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Celtic have been dealt a major injury blow ahead of their upcoming Europa League fixture.

What’s the latest?

According to a report by the Daily Record, Celtic centre-back Stephen Welsh looks set to miss out on the Bhoys’ trip to Bayer Leverkusen this Thursday after the defender was withdrawn during the Scottish League Cup semi-final against St. Johnstone on Saturday due to injury.

The defender’s knock came in the 76th-minute of the cup clash, with the 21-year-old being on the receiving end of a Shaun Rooney elbow which saw the St Johnstone defender pick up a yellow card – although Sky Sports reported at the time that the 25-year-old was lucky not to be shown a red.

Major blow

Considering just how dangerous Rooney’s elbow quite evidently was, it would not appear to be an exaggeration to suggest that the decision to only award the right-back a yellow card was something of a shocker by referee Nick Walsh.

Indeed, speaking to Premier Sports, the former Celtic centre-forward, John Hartson, said of the incident: “I think his elbow is up. When you watch it back and slow it down; and obviously Stephen Welsh is caught heavy because he has had to come off. But that for me I think in today’s game, with the rules that referees have to adhere to, he is a very lucky boy not to get a red card.”

Derek McInnes then added: “If that is in England it’s a red card once the referee has reviewed that, so he is lucky. Obviously, the boy Welsh has had to come off and I hope it’s nothing serious for him.”

However, despite the former Aberdeen manager’s hopes, it does indeed look to have been a rather serious injury for Welsh, as the defender now appears set to be out of contention for Celtic’s crucial European tie on Thursday evening.

This will undoubtedly come as a major blow to Ange Postecoglou, as the 56-year-old has now been left with just three fit senior options in the position, two of whom – Osaze Urhoghide and Liam Scales – have made a total of three appearances in all competitions for the Bhoys so far this season, something that would appear to considerably dent Celtic’s chances of picking up all three points from the fixture.

In other news: “I saw..”: Journo drops exciting claim on “dream” Celtic target, he’d be a big coup

Flocking to Twitter, a number of Manchester City fans lavished defender Kyle Walker with praise for his ‘imperious’ display at home to Paris-Saint Germain in their 2-1 Champions League home win on Wednesday.

Pep Guardiola’s side fought to a memorable victory against the Ligue 1 giants and secured top spot in their group, also confirming a place in the round of 16.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/man-city-latest/” title=”Man City latest!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Seeking to gain revenge for their 2-0 loss in the reverse fixture in Paris, City started off brightly and dominated possession in the opening stages, going on to miss big first half chances to take the lead.

Soon after the interval, the Sky Blues paid for their lack of ruthlessness as Kylian Mbappe slotted a loose ball through Ederson’s legs to open the scoring. However, City dug in and continued to press the issue, being rewarded for their efforts just under 15 minutes later when Raheem Sterling poked home from close range.

On a knife edge thereafter, Neymar then squandered an opportunity for the visitors to regain the lead before substitute Gabriel Jesus sealed an all-important win, side-footing City’s second goal from inside the penalty area following Bernardo Silva’s assist.

Man City fans praise Walker…

One man who lots of Citizens lavished with praise after the win, and a player who one fan believes ‘goes under the radar’, was England international Walker. The 31-year-old, who played a big part in City’s equaliser with his run around the back of PSG’s defence, also coped well with the likes of Neymar and Mbappe.

One moment which sticks out is his recovery run in the first half to put off the French superstar, who had a big chance in on goal, sparing John Stones’ blushes after he gave the ball away.

As highlighted by Manchester Evening News, Walker coped well with the away side’s counterattacks and played his part going forward, leaving little wonder why some fans hailed him as a ‘monster’.

