The Chicago Bulls have "unfinished business" after missing out on the NBA Playoffs in five of the last six seasons, according to Andre Drummond.
The Bulls were expected to improve on a promising 2021-22 term this time last year, but they finished 40-42 for the regular season before missing out on the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Chicago were beaten by the Miami Heat in April's play-in tournament, bringing a premature end to an inconsistent campaign in which they never once posted a four-game winning streak.
Their woes were compounded by seeing guard Lonzo Ball sit out the entire season with a knee injury which has now required multiple surgeries. Having last taken to the court in January 2022, Ball will also miss the 2023-24 campaign after being forced to undergo a cartilage transplant.
Despite Ball's absence, Drummond believes Chicago can look forward to a more positive time of things this season, having kept a familiar core intact.
"It's definitely been one of my better offseasons, I feel like I got a lot done," Drummond told Stats Perform. "I got some good insight into what is expected of me, so that's what I worked on this summer.
"With the Bulls I feel like we have some unfinished business, which is one of the reasons why I ended up coming back here to Chicago, picking up my player option.
"We started off really good at the beginning of last year, and I feel like we let a lot of things slip, some due to injuries and some due to just not really having any real chemistry yet.
"Losing Lonzo, a lot of our decision-making has been spread out throughout our team, for guys that aren't used to doing it.
"I think with a year under our belts now, we know how each other play and we know each other a little bit better, we will be able to really build that chemistry."
In June, two-time All Star Drummond exercised his $3.36million option to remain with the Bulls, who open their season at home to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday.
He will again be teaming up with Nikola Vucevic, who signed a three-year, $60m contract extension with Chicago in June, and Drummond is enjoying working with his fellow center.
"The relationship I have with Vuch is unique because he's somebody I've battled against for almost a decade, just playing against this guy year in, year out," Drummond said.
"Then being team-mates with him now and just seeing him on a day-to-day basis, I just really formed a new respect for him, watching how hard he works and how he prepares for each and every game.
"Being here with him has been a lot of fun. We have two different games, which is why our games work together on the same team.
"He's more of the outside shooter and I'm more of the brute force down low that gets all the rebounds and does all the dirty work, so our games clash very well."
Vucevic averaged 17.6 points, 11 rebounds and 3.2 assists while playing in all 82 games throughout 2022-23, also shooting 52 per cent from the field, his highest rate since 2014-15.
Lewis Hamilton raised the prospect of challenging Max Verstappen for pole position at the United States Grand Prix after he finished third in practice.
Hamilton trailed Verstappen by 0.281 seconds in the sole running before qualifying later on Friday with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc splitting the rivals.
But the seven-time world champion, in his upgraded Mercedes, clocked the fastest first and second sectors before hitting traffic in the final part of his speediest lap at Austin’s Circuit of the Americas.
Verstappen claimed his third world title in as many years at the previous round in Qatar.
But Hamilton’s early pace at a track where he has enjoyed so much success over the years suggests he might be able to give the Dutchman a run for his money in qualifying for Sunday’s 56-lap race.
Leclerc could also be a contender in the Lone Star State after he finished just 0.156 sec behind Verstappen.
Verstappen’s Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez took fourth spot, three tenths back, a place ahead of Haas’ Kevin Magnussen with George Russell sixth for Mercedes.
Oscar Piastri survived a hairy moment when he temporarily lost control of his McLaren through Turn 8.
The Australian rookie, who won the sprint race in Lusail a fortnight ago, looked destined for the barriers after he ran on to the grass at high speed.
Piastri wiggled one way to the next but managed to catch his out-of-control machine to avoid a big shunt. He sustained minor damage to the floor of his McLaren in the accident and finished only 19th.
Lance Stroll was rooted to the foot of the time charts after he completed just five laps following a brake failure on his Aston Martin.
Qualifying takes place at 4pm local time (10pm BST).
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has warned his players they must continue to make sacrifices as his side look to extend their lead at the top of LaLiga with victory at Sevilla on Saturday.
Ancelotti has deployed some players in unfamiliar positions with Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni moved back into defence and Rodrygo admitting he was not happy playing at centre forward.
But with a tough schedule ahead including next week’s El Clasico, Ancelotti made no apologies for his positional switches and said he would continue to ask his players to put the interests of his team first.
Ancelotti told a press conference: “It’s important to know where each player wants to play, and sometimes the demands of the team mean that some players have to make sacrifices.
“Camavinga, Tchouameni or Rodrygo have done that. Rodrygo is a complete forward and can play in the centre, as he did at Napoli. My idea is that the team’s demands come first and then the individual’s.”
Ancelotti’s men headed into the international break on the back of four straight wins and the Italian admitted he was concerned that they would be able to regain that momentum as speculation continues to swirl over his future.
“The team’s on a good run and it’s going to be an important week,” said Ancelotti, whose side also face a Champions League trip to Portugal to face Sporting Braga.
