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Ollie Pope left out of England’s four-day warm-up fixture in Antigua

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Mar-2022

Dan Lawrence has been given the opportunity to secure a spot in England’s middle order for the first Test against West Indies after being listed at No. 4 for their four-day warm-up match against a CWI President’s XI in Antigua.Lawrence, 24, made his Test debut in Sri Lanka last year and averages 27.23 after eight matches. He was part of the Ashes squad in Australia but did not make an appearance, and has not played any competitive cricket since the end of the County Championship season.Ollie Pope, who was retained in the squad for the West Indies tour despite a torrid series in Australia in which he made 67 runs across six innings, is the only batter not included for Tuesday’s warm-up fixture.Related

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Zak Crawley and Alex Lees will open the batting with Joe Root carded in his new role at No. 3 ahead of Lawrence at No. 4. Ben Stokes and Jonny Bairstow are due to come in at No. 5 and No. 6 respectively with Ben Foakes keeping wicket at No. 7.England have picked a 12-man side featuring four seamers (Chris Woakes, Craig Overton, Mark Wood and Ollie Robinson) and one spinner (Jack Leach) with one of those five likely to be squeezed out for the first Test on March 8. The uncapped Saqib Mahmood, Matthew Fisher and Matt Parkinson join Pope on the bench.”We’ve done a lot of talking,” Paul Collingwood, England’s interim head coach, told the ECB’s in-house channels. “We’ve had some real open and honest meetings, and a lot of players and a lot of staff have spoken up in those meetings so they’re accountable now. They’ve got to go and live it. They’ve got to put what they’ve said in those meetings out onto the field.”I feel as though the guys have really bought into it. There’s a sense of excitement and genuine enthusiasm about moving the team forward and to build self-sufficiency in the team. I know I’ve only got the job as an interim coach but I guess the challenge is to pass the team onto whoever comes in after the four weeks and the team to be in a better, stronger place than it has been. When you get a role like this, you want to make a difference.”The President’s XI will be captained by Shane Dowrich, who recently returned to the professional game after a 14-month hiatus and scored 116 not out against England in Barbados three years ago.The fixture also marks England’s return to the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua for the first time since the Stanford 20/20 for $20 million in 2008. The ground is the site of CWI’s new headquarters following its redevelopment and hosted men’s international cricket for the first time last year.”The pitch and the outfield are looking in immaculate condition and we are really pleased with what we are seeing,” Rayon Griffith, who will coach the President’s XI, said. “We’ve had some good training sessions and we expect to give a really good account during the four-day match.”England: 1 Alex Lees, 2 Zak Crawley, 3 Joe Root (captain), 4 Dan Lawrence, 5 Ben Stokes, 6 Jonny Bairstow, 7 Ben Foakes (wk), 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Craig Overton, 10 Mark Wood, 11 Ollie Robinson, 12 Jack LeachCWI President’s XI: (possible) 1 Jeremy Solozano, 2 Shayne Moseley, 3 Keacy Carty, 4 Devon Thomas, 5 Alick Athanaze, 6 Raymon Reifer, 7 Shane Dowrich (captain/wk), 8 Shamar Springer, 9 Colin Archibald, 10 Preston McSween, 11 Bryan Charles, 12 Shermon Lewis

Robert Lewandowski joined Lionel Messi on an exclusive list of Barcelona legends after finding the net against Rayo Vallecano in La Liga.

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Barca beat Rayo 1-0 in La LigaLewandowski converted from the spotReached 20 league goals in just 23 matchesFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Barcelona secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Rayo Vallecano at Montjuïc, courtesy of a first-half penalty by Lewandowski. It was his 20th strike in the Spanish top-flight this season, which propelled Hansi Flick's men to the top of the table with both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid dropping points over the weekend.

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It turned out to be a milestone goal for Lewandowski as it helped the Polish striker match Barcelona legends Messi, Luis Suarez, and Samuel Eto'o as only the fourth player to reach 20 goals in just 23 games of a La Liga season this century. While Messi reached this mark in 11 consecutive seasons between 2009 and 2020, Suarez accomplished it in three of his six seasons with the club, while Eto'o recorded 23 goals in his first 23 matches during the 2008-09 campaign.

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It has been reported that Lewandowski has already agreed to a contract extension with Barcelona, ensuring his presence until the summer of 2026. Despite now being in his mid-thirties, his performance remains exceptional, with 32 goals in 34 appearances across all competitions this season. Notably, he is also the joint-top scorer in the 2024-25 UEFA Champions League, with nine goals to his name.