Check out some of their best verdicts below:

“I’m sick of Kyle Walker putting in performances like these all the time and getting no recognition because he doesn’t get assists or score goals. He’s way too underrated man”

Credit: @SxrgioSZN

“Cancelo this, Trent that but at very top level football Kyle Walker is a defensive monster. Mbappe and Neymar frightened to death of him”

Credit: @city_tactics

“Kyle Walker goes under the radar way too much”

Credit: @CitehForum

“• Walker & Cancelo phenomenal once again

• Stones & Dias are the best CB duo itw

• Rodri beast performance & is the Best DM currently

• Bernardo is on a different level

• Jesus super sub performance

• All team was brilliant tonight

We are Manchester City”

Credit: @Ferrangooalski

“What a fantastic performance that was! Even missing key players we are on another planet to almost every other team! Rodri and Bernie were absolutely immense but Kyle Walker once again was imperious! For me he’s been one of our best signings in our recent history! So consistent!”

Credit: @FanzoneDanny

“And that is why Kyle Walker is still the best right back in world football. Criminally underrated.”

Credit: @danny_motion

“Kyle Walker is so underrated…He’s a MONSTER”

Credit: @Arence_Koli

“Walker 5 years on better than he’s ever been. Incredible player”

Credit: @J_B_41

In other news: ‘Siuuuu’, ‘Finally’, ‘The stars are aligning’…Erling Haaland update has many City supporters excited, find out more here.

أعلن تشافي هيرنانديز المدير الفني لفريق برشلونة، عن تشكيل البلوجرانا لمواجهة فيكتوريا بلزن التشيكي، ضمن الجولة الأولى من دور المجموعات ببطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

برشلونة يستهل مشواره في دوري أبطال أوروبا على ملعبه أمام فيكتوريا بلزن، في المجموعة التي تضم بايرن ميونخ وإنتر ميلان.

المهاجم البولندي روبرت ليفاندوفسكي، يقود هجوم برشلونة، بينما يجلس على مقاعد البدلاء سيرجيو بوسكيتس، مع تغييرات بالجملة عن مباراة إشبيلية الأخيرة.

طالع أيضًا.. تشكيل ليفربول أمام نابولي في دوري أبطال أوروبا.. محمد صلاح يقود الهجوم

تشكيل برشلونة أمام فيكتوريا بلزن

حراسة المرمى: مارك أندريه تير شتيجن.

خط الدفاع: ألبا، كريستنسن، جوليس كوندي، سيرجي روبيرتو.

وسط الملعب: دي يونج، بيدري، كيسيه.

الهجوم: أنسو فاتي، روبرت ليفاندوفسكي، عثمان ديمبلي.

Mediation efforts between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indian Players Association (WIPA) over the dispute regarding payments and contracts have collapsed. Shridath Ramphal, the former commonwealth secretary general, who had been appointed to broker a deal in the stand-off, said a feared labour shutdown might also result from the breakdown in talks.”It was another bad day for West Indian cricket which, without fundamental changes, is now likely to deteriorate further,” Ramphal said in a statement. Ramphal said the sides had been close to a deal a day earlier but talks were derailed after one side tabled a new draft agreement, not making public any more details of the sticking points.He also invoked assistance “of various kinds to make implementation of the agreement feasible. However, all that changed dramatically when one party introduced an entirely new document and refused to negotiate on any other.”The dispute erupted in July when 13 of the leading West Indies players made themselves unavailable for the first Test against Bangladesh in St Vincent, citing pay and contract issues. The WICB was forced to field a weakened squad which resulted in Bangladesh sweeping both the Test and one-day series.Ramphal was appointed mediator on July 21 after current Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) chairman and Guyana president Bharrat Jagdeo met with top representatives from both sides. Jagdeo, in his statement, said he was “disappointed to learn of the failure” of WICB and WIPA to reach and agreement but added that he was “not wholly surprised.””CARICOM governments will have to consider what next to do to save West Indies cricket, and West Indians everywhere, from still further humiliation,” Jagdeo wrote. He blamed the WICB for failing to disclose to him and the WIPA that the board had already selected a ‘second-string’ team for the upcoming Champions Trophy in South Africa and hinted it was the WICB board that demanded a new document be considered.”The president (of the board) later apologised for the omission but the damage had been done. Mediation was weakened from the start,” Jagdeo said. “Now, it seems that the mediation has been the victim of the same spirit of board insistence on getting its own way whatever the consequences for our cricket.”

