-5 versus Arsenal in April, 0-2 versus City in August and 1-2 against Liverpool in October.
They are unbeaten in their last 21 matches against all other teams, winning 14 and drawing seven while scoring 57 goals in total across those games.
The future looks bright for Chelsea, who fielded a starting lineup with an average age of 23 years and 96 days at Old Trafford last week – their youngest-ever XI for a Premier League match against Manchester United.
However, they are still waiting on a first statement win under Maresca, and getting one over on the Gunners would earn him plenty of goodwill among the fans.
Their chances could be decided by the fitness of Cole Palmer, who is an injury doubt after suffering a knock against United.
He opened the scoring when the Blues last welcomed Arsenal to west London for a 2-2 draw last October, scoring his first Premier League goal at Stamford Bridge.
Since then, he has more home goals in the competition than any other player (21), also leading the way for goal involvements (12 – seven goals, five assists, alongside Mohamed Salah) and open-play chances created in 2024-25.
Can fit-again Odegaard get Gunners firing?
Last season, Arsenal won 42 of their 89 Premier League points on their travels, taking nine points from five matches at the homes of their Big Six rivals.
This campaign, however, their failure to hit top form on the road has threatened to end their latest title tilt before it truly got going.
Arsenal have collected seven points from five away matches this term, the same amount as Brighton and fewer than Liverpool (13), Nottingham Forest (11), Chelsea, City and Aston Villa (all 10).
While Arteta has long preached the importance of control, Arsenal have simply not been good enough going forward in those matches. They have attempted just 37 shots on the road in the Premier League this season (7.4 per game), with only Brentford (seven) averaging fewer per away match across the entire division.
The fact Arsenal played significant amounts of time at Manchester City and Bournemouth with a numerical disadvantage likely plays a part, but the fact five teams have attempted at least twice as many shots on the road does not make for good reading (Manchester City 90, Tottenham 83, Crystal Palace 79, Bournemouth 78 and Manchester United 74).
Martin Odegaard's return to training after two months out with an ankle injury is a major boost, with the Norwegian having led all players in the Premier League for expected assists (11.17 xA) and chances created from open play (88) last season.
Arsenal have actually outperformed their underlying attacking metrics this campaign, netting 17 league goals from 15.75 expected goals (xG), so their finishing does not appear to be an issue. The fact they rank eighth in the league for xG does, however, suggest chance creation is a problem.
Arteta will hope Odegaard's return can make the difference, or a title challenge may prove a bridge too far. The last time they lost three successive away Premier League games was in December 2021, and they went on to miss out on a top-four finish that season.
The Norwegian was a late substitute as they were beaten 1-0 by Inter in the Champions League on Wednesday. They have now lost three of their last six games in all competitions, as many as their previous 32 beforehand.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Chelsea – Nicolas Jackson
Since the start of last season, Chelsea striker Jackson has been involved in more London derby goals than any other player in the Premier League (10 goals, two assists).
All of his 12 involvements have come in his last nine such appearances, and he already has six Premier League goals this term.
Arsenal – Bukayo Saka
Saka has provided more assists than any other player in the Premier League this season (seven).
He has also either scored (once) or assisted (twice) a goal in each of his last three away games against Chelsea in the Premier League, with Sergio Aguero (2013 to 2017) and Javier Hernandez (2012 to 2018) the only visiting players to do so in four consecutive appearances.
Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson said "you have to" enjoy the moment after they continued their perfect start to the NBA season.
The Cavs won 131-122 against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday, opening their season 9-0 for the first time in the franchise's 55-year history.
Cleveland had previously recorded an 8-0 start in 1976-77, but they have surpassed that, with Atkinson becoming the first NBA coach to win his first nine games with a new team.
Cleveland got 50 points from reserves, led by Caris LeVert (16 points) and Ty Jerome (11).
"You have to [enjoy it]," said Atkinson. "This season's so long. It's so hard to win in this league. So, when you do have moments like this, you have to celebrate a little.
"Everyone contributes. It's what good teams do. We're in a good place physically. We're in a good place mentally.
"When you win nine in a row, it's not one or two guys; it's the whole roster."
The Cavs were led by Donovan Mitchell, who scored 29 points, while Jarrett Allen added 16 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to add to their winning record.
