All posts by h716a5.icu

Gleyber Torres signed with the Detroit Tigers during the offseason after playing his first seven seasons for the New York Yankees. Torres will play second base for the Tigers this season, a position he played for the Yankees for years, even after Brian Cashman said he wanted him to move to third last season.

Torres seemed surprised by Cashman's comments and in an interview with The Athletic he said that he had been under the impression that there was no bad blood between himself and the organization. But if there is, he's already moved on. Via The Athletic:

Another great part about starting over in Detroit is learning what freedom truly means—not having to shave every day.

Happy spouse, happy house. You look good, you play good. It all applies here. When Torres hit a career-high 38 home runs in 2019 he probably wasn't even ready to grow a beard. Now in his late 20's we'll find out if that was the key to his power numbers.

Paul Pogba completed one of football’s longest and most scrutinised journeys back to the pitch on Sunday, making his Monaco debut after 811 days away from competitive football. The former Manchester United midfielder stepped onto the grass at Roazhon Park in the 85th minute, greeted by a ripple of applause from travelling supporters who knew how much the moment meant to him.

An 811-day wait ends in Brittany

The timing, however, could not soften the scoreline. Monaco were already trailing 4-0 to Rennes, a match derailed by a sloppy defensive display and a red card for captain Denis Zakaria before half-time. Pogba entered knowing the contest was lost, but the symbolism of his return overshadowed the result. Mika Biereth struck a consolation goal deep into injury time, but the 4-1 defeat, Monaco’s second by the same scoreline in consecutive weeks, dropped Sebastien Pocognoli’s side to eighth in Ligue 1. For Pogba, this night was not about the numbers, but about getting to do what he loves the most.

AdvertisementAFPFrom doping ban to redemption

Pogba’s comeback comes after a turbulent period that threatened to end his career prematurely. In August 2023, while contracted to Juventus, he tested positive for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), leading to a provisional suspension and a four-year ban issued in February 2024. Pogba insisted the incident resulted from unknowingly taking a contaminated supplement, a view his legal team argued successfully, leading to the ban being reduced and allowing his return in March 2025. Juventus mutually terminated his contract in late 2024, leaving the 2018 World Cup winner without a club or competitive minutes for more than two years. Monaco took the gamble and now Pogba is back on the pitch. 

"There were a lot of emotions. I was happy, but there's a bit of sadness with the result," he told

"We've come a long way. Today was a step to take. I did it, and I'm happy about that. As for the rest, we're a bit gutted to have lost. I feel good; there's been a lot of hard work. I still need time to get fit and play 90 minutes. But that will come with time. We're training for it. We're going to try to help the team as much as possible. It felt strange at first to be back on the plane with the group. I've settled in well. We have a very good group. We're getting back into the right routine."

According toMonaco’s medical staff will now follow a phased reintroduction: gradually increasing his time on the pitch, with the ultimate goal of reaching consecutive 90-minute matches with only three days’ recovery in between. He still dreams of representing France at the 2026 World Cup, believing that one last chapter with Les Bleus is within his grasp. With 91 caps and 11 goals, Pogba views Ligue 1 as a lifeline to force his way into Didier Deschamps's squad. 

"The objectives? In the short term, to get back to 100%, play 90 minutes, and contribute as much as possible to my team," he said. "Today, it's about playing with my team. The World Cup is a long way off. Today, there's step 1, step 2. If I were to do the World Cup, it would be a bonus."

A leader beyond the touchline

Pocognoli has repeatedly emphasised that Pogba’s value to Monaco extends beyond his passing range or physical power. The Belgian coach sees Pogba as an internal pillar, a mentor and a bridge between young talents and the expectations of elite football.

"During one of my first internal meetings, I spoke about the club’s legacy. I believe that leaders, like Paul, must pass on their knowledge to the next generation, to the fans, to everyone involved with the club," he stated. "These experienced players must mentor the younger ones. I have to make sure they succeed. The more leaders we have, the more the pressure is distributed. If Paul is used effectively, the group can benefit from his influence."

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AFPPafos challenge up next for Poba

After 811 days, countless medical tests, legal battles, emotional turbulence and physical frustration, Pogba is back on the pitch. Monaco are currently eighth in the table but are just two points behind fourth-placed Strasbourg. Their next challenge is against PSG in Ligue 1 on November 29, and Pogba will be raring to rack up more minutes under his belt. Pogba added: "It depends on the coach. I'll do everything I can to be there and help the team." The road ahead remains long. But at last, he’s walking it again.

