All posts by h716a5.icu

Gloucestershire make all the running but are thwarted by seventh-wicket stand

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay05-May-2025Resolute batting by Lancashire’s Luke Wells and Tom Hartley frustrated Gloucestershire’s bowlers and helped ensure that the Rothesay County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford ended in a draw.The visitors declared on their overnight score of 589 for eight, giving them a lead of 139, and when they reduced the home side to 160 for six half an hour before tea, they looked well placed to beat Lancashire for the first time since 2015.But Wells and Hartley shared an seventh-wicket partnership of 69 in 28 overs either side of tea and the game ended at 5.53pm when Lancashire were 255 for eight and had a lead of 116 with only eight overs left in the match.Hartley was caught by James Bracey off Ajeet Singh Dale for 37 but that wicket fell just before players shook hands with Tom Bailey on nine not out and Saqib Mahmood unbeaten on nought. For Gloucestershire, Tom Price ended the day with three for 52 and Graeme van Buuren took three for 36.Gloucestershire take 13 points from the game to Lancashire’s 12 but that hardly reflects the difference in the quality of the cricket played by the sides, particularly on the last two days of the game.Having declared this morning with a lead of 139, Gloucestershire were rewarded for their enterprise when they dismissed both Lancashire openers inside the first dozen overs of their side’s second innings.George Bell departed for 28 when his waft outside the off stump to a ball from Tom Price only edged a catch to Cameron Bancroft, the only slip. Two balls later, Keaton Jennings joined his opening partner in the pavilion when he was beaten by Singh Dale’s nip off the pitch and Bancroft took his second catch when fielding at a conventional second slip.That left Lancashire on 50 for two, still 89 runs in arrears, and things got worse for the home side 15 minutes before luncheon when a flighted ball from Graeme van Buuren tempted Marcus Harris out of his crease and Bracey completed the stumping.Lancashire were 89 for three when Harris departed for 24 but Josh Bohannon and Matty Hurst cleared Lancashire deficit and had built a mere four-run lead before both were dismissed by Tom Price and the game was tossed into the hazard once more.Hurst was the first to go when having made 33 in 72 minutes, he inside-edged a ball onto his leg stump; four overs later Bohannon pushed a little tentatively at a delivery that seemed to bounce more than he was expecting and was caught at slip by Bancroft for 30.Lancashire’s lead was only 13 when Bohannon was dismissed and it had been increased to only 21 when George Balderson was caught behind by Bracey off van Buuren for two.But Wells and Hartley took their side to tea on 178 for six and the eighth-wicket pair then inched Lancashire to safety on the resumption, extending their partnership to 69 before Wells was caught behind off van Buuren for 36.The result means that all three Championship games at Old Trafford this season have been drawn with the visiting team only batting once on each occasion.

Aston Villa boss Unai Emery has challenged his side to back up their first win of the season with consistency after a 1-0 Europa League victory over Bologna.

Villa scored their first goal at home this season after 12 minutes when John McGinn fired into the bottom right corner from outside the area. Ollie Watkins had a second-half penalty saved by Lukasz Skorupski as he failed to open his account for the campaign.

Villa goalkeeper Marco Bizot was busy in the second half as Bologna piled on the pressure and he scrambled across his goal to keep out Martin Vitik’s header in stoppage time to ensure the hosts clung on to all three points. Emery says his side now have something to build on heading into Sunday’s Premier League match with Fulham.

He told TNT Sports: “At home I felt always here, in three years since I arrived, strong and confident. Creating and building a great atmosphere with energy with the players and supporters and today I felt it again.

“Bologna played well, they demanded us a lot, but then we adapted and tried to dominate and I think we deserved the win. Today we won and it is important we have to try and keep consistent on Sunday. Different match and rival, but a lot of things tactically we have to keep on building.

“Today this win will help us to try and continue working and being positive, but each match coming is a challenge, to fight to try and prepare as best as possible, be demanding with the players. This year I am excited, positive and motivated about the Europa League, but I know how difficult it is to win.”

Watkins struggles again as Villa Park gets tense

Watkins came off the bench in the 58th minute and looked lively, but his goal drought extended to seven games with the penalty miss. Emery is confident the forward will return to form, though. He added: “He worked today like he is (confident) and this is the first step to recover confidence.

“Then he had a penalty and he created chances as well, but the most important is to recover confidence and do your tasks like he did today. Today was the first step and he did fantastic.”