“I’m worried about quite a few things this week. The Sevilla game will be very demanding. They’ve changed coach and they have a lot of quality in their squad. It’s going to be a tough match.
“I’m more concerned that we might have forgotten what we did before the international break. We were playing well and I hope we can get back to the same level.”
Saturday’s game, which represents Real’s 3,000th in LaLiga, will also bring Ancelotti face to face with Sergio Ramos, who was integral to Ancelotti’s success during his first spell at the club between 2013 and 2015.
And Ancelotti admitted that he probably would not have got a second crack at the Madrid job had Ramos not scored the famous stoppage-time equaliser in their 2014 Champions League final with city rivals Atletico, which they went on to win.
“I love seeing him and saying hello,” added Ancelotti.
“Obviously, all the players I’ve had I’m very fond of, and I am especially of him. If he hadn’t scored in the final in Lisbon, I probably wouldn’t be here.
“For everything he’s done, I think everyone’s very fond of him, especially me. He’ll have a great game because he’s got real quality.”
Kevin Sinfield has demanded England’s players empty the tanks in Saturday’s World Cup semi-final against South Africa to ensure they are not left with lifelong regrets.
For eight of the starting XV it is the chance to avenge their defeat to the Springboks in the 2019 final when the expectations generated by a thumping victory over New Zealand a round earlier were ground into the Yokohama Stadium turf.
Steve Borthwick’s England were given little hope of challenging for South Africa’s crown due a dismal series of warm-up fixtures which extended their losing run to five defeats in six Tests, yet they are the only unbeaten side left in the tournament.
Defence coach Sinfield sees the benefit of continuing to confront adversity head on at the Stade de France.
“I am certainly not overwhelmed. I understand the challenge in front of us,” the English rugby league great said.
“But I don’t mind being backed into a corner, don’t mind being written off, don’t mind being slammed, don’t mind being in the thick of a pretty tough circumstance.
“I just think that we’re in a World Cup semi-final, there is a lot of good in us, there are a lot of things to be excited about.
“Coming up against South Africa will let us know where we’re at. But for our players, they are so excited to be out there.
“Rewind eight weeks to the end of August and it was pretty grim for us, but we want them to absolutely rip into it on Saturday night.
“We want them to give everything they’ve got, otherwise you end up with a load of regrets for the rest of your life.
“We are really looking forward to this – we are coming up against the best team in the world at the weekend.”
England have a mix of ages in their squad ranging from 22-year-old George Martin to 36-year-old Dan Cole and Sinfield believes that the final message to the squad before they take the field needs to be delivered with more subtlety in the modern era.
“It’s probably more subtle than Churchillian speeches and understanding that leadership has changed and this generation is different,” Sinfield said.
“Gone is the big Churchillian leader. They do exist but they’re quite rare.”
South Africa director of rugby Rassie Erasmus is adept at what Warren Gatland describes as “dark arts”, such as using mind games to give his side an edge.
The most recent example is the suggestion that the Springboks used HIAs in their quarter-final victory over France to give forwards Duane Vermeulen, Pieter-Steph du Toit and Bongi Mbonambi a rest – a claim denied by Erasmus.
Attack coach Richard Wigglesworth insists England are ready for any scheming but believe the match will be decided in other areas.
“I’m sure that, with the smarts of their coaching team, they will try to throw stuff at us, no doubt. Will that be the winning and losing of this game? Probably not,” Wigglesworth said.
“It will probably be the big bits of the game that decides that and then they’ll give those little nuances a chance.
“I wouldn’t like to guess what they are going to try and do because I know they will watch and hear everything we say. I wouldn’t like to try and give anyone a head start.”
Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi insists the upcoming clash against Manchester City on Saturday afternoon is “bad news” despite the Premier League champions’ recent form.
The Seagulls are aiming to break their recent run of four games in all competitions without a victory, but in their way stand Pep Guardiola’s side.
City have been going through a tough spell themselves, according to their lofty standards, losing three of their last four matches in all competitions, but return to the Etihad Stadium where they have a 100 per cent record so far this season.
Asked whether it is a good time to face the treble winners, De Zerbi admitted the opposite.
He told a press conference: “It is bad news. The big teams are not used to losing three games in the last four, but anyway we have to think for ourselves.
“We have to improve in the quality of the play because we are not playing enough for our level and to compete for our target. We have to understand if we want to win or want to compete we have to play better than the last games.
“Without the quality of the play, we can’t reach any target and we have to be clear.”
Brighton have gone from strength to strength since De Zerbi walked through the door at the Amex Stadium, having delivered European football to the fans for the first time in the club’s history.
Many have compared the Italian’s achievements so far to the boss in the opposite dugout and De Zerbi admits he would love to do what Guardiola has done throughout his managerial career.
“I’m happy when I listen to Pep speak about me. I feel a bit embarrassed, but we are a work in progress,” De Zerbi added.