They had to rally back from an early 12-point deficit though, and did so in part by shooting 54.2% overall, including 48.6% from 3-point range.
"What I think about is this team and the camaraderie they have, and the chemistry we have going and how connected they are," Atkinson added.
"I've been fortunate to land with a really good group, a group that's been really successful in the past, and I'm happy for them -- and I think they're happy for me in the locker room.
"There's a bond between the head coach and a team. You've got to celebrate those moments, and it's pretty cool."
Diego Simeone believes Atletico Madrid's precision is to thank for their last-gasp 2-1 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Warren Zaire-Emery had given PSG an early lead, though Atletico drew level through Nahuel Molina before substitute Angel Correa snatched the victory in the 93rd minute.
However, Atletico were far from dominant, managing just four shots, three of which were on target, to PSG's 22.
Last time out in the Champions League, they suffered a 3-1 defeat to Lille despite taking an early lead in that game. But Simeone feels his side have now put things right after ending a three-match losing streak on the road in the competition.
"You remember the last match against Lille, it was the same situation," Simeone said. "We had seven or eight goalscoring opportunities without being able to convert.
"In the end, football is about success. While collective play is beautiful, one can attack from all angles, but it's precision that positions you and brings success.
"Against Lille, we lacked that success, and in this match, Paris was better, but we managed to seize our opportunities.
"We defended with great collective work against a team that attacks very well. [Jan] Oblak had a great night, and we had a forcefulness that we did not have against Lille. We took a game that compensates for Lille's."
Three of Correa's UEFA Champions League goals for Atletico Madrid have come away from home, while it is their fifth 90th-minute winner in the competition since 2021-22, more than any other side.
He was brought on in the 67th minute to replace Julian Alvarez, and Simeone was pleased with the impact of his substitute.
"We believe in the footballers we have," he added. That was the compensation to have a goal option in Correa, who has the name of Angel for something.
"When you enter the field, things always happen. We argue. I tell him because he wants to play the 90 minutes, like all players. But he knows how important 12 of the team is."
Luis Enrique blamed Paris Saint-Germain's 2-1 home defeat to Atletico Madrid on bad luck, admitting their hopes of Champions League qualification were in danger.
PSG applied their usual possession pattern but were again pretty much toothless in attack, owing Warren Zaire Emery's opener to a defensive blunder.
Nahuel Molina equalised quickly and Atletico's resilience paid off three minutes into injury time thanks to second-half substitute Angel Correa's goal at the end of a counter-attack - a scenario that Luis Enrique labelled a 'bad joke'.
PSG had a handful of clear chances through Achraf Hakimi, Bradley Barcola and Ousmane Dembele but, with no out-and-out striker, were unable to convert.
"There are no words. I think that in our three home games, we were highly superior to our opponents but we did not have any luck," Luis Enrique said.
"As long as there are matches, we will fight," he added, with PSG next set to travel to Bayern Munich on November 26.
PSG are 25th in the 36-team league, just in the elimination zone, midway through the group phase.
They have lost five of their last eight games in the Champions League (W2 D1), as many as in their previous 19 games in the competition, while this is the first time they have failed to win successive home group games in the competition (D1 L1).
On Wednesday, they had 22 attempts on goal to Atletico's four, as they accumulated 2.12 expected goals, with their opponents showing their clinical edge after creating just 0.67.
"I've been in the game for over 30 years and I can't explain it. It's just bad luck. We were infinitely superior to our opponents," Luis Enrique added.
"We would have deserved to win our three home games. Comfortably."
Asked if PSG's chances to go through the league phase were in danger, he said: "Undoubtedly.
"We created 50 chances in three games and we failed to convert so many of them... we need 20 clear chances to score and our opponents sneeze and they score... it sounds like a bad joke.
"Creating chances is the team's responsibility and I'm responsible for the team, so I'm responsible for the results. If I fail, I will fail with my ideas. We're on the right path."
Simone Inzaghi praised Inter's defending after they shut out Arsenal in the Champions League, just as they did Manchester City earlier in the competition.
A controversially awarded penalty, given for a handball against Mikel Merino and converted by Hakan Calhanoglu on the stroke of half-time, proved enough for a 1-0 victory.