Defender Ezri Konsa admits the Villa Park crowd have been “tricky” to deal with following a tough start to the season but wants to use Thursday’s win as a starting point for their season. He said:

Journalist reveals how Monchi leaving will impact Emery's Aston Villa future

A journalist has explained how the recent off-field issues at Villa could affect Unai Emery.

ByDominic Lund Sep 25, 2025

Allround performance lifts visitors in absence of senior England stars

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay19-May-2025Kalea Moore and Ryana MacDonald-Gay both hit their maiden half-centuries for Surrey to maintain the county’s recent revival in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup women’s competition with victory over Essex.The pair dug Surrey out of trouble at 117 for six, with Moore posting 66 from 70 balls and MacDonald-Gay 57 from 77 in their partnership of 113 from 135.That enabled the visitors to total 259 for nine at Chelmsford, despite Eva Gray’s return of five for 52 – the Essex seamer’s second five-wicket haul of the tournament. Jo Gardner’s gutsy unbeaten 73 from 46, which included a string of sixes, almost snatched an improbable victory for the home side – but she was left stranded as MacDonald-Gay (three for 52) claimed the last two wickets in as many balls to seal Surrey’s success.Missing several top-order batters due to England commitments, Surrey were forced to rejig their line-up and lost makeshift opener Phoebe Franklin in the first over after being put in, courtesy of a miscue to midwicket.Essex squandered three opportunities to remove Priyanaz Chatterji – two of them off Gray – before the bowler finally pinned her leg before for 21, but Amy Hunter provided the innings with some impetus.The Ireland international’s run-a-ball knock of 29 ended when she was lbw to Sophia Smale, but Alice Davidson-Richards (32 from 41) quickly settled into her stride, using her feet to the spinners and finding gaps in the field.However, Davidson-Richards was among a trio to depart in the space of 18 balls, scooping Esmae MacGregor to mid-on – but Moore and MacDonald-Gray rebuilt with steady, sensible batting.Moore led the way, reaching her half-century from 60 deliveries just after Smale had failed to hold a well-struck return drive and her partner soon followed suit, crashing the left-armer over midwicket for six.Both batters eventually holed out in Gray’s second spell, with Alexa Stonehouse hauling Surrey’s total above 250 before becoming the seamer’s fifth victim in the final over of the innings.Grace Scrivens gave her side’s chase a positive start, cutting Stonehouse for four and the Essex skipper had advanced to 15 from 17 when she was run out by Emma Jones’ pinpoint throw from cover.The home side also lost Lissy Macleod, caught top-edging a sweep off Tilly Corteen-Coleman in the powerplay and regrouped through Smale and Ariana Dowse’s steadfast partnership of 91 from 117.With the required rate hovering at around a run a ball, Surrey prised out both set batters in quick succession as Dowse (44 from 70) miscued a pull off Franklin and Smale (42 from 63) was castled by Gregory.The leg-spinner (four for 57) scythed through Essex’s middle order – aided by Jones’ impressive reaction catch at midwicket to dismiss Amara Carr – only for Gardner and Kate Coppack to threaten a late comeback with a ninth-wicket stand of 54 from 42.But it was not enough as MacDonald-Gay removed Coppack (16 from 22) and Abtaha Maqsood to end Essex’s hopes.

Juventus are interested in Al-Ahli midfielder Frank Kessie. The former AC Milan player's contract is set to expire in 2026 and Al-Ahli would rather sell the midfielder than lose him for free. Juventus, who were interested in the player in the summer, are set to launch a new bid in January with the Ivorian international interested in a return to Europe.

Juventus interested in Kessie but salary remains an issue

According to , Kessie earns €10 million (£9m/$11m) at Al-Ahli and would have to take a pay cut to join Juventus. The former AC Milan midfielder is keen to return to Europe and has attracted interest from the Bianconeri, who reportedly made an approach for him in July.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportKessie won Scudetto with Milan before move to Al-Ahli

Kessie rose to prominence as he won the Scudetto with AC Milan in the 2021-22 season. He then joined Barcelona on a free transfer and won La Liga in his debut season under Xavi. Despite this success, he was sold to Saudi side Al-Ahli as Barcelona sought to raise funds for signings like Rafinha and Jules Kounde. Since joining Al-Ahli, Kessie has won the 2024-25 AFC Champions League and the King’s Super Cup in the 2025-26 season.