Sunderland play host to Ipswich Town on Saturday at the Stadium of Light as they attempt to end a run of three straight defeats in League One.

It was recently reported that Kyril Louis-Dreyfus is unhappy with the club’s management at this current juncture and the pressure is mounting on Lee Johnson to turn things around in the coming matches.

Their last performance did little to help matters as they lost on penalties to Bradford after a 1-1 draw in normal time in the EFL Trophy. They were also dumped out of the FA Cup at home to Mansfield for the second season in a row at the start of the month.

How many changes will Johnson make to the team? Here is our predicted XI…

We are predicting that he will make seven alterations to the side from the Bradford game, with Carl Winchester, Dennis Cirkin, Tom Flanagan, Callum Doyle, Aiden McGeady, Dan Neil and Ross Stewart all coming in.

Hoffmann could keep his place between the sticks, but we are predicting an entirely new back four to the one which faced Bradford. Flanagan and Doyle missed out due to international duty, with the pair now available to return, whilst Winchester and Cirkin could come in for Lynden Gooch and Kenton Richardson.

We recently published an article explaining why Gooch has let Johnson down this season and that is part of the reason why he should be axed from the side, along with him playing out of position at left-back. Meanwhile, Richardson did not do enough against Bradford to warrant another start, as he lost possession a whopping 27 times that night.

In midfield, Dan Neil could come in for Harrison Sohna. The youngster received a SofaScore rating of 6.6 as he won two of his four duels in the match against the Bantams, whilst Neil has averaged a rating of 6.86 in League One this season and chipped in with one goal and five assists.

Finally, Stewart and McGeady could replace Leon Dajaku and Elliot Embleton, with Nathan Broadhead being moved into a wide right position following his goal against Bradford.

Stewart has 10 goals in 15 League One matches this season and has shown that he has the ability to be a match-winner for the Black Cats, which is why he could be relied upon from the start at centre-forward. McGeady has two goals and four assists in 12 league appearances and has averaged a superb rating of 7.11, making a strong argument for his place in the team today.

AND in other news, Possession lost 135x: Sunderland lightweight with zero goals has let Johnson down badly…

The ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) found “no evidence” to support suggestions that Pakistan players had contact with Indian bookmakers

Cricinfo staff10-Aug-2009The ICC has said that its Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU), on investigation, found “no substance” and “no evidence” to support suggestions that Pakistan players had contact with Indian bookmakers during their tour of Sri Lanka.”The ICC and its members have a zero-tolerance approach to corruption and rightly so because the integrity of our great sport with its great spirit is one of its greatest assets,” Haroon Lorgat, ICC chief executive said. “On that basis it is entirely appropriate that any suggestions in relation to that subject are always reported to and properly investigated by the ACSU.”I am pleased those investigations have indicated nothing untoward has taken place on this occasion but it is a reminder that all of us – players, officials and supporters – must maintain our vigilance to ensure we remain on top of the issue of corruption.”There had been allegations that bookies were seen staying on the same hotel floor as the Pakistan team in Colombo. The Pakistan board subsequently informed the ICC to investigate these allegations and also sought legal advice on unsubstantiated accusations by former chief selector Abdul Qadir on the involvement of the players.

MatériaMais Notícias

O garoto Vinicius Júnior deu um importante passo para encarar o Botafogo na próxima quarta-feira, pela semifinal da Copa do Brasil. Como Berrío ainda se recupera de uma entorse no tornozelo direito, sofrida no primeiro confronto diante do Alvinegro, o jovem de 17 anos aparece como a principal opção do técnico Reinaldo Rueda. A joia formada nas categorias de base do clube da Gávea mostrou o seu potencial com os dois gols marcados na vitória sobre o Atlético-GO, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro.