West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta has made an admission about his future at the club amid repeated suggestions he could leave in January.

Paqueta’s time at West Ham has been intriguing to say the least, and fresh speculation has emerged recently about a potential winter exit from the London Stadium.

West Ham paid £51 million to secure his services in a club-record deal from Lyon three years ago, with the Brazilian quickly establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s most technically gifted playmakers in his debut season under David Moyes.

Paqueta helped the Hammers to a glorious Conference League triumph that year, their first major trophy since 1980 and first European trophy since 1965, but a spot-fixing scandal then began to overshadow his time at the London Stadium.

The 28-year-old was charged with four alleged breaches of FA rule E5.1 in May 2024, relating to matches involving West Ham, with allegations that he directly sought to influence matches by intentionally seeking to receive a card from the referee for influence of the betting market.

The investigation, which began in August 2023, cast a dark cloud over his future, with the FA once seeking a lifetime ban for him. Throughout the ordeal, West Ham stood firmly by their star man, and in July this year, he was finally cleared.

With that uncertain point of his career finally over, Paqueta got back to focusing on the pitch, and clubs also started taking an interest in the £150,000-per-week star.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Aston Villa tried to sign Paqueta in the summer, but he ultimately chose to stay put and show loyalty to a side who backed him off the field.

However, credible reports are indicating that his long-term future could be away from Rush Green. The Times recently reported that Paqueta is keen to leave West Ham as early as next month, with Fabrizio Romano also backing up that the ex-Ligue 1 star’s exit is a realistic possibility.

Lucas Paqueta makes West Ham transfer admission and expects move to happen

Now, the player himself has come out to make a revelation of his own.

Speaking to Brazilian outlet Globo, as translated by Standard Sport, Paqueta says that he had a desire to return to Flamengo in the most recent summer window, and he expects that transfer to happen eventually due to his close ties with the club.

Paqueta’s current deal expires in 2027, and while Nuno Espirito Santo won’t want to lose him in January, a summer transfer certainly appears on the cards next year.

Unfortunately for chairman David Sullivan, by that point, the Irons wouldn’t be in a position to demand big money for the player with just one year remaining on his contract.

Flamengo’s best opportunity to strike a reunion could be next year, if a more illustrious European or Premier League big-hitter don’t move to entice him first.

The India vice-captain claimed the No. 1 ranking for the fourth time in her career

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Sep-2025India batter Smriti Mandhana has reclaimed the top spot in the ICC rankings for women’s ODI batters following her half-century in the first ODI against Australia on Sunday.Mandhana’s 63-ball 58 helped her overtake England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt at the top of the charts. Australia’s Beth Mooney also rose three places to fifth, while Annabel Sutherland and Phoebe Litchfield are joint 25th after their half-centuries.Australia chased down their 282-run target in New Chandigarh with eight wickets and 35 balls to spare. The teams play the second of three ODIs on Wednesday.This is the fourth time Mandhana has achieved the No. 1 ranking for ODI batters. She did it first in January 2019 and most recently in July before Sciver-Brunt overtook her. Harmanpreet Kaur (12th) and Jemimah Rodrigues (15th) are the other India batters in the top 20.In the bowling rankings, Australia’s Kim Garth and Alana King achieved their career-best rankings of fourth and fifth. India offspinner Sneh Rana, who took 1 for 51 moved up five places to 16th.England spinner Sophie Ecclestone continues to lead the ODI bowling rankings with Deepti Sharma at No. 7 being the only Indian in the top ten.

Paul Scholes has shared details on how Manchester United have treated club legends at Old Trafford in what he described as a “very different” club under INEOS.

The Old Trafford legend retired in 2013 and has since watched on as both a pundit and fan as the Red Devils continue to struggle. Whilst his generation stole headline after headline by winning Premier League title after Premier League title, current stars are simply hoping to take United back into the top four.

Mbeumo upgrade: INEOS want to sign "best player in the world" for Man Utd

Manchester United could be about to target another elite-level talent for Ruben Amorim in the months ahead.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 25, 2025

There’s no doubt that Ruben Amorim would love to have a player of Scholes’ calibre these days. Where there was a big occasion, there was so often a big moment from the legendary midfielder.