Juventus want ex-AC Milan star to strengthen midfield

Juventus are reportedly looking to sign Kessie to bolster their midfield after failing to land Sporting CP’s Morten Hjulmand in the summer. The rise of Khephren Thuram has helped Juventus cover some gaps, but growing interest from Premier League clubs like Liverpool and Arsenal could see the Frenchman leave the club.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportJuventus' hope to sign Kessie

Juventus will hope that the prospect of European football, along with a shot at the Serie A title, can persuade Kessie to accept a lower salary and make the move to Turin.

Aston Villa are now racing Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United for the signature of an “electric” Premier League star, who has made a very impressive start to the campaign.

Villa join race for new forward amid lack of goals

It would be fair to say Unai Emery’s side fell below their usual lofty standards at the beginning of the Premier League season, with the 3-0 home defeat against Crystal Palace likely to be particularly concerning, but they have since managed to get back on track.

Indeed, the Villans have won their last two matches in all competitions, most recently picking up their first league victory of the campaign courtesy of a fantastic second-half display against Fulham, which culminated in a 3-1 win.

Emery will be relieved his side are finally starting to look better in front of goal, but after failing to score in their opening four league matches of the season, the manager may still be worried about his side’s lack of firepower.

As such, according to a report from The Boot Room, Aston Villa have now joined the race for AFC Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, but there could be fierce competition for the Ghanaian’s signature, and it may take a huge fee to get a deal done.

Tottenham, Man United and Manchester City are also named as potential suitors for Semenyo, who was valued at £70m back in the summer transfer window, amid links with Spurs.

Aston Villa now want to sign £35m Sunderland star after performance against them

A concern for Regis Le Bris…

ByTom Cunningham Sep 27, 2025

Transfer expert Graeme Bailey also makes it clear that a winter exit is very unlikely to be on the cards, saying: “As it stands, Bournemouth are intent on making progress this summer and that means no sales.

“They have lost the likes of Huijsen, Kerkez and Zabarnyi in recent months and they are insistent Semenyo won’t be following them through the exit doors in January.”

"Electric" Semenyo has made flying start to the season

It is no surprise that Bournemouth are reluctant to sanction a January departure, given just how well the 25-year-old has performed in the early stages of the new season, being dubbed “electric” by broadcaster Kris Temple.

The Cherries are currently sixth in the Premier League table, and the Ghana international has been paramount to their success, receiving Bournemouth’s Player of the Month and Goal of the Month award for August.

That follows on from a very impressive 2024-25 campaign, during which the winger picked up 11 goals and six assists in the Premier League, helping his side surpass expectations and finish ninth.

There is every indication that Semenyo could be a success at Villa Park, but Aston Villa are well-known to be struggling PSR-wise, which means forking out the potential £70m asking price could be an issue.

Opener puts difficult start to season firmly behind him

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay 24-Jun-2025Opener Finlay Bean put a difficult start to the season firmly behind him, compiling a superb maiden double hundred spanning more than nine hours as Yorkshire fought back against Rothesay County Championship leaders Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.Replying to the home side’s 487, Yorkshire – with only one win so far after earning promotion to Division One last season – closed on 414 for 6.Bean batted for 564 minutes for his 224, hitting 30 fours and one six before being caught at slip off spinner Farhan Ahmed, having shared partnerships of 130 with Matthew Revis (54 not out) and 101 with skipper Jonny Bairstow (41), left-arm spinner Liam Patterson-White taking 3 for 129 from a marathon 52 overs.Unable to make Yorkshire follow on after having them 154 for 3 overnight, Nottinghamshire look likely to have to settle for a draw, which would see their lead over Surrey cut to six points after the champions won at Worcester earlier in the day.Bean, with five career first-class hundreds against Division Two opposition, had found runs much harder to come by against Division One attacks this season, averaging a paltry 13.66 over his first 12 innings of the current campaign, with a top score of just 31.Although he had a flat pitch and the less bowler-friendly Kookaburra ball in his favour here, he nonetheless had the Test-match quality and know-how of veteran Mohammad Abbas to contend with, not to mention the pace of Dillon Pennington and a couple of decent spinners in Liam Patterson-White and Farhan.Yet he came through each challenge impressively, giving away only one genuine chance before his dismissal when a shot travelling at speed was put down on 170, his return to form timely in that Yorkshire’s next fixture, against Essex starting on Sunday, is being hosted by his own club side, York.His innings here – made barely half a mile from the scene of his Second XI record 441 against Nottinghamshire’s second team in 2022 – was an essay in concentration and patience, one of the longest played by a Yorkshire batter in the county’s history.Having been 86 overnight, he was 50 minutes in the 90s before cutting Farhan to third for his 16th four to reach 102 from 236 balls in the morning session. After tea, he had to negotiate more than 40 minutes in the 190s before going to 200 from 450 deliveries, pushing a single into the leg side with 17-year-old Farhan by then in his 34th over.Yorkshire lost only one wicket before lunch as Dan Moriarty, sent in as nightwatcher after Dawid Malan had fallen in the last over of the second day, went to drive Patterson-White but could only edge to Freddie McCann at slip. Moriarty protected one end for almost an hour.The conditions demanded patience of Nottinghamshire, too, as Bairstow then bedded in with Bean on a pitch that was yielding some help for the spinners, but not as much as they had hoped for. Two bursts with the second new ball before and after lunch could not unseat either and it was an hour into the middle session before another breakthrough came.The introduction of the medium pace of Lyndon James almost yielded a dividend for Nottinghamshire as Bean chipped perilously close to short extra-cover on 152, moments before Patterson-White struck Bairstow on the front pad and had his lbw appeal upheld.Swapping James for Abbas at the Radcliffe Road end likewise almost paid off, Bean surviving a hard chance to McCann at midwicket on 170. Unperturbed, the left-hander drove Patterson-White through the off-side to overtake his previous best of 173 versus Glamorgan last year before he and Revis guided Yorkshire to 320 for 5 at tea.His marathon came to an end 15 minutes before the close as Farhan turned one to have him caught at slip trying to work to leg, almost every spectator in the ground then rising to applaud as he walked back to the dressing rooms.