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Lewandowski's consistent scoring has positioned him as the frontrunner for the Pichichi Trophy, awarded to La Liga's top scorer. His 20 league goals place him three ahead of his closest competitor, Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid. He will be looking to further add to his tally when Barcelona travel to Las Palmas for their next La Liga fixture on Saturday evening.

Lack of runs in their first innings rather than leaking runs in India’s first cost South Africa the opening Test against India, according to captain Dean Elgar. After conceding 272 for 3 on the first day, thanks largely to a wayward morning with the ball, South Africa went on to take 7 for 49 on the third to bowl India out for 327. They were then dismissed for 197, where Elgar said the match was lost.”You need runs to compete and it’s safe to say we didn’t get that in our first innings,” Elgar said. “They bowled well with the new ball and the nature of Test cricket is that you’ve got to compete against the new ball. The way they started was something we struggled against. We know what it’s like scoring 250-plus runs here.”Just last year, South Africa piled on 621 runs on this ground, albeit against an under-strength Sri Lankan attack, and in four of their last five Tests here, they scored over 250 in the first innings. That they went on to win all those matches makes clear the importance of first innings runs, but for that you need a strong and somewhat reliable line-up, which can only be achieved with regular competitive game time against quality opposition.South Africa have only played six Tests this year, the last one six months ago. There have only been four rounds of domestic first-class cricket and of this squad only Duanne Olivier and Keegan Petersen played in all four.There is an obvious lack of match time, which both vice-captain Temba Bavuma and Elgar recognise as a weakness.”Playing four or five-day cricket is something you can’t replace but the schedule doesn’t allow for our players to play a lot of first-class cricket,” Elgar said. “So there’s a little bit of (a lack of) match awareness and match fitness. It’s by no means an excuse. We knew that coming into the series. There’s a lot of learning for us that the basics of the game still applies. I don’t think we had that with regards to the batting.”You may immediately ask why Petersen, the only one who played in this Test who has sufficient match practice to his name, was not more successful but there’s a reason for that too. South Africa’s opening stand has been particularly poor and has not crossed double figures in the three Tests Petersen has played.”KP has come in and played in three Tests matches and the three batting conditions that he has experienced have been relatively tough,” Elgar said. “He has had a bit of a rough start and it doesn’t reflect on him as a player. He is an extremely talented player – one of our better players in the first-class system. The stats don’t reflect his ability. I feel for him. I know he wants to make a play and is maybe a little bit anxious. We need to, as a leadership group, try and give him a better opportunity to try and contribute.”Dean Elgar: “In Test cricket facing the new ball and opening is not easy”•AFP via Getty Images

In order for that to happen, Elgar and Aiden Markram have to start better, which they know but can’t guarantee. “In Test cricket facing the new ball and opening is not easy. You get a good ball and you go and sit and watch the rest of the game. That’s the nature of the beast,” Elgar said. “Aiden and I have had the rough of the green but we are very mindful that we need to start well.”Another option is to swap Petersen with the (slightly more) experienced Rassie van der Dussen. “It is something that will be a conversation,” Elgar said.So will changes to the lower order. Olivier should be available for selection and should be an automatic pick at the Wanderers. Ordinarily, that would mean leaving out his replacement Marco Jansen. But the 21-year-old acquitted himself so well in his first Test that the discussion will turn to whether Wiaan Mulder, playing as an allrounder but not really contributing with the bat, should be benched to give Jansen the chance to stake a claim in that position.”Wiaan had a pretty good game with the ball. He is not living up to his standards with the bat which is something we will chat to him about,” Elgar said. “In this environment you have to have those open conversations in order for this environment to grow and for individuals to grow. Marco had a brilliant debut. He was our player of the game. And he came into a really tough situation. He didn’t shy away from his responsibilities within the side.”And Elgar is not hiding from his – as captain of a team that has to turn the corner soon and is feeling more and more sure that they can in three days’ time. “I don’t think we’ll lack any confidence heading into Johannesburg but it’s never nice losing a game especially when we know where we went wrong,” Elgar said. “It’s difficult to correct those wrongs during a game, but building into the second Test, we’ll have some time to reflect around what has happened.”

