Diego Simeone said his revamped Atletico Madrid side are still a work in progress and going through a transition period as their new signings settle in.
After spending more than €200million reinforcing the squad with signings like Julian Alvarez, Conor Gallagher and Robin Le Normand after a trophyless campaign.
Atletico have started LaLiga with two wins and two draws, and Simeone said the team are going in the right direction, and he was not concerned with results as ups and downs are expected.
Coming off the back of an international break, Atletico are fourth in the LaLiga standings, four points behind leaders Barcelona.
"We will face a difficult task in LaLiga, especially in the beginning of the season, until our team find their rhythm, reach the form that we know we [can] achieve," Simeone told a press conference on Saturday.
"We have many new players that have joined the team, something that has not happened in the last two seasons. But I'm not changing the objective. I'm still hoping for the best results.
"It would have been nice if the new guys were around here, but obviously the national teams call and everyone needs to go for two weeks.
"Our task here is to try to make them feel at home as quickly as possible so they can blend in and perform at the level that we all want.
Simeone said having too many players was a good problem to have and that he was not worried about choosing a starting 11 as he will rotate his team during a busy schedule, with seven games between LaLiga and the Champions League in the next three weeks.
"I see the group with enthusiasm, they all want to play and earn their space in the team and are working hard for that," Simeone added.
"It's difficult to choose who to play, but the number of games ahead allows me to have fresh players available, coming in with a lot of energy and desire.
"I like to think game by game, and it doesn't take me any further away from Valencia. Yes, we have new players around, but I'm not changing that mentality and our objective, which is still hoping for the best result, game by game."
Max Verstappen was left frustrated in qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, saying that the changes made by Red Bull had "made the car worse".
Verstappen could only manage sixth place for Sunday's race, while he was outqualified by team-mate Sergio Perez, who finished fourth, for the first time this season.
The three-time world champion has made his feelings clear about the team's performance of late, citing balance issues as a main cause of concern.
The team seemingly took a step forward in their performance following an imperfect weekend in Monza, with Perez finishing just 0.006s behind pole-sitter Charles Leclerc in FP2.
However, their improvements appeared to diminish in qualifying around Baku, with both drivers unable to stop Leclerc from taking his fourth pole position in Baku.
Verstappen has now gone six Grands Prix without a pole, his worst streak since 2021, and detailed the reasons for their slight downturn in performance.
"From the first lap that I did in qualifying I was not happy with the car, and I just tried to drive around it," Verstappen said.
"When you're not confident and comfortable with the car on a street circuit, you cannot push to the limit and I think basically that's what happened.
"As soon as it matters, people start risking more.
"I just didn't feel comfortable to attack because the car was just very difficult, jumping a lot, losing contact with the tarmac, so not very nice.
"Of course, I went off in the last corner, which also didn't help, so all in all quite disappointing.”
The Dutchman's team-mate was similarly disheartened despite producing his best qualifying performance since the Belgian Grand Prix.
Perez has historically flourished in Baku and is the only driver on the grid who has won multiple times at this circuit.
While the Mexican has the opportunity to add to the 100 points he has already accumulated in Azerbaijan, he acknowledged the enormity of the task of toppling the two Ferraris.
"First of all, I'm a bit disappointed because I felt like P2 on a perfect lap should have been possible," Perez explained.
"I had a scrappy sector two where I probably missed a tenth, a tenth and a half. It's probably the same for everyone though.
"Ferrari were in another league, but I think a further lap would’ve been good. We'll see tomorrow.
"We are very different to everyone else, so we'll see what we are able to do come tomorrow and see what we are able to achieve.
"I think definitely on the first stint I should be strong.
"It will be down to the amount of progress I’m able to make, and then from then on just head down, and hopefully we are able to be as strong in the race.
"That will be very important.”
Chris Sale pitched six strong innings to become the first 17-game winner in the majors and Matt Olson drove in four runs to lead the Atlanta Braves to a 10-1 rout of the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night.
Sale (17-3), who hasn't been charged with a loss since June 27, became the first player in Braves franchise history to allow no more than two earned runs in 17 straight starts, passing Hall of Famer Greg Maddux's previous record of 16 starts. He also surpassed Padres starter Dylan Cease for most strikeouts in the NL this season with 219.
