Category Uncategorized

The fast bowler Ryan Harris has all but ruled himself out of Australia’s Test series against South Africa this summer as he continues his recovery from shoulder surgery

Brydon Coverdale24-Sep-2012The fast bowler Ryan Harris has all but ruled himself out of Australia’s Test series against South Africa this summer as he continues his recovery from shoulder surgery. Harris had an operation two months ago and he believes it is “pretty unrealistic” for him to return for the South African series, which starts at the Gabba on November 9, and is instead hoping to be available for the Test series against Sri Lanka, beginning in Hobart on December 14.Harris played two of the three Tests during Australia’s tour of the Caribbean in April and was Man of the Match in Barbados for his five wickets and unbeaten half-century. Since he made his Test debut in early 2010 only Pat Cummins and James Pattinson, who have played far fewer matches, have had better Test bowling averages for Australia than Harris, who has collected 47 wickets at 23.63 in 12 appearances.However, his workload has taken a physical toll and the Australian team management is reluctant to overuse Harris, who turns 33 next month. The only time Harris has played all the Tests in a series was during his debut series in New Zealand, and he knows that it does not make sense to take any risks in an attempt to rush himself back into contention for the South Africa matches.”I would love to be able to be back against South Africa but at this stage it is pretty unrealistic. It is one of those things I can’t control,” Harris told News Limited newspapers. “I will get back for Queensland and let the rest take care of itself before any Australian stuff. In theory I will be up and going in six weeks but it is an injury we will not rush. The pain is going, I just have to build confidence now but believe I can get back well.”Although the absence of Harris is a blow for Australia, the depth in their fast-bowling stocks should allow the attack to remain strong against South Africa. If Pattinson and Cummins remain fit they will be in contention for the Gabba Test having both impressed in their initial Tests last summer, while Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle will shoulder much of the workload. The left-armer Mitchell Starc is another candidate.The Australians will be battling for the No.1 spot on the ICC’s Test rankings when they take on South Africa, having not lost a Test series since Michael Clarke took over as captain. South Africa are on top of the rankings table and have not been defeated in a series since Australia beat them 2-1 in early 2009, but in their past 20 Tests South Africa have not won any two consecutive matches.

ESPNcricinfo previews the Irani Cup match between Rest of India and Rajasthan in Jaipur

The Preview by Siddhartha Talya30-Sep-2011

Match facts

October 1, Jaipur
Start time 0930 IST (0400 GMT)Had they not been involved in the Champions League, Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina could have been part of the Rest of India team•Getty Images

Big Picture

Not for the first time the first first-class game of the Indian domestic season will be reduced to a sideshow. Last year, the Irani Cup clashed with Australia’s two-Test series in India, and this time it will fight a losing battle with the four-day game’s ultimate foe, Twenty20 cricket. It’s not so much a battle for hearts and minds of most of Indian cricket fans – that appears to have been settled – but one for putting the best team available on the field.

Many who would presumably have found a place in the Rest of India squad for the Irani Cup are representing their IPL franchises in the Champions League Twenty20. Those yet to prove a point in Test cricket, Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli for example, are unavailable, and so are those who could have a Test future – R Ashwin and S Badrinath.Fans are not the only ones neglecting the start of the first-class season. The Irani Cup could have done without the selection fiasco that raised questions about the selectors’ professionalism and their communication with state associations vis-à-vis the availability of players. At a time when Indian domestic cricket is struggling to stay relevant to the needs of upcoming cricketers in the wake of other, more lucrative, options, the selection blunders and the scheduling are all the more concerning.For many players with an eye on India’s international assignments in the months to come, this is the first opportunity to attract attention. Seven members of Rest of India are part of India’s ODI squad against England, and will also be keen to stake their claim for the home series against West Indies in November.Ajinkya Rahane impressed in the limited-overs games in England, and his selection owed much to his prolific run in the previous domestic season, during which he averaged 87 in the Ranji Trophy. He’s part of a strong squad with an attacking batting line-up – Manish Pandey was the fourth-highest run-getter in 2010-11, the captain Parthiv Patel is back in the Indian squad and opener Shikhar Dhawan will want to make a return to the national side.The bowlers will be under greater scrutiny. Many would have liked to have a look at the Jharkhand seamer Varun Aaron during the ODIs in England, and he is likely to share the new ball with Umesh Yadav, who had a satisfactory tour with India Emerging Players to Australia and is in the ODI squad against England. Rahul Sharma, the legspinner, shone in this year’s IPL and won a national call-up, and joins the race for the regular spinner’s spot in the absence of Harbhajan Singh.Rest of India’s opponents, Rajasthan, made history by winning the Ranji Trophy for the first time but had problems in the build-up to this match. Pankaj Singh and Deepak Chahar, the seamers who took 20 wickets in three Super League games and 63 in the Plate League, have suffered injuries. Pankaj is out – he was replaced by Aniket Choudhary – while Chahar reportedly split the webbing of his palm, but may play. The veterans Aakash Chopra and Hrishikesh Kanitkar are key to the batting line-up and Rajasthan will hope Ashok Menaria and Rashmi Parida, who are returning from injuries, perform in the middle order.