The crowd for the final in Perth set a new benchmark for a standalone WBBL match

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Nov-2021A WBBL final which brought a record crowd and record TV ratings could herald a shift towards more primetime matches in the future as the tournament looks to its next stage of evolution.Perth Scorchers claimed the title on Saturday in front of 15,511 spectators at Optus Stadium which set a new benchmark for a standalone WBBL match. It also had the largest average broadcast audience in the competition’s history with 535,000 put it ahead of the 2018-19 final which was played ahead of a day of men’s Test cricket.This was the first season where every match was available on television and overall CA said it was the most-watched edition. While Alistair Dobson, the general manager of Big Bash Leagues, believes the weekend festivals, which see multiple matches at the same venue, will continue to be an important part of the tournament there will be a push to exploit more evening time slots.”Ultimately the ambition was of getting every game on TV and we were really thankful we could do that this year,” Dobson told ESPNcricinfo. “The next evolution is to optimise those blockbusters and there’s an opportunity for us to explore more primetime matches, whether that’s Thursday or Friday nights, and working with our broadcasters to build up some big annual marquee matches which I think is the obvious next step for the competition.”Related

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The new finals structure, which gave the team who finished top of the regular season direct entry into the final, meant there was a week to promote the match in Perth.”I think it worked exactly how we intended to give us a full week’s build-up but also rightfully rewarding the team that finished first with the biggest advantage which we felt was warranted,” Dobson said. “The atmosphere and noise just showed how passionate the fans are and think the quality of the game did it justice as well.The season started in a Tasmania-based hub due to border restrictions in Australia and barring a brief lockdown in Hobart was played without significant problems although two major markets – Melbourne and Sydney – were unable to stage games.The Indian overseas players had a significant impact on the competition with Harmanpreet Kaur named player of the tournament although it was Beth Mooney and Amanda-Jade Wellington who topped the run-scoring and wicket-taking charts.”Firstly just being able to play and getting all eight teams together in Tasmania was no mean feat,” Dobson said. “But then the quality of the cricket throughout, the quality of the overseas players, it was amazing to have such a great group of Indian players, they brought a whole new dimension, alongside all the other players.”Matched by the depth of talent in Australia, a lot of the really big household names were easily matched by a lot of players we are all getting to know a lot better.”In reinforces the WBBL as the No.1 cricket league for women and it’s really important we maintain that position in the future.”

أعلنت لجنة الحكام بـ الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، عن طاقم تحكيم مباراة بيراميدز والمقاولون العرب، المقرر لها اليوم ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس مصر.

ويلاقي بيراميدز منافسه المقاولون العرب، على أرضية ملعب الدفاع الجوي في إطار مواجهات دور الـ 16 لبطولة كأس مصر.

وتأهل بيراميدز إلى دور الـ 16 بعد الفوز على المنصورة بنتيجة 3-0، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما في دور الـ 32.

طالع أيضاً.. اتحاد الكرة يوضح لـ”بطولات” سبب غياب الفار في مباراة الزمالك ومودرن سبورت

بينما تأهل المقاولون العرب على حساب بتروجيت، بعدما فرض التعادل السلبي كلمته على المباراة في وقتيها الأصلي والإضافي، إلى أن حسمت ركلات الترجيح كفة المقاولون بنتيجة 4-3.

ومن المقرر أن يلتقي الفائز من تلك المباراة مع إنبي في ربع نهائي كأس مصر يوم 15 مارس الجاري. حكم مباراة بيراميدز والمقاولون اليوم في كأس مصر

حكم ساحة: صبحي العمراوي.

حكم مساعد 1: أحمد توفيق

حكم مساعد 2: وائل شعبان.

حكم رابع: مصطفى مدحت.