“I think we are playing well, fighting well but we have to improve, progress and adapt a new challenge and new season.
“Pep is a boss. I would like to do something the same because for many years he won in Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Man City, but the way which he won is different to other coaches. The world will remember him not only for the victory but the way he wins, it is unique.”
Premier League top scorer Erling Haaland has not found the back of the net in his last two league appearances which many fans have not been used to since his arrival into the league.
But De Zerbi is extra wary of Haaland’s threat as he looks to break his mini duck.
He added: “The big strikers when they are not scoring so many goals, they are more angry to score and have a chance to score, but its not only Haaland because Doku is a great player for them, and Alvarez.”
Earlier on Friday, Brighton announced highly-rated winger Kaoru Mitoma had signed a new contract.
The 26-year-old, who arrived in 2021, has been a key player in Brighton’s success and will now stay on the south coast until 2027.
De Zerbi said: “It’s great news. Kaoru is our top player.”
Technical director David Weir added: “Ensuring that a player of Kaoru’s quality will remain with us for the long term is fantastic news. Kaoru adapted to the Premier League last season and has quickly become one of our most important players.”
James Tavernier wants to get Rangers fans back onside under the tenure of Philippe Clement.
The Gers players were booed off following the 3-1 cinch Premiership defeat by Aberdeen at Ibrox last month which brought an end to Michael Beale’s time in the hot seat.
It was far from the first time this season that the Light Blues fans turned on their side who have slipped seven points behind league leaders and current champions Celtic and who were knocked out of the Champions League by PSV Eindhoven in the play-off.
Former Gers midfielder Steven Davis stepped in to oversee a shock 2-1 Europa League defeat by Aris Limassol in Cyprus which did little to improve the mood of the Gers supporters and a 3-0 league win over St Mirren in Paisley before Clement was appointed on Sunday.
The ex-Genk, Club Brugge and Monaco boss’ debut in the Ibrox technical area comes against Hibernian at Ibrox on Saturday and skipper Tavernier is looking for a new era to begin.
The 31-year-old full-back, who signed for Rangers in 2015, said: “I had a good chat with the gaffer and it is a two-way street between us and the fans.
“I have been here over the years and we have experienced great experiences in the stadium when the fans have been behind us and when the performances have been what the fans deserve.
“We always want the fans to back us no matter what the situation that we are in.
“And obviously we have to give them the performances that they are looking for. It is always a two-way street. I believe both of us together can be very strong.”
Tavernier has seen changes in Clement’s approach this week but expects time to be key.
He said: “It is still the early stages and he is trying to put his identity in the team.
“We will be working on that every day and you will see it when we play. It is refreshing and it is good to see a different aspect of how to play football again.
“We are all really tuned into what he wants and we have got to implement it as quickly as possible.
“There is nothing drastic. It will take time, working day by day, week by week and that is the message from the gaffer.
“He puts his small imprints and then in the grand scheme of things later down the line we should be having a lot more different variations in the team.”
Luis Enrique says Paris St Germain face a tougher task on their Ligue 1 return against Strasbourg than they will playing AC Milan in the Champions League four days later.
PSG return to action after the international break on Saturday behind top two Monaco and Nice, and with former France midfielder Patrick Vieira in the Strasbourg dug out at the Parc des Princes.
“As a player, I experienced it for years when I played for Real Madrid and Barcelona, then I experienced it as a coach at Barça and now at Paris St Germain,” head coach Enrique said ahead of side’s contest with 11th-placed Strasbourg.
“When players are in the national team, they are always very excited. That’s logical and normal, and I accept it.
“After that, it depends on the match that follows, the opponent. It can be more or less motivating.
“When you’re part of a great team, you have to be able to play even when you’re not optimally motivated.
“It’s not an easy thing to do, especially with these breaks where the first match back is a league game and the next a Champions League match, like the one against Milan, where the motivation will be high.”
PSG must revive their Champions League campaign on Wednesday after losing 4-1 at Newcastle. They beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 at home in their opening match.
The Ligue 1 champions have stuttered domestically with a home defeat to Nice and three draws in their eight games, although PSG did win 3-1 at Rennes before the international break.
Enrique said: “It would be a mistake to think that the match against Strasbourg will be easy. It’s a much tougher match than the one against Milan.
“For Milan, I’ll have to calm the players down. Whereas on Saturday, I’m going to have to motivate them, get them excited.
“That’s why this match against Strasbourg involves a lot more problems for me, with a very young opposition, super-motivated and coached by a very good coach.
“The first thing to do after a two-week break is to get the players back into the swing of things at the club.
“It’s going to be a special week because there are three matches.”
Kylian Mbappe has not scored for PSG since converting from the penalty spot against Dortmund on September 19.
The four-game run is the longest Mbappe has gone without a goal for the club in five years.