Vinicius Júnior atuou com liberdade e mostrou-se muito à vontade no time titular. Ele apareceu muito bem em lances nos quais era exigido em velocidade contra os zagueiros. Foi assim que marcou o primeiro gol. No segundo, voltou a arrancar em disparada após assistência do companheiro Lucas Paquetá.

Humilde, Vinicius Júnior agradeceu aos colegas e também a funcionários da psicologia do Flamengo por causa dos gols e também pelo amadurecimento.

-O elenco sempre me deu confiança. mas tem que jogar. Jogando ganhamos confiança nos treinos e nos jogos também. São muitos treinos, todos os profissionais do Flamengo ajudam, desde os atletas até o pessoal da psicologia, ajudando desde a base – lembrou.

Ao que parece, o garoto que foi vendido ao Real Madrid por 45 milhões de Euros está desabrochando aos poucos, com mais confiança para repetir o que já fazia nas categorias de base do Flamengo.

O jovem mostrou-se mais à vontade ao lado de outro garoto, Lucas Paquetá, na partida contra o Atlético-GO.

-Desde sexta nós estávamos combinando as jogadas. Na bola do segundo gol, ele empurrou para mim. O goleiro saiu, e eu pude ser feliz e ajudar mais uma vez a equipe do Flamengo – comentou.

RelacionadasFlamengoRueda elogia Vinicius Júnior e se encanta com Paquetá: ‘Extraordinário’Flamengo19/08/2017BrasileirãoATUAÇÕES: Vinícius Júnior brilha em vitória do Flamengo na Ilha do UrubuBrasileirão19/08/2017FlamengoRenê sofre entorse no tornozelo e vira dúvida para jogo contra o BotafogoFlamengo19/08/2017

Jamie Siddons, the Bangladesh coach, has said that he sees merit in John Buchanan’s multiple-captaincy idea

Cricinfo staff22-Apr-2009

Jamie Siddons, the Bangladesh coach, has said that he sees merit in John Buchanan’s multiple-captaincy idea and that he had a similar sort of plan for his team to take the pressure off the current captain Mohammad Ashraful.”I have a similar sort of plan for our boys too,” Siddons told the . “I do see some merit in it; maybe it helps to take some pressure off Ashraful, maybe if Shakib [Al Hasan] and Mashrafe [Mortaza] could share a bit of responsibilities. I see a bit of merit in it, because of our skipper’s inexperience, but it needs the board’s approval and we haven’t got that yet.”We have a good leadership group. There is enough pressure in the team like talking to you guys [journalists] after every win or loss. So if we go for multiple captaincy, that can help Ashraful because some pressure will be taken off him.”Ashraful and Mortaza are currently in South Africa with for the Indian Premier League. Ashraful is part of the Mumbai Indians squad while Mortaza is with the Kolkata Knight Riders. Neither player, however, has played a game yet because the franchises are allowed to field only four overseas players in a XI. Siddons said he had been watching the IPL to observe the players Bangladesh were likely to encounter at the World Twenty20 in June.”I’m looking more at the Indian players and the other world players and maybe looking for their weaknesses. I haven’t been looking at Ash [Ashraful] and Mash [Mortaza] and didn’t have a chance to,” Siddons said. “If they get a game or two, I’m sure they will become a part of the team. I know there is a lot of competition within their teams.”Siddons was happy with the national players performance in the Premier Division Cricket League. “I think it was in the Super League that the cream started to come out of the milk,” he said. “That is our national players started showing that they were the better players in the league. They were making 100s and picking up wickets and I was particularly happy with Ashraful’s performance. They probably should have dominated the early part of the league lot more but I’m happy that they played good cricket by the end of the tournament.”