Northamptonshire 327 and 92 for 7 (Higgins 3-26) lead Gloucestershire 191 (van Buuren 56, Procter 5-42) by 228 runsRyan Higgins led a Gloucestershire charge on third afternoon at Bristol as the home side came storming back into the match as Northamptonshire closed 92 for 7, leading by 228.Higgins took 3 for 26 and Tom Price 2 for 22 as the Glosters kept themselves alive in a game they looked well out of.Graeme van Buuren made 56 as superb resistance from Gloucestershire’s tail had earlier held up Northants to save the follow-on before they were eventually bowled out for 191.The rear-guard, which saw No. 10 Matt Taylor make 24 from 97 balls and Jared Warner 10 from a 82 deliveries, almost delivered a batting point but it certainly wrested back the initiative.The bowlers seized upon the momentum to leave Northants’ second innings in tatters.Price led the charge, striking in the fourth over as Emilio Gay played into his stumps trying to defend. Price added Rob Keogh palpably lbw to a full ball that nipped back.Higgins trapped Luke Procter lbw from round the wicket – with a suspicion that the left-hander had got outside the line of off stump. His later spell removed Harry Gouldstone, so impressive in the first innings, but who made only 7 before playing around a straight delivery and losing his middle stump.Adam Rossington was also bowled but this to a lovely delivery that swung away to hit off stump. He made 18 and there will be no captain to the rescue this time for the visitors.Ricardo Vasconcelos was also bowled. He moved in the pleasant way of his to 26 but played loosely outside off stump to one from Matt Taylor that seamed in. And Saif Zaib made 14 before he was squared up by Warner and edged behind.It was slippery stuff in the gloaming and followed some extraordinary resistance from the Gloucestershire tail.Resuming 90 for 6, replying to 327, the home side were in danger of conceding a huge lead.Zafar Gohar quickly fell to Procter for seven but the resistance began with an eighth-wicket stand of 45 between Price, who lasted 54 balls for his 16 and van Buuren.The No. 6 resumed on 19 and edged Procter through the slips for the day’s opening boundary before clipping him through midwicket and cutting Jack White through point.His second fifty of the summer came in 121 balls and helped give Gloucestershire a sniff of a remarkable turnaround.

Aston Villa fans would have been dreaming of watching their team topple the might of Bayern Munich when filtering into Villa Park last night, imagining their side upsetting the odds and stifling the free-flowing Bavarian giants by picking up an unbelievable second win in the Champions League.

Those wild dreams would become a reality as Unai Emery’s men managed to get over the line come full-time and shock Vincent Kompany’s Bayern 1-0, courtesy of yet another strike off the bench from devastating impact substitute Jhon Duran.

It was a determined team effort in the end that ensured Villa would upset the Bundesliga titans, with the game showing off Emery’s men at their best defensively, as much as it also reinforced their dangerous nature to be clinical when needed.

Top performers from Villa's win over Bayern

Touching on the shut-out Villa managed to pull off, Emiliano Martinez would have walked off the pitch at the end overjoyed with his individual showing against the visitors from Germany, having kept a clean sheet even when being regularly tested by the likes of Harry Kane and Serge Gnabry.

The South American shot-stopper would tally up a staggering seven saves in total, with Birmingham Live journalist John Townley after the game rewarding his efforts with a faultless 10/10 match rating.

In attack, Villa also impressed, even if Ollie Watkins would exit the field of play without a goal next to his name, as Duran delivered the goods once more in the England international’s place.

Only needing one shot on target to leave his mark on proceedings, the Colombian’s name will now be etched into Villa folklore forever more, after catching an onrushing Manuel Neuer napping with a clever finish to win the tie.

That means the explosive 20-year-old is averaging a goal every 48 minutes for his side so far this season, with this strike against Bayern the pick of the bunch from his five goals to date.

The home side’s defence got called into question after a shaky display against Ipswich Town before this clash under the lights, with Martinez undoubtedly helped in his mission to keep a clean sheet by the likes of Pau Torres also shining at the back, who was as important as both the World Cup winner and Duran on the night to help the famous win be secured.

Torres' performance in numbers

Emery stuck by the same back four that wobbled away at Portman Road and was vindicated for not going overboard with changes, as the Spanish centre-back stood out amongst a strong defensive effort.

The standout Villa number 14 even had his moment in the spotlight in the first half, when he thought he had opened the scoring after tapping home an opportunity that fell kindly to him, only for VAR to cruelly intervene and judge Jacob Ramsey to be offside in the build-up.

Stat

Torres

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

1

Touches

55

Accurate passes

36/42 (86%)

Total duels won

4/5

Clearances

4

Blocked shots

3

Tackles

4

He did have a role to play in Duran’s unbelievable winner though, with his ball finding the Colombian in space to then beat Neuer, to make up for the offside decision going against his side.

Moreover, Torres – as can be seen glancing at the table above – was key in Villa keeping Bayern at bay, with four out of four ground duels won on the night, alongside completing 86% of his passes as an option at the back unafraid to make things happen as well as thwarting Kompany’s men.

Bayern would have entered into this contest high off the confidence of putting nine past Dinamo Zagreb in their last match in Europe’s elite competition, only for the German giants to be humbled by Torres and Co, who was handed out a top 9/10 rating after the game by Townley.

Labelled by Townley as being Torres’ ‘best performance of the season so far’, the Spaniard will hope he can put in more stellar displays when back in Premier League action.