Roger Varian only has one runner on British Champions Day – but it is a headline one and he is happy to feel a bit of pressure ahead of King Of Steel’s bid for glory in the Qipco Champion Stakes.
Runner-up to Auguste Rodin in the Derby at Epsom, the giant grey went on to win the King Edward VII Stakes over 12 furlongs at the Royal meeting, as well as run with great credit in the King George and the Irish Champion Stakes.
He now tries again to secure his first top-level success and given he is Frankie Dettori’s final mount on his last afternoon in European action, there is an extra expectation on his team. But Varian is happy to be part of one of the Flat calendar’s marquee events.
“It’s a day you want to be involved in,” he said.
“Unfortunately we have only got the one runner this year, but we have done well at the meeting in the past. We’ve won the Balmoral once or twice and the last two years we’ve picked up Group One races and we would love to come home with a big prize again this year.
“We’re looking forward to it and it’s exciting. You feel a bit of pressure on the day because you should do, it matters, it’s a big deal. He’s a good horse and we want him to win a big race.
“There will be a little bit of pressure on the day, but that comes with being represented by one of the fancied horses in one of the big races. It’s a position we want to be in and we’re looking forward to it.”
King Of Steel was beaten just a length when dropping to back to a mile and a quarter in the Irish Champion Stakes and Varian is taking heart from a return to Ascot.
“We’ve been very happy with him since Leopardstown,” he said.
“We’ve consciously spread his races out, but he’s had hard races because he’s been racing at the top level and he’s not run a bad race all year.
“Saturday won’t be any easier, it’s a tough field assembled, but he very much deserves to be in the race and we think the stiff 10 furlongs will help him
“I think we can gain some confidence and positivity, but in fairness he’s gone left-handed, he’s gone right-handed, he’s gone up and down Epsom and he’s handled Leopardstown.
“Neither of them are easy tracks and he’s also gone well at Ascot, so I would say he’s an agile horse who is versatile in terms of what kind of track he runs on.
“Yes, it’s nice to know he has run well at Ascot previously, but I suppose any track would not concern me too much knowing the horse.”
John and Thady Gosden’s Mostahdaf was ridden to victory by Dettori in the Juddmonte International at York in the absence of the suspended Jim Crowley.
Crowley is back this weekend and Mostahdaf’s connections were certainly pleased the race has been moved to the inner course given his dislike of testing ground.
“John Gosden and I will walk the course in the morning. We’re very keen to run, it’s not his favoured surface, we know that, but we’ve got to make sure it’s not too soft,” said Angus Gold, racing manager for owners Shadwell.
“I realise there are other people who disagree, but from our point of view switching the courses has to help and from the race’s point of view, as a spectacle, you want the best horses so to attract them you have to run it on the best ground possible. I don’t think the soft ground horses will be inconvenienced anyway.
“We’d be lying if we thought he’d do what he did in Saudi (won by seven lengths) and since then he’s won the two top 10-furlong races on the calendar.
“It was probably our fault he hadn’t been able to show how good he was. He did only lose once at three, but we tried stretching him out to a mile and a half (last year). Clearly 10 furlongs is his trip.”
Last year’s winner Bay Bridge has perhaps not had the season anticipated by connections but Sir Michael Stoute’s five-year-old ran with credit when sixth in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
Assistant trainer James Savage said: “We’ve been very pleased with how Bay Bridge came out of the Arc, which was a tough race on ground that dried out throughout the day. He’s been working well since and he’s in good order.
“He ran well at Longchamp and was only beaten about six lengths, having done a little bit too much in Richard’s (Kingscote) hands in the early and middle parts of the race. We are pretty sure he stayed the mile and a half, as he did at Kempton, but you’d have to say that going back to Ascot in conditions we’ve been waiting for all year, he’d have a great shout.”
Horizon Dore has made giant strides this season and is among the favourites after winning the Prix Dollar on Arc weekend, his fourth successive victory.
The gelding is trained by Patrice Cottier and partly-owned by Le Haras De La Gousserie, whose manager Pauline Chehboub told Sky Sports Racing: “He is doing well, he is in good form with some freshness. The trainer is very happy with him and we can’t wait to watch him on the track again.
“He is stronger than at the start of the season. He needed time this year so we chose to stay in France for the first part of the season, with success, and now it’s time to travel and see him at Group One level.
“Just after his win in the Prix Eugene Adam at Saint-Cloud in July, (when) he showed plenty of acceleration, we chose to target Champions Day for the end of the year and now we are excited to go.”
George Boughey’s Via Sistina is another in the mix having run with credit all season. Connections plumped for this race rather than the QEII and there would be nothing better than victory in the final British Champions Series race of the year.
“Although she was in both races this has been the plan for her for a long time,” said Boughey.
“I think 10 furlongs is her optimum, and we know that she’s ground-versatile as she won the Pretty Polly on arguably the fastest ground she has ever run on, having previously impressed on soft ground in the Dahlia.