Atlanta is now a season-high 14 games over .500 and pulled even with the Mets for the final NL wild-card spot. New York lost to the Phillies 6-4 on Saturday night.
Shohei Ohtani went 0 for 2 with a walk and has stalled in his quest to be the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season, going 0 for 6 in his last two games since hitting his major league-best 47th home run on Wednesday against the Chicago Cubs.
Atlanta scored six runs in the sixth inning, which featured Olson's bases-loaded double and RBIs from Whit Merrifield and Michael Harris II.
Harper’s blasts rally Phillies
Bryce Harper homered twice, Cal Stevenson hit a two-run, go-ahead double in the seventh and made a run-saving, highlight-reel catch in the eighth and the Philadelphia Phillies rallied to cool off the New York Mets with a 6-4 victory.
J.T. Realmuto added an RBI double for the Phillies, who have won 10 of 13 and lead the Mets by eight games in the division. The teams will wrap up the three-game series on Sunday afternoon before the Mets host the Phillies for four games from Sept. 19-22.
Starling Marte singled, tripled and drove in three runs and Luisangel Acuña had a pair of singles in his major-league debut for the Mets, who lost for just the third time in the last 15 games. New York dropped into a tie with Atlanta for the final wild card spot in the National League.
With the Phillies trailing 4-0, Harper launched the first of his two drives off starter Luis Severino with one out in the fourth, a 397-foot opposite-field drive off an 85-mph changeup. He pulled Philadelphia within 4-3 in the sixth with a two-run shot off an 87-mph slider that came on a 3-2 count. The two-time NL MVP, who hadn't homered since Aug. 9, has 28 home runs on the year.
Philadelphia went ahead in the seventh. Danny Young surrendered a pair of singles to Bryson Stott and Realmuto to start the frame, with both advancing on Brandon Marsh’s sacrifice bunt.
Reed Garrett relieved and struck out pinch-hitter Weston Wilson before Stevenson clubbed a 3-2, 92-mph cutter to the wall in right to score Stott and Realmuto.
Adames stars as Brewers outslug Diamondbacks
Willy Adames hit a grand slam as part of a two-homer night, Garrett Mitchell added a two-run homer and the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Arizona Diamondbacks 15-8.
Milwaukee's magic number to win the NL Central is down to 3.
Arizona still has sole possession of the second NL wild-card spot, but is just one game ahead of the Atlanta Braves and the New York Mets with 14 games to play.
The Brewers took a 1-0 lead in the first on William Contreras' sacrifice fly that scored Brice Turang, who reached on a leadoff walk. They kept their advantage when Sal Frelick robbed Corbin Carroll of a solo homer, leaping to reach over the fence and make the catch.
Milwaukee scored seven runs in the second inning, all with two outs.
Brandon Pfaadt retired the first two batters of the second before the next seven batters reached base. Turang and Jackson Chourio hit back-to-back RBI singles, Contreras walked to load the bases, Garrett Mitchell walked to force in a run and then Adames launched a sweeper into the left field seats for an 8-0 lead.
Adames had five RBIs, pushing his NL leading total to 107. Mitchell reached base five times, including three walks. Contreras hit a two-run homer in the ninth to make it 15-8.
Enzo Maresca felt Chelsea reaped rewards for "getting your t-shirt dirty", as they snatched a late victory over Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium.
The Blues endured a steady start with their hosts generating the greater attacking threat for most of the contest, with Robert Sanchez keeping out Evanilson's first-half penalty.
Marcus Tavernier and Ryan Christie also struck the woodwork for the hosts, but substitute Christopher Nkunku landed the decisive blow five minutes from time.
And Maresca was pleased with his side's response to a difficult first-half performance.
"We played two different games," he told Sky Sports. "The first half, we struggled. We didn't win duels; we didn't win second balls. The second half, we were much better.
"We knew before the game that Bournemouth are very high-pressing, man-to-man orientated. We faced a team who are very aggressive, it was more off the ball that we struggled. [The] second half completely changed the picture.