Legends don’t get much bigger than Scholes at Old Trafford, but as Nicky Butt revealed, the Red Devils haven’t always treated their former players well in recent years.

Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football, Butt revealed: “I’ve had an email saying ‘you’re having your ticket taken off you’. So I rang them up and said can I speak to somebody about this please? And they go ‘who am I speaking to please?’, and I go Nicky Butt and they go, ‘OK, well who’s that?’”

It’s not the first time that Man United have cut former players off, either. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS reportedly cut an annual £40,000 charity donation to the Association of Former Manchester United Players last December in a controversial decision.

INEOS then went and spent over £120m on reinforcements in the summer transfer window to add insult to injury for those former players.

Now, Scholes has shared a problem that he’s had with the club to follow on from Butt’s admission and INEOS’ decision to end United’s charity donation.

Scholes shares disappointment at "very different" Man Utd

Also speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football, Scholes admitted that he has to use ticket touts for some Man United games after running out of season tickets to use.

Some would argue that the midfielder’s goal against Barcelona should have been enough to ensure free entry for life, let alone his 11 Premier League titles and two Champions League wins, but his struggles beg a greater question.

If a club legend is struggling to attend games, then how much are the fans struggling? The last thing that INEOS need is to potentially shut their own fans out, and that includes the likes of Scholes and Butt.

Man Utd surge into race against Liverpool and Arsenal to sign £123m superstar

The first 11 matches of the World Cup delivered a reach of 72 million, which, the ICC said, marked “a 166% increase from the previous edition”

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Oct-2025The India vs Pakistan women’s ODI World Cup game on October 5 has broken digital-viewing records with “a reach of 28.4 million and 1.87 billion minutes consumed, making it the most-watched women’s international cricket match of all time”, an ICC statement on Thursday said.That was the standout match in terms of viewership, but even outside of it, the first half of the league stage of the World Cup delivered “record-breaking numbers across digital and linear platforms”, the ICC said.The India vs Pakistan game has also become the highest-rated league-stage match in the history of the tournament when it comes to TV viewership, while the first 11 matches, including India’s matches against Sri Lanka, Pakistan and South Africa, delivered a reach of 72 million. That, the ICC said, marked “a 166% increase from the previous edition”. Also, “viewing minutes surged 327% to 6.3 billion”.Related

Top-order turbulences, left-arm spin traps and catching concerns

Attendance at stadia has also been healthy, with stands filling up especially for India’s matches in India and Sri Lanka’s matches in Sri Lanka, though matches featuring visiting teams without any “home” interest have not always had too many people in the stands. In Colombo, when matches have not featured Sri Lanka or India, stadium attendance has been in four figures at times, though the weather has played its part in that.”According to data released jointly by ICC and JioHotstar, the first 13 matches of the tournament have already reached over 60 million viewers, a five-fold increase over the 2022 edition, while total watch-time has hit 7 billion minutes, up 12 times from the previous tournament,” an ICC statement said, adding that the India vs Australia game on October 12 “recorded 4.8 million peak concurrent viewers on JioHotstar, another all-time high for women’s cricket”.

Harry Kane has urged Bayern Munich to remain calm despite suffering their first defeat of the season in a 3-1 loss to Arsenal, insisting there is “no need to panic” after a subdued personal performance at the Emirates Stadium. The England captain endured a rare off night as Bayern’s unbeaten run collapsed, but he remains confident the German champions will bounce back strongly.

Arsenal end Bayern's 18-game unbeaten streak

Bayern Munich’s 18-match unbeaten streak came to an abrupt halt as Arsenal secured a convincing 3-1 victory in a Champions League showdown in North London. Vincent Kompany’s side initially competed well, weathering the early intensity before equalising through 17-year-old Lennart Karl after Jurrien Timber’s opener. However, the second half shifted sharply out of Bayern’s control as errors and fatigue allowed Arsenal’s substitutes to take over.

Noni Madueke punished a misplaced Bayern pass to restore Arsenal’s lead, before Gabriel Martinelli capitalised on a misjudged charge from Manuel Neuer to slot into an empty net, sealing Bayern’s first defeat of the season. The German champions struggled to cope with Arsenal’s set-piece pressure, losing duels across the pitch and conceding territory repeatedly as the hosts grew increasingly dominant. Bayern’s own attacking play lacked fluidity, leaving their front line, particularly Kane, isolated and unable to influence the match.