For now, however, Emery’s men will be giddy off the buzz of this result, as the Villa Park masses now crave more top European nights to come.

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ByConnor Holden Sep 26, 2024

Leeds United are leaving it late when it comes to getting bodies into the building, with the next few days expected to be dramatic before the transfer window officially slams shut.

Both Largie Ramazani and Manor Solomon have entered Elland Road in quick succession, but more new faces are expected to join, with the likes of Roland Sallai on the predicted Whites shopping list among a whole host of other names.

Daniel Farke will want to add in a new attacking midfielder if he can, with Georginio Rutter breaking everyone's hearts in West Yorkshire when he moved on to Brighton and Hove Albion, as this exciting target now emerges on to the Leeds agenda.

Leeds transfer news

As report by journalist Alan Nixon, via Football League World, Sheffield United are another new Championship club prepared to battle it out for the services of AFC Bournemouth gem Philip Billing, who has also attracted the interest of Leeds.

Cherries manager Andoni Iraola has stated that he wants to keep Billing situated at the Premier League outfit, however, but an increase in game-time could well see the 28-year-old be tempted to relocate to Elland Road, with only 12 minutes of action coming his way so far in the new top-flight season from two games to date.

The Scandinavian star would take the second tier by storm if he was snapped up as a statement purchase right at the death, with Joel Piroe bumped way down the pecking order at Leeds if Billing was to enter at the last minute, when you consider the Dane's unbelievable numbers at the level in the past.

What Billing can offer Leeds

The former Huddersfield Town man would amass a very impressive haul of ten goals and ten assists from 40 clashes last time he was playing in the second tier, with the Cherries number 29 capable of playing either as a traditional central midfielder or behind the lone striker where Piroe has struggled recently.

Piroe has fallen out of favour with the Leeds masses of late, even with 13 goals and three assists notched up last season in the Championship, with his absence from the starting line-up away at Sheffield Wednesday last time out actually benefitting the Whites, as Brenden Aaronson fired home the opening goal in the 2-0 victory in his spot.

More willing to get on the ball and make things happen when contrasted with Piroe, with ten more big chances created during the 2021/22 season compared to the Dutchman's 2023/24 output, Billing would make the hole left behind by Rutter's departure feel less obvious, with the Dane always willing to receive a pass and create an opening.

Bettering Piroe's duels won count as well, with five won on average per Championship clash on the way to automatic promotion being clinched, Billing would be a great body to have around Farke's nervy camp during crunch games, when a make-or-break decision could decide a nail-biting affair.

Also capable of performing when making the step-up to the Premier League, with Billing impressively finding the back of the net seven times during the 2022/23 season, the £45k-per-week target – as per Capology – feels like a perfect fit for the Whites, as they strive to win promotion once more.

It remains to be seen whether Billing – who David Wagner once described as a player who "has everything" – can be persuaded to move back down to the Championship, but Leeds must push on to try and make this statement capture happen if they're truly serious about their promotion chances.

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Also said that selectors have told him to go beyond just scoring half-centuries in ODIs

Andrew Fidel Fernando13-May-2021Fearlessness. If there’s one change Sri Lanka’s new ODI captain Kusal Perera would like to usher in, it is for his team to play as he says he does: completely unafraid.Perera has been appointed leader of a young squad, which is without several big names, including Angelo Mathews, and now has the opportunity to turn around Sri Lanka’s poor form in the format – the side having slipped to ninth on the ICC rankings. Perera has long been one of the most aggressive batsmen in Sri Lanka’s ranks, and early indications are that he would like the team to embrace that ethos.”We have to play fearless cricket to win matches,” he said, a day after his appointment as captain was made official. “You can’t be fearful about losing. If you’re worried about your place, you aren’t going to give 100%. What I’m going to tell the players is to go and give it everything. If we play fearlessly even when we are practicing, then you will be able to play the same way in a match. That’s what I’ve told the team. If we are fearful, we will fall even further. I’m trying to build a culture where the players have a lot of confidence.”Perera’s own most notable innings have been aggressive ones. In Tests, his 153 not out off 200 in Durban is now counted among the format’s greatest knocks. In ODIs, he has hit the second-equal fastest half-century – off 17 balls, against Pakistan, in 2015.”I really like to play fearless cricket personally, and that’s where my success has been. Whenever I’ve played with fear, it hasn’t worked for me. I want everyone else to play like that. You can’t guarantee that you will go right playing this way, but the chances of things going well are greater.””But you have to practice well to instill that fearlessness. Because if you are 100% certain about the shot you’re playing, you can play without fear. You need to understand your strengths and weaknesses. Where does the ball need to be for me to hit it? Will I get myself in trouble by hitting there? You need to have that understanding. If you’re a bowler, you need to know which ball can get you a wicket, and which will help you bowl a dot. These things help you play fearlessly. As a fielding unit, you have to carry that same ethos as well, and I have big hopes for the upcoming Bangladesh series about our fielding.”Although Perera has sparkled briefly, however, his overall record as a batsman is modest. After 96 ODI innings, he averages 31.04, with a strike rate of 92.04. The responsibility of leadership, he hoped, would bring bigger personal scores as well.”What the selectors told me when they appointed me was that I often get a 50 or a 60 and get out without getting to a 100. I accept that. If I score a hundred, the chances of winning the match go up. You can’t get a 100 every game, but when you get a start, you need to make sure you convert. They expect me to take that responsibility.”