A round-up of the opening matches of the county season from Division Two of the Championship

Cricinfo staff15-Apr-2009Derbyshire launched their season with a solid but frustrating team performance in which each of the top seven made scores of 24 or more against Essex at Chelmsford, but no-one managed to exceed Dan Redfern’s top score of 50. Redfern, three days short of his 19th birthday, played a series of pleasing strokes before edging to James Foster, who had dropped him earlier in the same over. By the close, Graham Wagg had also made it to double-figures with 17 not out, in a healthy total of 306 for 7. For Essex, Ryan ten Doeschate – recently returned from Holland’s World Cup Qualifying campaign in South Africa – struck twice, as did Chris Wright.Andrew Hall’s timely 95 from 187 balls rescued Northamptonshire from an unpromising 111 for 5, as he added 163 for the sixth wicket with the debutant David Willey, the son of former England allrounder turned umpire Peter Willey, against Leicestershire at Grace Road. Willey, watched by his father, marked his big occasion with a hard-earned 60 from 148 balls, with seven fours and a six, before becoming Andy Harris’s third victim of the day in the final hour, caught at fine leg trying to hook, as Northants closed on 297 for 6. Earlier Harris had helped to skittle the top order, grabbing a brace of lbws after initial breakthroughs from Jim Allenby and Wayne White. But Hall was on hand to prevent a complete meltdown, as he closed in on his first century of the season.Andre Nel struck with his fifth delivery of the season to remove Craig Spearman for a duck, but Surrey were nevertheless made to work hard for their wickets against Gloucestershire at The Oval. By the close, Gloucestershire had moved along to 321 for 8, a total that might have been even more formidable had it not been for late intercessions from James Benning and Jade Dernbach. Thanks to 90 from Kadeer Ali, and half-centuries from Hamish Marshall, who was dropped on 26 by debutant captain Michael Brown, and Alex Gidman, Gloucestershire had at one stage been 247 for 2. But then Benning removed Ali, ten short of his ton as he missed a leg-side flick, and Gidman in the space of three runs, before Dernbach fizzed through the lower-order with three quick wickets. Gloucestershire had slipped to 283 for 8 before Jon Lewis and Vikram Banerjee rallied their side with an unbroken ninth-wicket stand of 38.

Leeds United loanee Kiko Casilla is not expected to play for the club again after his loan spell at La Liga side Elche.

What’s the story?

The goalkeeper made the switch back to his native Spain over the summer transfer window, and Football Insider have now claimed that he may already played his last competitive game for Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

They added: “A Leeds source has told Football Insider today that there is no expectation from senior figures at the club that Casilla will wear the club jersey again in a competitive match.

“That is a relief to Leeds, who struggled to get Casilla off their books for the last few windows before his exit. His £40,000-a-week contract, signed when he joined from Real, made it difficult to secure a permanent move to a club willing to match his salary.”

Radrizzani will be delighted

The Spaniard had been on the fringes of things for Bielsa’s side last season, with Illan Meslier firmly established as the club’s first-choice goalkeeper.

In fact, he only had the one Premier League outing to his name during the 2020/2021 campaign, with his appearance in a 1-0 defeat to Brighton back in mid-January being the only time Whites fans saw him in action in the top-flight.

And, speaking after Leeds’ FA Cup loss to Crawley Town earlier last season, journalist Daniel Storey even questioned whether’s he good enough to play for the club, slamming: “I think Kiko Casilla was the other game-changer in a negative sense because I don’t think he should be playing for Leeds for non-football reasons, but he probably shouldn’t be playing for Leeds for football reasons after today.”

Given his off-the-pitch controversy, and Meslier’s emergence onto the scene as Leeds’ number one, Bielsa must surely look to permanently offload the £40k-a-week earning Spaniard when he returns from his loan spell at Elche next summer.

Getting that wage bill off the books would ensure Andrea Radrizzani is running a tight ship in terms of the finances, and could allow the Whites to potentially reinvest that money into new signings or new contracts for players who will genuinely have a long-term future at the club unlike Casilla.

Meanwhile, Victor Orta can fix his biggest Leeds howler with this star…