“She looks amazing for this time of year and her best performances come after a break, which she’s had since Deauville two months ago. Oisin (Murphy) already knows her well, having ridden her work when she was with Joe (Tuite). She’s a very high level performer and Oisin is a very good replacement for Jamie (Spencer), who has other commitments.”
Bracken’s Laugh could give Richard Hughes plenty to dream about over the winter when he runs in the Criterium de Saint-Cloud on Sunday.
The Zoffany colt made an immediate impression when debuting at Newbury in the Haynes, Hanson & Clark Novice Stakes, moving through the race stylishly before keeping on past some experienced rivals.
He is now both upped in trip and class as he heads to France for a Group One contest his trainer knows plenty about, having won the race as a jockey aboard Sir Henry Cecil’s Passage Of Time.
“He’s a lovely horse and we think a lot of him,” said Hughes.
“It’s a big ask going into such a race on just your second start, but that’s why I ran him in a winner’s race at Newbury.
“He needed to run in a proper race to prove himself and I feel he did that on the day, he made up a two or three lengths on a couple of winners and won well at the line and he proved he goes on the heavy ground.”
Owned by Bernardine and Sean Mulryan, Bracken’s Laugh cost connections 200,000 guineas earlier in the year and Hughes feels he has a horse of huge potential under his care as he prepares to ask a stern question of his exciting young prospect.
He added: “When you spend 200,000 on a horse you hope you are buying a superstar and I stuck my neck on the line for this fella. He’s a huge horse and he did a very good breeze back in May when he shouldn’t have been able.
“He’s got an abundance of pace and he’s bred to stay a minimum of a mile and a half – he’s a three-parts brother to Getaway.
“I feel I have ticked all the boxes other than having only run once, but then Aidan O’Brien’s horses have only run once as well. There’s only seven runners so it’s not a big field and we have a lovely draw and I’m really looking forward to watching this horse run.”
Joseph O’Brien’s Islandsinthestream finished second to Henry Longfellow in the Vincent O’Brien National Stakes before scoring at Longchamp last time, while there is an American feel to Aidan O’Brien’s two runners as he saddles both Illinois and Los Angeles.
The former will be ridden for the first time by Ryan Moore, with Seamie Heffernan doing the steering when making a taking debut at the Curragh earlier this month.
Moore told Betfair: “I wasn’t on Illinois when he won at the Curragh on his debut, but everyone seemed very impressed by him. And understandably so. That came over nine furlongs in soft ground, so you’d have to think this test will suit him.
“He is another exciting middle-distance prospect for next season and let’s hope he keeps his unbeaten tag in place, going in over the winter.”
Meanwhile Los Angeles was equally impressive, earning himself quotes for next year’s Classics when a convincing winner at Tipperary first time out.
“He was also dominant when winning over nine furlongs on his debut at Tipperary,” continued Moore.
“This Camelot colt obviously has great potential, and a win for either of ours would not surprise me, for all Islandsinthestream and Shiffrin probably set the standard.”
Nicolas Le Roch’s Shiffrin heads the French assault having won Chantilly’s Prix de Conde last month, while the unbeaten Casapueblo and Christopher Head’s Ramadan will also head to post for a competitive affair.
The Champagne Stakes form will be put to the test once again in the other Group One on the card, the Criterium International, where David Menuisier’s Sunway attempts to go one better than his Doncaster second.
Richard Hannon’s Rosallion has already boosted that race when claiming the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere on Arc weekend and now Sunway gets his shot at a top-level prize.
“I think he earned his berth in the race when he ran so well in the Champagne Stakes,” said Menuisier.
“He beat the winner of the Lagardere that day, albeit on different ground conditions obviously.”
Chief among the opposition is Andre Fabre’s Alcantor who has won three of his four starts and is a horse Menuisier already knows plenty about.
As well as accounting for French-based rivals Saganti (Mikel Delzangles) and Havana Cigar (Jean-Claude Rouget) when impressing at Saint-Cloud last time, he also had Menuisier’s Devil’s Point held back in fourth and the British-based Frenchman is respectful of the opposition lying in wait for Sunway.
He added: “It’s the form line of the Prix Thomas Bryon at Saint-Cloud when we finished fourth with Devil’s Point and Andre Fabre’s horse looks really good.
“We respect the opposition but the horse is really well and I’m counting on him for a big run.”
Navy Seal and Portland will represent Ballydoyle, with Patrice Cottier’s Grey Man completing the line-up.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has called for a minimum percentage of away supporters to be enshrined in league rules as he prepares to take his team to what will be an even more hostile atmosphere inside Tynecastle.
Celtic will have 576 fans in attendance for Sunday’s game against Hearts with the home club keen to get more of their own supporters inside the ground following rising demand for tickets in recent years.
The allocation is less than half of what Celtic received in their previous visit and a continuation of a trend.