"This is football. Last time against [Crystal] Palace, we completely deserved to win the game. We had chances and we drew. Today, it was there, and, in the end, we won.
"You cannot come here to this stadium and think about winning the game without getting your t-shirt dirty. You need to win duels, you need to fight. If we are able to do this for 95 minutes, you have more chances to win games."
Maresca handed a debut to new signing Jadon Sancho, who was introduced as a half-time substitute before providing the assist for Nkunku's winner.
And the Manchester United loanee lifted the lid on how he is finding life since his switch to Stamford Bridge.
"It's amazing to make my debut for Chelsea," he told Sky Sports. "Just being back playing, I'm very grateful. The team played very well; we dug in to the end and got the three points.
"I've been working hard for this moment, and I'm happy I got my chance. Going into this season, I wanted to have a good start, and I'm happy.
"I have to say thank you to the staff and teammates. The first day I came in, they made me feel welcome and comfortable."
Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe both scored penalties as Real Madrid saw off Real Sociedad 2-0 at the Reale Arena.
Carlo Ancelotti's side moved to within a point of LaLiga leaders Barcelona, who visit fifth-place Girona on Sunday.
Already without the likes of Jude Bellingham, David Alaba, Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni, Madrid suffered another injury blow in the 24th minute when Brahim Diaz was forced off with a muscular issue.
After a goalless first half, the visitors broke through 13 minutes after the restart with Vinicius slotting home from 12 yards after Sergio Gomez handled Arda Guler's shot.
Vinicus was then felled for Madrid's second penalty, which was awarded following a VAR review, with Mbappe making no mistake in sealing all three points.
Data Debrief: Madrid extend unbeaten streak
Extending their unbeaten LaLiga streak to 37 matches, Madrid have now won four successive away league games against Basque opposition for the first time since a run of four such victories between 2011 and 2013.
By contrast, Sociedad have now suffered four straight home defeats in the Spanish top flight for the first time since 2007.
Hansi Flick is confident Barcelona have what it takes to beat local rivals Girona and avenge last season's two defeats in the Catalan derby.
Flick, whose Barcelona reign has started with four consecutive victories, enjoyed watching Girona last season as they took LaLiga by storm, going toe-to-toe with Real Madrid in the title race and reaching the Champions League for the first time.
But despite heaping praise on rival manager Michel's work after he led them to a third-place finish, Flick said there will be no sympathy when they step on the pitch.
"We've won four games in a row, and we have to keep going," Flick told a press conference on Saturday.
"I know it will be complicated because Girona play really well. It's a match at the highest level, Champions League level, and we're playing away. But we are confident because we have quality.
"Last season I watched Girona a lot, and I was really impressed by what the coach did and how the players responded.
"But we know how we have to play, and I'm sure the players will deliver. We must not look back. What happened, happened. The key on Sunday is that all our players give their best out there."
Barcelona are top of the standings with 12 points, five above fifth-placed Girona, who are coming off solid wins against Osasuna and Sevilla.
Flick said his team needed to make Girona uncomfortable and dominate possession against an exciting attacking side, who won 4-2 in both LaLiga games against Barca last term.
"We know that Girona's strength is having the ball. We have to press well, defend as a block, stay well positioned and not give them any space," Flick added.
"It will be a tactical battle, but we want the ball and, if we have it, we have a good chance of winning. It will be a good test for us, it will be like a Champions League match."
Ousmane Dembele's double helped move Paris Saint-Germain back to the top of Ligue 1 with a 3-1 home win over Brest.
Fabian Ruiz's brilliant strike was sandwiched between those two goals as the French champions remained perfect, leapfrogging back above Marseille and Monaco after their wins earlier on Saturday.
Romain Del Castillo had put Brest in front with a penalty just before the half-hour mark after a foul by Nuno Mendes on Ludovic Ajorque.
PSG then equalised in the 42nd minute with a header from the unmarked Dembele off Marco Asensio's pinpoint cross.
Brest offered little in the second half despite PSG taking their foot off the gas, but Fabian put the hosts in front in the 73rd minute with a superb long-range effort.
Just 80 seconds later, Dembele sealed the points with his second, pouncing on a loose ball after a counter-attack.