Players to watch out for…

Abhinav Mukund made 620 runs in nine Ranji Trophy games last season, but had difficulty against the moving ball in the Tests in the West Indies and England. Abhinav will feel he could have had a better start to international cricket, and with the home series against West Indies coming up, he’s back in friendlier batting conditions. Vacancies may fill up with the return of Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, but he won’t want to waste time getting into the groove should an opportunity arise.Ashok Menaria led India in the 2010 Under-19 World Cup, and after recovering from injury was elected by Rajasthan for the Ranji Trophy quarter-finals last season. He answered their call with centuries in each knockout game. He has had a run in the IPL, cracked 112 in a high-scoring game in the Emerging Players Tournament, and also bowls left-arm spin. Against a formidable Rest of India line-up, much may depend on how Menaria delivers for Rajasthan.

Pitch and conditions

The track at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur reportedly has some grass on it, and Parthiv didn’t mind that. “We have three very good medium-pacers in side in Varun Aaron, Umesh Yadav and R Vinay Kumar. So, we are not concerned about the grass,” he told .”This time it has more grass on it. Last year, it turned out to be a run feast but I hope it is a sporting one this time,” Rajasthan captain Kanitkar said. “We did not have any say in it and the chairman of the BCCI pitch committee was here to supervise.”

Stats and trivia

Somerset were left nervously watching Nottinghamshire’s quest for bonus points at Old Trafford after they were denied victory by Durham at Chester-le-Street as they failed to chase down a near-impossible 181 in 17 overs

Andrew McGlashan at Chester-le-Street16-Sep-2010
ScorecardMichael Di Venuto struck a fine 129 to frustrate Somerset•Getty Images

Somerset’s quest for their maiden Championship title was ended in the cruellest of manners while they watched and waited on the pavilion balcony at Chester-le-Street, as Nottinghamshire pulled off their desperate quest for bonus points down at Old Trafford by posting a total of 400 before snatching three quick wickets in 4.4 overs at the end of their contest against LancashireSomerset had been in pole position going into the final day of the Championship season, but they were denied victory by Durham as they failed to chase down a near-impossible 181 in 17 overs. With the game finishing earlier than normal to allow the visitors to reach Newcastle Airport this evening, to head to London for the CB40 final, they left the field not knowing whether the draw was enough to secure them their first Championship title with Nottinghamshire having reached 400 for 9.That total had been sufficient to give them their fifth batting point, and when Samit Patel clung onto an edge from Shivnarine Chanderpaul, they drew level with Somerset on 214 points, but snatched the total with seven victories to Somerset’s six.For Marcus Trescothick, the Somerset captain, it was the second agonising near-miss of the season after losing the Friends Provident t20 final to Hampshire on virtue of wickets lost. “It’s gutting, with it being our first we realise how special it will be when we finally get there,” he said. “To get so close – level on points – is so tough but we’ll just have to wait another year now.”It’s terrible. It’s something that will live with us for a long, long time. To know we were so close, touching distance to the trophy, but so far away when Nottinghamshire got that third wicket.”Somerset could have removed all the uncertainty with a victory here, but Durham showed impressive character to battle through the final day. Michael Di Venuto continued his fine innings although he edged short of slip as Charl Willoughby found some swing before bring up his third hundred of the season from 155 ballsBen Harmison laboured to 15 off 72 balls in a third-wicket stand of 68 before was caught down the leg side off Alfonso Thomas, but it was looking increasingly likely that the results elsewhere would now be important for Somerset’s changes.Di Venuto, Durham’s leading batsman in a poor run-scoring season for the defending County Championships, continued to move along untroubled while Ian Blackwell began clubbing the ball with an end-of-season freedom. However, moments before lunch Peter Trego made his latest vital mark on this match when he found Di Venuto’s outside edge to rekindle Somerset’s hopes of forcing the outright victory.Then, two balls into Murali Kartik’s next over, Blackwell got a big inside edge into his pad which ballooned up to short leg as Somerset left the field with a spring in their step with the prospect of a chaseable fourth-innings target.But Phil Mustard and Dale Benkenstein formed another stubborn partnership which ate away at 15 overs before Mustard was trapped lbw by the tireless Thomas. Benkenstein, batting at No. 7 after being off the field yesterday, and Scott Borthwick dead-batted through 10 more overs.Somerset, though, wouldn’t give up and Trego squeezed a yorker through Borthwick which had just enough force to dislodge the bails and Willoughby swung one back into Liam Plunkett to trap him straight in front. The target was already getting out of hand but Chris Rushworth top-edged a pull and Benkenstein’s resistance ended with an edge to slip.Trescothick and Craig Kieswetter renewed their Twenty20 opening partnership, but 181 in 17 overs was a tough ask even by their standards of fast scoring especially as Durham could bowl almost where they liked and spread the field. Kieswetter missed a swing against Blackwell, Trescothick carved to cover and when Trego was stumped by miles they played out time. Then they were left to wait, and were ultimately denied.