Unai Emery gave his honest verdict on Harvey Elliott after he left the Liverpool loanee out of Aston Villa's matchday squad for the third game in a row against Manchester City on Sunday. The Villans clinched all three points against Pep Guardiola's side courtesy of a first-half goal from Matty Cash as they moved up to eighth in the Premier League table, tied on points with reigning champions Liverpool.

Getty ImagesElliott continues to struggle for minutes

After Liverpool spent heavily to sign a host of attackers in the summer transfer window to bolster their title-winning squad, Elliott was allowed to leave on loan as he signed for Aston Villa for the duration of the 2025-26 campaign. With the likes of Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak joining Arne Slot's squad, Elliott would have found it difficult to get enough game time at Anfield, but Villa was deemed the ideal place for him to feature regularly.

However, things have not turned out the way the attacking midfielder would have hoped, as he has made just seven appearances for Emery's side across all competitions. Elliott has not featured in Emery's squad for three consecutive Premier League matches, including the win over City, with his last appearance for the club coming in a Europa League clash against Feyenoord on October 2 as an 86th-minute substitute. 

AdvertisementAFPEmery explains selection decision

Explaining his decision to leave Elliott out of the home game against City, Emery told reporters: "In the squad we needed one player to take out and I decided him. I am happy with him, he's training well. His commitment is fantastic, he's a good guy. It was a tactical decision. I spoke with him about it and my advice was to keep going. He's a very good player, only our demands are at a high level and some players and how they are performing last year and this year, are playing in the same position. We signed him because I believe in him. He will need time."

'His performance was not enough'

In the build-up to the game, Emery was also asked about Elliott, and admitted he has not been hitting the neccessary levels of performance to play week in, week out. "I am being very, very demanding myself to choose in each match the player to start and the players on the bench and the subs players, always trying to get the best performance collectively, through individual players," the Villa boss said. "Harvey is a 10 number in our structure, in our shape, and he plays some matches and there is still adaptation to add himself individually in our structure, the task we have. Of course, he is training well, and his commitment is being very well as well, but his performance was not enough (up to this point). At the same time, we have other players who can play as a 10 and they are performing well, and I have different players. This is the main reason he is not playing the last matches minutes, but he has to continue working like he is doing in the training session and of course, getting his confidence in the performance we need through him."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettySancho slammed by fans for Emery snub

While Elliott failed to make it to Emery's squad, Manchester United loanee Jadon Sancho started on the bench against City and was introduced against City in the 29th minute. Buendia, who provided the assist for Matty Cash's winner, was forced off the pitch with an injury. However, Sancho lasted just 45 minutes as he was called back to the bench in the 74th minute, with Evann Guessand introduced in his place.

Sancho was visibly frustrated after being subbed off and appeared to ignore Emery on the touchline before heading back to the bench. The Spanish coach tried to comfort the player, but he was in no mood to listen. The gesture was not appreciated by fans on social media, who called out Sancho's "awful behaviour". The United outcast was also labelled as an "embarrassment". 