Data Debrief: Mind the gap
The Ligue 1 season may only be four games in, but PSG have started their title defence strongly by winning all of their matches so far.
They already have a goal difference of +13 (scored 16, conceded three), with only three teams ever boasting a better record at this stage in history: Reims in 1952-53 (+17), Strasbourg in 1959-60 (+15) and PSG themselves in 2022-23 (+14).
Dembele has also made a bright start to the campaign, having already scored as many goals in these four matches as he managed in 26 outings last season (three). Two of those have been headers, as many as in 211 career league games before that.
Christopher Nkunku proved Chelsea's hero as his late strike secured a narrow 1-0 win over Bournemouth in the Premier League.
The forward climbed off the bench to strike the winner five minutes from time at the Vitality Stadium, where Robert Sanchez kept out Evanilson's first-half penalty.
Bournemouth looked the more likely to take all three points in the contest, with Marcus Tavernier's long-range thunderbolt rattling the crossbar early on.
Sanchez then came to rescue on 38 minutes by denying Evanilson from 12 yards, albeit after he had conceded the spot-kick for a foul on the Brazilian.
The woodwork denied the Cherries again after the break, with Ryan Christie seeing his precise low effort hit the outside of Sanchez's right post.
However, it was Chelsea who snatched the points with five minutes remaining. Receiving the ball from Jadon Sancho, Nkunku cleverly skipped away from a couple of challenges before slotting past Mark Travers in the Bournemouth net.
Data Debrief: More happy travels for super sub Nkunku
Nkunku's piece of individual brilliance settled the contest. All four of his Premier League goals for Chelsea have come away from home as a substitute.
The Blues held out at the other end to claim their first away league clean sheet in 18 attempts, while winning four straight matches on the road for the first time since 2022.
Meanwhile, history was made at the Vitality Stadium with the referee showing a total of 14 yellow cards; the highest amount issued in a single Premier League game.
Four goals in the first 30 minutes helped Milan ease the pressure on Paulo Fonseca in a resounding 4-0 win over Venezia on Saturday.
Milan had a disappointing start to the Serie A season, with two draws and a loss, but they delivered an impressive performance to secure their first win of the campaign.
Theo Hernandez gave Milan the lead after just 88 seconds with a shot from a tight angle which deflected off Venezia keeper Jesse Joronen's legs and into the net.
The hosts doubled their lead 14 minutes later when a low corner found its way to Youssouf Fofana, who fired into the net.
Two quick penalties, first from Christian Pulisic in the 25th minute and then from Tammy Abraham four minutes later, put the match out of reach for the newly promoted visitors.
Venezia thought they got one back late in the game, but were denied by a VAR review after Hans Nicolussi Caviglia's reckless challenge on Ruben Loftus-Cheek in the build-up.
Having been shown his first yellow card just five minutes earlier, the midfielder was then given his marching orders, rounding off a dismal day for the visitors.
Data Debrief: Quick off the mark
The Milan fans were not happy with Fonseca after a below-par start to life at Milan, but he will have quietened some of that criticism after an emphatic display at San Siro.
Milan scored four goals in the first 30 minutes of a Serie A game for the first time since October 1958 against Alessandria.
And Abraham looks to be settling into his new surroundings quickly - he has been involved in a goal in two consecutive Serie A appearances for the first time since January 2023 (three on that occasion for Roma).
Grenada’s javelin thrower Anderson Peters and Puerto Rico’s sprint hurdler Jasmine Camacho-Quinn were on song in their respective events, as they brought the curtains down on the season in champion fashion on day two of the Diamond League finals in Brussels on Saturday.
While Peters and Camacho-Quinn logged the only victories, it was another positive day all-round for Caribbean athletes, as Jamaica’s Shiann Salmon, Ackera Nugent, and Rajindra Campbell, as well as the Dominican Republic’s Alexander Ogando, all secured podium finishes to also end their seasons on a high.
Camacho-Quinn, the Paris Olympic Games bronze medallist, left rivals in her wake to win the women’s 100m hurdles in 12.38s. Dutchwoman Nadine Fisherman (12.54s) and Jamaica’s Ackera Nugent (12.55s) secured the other podium spots. Another Jamaican, Danielle Williams (12.62s), was fifth.