Jansen finished took 4 for 73 in the second innings to add to his tally of seven in the first

Firdose Moonda30-Nov-20242:56

Takeaways: Coetzee’s injury a real concern for SA

South Africa 191 (Bavuma 70, Asitha 3-44, Kumara 3-70) and 366 for 5 dec (Stubbs 122, Bavuma 113) beat Sri Lanka 42 (Jansen 7-13) and 282 (Chandimal 83, Dhananjaya 59, Jansen 4-73) by 233 runsSouth Africa have moved to second place on the World Test Championship (WTC) table after a 233-run victory over Sri Lanka in Durban to break the visitors’ unbeaten record at the venue. Marco Jansen finished with 11 wickets in the game with 4 for 73 in the second innings.After setting Sri Lanka a target of 516 and taking five wickets on the third evening, South Africa may have expected play on the fourth day to be nothing more than a formality. But they were made to work for their win after half-centuries from Dinesh Chandimal and Dhananjaya de Silva and 48 from Kusal Mendis made them toil until deep into the second session. Sri Lanka were eventually bowled out for 282, an improvement on their first-innings effort by multiples.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Ultimately, they will look back at the 78 minutes of madness, in which they were bowled out for 42, as where the match was lost. It gave South Africa a 149-run first-innings lead, the best batting conditions of the match and the cushioning to build a big lead at their own pace. They then got to work defending it.Under blue skies and with a dry wind blowing, the pitch was placid on day four as well and Sri Lanka took advantage. Chandimal and Dhananjaya put on a sixth-wicket stand of 95 runs before Chandimal and Mendis combined for 75 against a South African attack that was without the injured Wiaan Mulder and the movement of the first three days.Related

• Injured Mulder ruled out of remainder of Sri Lanka Tests

• Bavuma overcomes nerves to bring up his third Test hundred

• Stubbs and Bavuma's centuries add colour to festive Kingsmead

Still, South Africa started threateningly when Kagiso Rabada beat Dhananjaya’s edge with the fifth ball of the morning and Gerald Coetzee found it with the 12th. The chance fell to the left of Jansen at gully. Dhananjaya responded by piercing the midwicket gap to hit Rabada for four and pulling Coetzee in front of square. Chandimal also dealt with a Coetzee short ball well and cut him for four through point.Rabada bowled a five-over spell that cost 18 runs without success, and once he was off, Sri Lanka’s pair could settle in. Dhananjaya drove Jansen through the covers, Chandimal whacked him in the same area to bring up the 150 and they both took on Maharaj, who got almost no turn. By the first drinks break, Sri Lanka had scored 61 runs in 16 overs at a rate of just under four to the over.Chandimal brought up his fifty immediately after the interval with an authoritative pull off Jansen and Dhananjaya reached his milestone in the next over, off 66 balls, a sign of the aggression with which he batted. He played one more shot in anger when he hit Maharaj over long-off for six. Maharaj had the last laugh, though, when Dhananjaya chipped an innocuous delivery to Tristan Stubbs at short midwicket for 59.That brought Mendis, on the back of four ducks in South Africa, to the crease. He got his first runs in five innings with a cover drive that went for four, and also raised the Sri Lankan 200. He was nearly run out later in the over when he took off for a run without conferring with Chandimal but made it back in time.South Africa brought back Rabada for a pre-lunch burst but a selection of short balls were well negotiated. Rabada also took his no-ball count for the innings to 10, with five in the morning session as Sri Lanka went to lunch on 220 for 6. They scored 117 runs in 32 overs in an extended first session.The 10 overs post lunch were laced with gifts from South Africa as Sri Lanka piled on 47 runs helped by a team that could afford to try things, given the runs at their disposal. Without a gully in place, Mendis square drove Jansen for four and then took 15 runs off his 19th over, as Jansen missed his lengths completely. Maharaj was also on the receiving end of Mendis’ aggression as he moved in sight of a half-century.Not long into his third spell, Coetzee sent down a half-volley down leg and it seemed South Africa could get nothing right either side of the pitch. His next ball was on middle and Chandimal tried to flick it away but closed the face of the bat too early and got a leading edge back to Coetzee. He let his relief out into the pitch with a series of throat-curdling screams.In the next over, Maharaj drew Vishwa Fernando forward and had him caught at slip by Aiden Markram. Jansen was brought back and he cleaned things up when he had Mendis caught behind to take his 10th for the match and bowled Asitha Fernando as he tried to cover the line of a ball sliding down leg. Jansen’s 11 for 86 are the second-best figures at Kingsmead after Clarrie Grimmett’s 13 for 173 in 1936.