For Kane, it was a notably quiet return to North London. The former Tottenham striker was tightly marshalled throughout and failed to produce a single shot on goal during the 90 minutes, a rare occurrence for a forward in prolific form. Despite the frustration, both BKane and Kompany stressed the need to resist overreaction as they prepare for the remainder of the group phase.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportKane asks for calm as Bayern suffer at the Emirates

Reflecting on the defeat, Kane admitted the performance fell short of Bayern’s usual standards but insisted the team remain composed. He said: “It was a tough game which is kind of what we expected. It was a good battle in the first half which was fairly even.”

Kane added: “Second half we didn’t quite have the same energy or intensity and we lost too many duels. It’s our first loss of the season. We don’t want to panic too much about it. But we will learn about it for sure.”

Despite the disappointing night, Kane remains confident Bayern will see Arsenal again deeper in the competition. He said: “I’m sure we’ll see them again in the later stages of the Champions League.”

Bayern in a strong position but Kompany needs to iron out issues

This loss marks a rare moment of vulnerability for a Bayern side that had previously looked imperious in both domestic and European competition. The defeat also disrupted their historically dominant record against Arsenal, having avoided losing in their previous five meetings. While the performance contained moments of composure, the crucial second-half collapse revealed structural issues Bayern will now need to address.

The frustrations were compounded by a subdued performance from Kane, who has otherwise enjoyed a brilliant season with 29 goals for club and country. His muted impact was a testament to Arsenal’s disciplined defensive approach, which restricted him to peripheral involvement in possession and prevented progression through central channels.

From Bayern's perspective, the defeat was characterised not only by Arsenal’s strength but also by self-inflicted errors. Losing possession in dangerous zones and failing to cope with second balls contributed heavily to the momentum shift. Kompany acknowledged post-match that Bayern must improve their “details” and intensity if they want to match Europe’s elite in high-stakes fixtures.

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Getty Images SportEasier UCL ties ahead for Bayern

Bayern now turn their attention toward regrouping quickly, with Kane’s words of reassurance setting the tone; however, their remaining games in the Champions League will be much easier as they will face Sporting, Union Saint-Gilloise and PSV. The German champions remain in a strong position in Europe, meaning the priority will be correcting the lapses seen at the Emirates rather than dwelling on the defeat. Kompany is expected to assess tactical adjustments, particularly in managing transitions and set-piece pressure.

The broader outlook for Bayern is still overwhelmingly positive. Although the loss exposed weaknesses, their consistency across competitions places them firmly among Europe’s contenders, and the squad’s experience should allow them to recalibrate swiftly.

The Los Angeles Angels wanted no part of Aaron Judge on Wednesday night.

With Yusei Kikuchi on the mound, Aaron Judge came to the plate in the top of the first inning. Rather than pitch to Judge with a runner on second, Angels manager Ron Washington made the call to issue an intentional walk, giving the New York Yankees' slugger a free pass to first base.

Fans from both teams were miffed by the cowardice from the Angels, and the team was showered with boos from the stands as Judge took first base.

Judge has been a pitcher's worst nightmare this season, and he's particularly lethal with runners in scoring position. As Michael Kay said on the YES Network broadcast, the 33-year-old is hitting 18-for-40 (.450) with runners in scoring position this season, and that's not a statistic the Halos were eager to add to.

The decision didn't exactly pay dividends for L.A., as the Yankees were still able to take an early 1–0 lead in the first inning after Anthony Volpe plated Paul Goldschmidt with a sacrifice fly.

Judge came back to the plate in the second inning, and once again, Washington called for an intentional walk to let him on base.

Judge has been off to a historic start through the first two months of the 2025 season, slashing .395/.488.746 with 18 home runs, 47 RBIs and 36 walks in 54 games.

If Chelsea’s draw against Arsenal showed them at their best, the last week of results has shown them at their worst.

Enzo Maresca’s side were just six points off the Premier League leaders after their match against them, but a defeat away to Leeds United and a draw away to Bournemouth now sees them eight points adrift and in fifth place.

It’s been a frustrating week for the Blues and one that has shown that, for all their talent, they are still vulnerable and have more than a few week links.

In fact, one of those weak links could be Chelsea’s biggest liability since Tiémoué Bakayoko.

Tiémoué Bakayoko's Chelsea career

In the 16/17 season, AS Moncao shocked the world by mounting a surprising and successful title charge, their first to end in glory for well over a decade.