It leaves them fifth in the table after four games, one of four teams on 10 points, as they extended their unbeaten home run in the Champions League to 11 games (W9 D2), keeping nine clean sheets in this run.
What is more, Inter are one of two sides, along with Atalanta, that are yet to concede a goal in this season's Champions League. Indeed, four successive clean sheets is their longest-ever such run in the competition.
"We had a great performance, zero goals conceded to Arsenal and Man City. It's a source of great pride, but now we need to continue like this," Inzaghi said.
Arsenal had 20 goal attempts to Inter's seven but rarely looked like scoring as Inzaghi's side performed a defensive masterclass with Yann Bisseck outstanding.
"Bisseck was very good, but he doesn't have to prove anything to me," Inzaghi said. "I know how good he is, and he has played two great games against teams like City and Arsenal this season.
"His only problem is that we have other great defenders so he cannot play all the time, but I know how good he is."
Inter were under siege in the second half, facing 13 shots from the Gunners while having just one of their own. Arsenal also had 30 touches in Inter's box after the break, but the hosts' resilience kept them at bay.
"The best thing about this match is the three points, then the team spirit and the desire to fight that we put out on the pitch," Inter skipper Lautaro Martinez said.
"These matches are very important for the league table. We didn't concede any goals, and this is positive because in the [domestic] league we conceded too many.
"We must continue to raise the level. We want everything. The history of this club says so. I want to win everything."
Hansi Flick was delighted with Barcelona's focus and determination as they earned a commanding 5-2 win at Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League.
Robert Lewandowski scored twice to set them on their way, with Inigo Martinez, Raphinha and Fermi Lopez also getting on the scoresheet as Barcelona remained in control throughout.
It was a victory that lifted Barca to sixth place in the 36-team Champions League table on nine points, having scored a competition-leading 15 goals in four games.
In fact, Barcelona have netted 55 goals in 16 games across all competitions in 2024-25, the most of any team from the big-five European leagues. Meanwhile, their 14 wins are the joint-most of any side, along with Liverpool.
After a third consecutive triumph in the Champions League, Flick said he liked how his side got things done with the seriousness required.
"The most important thing is the three points. It's not easy to win away from home in this competition, the Champions League is complicated," Flick, who led Bayern Munich to the 2020 Champions League title, told Movistar Plus.
"I'm very happy, I really value what we're doing. We've been very good on the ball, and we've put a lot of pressure on.
"Red Star played very well, they knew how to play with the ball, and it's difficult to defend against them. I really appreciate my players being focused for 90 minutes because it's not easy."
Lewandowski's double means he is level with team-mate Raphinha, Bayern Munich's Harry Kane and Sporting CP's Viktor Gyokeres as the competition's top scorer with five goals.
The Pole has scored 19 goals in 16 appearances for Barcelona this season; the most of any player for a team in Europe’s big-five leagues across all competitions. 11 of those 19 goals have come in away matches, which is also the most of any player this term.
And Lewandowski is thrilled with Flick's aggressive approach.
"Since the beginning of the season we have had a goal: we have to play a very attacking football but without losing sight of how well our defensive line has been playing," Lewandowski said.
"Everything that works so far is almost perfect. We have to look at what we can do better, sure, but I feel very good, the team is very happy.
"I think in this new Champions League format, winning away games is very important. In the first half, we played a bit slow, but in the second half, we had a lot of chances.
"Sometimes, when a team plays very defensively like Red Star today, we need a bit of patience. I'm always looking for a free space to be able to touch a ball and score. That's why I'm very happy. As a team, we played very well."
Donovan Mitchell scored 29 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 131-122 on Wednesday night to open 9-0 for the first time in their 55-year NBA history.
Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen each added 16 points, and Allen grabbed 14 rebounds as the Cavaliers surpassed an 8-0 start by the 1976-77 squad that finished 43-39 under coach Bill Fitch.
Zion Williamson returned from a two-game absence and had 29 points for the Pelicans. He temporarily took himself out after playing 10 minutes but returned to start the second half and scored 23 after halftime.
Jose Alvarado hit all seven 3-pointers he took and finished with 27 points for New Orleans. Brandon Ingram added 20 points for the Pelicans, who have lost three straight and six of seven.