Legspinner declares himself available for Leicestershire’s Metro Bank Cup final

Matt Roller06-Sep-2023Rehan Ahmed cherished a “special feeling” on Tuesday night as he played international cricket in his home town of Nottingham for the first time – and could play at Trent Bridge again later this month after declaring himself available for Leicestershire’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup final against Hampshire.Rehan, the 19-year-old legspinner, made his Test debut in Pakistan last December and won his first white-ball caps in Bangladesh earlier this year, but England’s six-wicket defeat to New Zealand in Nottingham was his first taste of international cricket on home soil.He was inundated with requests for his four complimentary tickets, estimating that he had seen “150” friends and family in the stands at Trent Bridge. And he impressed with both bat and ball, hitting 11 off 7 before taking 2 for 27 from his four overs.”It was a special feeling,” Rehan said. “Obviously playing abroad is great but playing in front of my home crowd is a different feeling. To be fair, in Pakistan we got a couple of big roars as well but when you are playing at home, especially in Nottingham – I know a lot of people here and am from here – it’s special.”Related

• Brook added to ODI squad to set up World Cup shoot-out

• Bairstow ready for reunion as World Cup prep begins

• Seifert, Phillips, Chapman counter Bairstow's fireworks

• Ackermann, Hill combine to keep Leicestershire promotion hopes alive

• Handscomb, Mulder guide Leicestershire to first final since 2001

He bowled in tandem with Adil Rashid through the middle overs, and admitted that he used to dream of playing alongside his fellow legspinner. “Him and Mo [Moeen Ali] are people we look up to as an Asian community,” Rehan said. “Everyone in England looks up to them, so to play with them is a special feeling.”We talk about bowling quite a bit. He [Rashid] is probably five times the bowler I am: he has four different legspinners, he’s played a long time, has a lot of experience. He was young, played and it didn’t go well for him; then he came back, and became the best bowler. He’s been through a lot.”Rehan is not part of England’s ODI squad to play New Zealand and is due to link back up with Leicestershire later this week. He is available for their four-day fixture against Sussex which starts on Sunday, as they bid for promotion to Division One of the County Championship.He will then join up with England again for a three-match ODI series against Ireland, starting on September 20 at Headingley, but hopes to be involved two days before in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup final.Rehan missed the group stage of the Metro Bank Cup while playing for Southern Brave•Getty Images

Rehan has not featured in the competition this season, instead representing Southern Brave in the Hundred, but is eligible to play in the final. Leicestershire will be without Peter Handscomb, who has returned to Australia, but they announced on Wednesday that he will return to the club next summer and in 2025 after signing a two-year contract.”I’ve not thought far ahead,” Rehan said. “I’ll hopefully play some four-day cricket next week, try to get some overs in. I’d like to [play in the final] if I’m free and get picked. The boys are smacking it without me so I don’t know if they need me…”His 15-year-old brother Farhan has been playing for England Under-19s in a one-day series against Australia this week, and was in the stands at Trent Bridge on Tuesday. “I have been watching,” Rehan said. “They got smacked 4-1: that never happened to us when we were Under-19s.”Rehan himself only turned 19 last month; he missed England’s training session on Monday to take his driving test, with permission from head coach Matthew Mott. He passed “first time, no minors” and said: “It was the Bank Holiday Monday morning in Nottingham, so there was no-one on the road.”