Chalkboard

That side was full of incredible players who’d go on to have glittering careers, like Kylian Mbappé, Bernardo Silva and Fabinho.

However, instead of signing any of them, Chelsea opted to splash north of £40m on Bakayoko, who, to be fair to the club, did look like a star in the making at the time.

Unfortunately, once he arrived in England, it was clear that he was anything but.

The Frenchman made 43 appearances across the 17/18 season, but very rarely, if ever, looked convincing, be that in possession or out of it.

The midfielder’s most notable performance in Blue just so happened to also be his worst, when, against Watford in February 2018, he was sent off just 30 minutes into the game.

In all, while he was once a hugely promising midfielder, Bakayoko is now known as a flop in England.

Following a slew of loans, he joined Lorient in 2023 before moving to PAOK last summer, and is now without a club at just 31 years old.

Unfortunately for Maresca, he might now have Chelsea’s biggest liability since the Frenchman in his current squad.

Chelsea's biggest liability since Bakayoko

Now, there are a few players Chelsea need to sell as soon as possible, but if you were to ask fans who in the first team needs to go first, most would likely land on Tosin Adarabioyo.

The Blues signed the Englishman for free after his contract with Fulham expired last summer, and while he has been a useful stand-in at times, it has become increasingly clear this season that he’s a problem.

For example, in the last five games he has started, the West Londoners have conceded 11 goals and won just two, drawing one and losing the other two.

Moreover, while the entire backline should be held to account for some of those goals, the 28-year-old has made some high-profile and almost comical mistakes.

Against Leeds United, for example, Dominic Calvert-Lewin only scored his goal because the Englishman lost control of the ball within the Blues’ penalty area.

It was a mistake Chelsea fan and content creator Tom Overend branded “utterly embarrassing”, and while that might sound harsh, it’s hard to dispute.

Minutes

96′

Tackles

1

Ground Duels (Won)

4 (1)

Fouls

2

Errors Leading to a Goal

1

Touches

121

Shots

1

Key Passes

0

Expected G+As

0.07

It’s not just the eye-test where the defender fails, either: according to FBref, he ranks in the top 43% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles won and in the bottom 4% of dribblers tackled, all per 90.

In other words, he’s not proactive enough at the back, and even when he is, he isn’t very effective.

Ultimately, it’s clear that Tosin is not good enough to play for Chelsea, and therefore, the club should look to move him on as soon as possible, for everyone’s sake.

Estevao 2.0: Chelsea looking to sign "one of South America's biggest jewels"

Chelsea could pick up their next Estevao.

ByKelan Sarson Dec 8, 2025

Faisal Shinozada’s century propelled Afghanistan Under-19s to 283 earlier, but the total was not enough

ESPNcricinfo staff13-Dec-2025With just 48 more runs to get in 45 balls, eight wickets standing, and two set batters at the crease, Bangladesh Under-19s looked set to beat Afghanistan Under-19s rather comfortably in their 284 chase. Although they scored 28 runs in the next four overs, these came at the cost of four wickets. At that stage, Afghanistan sniffed a comeback win.Earlier in the innings, the Bangladesh openers Zawad Abrar and Rifat Beg had added 151, while captain Azizul Hakim and Kalam Siddiki stitched together a partnership of 66 for the third wicket.Roohullah Arab got the first breakthrough for Afghanistan, when he dismissed Beg for 62 to end the first-wicket stand in the 27th over. Arab also took Abrar’s wicket in the 31st – the batter missed out on a hundred, falling for 96. Although Hakim and Siddiki looked like they were going to make it a one-sided affair, a middle-order collapse threatened to take the win away from Bangladesh. Eventually, though, Rizan Hossan’s speedy 17* ensured Bangladesh scraped through in the 49th over with three wickets remaining.Afghanistan had centurion Faisal Shinozada (103) to thank for putting up a big total. Shinozada put up stands of 66 and 89 for the second and third wicket with Osman Sadat and Uzairullah Niazai, respectively. His knock came in only 94 balls, and included eight fours and four sixes.Despite a strong start, Afghanistan found themselves at 225 for 7 in the 46th over. Azizullah Miakhil (38*) and Abdul Aziz (26*) provided the finishing kick with an unbroken partnership of 58 in only 28 balls to propel Afghanistan to 283. Eventually, their total proved to not be enough.