Rodgers was used to seeing the Roseburn Stand half full of Celtic supporters in his first spell in charge, which included his first domestic game as manager and the game where his side clinched his first title. But previously Celtic fans occupied the whole of the stand behind the goal.
The likes of Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibernian previously took bigger supports to Glasgow too but they have long been restricted to less than two per cent of Celtic Park and Ibrox in allocations measured in hundreds.
The Tynecastle allocation has continued debate over away allocations which has been most starkly felt when Celtic face Rangers in recent seasons.
The tradition of handing about 7,500 tickets to the away team was abandoned by Rangers and fears over the safety of an away following in the hundreds have meant the fixture has been home fans only in recent matches.
The likes of Aberdeen, St Mirren and Kilmarnock have also cut the allocations for Celtic and Rangers fans in recent seasons.
The issue will likely be revisited ahead of Celtic’s New Year derby with Rangers likely to be rebuffed in their request for tickets after the Hoops won at Ibrox earlier this season with no fans present.
Scottish Professional Football League rules are currently vague, stating that a home club must provide tickets for a “reasonable number of visiting supporters…. as may be agreed in advance with the visiting club”. The SPFL board will determine the number if no agreement is reached but that situation has never occurred.
Rodgers accepted Hearts’ right to cut the allocation but he hopes the rules can be made clearer for everyone’s benefit, echoing similar calls from his Hearts counterpart Steven Naismith.
“Every club has got every right at this moment in time, to issue what they want to give to away supporters,” the Celtic manager said.
“Until there is something standardised, Hearts are more than willing to do that.
“Of course as a Celtic manager I love to see more supporters in there of course because they come from all over the place to follow their team.
“But hopefully we can standardise a certain percentage for away supporters and that allows all the supporters of all the teams to be able to go and watch their teams.
“Around some of the grounds, in my first time here and even now…the idea is, of course, if there is more away allocation it allows the ground to be filled, and obviously to give money and resources to the away team, then of course we would like to be able to do that.
“But I also understand it from a football perspective why maybe you wouldn’t want so many away supporters in.
“But hopefully the federation can standardise a number and then we all know where we stand.”
Rodgers backed his team to handle the atmosphere.
“Any team playing away, it’s always nice to have a fairly large group of your supporters there to give you that backing but if they are not there, then we can’t use that as an excuse,” he said.
“We have shown already with no supporters that we can get big results. We will be very much together and the 500-odd supporters that will be there, hopefully we can give them a good day.”
Inter Milan boss Simone Inzaghi has urged his side to improve their concentration as they visit Torino on Saturday.
Inter lost ground at the top of Serie A when they threw away a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at home to Bologna, allowing city rivals AC Milan to open up a two-point lead.
A tough test awaits when they head to Turin and Inzaghi knows his side cannot afford any more lapses.
“There will be a need for a very high concentration and desire to do well because a very difficult match awaits us. Intense,” he told Inter TV.
“We are working hard on the defensive organisation. The league table and performance in Europe say we are doing well, but we need to improve again: in the last match, for example, we conceded two clearly avoidable goals and therefore we must make progress day after day.
“The whole team must participate in the non-possession phase.
“Preparing for the first game back from a break is never easy. Most of the players got back on Wednesday, the South Americans yesterday.
“We know that Torino are a good team with a coach in his third year with them. We’ll need a great Inter performance.”
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Scoring goals is certainly not a problem, with 21 in eight games, but Inzaghi thinks there is more to come.
“It’s true, we score a lot and with different players, but we know that we can still improve this figure,” he added. “By training as best we can and finding more goals also with our defenders, with the midfielders.”
Captain Lautaro Martinez has been at the forefront of that, scoring 11 goals in 10 appearances.
“Lautaro is a player with a huge sense of belonging,” Inzaghi added. “He’s improved a lot in the last couple of years and, of course, the armband has given him more responsibility. He also has top team-mates who always try to set him up.”
Inter will assess their players, including Nicolo Barella, as they return from international duty.
Alan King is under no illusions about the task facing Trueshan as he prepares to lock horns with the formidable Kyprios in his bid for a fourth victory in the Qipco British Champions Long Distance Cup.
Trueshan was a brilliant winner of the Champions Day curtain-raiser in 2020 and has knuckled down in each of the past two seasons to complete the hat-trick.
There were some suggestions the seven-year-old was past his best after he was beaten in his first two starts this year, but subsequent victories in the Doncaster Cup and particularly when winning the Prix du Cadran three weeks ago suggest he is back to his best.
King said: “I’m very happy with him, he came out of the Cadran in great form and everything has gone according to plan really.
“The ground looks like it should be nice and soft and we can’t do any more.
“Not many horses get to come back for the same race three years running, let alone four, and getting him back to form to win at Doncaster and Longchamp has been very satisfying.”