Harleen Deol makes a comeback to India’s 50-overs set-up having played her one and only ODI in 2019

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Jun-2022Veteran fast bowler Jhulan Goswami does not feature in India’s white-ball squads that will travel to Sri Lanka later this month. The contingent will also be without the newly retired Mithali Raj, but Jemimah Rodrigues returns for the T20I leg, while Harleen Deol comes in for the ODIs.India T20I captain Harmanpreet Kaur has been put in charge of the ODI squad too, taking over from Raj, with Smriti Mandhana deputising.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Raj, 39, had announced her retirement from international cricket earlier in the day, saying she was leaving because “the team is in the capable hands of some very talented young players”. That next generation will also have to bridge the gap in experience left by the additional absence of Goswami, who is also 39. Raj and Goswami between them have the experience of 433 ODIs and 157 T20Is.Given her potential, 21-one-year-old middle-order batter Rodrigues’ omission from the Indian women’s team’s previous assignment – a limited-overs tour of New Zealand in February followed by the 50-over World Cup in the same country in March – had caused a stir, despite her form not being the best. Now she has made her way back into the T20I set-up following a Player-of-the-Match 66 off 44 for Trailblazers in the recent Women’s T20 Challenge.Related

• Harmanpreet: Sri Lanka tour 'ideal platform' for young bowlers to step up

• Rodrigues, Bahadur, Navgire – Takeaways from the WT20 Challenge

• Mithali Raj retires from international cricket

Left-arm spinner Radha Yadav, who last played for India in mid-2021, also returns to the T20I squad. Both Simran Bahadur and S Meghana were retained in the T20I squad and returned to the main ODI side after being among the reserves at the recent World Cup.Deol, meanwhile, will be looking forward to her first ODI since February 2019 – her only ODI till date. The middle-order batter had finished third on the runs charts while averaging over 60 in the domestic Senior Women’s One-Day Challenger Trophy, but did not make the cut for the last World Cup. The players who did make it but miss out here are allrounder Sneh Rana and left-arm spinner Ekta Bisht.

Sri Lanka vs India fixtures

1st T20I, June 23, Dambulla
2nd T20I, June 25, Dambulla
3rd T20I, June 27, Dambulla
1st ODI, July 1, Kandy
2nd ODI, July 4, Kandy
3rd ODI, July 7, Kandy

India Women’s ODI squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana (vice-capt), Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia (wk), S Meghana (reserve at World Cup), Deepti Sharma, Poonam Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Simran Bahadur (reserve at the World Cup), Richa Ghosh (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Harleen Deol
Out: Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Sneh Rana, Ekta Bisht (reserve at World Cup)
In: Harleen DeolIndia Women’s T20I squad: Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Smriti Mandhana (vice-capt), Shafali Verma, Yastika Bhatia (wk), S Meghana, Deepti Sharma, Poonam Yadav, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Simran Bahadur, Richa Ghosh (wk), Pooja Vastrakar, Meghna Singh, Renuka Singh, Jemimah Rodrigues, Radha Yadav
Out: Sneh Rana, Taniya Bhatia, Ekta Bisht
In: Jemimah Rodrigues, Radha Yadav

Erik ten Hag's future at Manchester United appears to be under even more scrutiny after the club's incoming sporting director met with Graham Potter.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Dan Ashworth meets Potter
• Ten Hag under pressure to deliver
• United face Man City tomorrow

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to , Dan Ashworth, potentially United's next sporting director, was spotted meeting the former Chelsea and Brighton manager. Ashworth and Potter worked together very successfully at the Amex Stadium and the pair have remained close since. Potter has been linked with the United job and the Red Devils' new decision-makers may look to reunite the pair in Manchester.

Advertisement

• (C)Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Following another season of lacklustre performances and a weakdefence, huge pressure is mounting on Ten Hag to improve the side's performances. The Dutchman has struggled to impose his identity on the team and if United fail to qualify for the Champions League, the United hierarchy may look elsewhere – if they aren't already.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  United have struggled in restricting opposition attacks this season. In just their last five games (against Fulham, Luton, Aston Villa, West Ham and Wolves) United have conceded 100 shots. This is not a new phenomenon either, with the Red Devils' backline among the leakiest defences in the league.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR TEN HAG AND POTTER?

  Whether Ashworth has offered Potter the keys to Old Trafford or not, Ten Hag will be looking over his shoulder. If Potter is set to be the new United manager, he will be watching as the Red Devils travel to the Etihad hoping to avoid another hammering by their city rivals on Sunday.

The forward insists he won't depart the club this summer, while the Parisians have frozen him out of the squad – who will break first?

In France they call them the 'loft.' In English, it roughly translates as 'bomb squad.' They're Paris Saint-Germain's outcast group, forced to train separately from Luis Enrique's first-team group. They have little chance of playing for the club this season, and are simply kicking a ball about, awaiting a loan move or permanent transfer. There are many familiar faces here: Julien Draxler, Gini Wijnaldum and Leandro Paredes have been there for a while; it seems Neymar and Marco Verratti have since been added in the final week of pre-season.