Peters, also a bronze medallist from the Paris Olympics, again demonstrated his rich vein of form with an opening throw of 87.87m that was not to be beaten. India’s Neeraj Chopra (87.86m) kept things interesting but had to settle for second, while Germany’s Julian Weber (85.97m) was third.
For Salmon (53.99s), a well-paced race proved rewarding as she stayed on for third in the Women’s 400m hurdles, even after stumbling over the final obstacle. The event was won by Dutchwoman Femke Bol (52.45s), who secured a third consecutive Diamond League title, while American Anna Cockrell was second in 53.71s.
The other Jamaicans, Janieve Russell (55.94s) and Andrenette Knight (56.70s), were seventh and eighth, respectively.
Brazil’s Alison dos Santos reigned supreme in the men’s 400m hurdles, as he outclassed the field to win in 47.93s. Qatar’s Abderrahman (48.20s) and Estonia’s Rasmus Magi (48.26s) were second and third, respectively.
Jamaican duo Roshawn Clarke (49.08s) and Malik James-King (49.37s) were fifth and sixth, respectively, in the men’s 400m hurdles.
Meanwhile, Ogando (19.97s) placed third in the men’s 200m, which was won by American Kenneth Bednarek in a brisk 19.67s. Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo (19.80s) was well-beaten into second.
Earlier, Campbell took bronze in the men’s shot put with a best throw of 21.95m. The event was won in fine style by Italy’s Leonardo Fabbri, who threw a meet record of 22.98m. American Ryan Crouser (22.79m) was second.
Elsewhere in the field, Jamaica’s Romaine Beckford struggled for rhythm in the men’s high jump and had to settle for fourth at 2.22m. Italy’s Gianmarco Tamberi finished tops at 2.34m, with Ukraine’s Oleg Doroshchuk (2.31m) and South Korea’s Woo Sanghyeok (2.225m) taking second and third, respectively.
Sean Dyche has criticised Everton’s ‘leaky’ defence following a second defeat after going two-nil up in back-to-back games.
Everton lost 3-2 to Aston Villa after leading by two goals after 30 minutes, having also lost 3-2 to Bournemouth after leading by the same advantage prior to the international break.
In doing so, Dyche’s side became only the second side in Premier League history to lose back-to-back games after leading by two or more goals in both.
Following Saturday’s defeat to Villa, Dyche feels his side are lacking the cutting edge at vital moments.
“Today, we make a mistake and they capitalise on it. I said to the players, the killer instinct in both boxes is what’s vital. The key moment was to go 3-1 up. We didn’t and we made a mistake, and they capitalised on it. We have to keep going,” he told Sky Sports.
“We’re making high-quality chances. At the minute, we’ve got to score as many as it takes to win a game. That’s been a challenge since I’ve been at the club. We can’t keep leaking goals like that.
“We’re having to manipulate the team. We have to keep believing in each other. You’ve got a responsibility to deal with it – and that’s what we have to do, including me.
“[The players] are an honest group. They’ve worked very hard and been through a lot. We are where we are, so they’re very disappointed. We have to respond. Before you know it, Tuesday will be upon us.”
Everton have struggled with injury so far this season and find themselves increasingly short at the back.
Vitaliy Mykolenko had to be substituted after 26 minutes against Villa due to injury and was replaced by James Garner, traditionally a midfielder.
“We’re certainly taking some knocks at the minute. Every mistake seems to be a goal, and every chance we don’t quite capitalise on,” reflected Dyche.
“Unfortunately we were on the wrong side of the margins again today. It’s a tough one to take, for different reasons than the last game. We’re down to a low squad anyway, so it’s been a challenge without a shadow of a doubt.”
The San Francisco 49ers placed star running back Christian McCaffrey on injured reserve Saturday, ensuring that he will miss at least the next four games with calf and Achilles injuries.
The move is a shocking departure from the optimism of less than two weeks ago, when McCaffrey was a last-minute scratch for the 49ers’ season-opening win over the New York Jets.
McCaffrey missed the entire pre-season with what was reported as calf soreness. In the regular season, teams are required to submit official injury reports, and McCaffrey’s designation included Achilles tendonitis.