Enzo Maresca has his first win, and Chelsea are up and running. The Blues defeated Swiss opponents Servette 2-0 at Stamford Bridge to land a healthy advantage at the midpoint of their two-legged Conference League play-off tie.

However, the Italian tactician cut an impassive face for much of the contest, for the Blues had struggled before Christopher Nkunku opened his account for the campaign shortly after the break, dispatching from the spot after drawing a foul from opposition keeper Jeremy Flick.

Chelsea are in a controlling position to step into the group stage proper, and we are in the maiden days of Maresca's reign, but more is needed following toothless displays from several forwards, with Mykhaylo Mudryk and Marc Guiu notably flattering to deceive.

How Chelsea's attack performed vs Servette

As Joao Felix watched from the stands, Maresca's on-pitch forwards foundered. Chelsea doubled their lead after 76 minutes when substitute Noni Madueke wheeled away from his man and struck home, played in with a surgical delivery from Enzo Fernandez.

Goals scored

0

2

Big chances

0

2

Shots (on target)

4 (2)

10 (4)

Possession

59%

58%

Dribbles completed

3/5

1/5

Ball recoveries

24

24

The young winger will be desperate to cement a regular starting role under Maresca, and having impressed throughout pre-season he will be delighted with his contribution last night, overshadowing starter Mudryk on the alternate flank.

The Ukraine international has scored just seven goals over 59 appearances since joining from Shakhtar Donetsk in a jaw-dropping £89m deal in January 2023, and he shook no detractors against Servette.

Up front, Guiu, aged 18, comically missed an open goal, issuing three attempts to no success, but the £5m summer addition from Barcelona also worked his socks off and suggested that he has plenty yet to offer under Maresca's wing.

Such players know that they have much to prove this season, but they weren't at the bottom of the barrel on the European stage. No, Benoit Badiashile was handed a crucial opportunity to prove himself, and having failed to take it, will be sweating over his future.

Why Benoit Badiashile must never wear the shirt again

Badiashile was one of the torch-bearers at the start of the Todd Boehly era, signing the French defender from AS Monaco for £35m at the start of January last year.

Everyone knows that Chelsea have spent big this summer, though the outgoings have provided lucrative rewards too. Badiashile could be the next in line for a departure, with TEAMtalk reporting that he is surplus to requirements as Liverpool's Joe Gomez enters the radar.

Let's think of the Thursday night clash against Servette as something of an audition – a chance to showcase his skills under Maresca and prove to the head coach that his ball-playing faculty aligns with the Italian's vision.

That may be so: as per FBref, Badiashile ranks among the top 12% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 9% for passes attempted and the top 5% for shot-creating actions per 90.

Nice, but it was the 23-year-old's errant backpass that sent a frisson of fear through Stamford Bridge, skittering past Filip Jörgensen and even being said to have looked 'lackadaisical in possession sometimes' by football.london's Bobby Vincent, who marked him with a 4.5/10 match rating for his woes.

Minutes played

90'

Touches

109

Accurate passes

98/102 (96%)

Long balls

3/5

Tackles won

0

Clearances

4

Blocked shots

2

Total duels won

0/1

A pass success rate of 96% is nothing to be sniffed at and underscores the natural-born technical prowess at Badiashile's disposal.

But he doesn't look likely to displace Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo, Axel Disasi or Levi Colwill. Chuck Gomez into the mix, and perhaps it would be best to let him search for pastures new – with the transfer window set to slam shut in just one week.

For some of a Blues persuasion, the hope will be that Thursday night's encounter proves to be his last outing in a Chelsea shirt.

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