There's also Kylian Mbappe. Once vice-captain, superstar, and assumed Parisian for at least the next 10 months, Mbappe has been assigned to PSG purgatory, well away from the team he was supposed to lead to a Ligue 1 title this year.

The reason for his exile is clear. Mbappe has informed the club that he won't renew his contract that is due to expire in June. PSG, in return, have put him up for sale, and might be forced into letting one of the world's best leave. For his part, Mbappe has turned around and insisted he is going nowhere.

This kind of thing has happened before, though. The Parisians have been publicly pushed around by Mbappe for much of his six-year stay in the French capital, a string of events in which PSG have eventually caved to his demands. But it looks different now. PSG have taken a stand, and are at least trying to demonstrate that no one — not even Mbappe — is more important than the club.

It's an admirable show of strength for a nation-state marketing tool whose footballing prowess is admittedly limited. They are entering new territory here, and taking a stand against one of their star players, silencing one of the most desirable assets in their portfolio — suggesting that, for once, there might be other, more practical, sporting priorities in Paris. How long it lasts, though, remains to be seen.

• Getty
  

  Hometown kid with unlimited power

  Mbappe has always been aware of his power in Paris. Here was a hometown kid, returning to the city of his birth, the Parisian in a team full of global stars. PSG ultras coveted a world-class French footballer to be the face of the team. Mbappe was that — and he knew it. Whatever perceived pressure of the role didn't get to him, either.

  Mbappe has scored at least 25 goals in each of his last three seasons at PSG. He has five Ligue 1 Golden Boots to his name, and seems set to be at least a Ballon d'Or finalist this year. Throw in a World Cup win — claimed at just 19 — and there arguably isn't a more successful footballer who so easily embodies his club and country.

  This was particularly clear last summer. Mbappe was on the verge of leaving PSG, and, depending on which of the multitude of stories you believe, had all-but agreed to fulfil a childhood dream and join Real Madrid. But the Parisians realised they couldn't afford to lose him, so they caved to every single financial and symbolic demand. Mbappe was made the highest-paid player in history, and anointed de-facto footballing adviser. Mbappe even received a phone call from the French Prime Minister, begging him to stay.

  Mbappe accepted the terms. His contract gave him the option to leave in 2024, and included a 'loyalty bonus' for every additional season he played. Mbappe could, theoretically, become immensely wealthy for two years — before bolting for a new project.

  But there was also a more sinister, implicit element to the deal. Mbappe had won the negotiations and carved out a very specific role in Paris. He was now the most powerful person at the club, and could, both publically and privately, dictate decision making.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  A series of failures

  Whether Mbappe was entirely aware of the extent of his influence remains unclear. It is also difficult, and perhaps unfair, to accuse a 24-year-old of being some sort of insidious supervillain dictating the moves of an organisation. There are, presumably, no evil lairs or secret meetings here. But he certainly knew how much weight his words would carry.

  So, Mbappe has gone about the last year moulding club storylines, and having a material impact on both public relations policies and footballing decisions. The list of perceived grievances is lengthy.

  First, it was his desire to sign a striker to play alongside him, something he made clear in a passive-aggressive interview. The club swiftly entered negotiations for Goncalo Ramos, but were barred from signing him due to Financial Fair Play restrictions. A few months later, it was revealed that Mbappe was unhappy at the club, and wanted to leave. It dragged manager Christophe Galtier and Luis Campos into a media storm, the two giving conflicting statements in the days after the story broke. Mbappe flatly denied the rumour — not that many believed him.

  Then, in February, Mbappe took issue with a PSG season ticket promotional campaign. The video, encouraging fans to renew their seats for the 2023-24 season, featured Mbappe — but made no mention of either Lionel Messi or Neymar. Once a few keen eyes noted their absence, Mbappe released a statement, claiming 'it isn't Kylian Saint-Germain' and denying that he had any role in the video that he himself narrated. PSG quickly removed it.

  There have been other incidents, too. Mbappe criticised PSG's squad depth following their Champions League exit to Bayern Munich. He took on the vice-captaincy, something that Presnel Kimpembe, vice-captain at the time, was not made aware of. He called the club "divisive" while on international duty.

  And then, it was leaked that he would not be taking up the one-year option in his contract to stay until the summer of 2025. PSG claimed that he had only made it clear in early June;Mbappe said he had told them months ago.

• web psg
  

  Scrubbed from the club

  The PSG of old would have done everything to keep their superstar. They would have thrown even more money at him, allowed him to train with the first team, and shared pictures of him smiling on social media. Every Mbappe goal would be met with the public adulation of the club. The posters would remain up; the media campaigns would continue to circulate; the kits would still fly off the shelves.