While confident he has his stable star in rude health, King is wary of the the threat posed by Aidan O’Brien’s Kyprios, who last season won the Gold Cup, the Goodwood Cup and the Irish St Leger before a scarcely believable 20-length demolition job in the Cadran.
The five-year-old missed the first half of the current campaign through injury, but King feels there was plenty of promise on his comeback second to Eldar Eldarov in last month’s Irish Leger.
He added: “I thought he ran very well against a mile-and-six specialist the other day. That is Eldar Eldarov’s trip and I would have thought that was a very good comeback for him (Kyprios).”
Hollie Doyle has steered Trueshan to each of his three previous wins in the race is optimistic he can make it a four-timer on Saturday.
“He’s been such a great horse for everyone – for me, for Alan, for the owners and for the whole team at home. He never lets anyone down,” she said.
“He’s staged quite a comeback this year and proved a lot of people wrong by winning the Doncaster Cup and the Prix du Cadran again.
“A fourth win here would be incredible, but it could definitely happen as he feels as good as ever.”
O’Brien is confident Kyprios will take a big step forward from his Irish St Leger effort, telling Sky Sports Racing: “He was barely ready to go away for a racecourse gallop really, so we were delighted with the run and everything has gone smoothly since.
“He has an incredible capacity as a stayer. He’s able to go an unbelievable gallop and just keeps going. That was what happened in the Cadran last year – it just shows the kind of ability he has.”
Andrew Balding’s Coltrane was beaten a head by Trueshan 12 months ago, but failed to fire when a hot favourite to beat him in the Doncaster Cup last month.
Balding said: “Coltrane ran a hell of a race last year. It was a rare poor race (he ran) last time, and nothing came to light afterwards, but he’s entitled to run a poor one once in a while.”
John Gosden was forced to rule out his Gold Cup hero Courage Mon Ami earlier in the week but is nevertheless well represented, with Robert Havlin partnering Doncaster Cup runner-up Sweet William and Frankie Dettori aboard Trawlerman, winner of his last two starts.
“It looks like a good edition of the Long Distance Cup, in which Trawlerman and Sweet William are our runners, as Courage Mon Ami had a little niggle,” said Gosden.
“Trawlerman ran in the Long Distance Cup last year, finishing third, and he’s been an easy winner of both his races since he came back, at Salisbury and Newmarket. He’s in good form.”
O’Brien’s second-string Broome, the Willie Mullins-trained Stratum and Maxident from the Dominic Ffrench Davis yard complete the line-up.
Philippe Clement stated that he is “not Harry Potter” as he warned Rangers fans not to expect too much too soon against Hibernian on Saturday.
The 49-year-old Belgian took over as boss at Ibrox on Sunday following the departure of Michael Beale and inherited a seven-point gap between the Light Blues and cinch Premiership leaders Celtic.
Jose Cifuentes returned from international duty with Ecuador with a knock and Tom Lawrence and Rabbi Matondo remain out.
Midfielders Ryan Jack and Todd Cantwell are back in the squad although the latter, along with attacker Kemar Roofe, is not fit for 90 minutes. Brazilian striker Danilo, who is recovering from a severe facial injury, is available again.
The former Genk, Club Brugge and Monaco boss referenced Potter, the young wizard from novels written by British author JK Rowling, as he spoke about the visit of Hibs.
“I hope they see a difference but I am not Harry Potter with the magic stick who can change everything suddenly,” said Clement.
“It doesn’t work that way. It is a tough balance coming in during a season and it is not the first time, it was the same at Genk and Monaco.
“When you come in during the season you have to analyse what is good and what can be better and then prioritise the most important things to make better this week and the next week because if I try to do everything at one moment I kill the players.
“So it needs to be step by step. It is about analysing everything, the way I want to implement things.
“It is never perfect from the beginning. That is impossible but I see the good intentions, in staff and with the players, and the international players are now back in the last two days. I am looking forward to the first game and seeing how fast the little seeds we have planted will grow.
“I see a lot of good things here but a lot of things we need to make better and we need to focus on that now and make them better.
“I know a game is different from training, there is another atmosphere and tension so I don’t expect the perfect game tomorrow.
“I expect there will be things that go wrong but how you react at those moments is important and that they are open to learning and make it better and better.”
Stephan van der Heyden was earlier confirmed as Clement’s assistant.
The 54-year-old, who first worked with Clement in 2011 at Club Brugge, was most recently assistant at Kerala Blasters in India and has also coached in Belgium, Macedonia and Jordan.
Van der Heyden told the club’s official website: “I am looking forward to this challenge, it will be a big one but I think it is a great club.
“One of the most beautiful things about football is that you meet different people and different cultures, not only football culture but cultures in general.
“One thing in common is the supporters, they all expect the best from the team. The first impressions are good, I’m sure we can do something here and we can achieve something together.”