Last year’s rushing champion will miss a minimum of four more games, with the earliest possible return date coming on Oct. 10.
The 49ers face the Minnesota Vikings, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals over their next four, but there is no guarantee that McCaffrey will return when first eligible.
San Francisco ruled McCaffrey out for Sunday’s game in Minnesota on Friday, with head coach Kyle Shanahan publicly acknowledging for the first time that the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year could end up on IR.
“Yesterday was his worst day,” Shanahan told reporters. “It's on and off, but with yesterday having the most pain. It's something we're going to be discussing together in the next 24 hours.”
The loss is a massive one for the reigning NFC champions, who went 12-5 in McCaffrey’s first full season with the team last year.
With Elijah Mitchell already placed on IR before the start of the season, the only trusted running back on San Francisco’s roster is Jordan Mason, who ran the ball 28 times for 147 yards and a touchdown.
McCaffrey’s extended absence could also result in Deebo Samuel getting more snaps at running back, a look that was more common before the 49ers traded for McCaffrey during the 2022 season.
This is McCaffrey’s first IR stint since joining the 49ers. The Stanford product played a combined 10 games in the 2020 and 2021 seasons due to ankle and hamstring injuries.
McCaffrey led the NFL with 2,023 yards from scrimmage last season and tied with Raheem Mostert for the league lead at 21 touchdowns.
Shakhtar Donetsk CEO Sergey Palkin believes Giorgi Sudakov will go onto big things if he can produce more stand-out performances in the Champions League.
The 22-year-old is thought to be one of the rising stars in European football, having helped Shakhtar to the Ukrainian Premier League in the last two seasons.
He was also one of the standout players of Ukraine's Euro 2024 campaign, creating the third-most chances (four) and having the most shots (nine), though he failed to hit the back of the net as they exited in the group stage.
With the start of their next Champions League campaign just around the corner – they kick off against Bologna on Wednesday – Palkin is expecting big things from the young midfielder.
Speaking at the Thinking Football Summit organised by Liga Portugal, Palkin said: "Everybody knows about Sudakov.
"I believe he is the new European star. Half a year ago, we had negotiations with Napoli. They proposed €40million. But we believe that he costs much more.
"Therefore, we believe that in this Champions League, he will show his best. Because he has the dream to play in a top-ranked European club.
"If he shows good football, I believe he will jump to this club".
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez believes match-winner Jhon Duran can be “one of the best strikers in the world” after he scored a 30-yard screamer against Everton.
Duran completed Aston Villa’s comeback in a 3-2 win against Everton at Villa Park, having been two goals down to the visitors after 27 minutes.
The Colombian was subbed on after 69 minutes and scored just seven minutes later. All three of his goals this season have been winners from the bench, meaning he has now scored the most winners as a substitute in a Premier League season ever.
Having witnessed his decisive impact today, Martinez believes he can be one of the best in the game.
"I have seen it from behind and I saw the ball moving - it was unstoppable,” the Argentine told Sky Sports, referencing his goal.
"It was a great strike. We have been trying to help Duran in the Premier League and if he can keep the consistency, he can be a really big threat.
"He can be one of the best strikers in the world, but he needs to keep his feet on the ground and to work hard. He has one of the top strikers [Ollie Watkins] in England playing in front of him."
His fellow striker Ollie Watkins scored a brace to bring Villa level against Everton prior to Duran’s strike.
It was the first time he had scored for the club since April 2024, though he had clearly been getting in the right positions. Before his first goal of the game, he had the highest xG total (1.58) in the league among those yet to score.
Watkins had a shortened pre-season after starring for England at Euro 2024.
“There’s such a quick turnaround from the Euros. A lot of the boys are getting back up to fitness,” Watkins told Sky Sports.
“I’m not at 100%. I took some time off during the international break. I don’t want to miss too many matches, though.
“I’m disappointed I didn’t get the hat-trick. I should be coming off with the match ball, but I’ll settle for the two.
“We were obviously unlucky against Arsenal. We’re delighted we got [the win] today. Now we focus on the Champions League, which everyone is looking forward to.”
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