The Villans will be back in action next Sunday as they face an out-of-form Liverpool side, who have lost four league games in a row, at Anfield. Elliot is ineligible to face his parent club, but Sancho will hope to earn a place in the starting XI.

After making a slow start in front of goal this season, Newcastle United are reportedly ready to launch a 2026 move to sign a £40m+ striker who just humiliated Real Madrid.

Newcastle's goalscoring problem

It’s only natural that Newcastle are struggling in front of goal. They just lost one of the best strikers in the Premier League for a record deal in Alexander Isak. Replacing the Swede’s output was never going to be an easy task, but replacing his underrated creativity has so far proven to be even tougher.

Whilst Nick Woltemade has so far ticked the box for goals on his own – scoring three goals in his first four Premier League games – the likes of Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga have still struggled to contribute around him.

Minutes

392

269

329

Goals

3

0

0

Assists

0

0

0

In total, Newcastle have scored six Premier League goals. Only Nottingham Forest and bottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers have managed less and there’s no denying that it’s a problem that Eddie Howe must solve.

That said, the manager is far from panicking, having told reporters earlier this season: “I’m excited by the team we can be. We have certainly got things to learn about each other and formulas to try and generate that we know will work.

“The biggest thing is the foundation is solid. The team’s playing at strength, but we’re just missing that X-factor that I think will come. With the players that we have, some are guaranteed goals and have done that historically.”

What could certainly help find that “X-factor” is the January transfer window. After such a chaotic summer, the Magpies are reportedly ready to go again in the hope of boosting their attacking options even further this winter.

Newcastle readying Sorloth offer

According to reports in Spain, Newcastle are now readying an offer to sign Alexander Sorloth from Real Madrid in a deal worth €50m (£44m). The Atletico Madrid forward has started just three La Liga games so far this season and may be forced to look elsewhere for consistent game time in the near future.

Newcastle should be well aware of the 29-year-old’s situation after sending scouts to watch him in action against Real Madrid as he scored the equalising goal in a 5-2 thrashing of Atletico’s rivals.

Whether Diego Simeone and the Atletico sanction Sortloth’s exit in 2026 is the big question.

The iconic manager was full of praise for the forward when he scored the fastest hat-trick in La Liga history against Real Sociedad last season, saying: “I was very happy with the team’s first half in general.

“Alex, of course, is a whole different matter. He had a fantastic night, especially those first 45 minutes, where he decisively finished every ball that came his way.”

PIF have overpaid for "mega-money" Newcastle signing & it's not Woltemade

One of Newcastle’s key signings over the summer may well have an “inflated valuation” & it’s not Nick Woltemade.

ByJoe Nuttall Oct 9, 2025

If there is a chance for Newcastle, then turning towards Sorloth wouldn’t be a bad idea. He’s a proven striker at the top level these days and has unfinished business in the Premier League after previous struggles at Crystal Palace.

The Atlanta Braves are 39-31 this season, but that record is still well below their expectations heading into 2024. They've been bit by the injury bug and are now 8.0 games back from the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East.

Thankfully, they managed to squeeze by the Detroit Tigers via a 2-1 decision in the first game of their three-game set on Monday night and will try to string together a second straight win tonight.

We're going to dive into everything you need to know to bet on today's interleague showdown.

Tigers vs. Braves Odds, Spread, and Total

Run Line:

Tigers +1.5 (-139)Braves -1.5 (+115)

Moneyline:

Tigers +140Braves -167

Total:

9.0 (Over -105/Under -115)Tigers vs. Braves Probable PitchersDetroit: Casey Mize (1-4, 4.43 ERA)Atlanta: Spencer Schwellenbach (0-2, 6.32 ERA)Tigers vs. Braves How to WatchDate: Tuesday, June 18Time: 7:20 p.m. ESTVenue: Truist ParkHow to watch (TV): Bally Sports South, Bally Sports DetroitTigers record: 34-38Braves record: 39-31Tigers vs. Braves Key Players to WatchDetroit Tigers

Riley Greene: The Tigers' outfielder has been by their best offensive player this season. His 14 home runs is five more than any other player on the roster and his WAR of 3.0 is the best on the team by 2.0. When he gets going offensively, the Tigers are at their best.

Atlanta Braves

Spencer Schwellenbach: The Braves' rookie arm hasn't had a great start to his MLB career. He has a 6.32 ERA through his first three starts, but the good news is he was able to go 6.0 innings against the Baltimore Orioles his last time out. His development will be interesting to watch the next few weeks.