Cleveland had no trouble rallying back from an early 12-point deficit on the road and did so in part by shooting 54.2% overall, including 48.6% from 3-point range.
After Alvarado's back-to-back 3s made it 112-106, Mitchell responded with a hesitation move in the lane and a floater to make it 114-106 and stem the Pelicans' momentum with 5:20 left.
Cleveland got 50 points from reserves, led by LeVert and Ty Jerome (11 points).
Rookie Risacher has best game to lift Hawks
No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher scored 33 points and had seven rebounds and the Atlanta Hawks rallied late to beat the New York Knicks 121-116.
Risacher's 33 points were the most by a rookie this season. He shot 11 for 18 overall, including 6 for 10 from 3-point range, and also had three assists, three steals and two blocked shots.
The Hawks trailed 110-105 with 2:57 to play but went on a 13-1 run to put the game away.
Jalen Johnson had 23 points and 15 rebounds. Trae Young had 23 points, 10 assists and six rebounds one game after scoring just two points on 1-for-10 shooting against Boston.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks with 34 points and 16 rebounds, while Jalen Brunson scored 21 points.
Clint Capela capped a 9-1 run with a fast break dunk with 46.9 seconds remaining to give the Hawks a 114-111 lead. Young started a fast-break off a 3-point miss from Towns and dished it to a sprinting Capela for the dunk.
Surging Suns rally past Heat
Kevin Durant scored 32 points, Jusuf Nurkic had 20 and 18 rebounds, and the Phoenix Suns rallied from a 15-point deficit for a 115-112 victory over the Miami Heat to extend their winning streak to six games.
The Suns trailed 79-64 in the third quarter but finished the period on a 15-3 run to cut the Heat’s lead to three.
Neither team could take control in the fourth, but Durant’s jumper from the free-throw line with 16 seconds to play gave Phoenix a four-point lead.
Devin Booker had 22 points and nine assists for Phoenix (7-1), which has won its last five games by six points or fewer. Booker made one of two free throws with 4.8 seconds to go, giving the Heat a chance, but Miami failed to get a shot off before time expired.
Grayson Allen scored 12 points and Tyus Jones matched Booker with nine assists for the Suns.
Tyler Herro led the Heat with 28 points. Reserve forward Haywood Highsmith scored 19 and Jimmy Butler added 15. Bam Adebayo had 12 points and 12 rebounds.
Bradley Beal’s 3-pointer put the Suns ahead to stay at 106-103 with 3:52 remaining. Beal didn’t score in the first half and was in foul trouble. He finished with seven points.
The Suns’ 7-1 start matches the best in franchise history, equalling three previous seasons (1980-81, 2000-01, 2009-10).
West Indies secured a thrilling eight-wicket victory over England in the third ODI at Kensington Oval on Wednesday, sealing a 2-1 series win. Powered by centuries from Keacy Carty and Brandon King, the hosts chased down England’s 263-run target with ease under the floodlights.
England, after a rough start that left them reeling at 24 for 4, rallied to post a competitive 263 for 8, thanks largely to Phil Salt’s 74 and Dan Mousley’s inventive 57. Jamie Overton contributed a brisk 32 off 21 balls, and Jofra Archer added firepower with an unbeaten 38 off just 17 deliveries. Despite their efforts, the West Indies bowlers had already left a mark, with Alzarri Joseph (2 for 40) and Romario Shepherd (2 for 48) taking key early wickets alongside Matthew Forde’s standout 3 for 35.
In reply, West Indies wasted no time asserting dominance. Brandon King launched into Jofra Archer’s first over, slamming consecutive boundaries to set the tone. Although Evin Lewis was dismissed for 19, King and Carty anchored the innings with a record-breaking 209-run partnership, the highest for West Indies against England in ODI cricket. King, who benefitted from two dropped catches, reached his third ODI hundred before being bowled for 102 with just 13 runs needed. Carty’s unbeaten 128 off 97 balls was a maiden ODI century, making him the first cricketer from St. Maarten to reach three figures for West Indies.
The win, secured with ample overs to spare, highlighted the potent combination of West Indies’ bowling strength and the emerging batting prowess of Carty and King, who have undoubtedly set a high standard for the future of Caribbean cricket.
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