  Except, they haven't. None of those things have happened. Mbappe has been silenced, cast aside. The giant billboard on the side of Parc des Princes, a massive picture showing Mbappe in celebration, has been taken down. He is no longer on the club's website homepage. His kits and sponsored products can no longer be bought at PSG stores. He did not appear at the club media day. He has only made one pre-season appearance, a 10-minute cameo in a training-ground friendly with Le Havre (inevitably, he scored).

  Mbappe was once the face and soul of this project. Now, he's been expertly scrubbed from the club's fabric. He is not entirely forgotten — Mbappe is far too big for that — but his association with PSG is steadily being removed. Meanwhile, the club have been active in the transfer market in their attempts to sell him. Mbappe, they have admitted publicly, is allowed to leave the club. As expected, there are numerous interested parties for a 25-year-old superstar who will arguably only get better.

  PSG have already accepted a bid from Al-Hilal — although Mbappe turned the Saudi Pro League club down. They are reportedly in active negotiations with other parties, too. There has been faint Premier League interest, while an offer from Real Madrid seems likely to arrive before the end of the transfer window.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty
  

  A team trying to move on

  Elsewhere, a team has been assembled without him. PSG's transfer business is overblown and over-analysed every year — mostly because the new signings tend to cave to the desires of Mbappe and whichever megastars the club employs at the time. But this is a planning for an Mbappe-less future, and something vaguely interesting is happening.

  The Parisians have addressed numerous areas of need with sneakily good deals and promising prospects. Manuel Ugarte and Lee Kang-in won't sell many shirts, but both are under 24, and appear to be a good fit for this new iteration of PSG, overseen by Luis Enrique. Milan Skriniar and Marco Asensio, brought in on free transfers, will add valuable experience. Ousmane Dembele and Lucas Hernandez are risky additions, given their injury history, but the potential is certainly there.

  And the summer's big signing, Ramos, will certainly provide some of the goals missing due to Mbappe's absence. There could be some more activity to come. Verratti wants out, and will likely seal a Saudi Pro League deal soon. Neymar has also been told to find another club. Both will certainly need replacing.

  Pieced together, it looks very much like a well-assembled side, with a good mix of youth and experience. Perhaps more importantly, though, PSG look nothing like the series of squads that pandered to Mbappe for years. There is a clear balance, an obvious system, and a manager to lead it all. Mbappe, now, would be a luxury addition, not the focal point of an imperfect side.

Karim Benzema grabbed a hat-trick while Rodrygo showed his best as Real Madrid shrugged off relegation-threatened Almeria.

Although Benzema bagged a hat-trick, Rodrygo's star showing was perhaps the most intriguing performance as Real Madrid battered a heavily-rotated Almeria side, 4-2.

Benzema opened the scoring swiftly, benefitting from a fine piece of work from Vinicius Junior to turn the ball home from close range.

He added a second 10 minutes later, handed an easy tap-in after a wonderful Rodrygo nutmeg and pass. A composed penalty sealed a first-half hat-trick for the French forward.

Rodrygo was at it again for the Madrid fourth, lashing a long-range effort in. He had a goal disallowed, too, a tidy header that would have turned a comfortable win into a thrashing.

We've seen so many flashes from Rodrygo, and the performance Saturday must serve as personal inspiration for the level to reach more consistently.

Meanwhile, Los Blancos weren't exactly steady at the back. They conceded two soft goals to a much-changed Almeria side – something that manager Carlo Ancelotti will, no doubt, be concerned about.

Still, Madrid were wonderful going forward, and their promising Brazilian youngster showed a vision of what could be for years to come.

GOAL rates Real Madrid's players from the Santiago Bernabeu…

Getty ImagesGoalkeeper & Defence

Thibaut Courtois (5/10):

Nothing to do, really. Can't be blamed for the Almeria goals. Two quality assists took him out of the game.

Lucas Vazquez (7/10):

A lot more creative than expected in a rare start. Started at right-back, ended up playing left-wing. Won't get many more of these opportunities.

Eder Militao (6/10):

A few nice runs forward, but lost his position once or twice. Needs to find some consistency.

Antonio Rudiger (7/10):

The better of the two centre-backs. Barely misplaced a pass.

Eduardo Camavinga (6/10):

Lost Lazaro at the back post as the Almeria forward pulled one back for his side just before half-time. Otherwise solid. He's a very good left-back for a player who openly hates playing left-back.

AdvertisementGettyMidfield

Dani Ceballos (8/10):

More involved in the attack from a right-sided position. Grabbed an assist, completed the most dribbles in the match. The best of Madrid's midfield trio.