Kinross could bring the house down on Champions Day when attempting to land back-to-back Qipco British Champions Sprint Stakes victories in the hands of California-bound Frankie Dettori.
Ralph Beckett’s popular six-year-old has proven the most versatile of operators throughout his career and dropped back to six furlongs with aplomb to pick up this Group One prize 12 months ago.
He registered further notable triumphs at both Goodwood and York in the summer and having suffered a cruel defeat in defence of his Prix de la Foret crown, now attempts to regain the winning thread at a track he knows well.
The son of Kingman is reported to be in good order since his ParisLongchamp reversal and his Kimpton Down-based handler is keen to see him add to his big-race haul.
“Winning Group Ones wherever they are is nice, but he likes it at Ascot and he will like this ground,” said Beckett.
“He seems in really good shape so hopefully he will run well. Everything has gone very smoothly since France and he’s had no issues.”
It is Kinross’ fifth year in training with Beckett, but it is since switching to the ownership of Marc Chan in 2021 that Dettori has entered the Kinross story.
The duo have have been regular visitors to the winner’s enclosure in recent seasons and Beckett credits the Italian with helping extend Kinross’ years at the top table.
“He’s been a joy to train,” added the trainer.
“They may have a couple of more days together yet, but they understand each other and that is a key part of the horse’s longevity. Frankie knows when to push the buttons on him and that really helps.
“Everyone who has ridden him will tell you he is a joy to ride.”
The guarantee of testing conditions could spell third time lucky for Vadream in a race in which she has performed with credit in recent years.
Charlie Fellowes’ mud-lover has already found the scoresheet twice with the ground in her favour this term and has been primed for this day after a respectable tune-up at the track in the Bengough Stakes.
“She loves Ascot, is in great order and this has been the plan for some time,” said Fellowes.
“I thought her comeback run in the Bengough was absolutely spot-on and on ground that was probably a touch too quick for her. I’m delighted with where she is at the moment.”
Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Mill Stream came of age with a pair of victories at Deauville in the summer and will have the assistance of William Buick for just his second start at the highest level, while another contender set to appreciate conditions is Andrew Balding’s Sandrine.
Owned by Kirsten Rausing, the four-year-old achieved the enviable feat of Group-level victories at two, three and four when successful in the Park Stakes at Doncaster and has been seen to great effect since tried in headgear.
“Sandrine is right back to her best and she hasn’t had a hard season,” said Balding.
“The visor she’s worn at York and Doncaster the last twice has made a big difference, and six furlongs with a bit of give in the ground is ideal for her.”
Prix Maurice de Gheest runner-up Spycatcher was third behind Sandrine on Town Moor and is one of two in the race for Karl Burke alongside stablemate Swingalong, who also has smart sprinting form to her name – finishing third in the Commonwealth Cup, winning York’s Summer Stakes and most recently a respectable fourth in Haydock’s Betfair Sprint Cup.
A place ahead of Swingalong on Merseyside was George Boughey’s Believing who justified connections’ belief when supplemented for her first Group One assignment and is fancied to defy her outsider status once again.
“Believing is a bit of a dark horse, I think,” said Boughey.
“We all at home fancied her a bit more than the general public considering she went off at 66-1 at Haydock. I didn’t supplement her for £20,000 without thinking she had a live chance in a Group One.
“She’s very versatile ground-wise. At the start of the year I was hoping for rain before the Nell Gwyn and she just didn’t stay the seven furlongs, I think – she showed loads of pace.
“I think she comes here in as good a shape physically as I can possibly have her.”
Henry Candy’s Run To Freedom finished second to Kinross in this 12 months ago and again hit the frame in the July Cup earlier in the summer, with David Evans’ Ascot specialist Rohaan the mount of Ryan Moore attempting to better last year’s fourth.
Rohaan spent 224 days out with injury following that Champions Day run and having worked his way back to form throughout the campaign, returned to the scoresheet at his beloved Berkshire venue earlier this month.
“It’s took a long time to get him back from the injury he had and I think every race he has had this season he has got a bit more confidence,” said Evans.
“I think he’s nearly back to how he was last year and apart from Kinross the race looks wide open I think.
“He’s only really disappointed once which was in this race two years back when it was really gluey ground and he couldn’t get out of it.
“We’re looking forward to it and he won well last time which paid for his chance and we’ll enjoy the day out I think. We’ve got a good jockey on his back as well which is always a bonus.”
William Haggas’ Sense Of Duty, who was a sprinter on the up before a setback hindered her progress and kept her on the sidelines for over the year.
She returned to the track over five furlongs at Newbury next month and will now put her credentials to the test in her first taste of Group One action.
“If the weather forecast is correct it may be specialist ground, but we would rather that for her than it be on the quick side,” said Richard Brown, racing manager for owners St Albans Bloodstock.
“She’s a big, very powerful filly who almost looks like a colt. I think she will go through it no problem.
“It’s not the ground we would worry about, more the opposition.”
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