Tigers vs. Braves Prediction and Pick

Instead of betting on a side in this game, I'm going to opt for the total instead and take the UNDER.

Both offenses have been cold of late. Over the last 30 days, the Braves rank 18th in OPS at .687 and the Tigers come in at 24th at .669. Both teams also rank in the bottom half of the Majors in total runs scored in that time frame.

When it comes to pitching, I have faith we're going to see some positive regression from the young Schwellenbach. His 6.32 ERA is ugly, but a 4.43 FIP shows that some of his overall numbers may look reserve than they deserve to.

At surface level, you may think this game is going to produce a ton of runs, but when you dive into some underlying numbers along with recent form, it's clear to me we could see another low-scoring affair like we did on Monday.

Chelsea talisman Cole Palmer has, during an exclusive chat with GOAL, been charged with the task of picking his favourite FIFPRO legend from a selection of global icons. The England international has made that XI himself in 2025, but he has also been casting an eye over historic selections. Ronaldinho, Kevin De Bruyne, Andres Iniesta and Steven Gerrard are among the superstars to have been pitched against one another.

FIFPRO World XI 2025: Who made the team?

Palmer is already a PFA Young Player of the Year winner. He was also named England’s Men’s Player of the Year in 2023-24, made the Conference League Team of the Season last year – as Chelsea captured that European crown – and won the Golden Ball at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.

Palmer hit 25 goals during his debut campaign at Stamford Bridge, bringing him to the attention of a global audience, while finding the target on 18 occasions in the 2024-25 campaign. Those exploits have been recognised with inclusion in the latest FIFPRO Men’s World XI.

He has made that star-studded team alongside Gianluigi Donnarumma, Virgil van Dijk, Achraf Hakimi, Nuno Mendes, Jude Bellingham, Pedri, Vitinha, Ousmane Dembele, Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal.

Champions League title holders Paris Saint-Germain dominate that side, unsurprisingly, with France international forward Dembele now a Ballon d’Or winner. Palmer can be rightly proud of getting the nod.

In the years to come, he will hope to earn more selections and build his own legacy. If he can do that, at just 23 years of age and with a long-term contract being committed to at Stamford Bridge, then a day may come when he is ranked alongside some of the best to ever do it.

AdvertisementWatch Palmer pick his favourite FIFPRO superstarWorld Cup winners & Premier League legends go into battle

In the present, Palmer has rattled through a few icons and selected his personal favourite – with World Cup winners and Premier League icons figuring prominently in that either/or battle.

Palmer’s initial selections were as follows:

Iniesta vs Kaka: Iniesta

Zidane vs Gerrard: Zidane

Ronaldinho vs Modric: Ronaldinho

De Bruyne vs Xavi: De Bruyne

At the semi-final stage, Iniesta edged out Zidane and Ronaldinho prevailed against De Bruyne. Brazilian icon Ronaldinho took the ultimate crown, with his fellow Barcelona icon Iniesta having to settle for a runner-up finish.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

GettyPalmer transfer: What does the future hold?

It may be that Palmer ends up on the books at Camp Nou at some point in the future, with Barca forever in the market for the best players on the planet. The England international has been urged to leave himself open to such offers.

Former Chelsea midfielder Gus Poyet told GOAL recently: “I always encourage the English players to go abroad. One thing that they miss is to see something different. I always said when we played in England, as soon as a foreign player started playing the football you play anywhere else in the world, it’s ‘that one cheats, that one goes down’. Okay, the word cheat probably was right, but we play like that all over the world. I want to say to the English players ‘go to Spain, you wouldn’t last five minutes because they go down every 20 seconds’. You need to learn that game as well and another country. I think it is always a good learning situation.

“It’s individual, though, because the Premier League is the best – that is non-negotiable. I don’t care what anyone says. Spain had a moment when it was close to the Premier League, only because [Lionel] Messi and [Cristiano] Ronaldo were there. Now, there is no comparison. You are in the best league in the world, so I imagine that for players to go from the best to somewhere else is difficult. I would say if it is a top team, a Real Madrid, then you must. You will have an incredible and unique experience, not only in football but also in life. You will learn from that for the future, forever. I would like to see those quality players go to other places and enjoy that.”

Palmer is currently sidelined with a groin injury. He has not figured for Chelsea since being forced out of a Premier League clash with Manchester United on September 20. He has no need to go under the knife, with the threat of surgery being fended off, but the Blues playmaker remains a few weeks away from making a return to action.