Aurelien Tchouameni (6/10):

Handed a start after a rough run. Was agreeable on the ball and positionally sound. Will need to find form; he will likely be in the XI more regularly with Luka Modric out.

Toni Kroos (6/10):

Allowed Lazaro to run through too easily for Almeria's solitary goal. Typically metronomic in his passing. Will need to turn in a better defensive showing against Man City.

Getty ImagesAttack

Rodrygo (9/10):

Assisted Benzema's second with a lovely flick and pass. Scored one of his own with a driven strike. A glimpse of what he can be at his best.

Karim Benzema (9/10):

Opened the scoring inside five minutes, added a second after 16. Completed his hat-trick before half time. Visibly angry for not scoring more. Moved up to fourth in La Liga's all-time goalscoring charts.

Vinicius Junior (8/10):

Set up Benzema's opener, made some opponents look very silly. Now has 20 goals and 20 assists between club and country. Madrid will hope there are more to come this year.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Subs & Manager

Marco Asensio (6/10):

Would be disappointed not to start. Didn't offer much in a 20 minute run around.

Nacho (6/10):

Fresh legs for a tired-looking Kroos.

Dani Carvajal (N/A):

No time to make an impact.

Carlo Ancelotti (7/10):

Keeps going for strong lineup, despite the relative unimportance of the contest. His selection paid off, though, as Madrid were rampant going forward. Ancelotti might be concerned with Madrid's defensive lapses — they shouldn't concede two to this side.

Life between the sticks dictates that the odd mistake will be made, but the Reds have seen their chosen shot-stoppers drop more clangers than most

It is often said that goalkeepers are wired a little differently to your average footballer.

Life between the sticks can be lonely and unforgiving, with a special kind of character required to pull on a pair of gloves.

As the last line of defence, a tightrope between praise and scorn is walked each and every time said individuals take to the field.

Those to have graced the books at Liverpool during the Premier League era know that better than most, with the Reds boasting an unfortunate history when it comes to costly clangers.

With the club’s most recent outing seeing them add another entry to that list, Goal casts an eye over some of the performances from recent memory that those at Anfield would rather forget.

GettyDavid James

Picking up the nickname ‘Calamity’ tells you all you need to know about a man who was still considered good enough to earn 53 England caps. James’ spell at Anfield was littered with high-profile gaffes, with his flap to Eric Cantona in the 1996 FA Cup final costing the’ Spice Boys’ dear. A trio of errors during a classic meeting with Newcastle in 1997 would see James make his infamous excuse of playing too many computer games, telling reporters: “I was getting carried away playing Tekken II and Tomb Raider for hours on end.” A matter of weeks later and James was still clearly distracted as he strayed off his line during a meeting with Manchester United to wave a seemingly harmless cross onto the head of a grateful Andy Cole.

AdvertisementGettySander Westerveld

With Liverpool looking good to take a point from a trip to Bolton in August 2001, a dramatic late error from their Dutch goalkeeper ultimately saw them head home empty-handed. Dean Holdsworth fired in a speculative drive from distance which dipped in front of Westerveld. Unable to get his body behind the strike, the Reds’ No.1 could only watch on in horror as the ball squirmed underneath him and into the back of the net. Then Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier had seen enough and within the space of a week Chris Kirkland and Jerzy Dudek had been signed, with Westerveld never to be seen again as he was initially benched and then moved on to Real Sociedad before Christmas.

GettyJerzy Dudek

Manchester United fans to this day still sing about the time Diego Forlan made the Merseyside natives cry in December 2002. Reds supporters were left aghast after seeing Dudek make the most stunning of errors during a meeting with their old adversaries. The Poland international – who enjoyed plenty of highs at Anfield, including the 2005 Champions League final – for some reason endured one of those days against United. The lowest point on afternoon of painful lows came when Dudek allowed a ball nodded back to him by Jamie Carragher to slip through his arms, out between his legs and into the path of Forlan to roll into an empty net. He also rather flapped at a fierce drive from the Uruguayan frontman which wrapped up the points for the Red Devils.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

GettyScott Carson

Will forever be remembered for his mistakes on a greasy Wembley pitch during a qualifying clash with Croatia which cost England a place at Euro 2008, but Carson has made the odd error elsewhere as well. He was an emerging talent when on the books at Anfield and faced fierce competition for places, which restricted him to just nine appearances. One of those came against Juventus in the Champions League back in April 2005, with Liverpool en route to a stunning European triumph in Istanbul. The first leg of a quarter-final clash with Juve saw them move two goals to the good, but Carson – who had performed admirably on the night up until that point – allowed a Fabio Cannavaro header to slip through his fingers and make the end result a little closer than it should have been.