All posts by n8rngtd.top

Liverpool have veered down into that later-season dip that seems to be a perennial occurrence for the Anfield side.

You could say that Arne Slot’s side have run out of steam, but then this would be a shallow and overblown viewpoint on a team that has been nothing short of brilliant for so long and now, perhaps, is feeling the effects of such gruelling, incredible efforts.

After all, Liverpool are set to lift the Premier League despite losing to Fulham at the weekend. That loss, bitter though it was, was Slot’s first on the road this season, ending a 26-game unbeaten run in the division.

Multiple players were culpable at Craven Cottage, but away from the error-strewn nature of the defensive efforts, those further up the field toiled too.

Dominik Szoboszlai, so impressive in recent months, certainly flattered to deceive, raising a question once again: do Liverpool need more creativity in midfield?

A look at Liverpool’s Szoboszlai

Saudi swoops for Fabinho and captain Jordan Henderson widened the scope of Liverpool’s summer rebuild in 2023, but the plan was always to sign a creative and robust midfielder in the mould of Szoboszlai.

Red Bull Leipzig’s attacking midfielder moved to Anfield after stand-in sporting director, Jorg Schmadtke, activated his £60m release clause.

The 2024/25 Premier League title will soon be added to the Reds’ bulging trophy cabinet and Szoboszlai has played a crucial part, hailed as a “vital cog in Slot’s slick Liverpool machine” by The Athletic’s James Pearce.

However, he’s only scored seven goals and added six assists this term, with his 3/10 performance against the Cottagers on Sunday, as per The Liverpool Echo, underlining his lack of bite. A lot of running but not much substance.

More is needed, and Liverpool wouldn’t be unwise to turn to the transfer market, should the right chance reveal itself.

While attacking midfield isn’t FSG’s priority, there’s little question that Liverpool would pounce on one of the world’s finest if they could. That opportunity may have presented itself.

Liverpool join race for elite midfielder

As per transfer insider Graeme Bailey, Liverpool have joined Manchester City in the race for Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The four-in-a-row champions need to replace the outgoing Kevin De Bruyne, but Liverpool could strike a deal themselves given their need for more attacking impetus.

And few stars shine brighter than Wirtz, whose performances under Xabi Alonso’s wing over the past several years have seen him valued at a whopping €100m (£87m).

Though Bayern are unquestionable favourites in the race, Wirtz will be sure to keep his options open and might just be tempted by the Premier League.

Liverpool will need to weigh up their options, especially when considering the efforts that must be focused across other areas of the park, but Wirtz is the gold standard and would surely dovetail right into Slot’s starting lineup.

Why Liverpool should sign Florian Wirtz

Wirtz, still only 22, has already completed 191 appearances for Leverkusen, racking up 119 goal involvements. He was invaluable through the staggering success achieved last year, winning the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal without swallowing a single defeat.

While Die Werkself have struggled to reach the same heights this year, Wirtz has still been an elite-class option from attacking midfield, notching 15 goals and 13 assists across all competitions.

While he isn’t quite the same type of player, Wirtz could prove to be Anfield’s own version of Jude Bellingham, who joined Real Madrid from Borussia Dortmund in a deal worth £115m in 2023, a race that Liverpool ceded defeat in months earlier.

While Bellingham is one of his era’s generational talents, Liverpool packaged their midfield with Szoboszlai and more and are now heading toward the Premier League title.

Industriousness aside, though, you feel that a player of Bellingham’s technical level, with his flair, could take Liverpool to the next stage, and that man might be Wirtz.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 2% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for passes attempted, the top 5% for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for progressive passes and the top 8% for successful take-ons per 90.

Positionally, this pertains to attacking midfielders and wingers, however, while most are restricted to one particular role, Wirtz has proven that he can maintain absurd levels across a vast range of areas.

Interestingly, Wirtz maintains his potency no matter his positional placement, something that could play right into his possible future in Slot’s Liverpool system.

However, like Bellingham, he’s at his best when occupying the number ten role, playing as his team’s attacking “mastermind,” something noted by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Such a decisive factor could prove a trump card for Liverpool in the years ahead. Expected success in the Premier League is fantastic, but fans have been left frustrated after poor efforts in the Champions League against Paris Saint-Germain and the Carabao Cup final, losing to Newcastle United.

Couple that with the woeful loss against Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup fourth round and you see why something a bit different, someone truly devastating in attack, could bear dividends for the Reds in the long run.

Bellingham, indeed, has posted 13 goals and 13 assists apiece for Los Blancos this term – almost identical to Wirtz – which add to last season’s haul and take the Three Lions star’s haul to 62 contributions across 86 matches for the Spaniards.

Szoboszlai, by comparison, has scored 14 goals and added 11 assists across 87 Liverpool outings. You can see where his deficiencies lie.

Bellingham is out of reach, but make no mistake, signing Wirtz could be a goal for FSG to work towards. It might just make all the difference over the coming years.

Liverpool hit gold on "special" academy ace playing like a £66m superstar

Liverpool have struck gold on this player.

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 8, 2025

Aston Villa are now considering a January move for a “fantastic” Champions League player, but they will have to shell out a huge fee to get a deal over the line.

Villa looking to boost push for Europe by strengthening in January

Villa have surged up the Premier League table in recent weeks, courtesy of winning seven of their last eight matches, although there have been some suggestions that their current run of form could end soon, given that they have been defying xG.

The Villans’ 16 goals this season have come from an xG of just 11.88 xG, and they have been relying on players scoring from outside the box, with Boubacar Kamara the most recent example, firing home from distance in the 1-0 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Regardless of how they’ve managed to win games, Unai Emery’s side have placed themselves very much in contention to qualify for Europe yet again, and they are now looking to strengthen in January to bolster their chances.

That is according to a report from Leonino (via Sport Witness), which states Aston Villa are now considering a January bid for Sporting CP defender Ousmane Diomande, but they may have to break the bank, with the Portuguese club demanding his €80m (£70m) release clause is paid in full.

Sporting have been struggling to tie Diomande down to a new contract, with his current deal set to expire in 2027, which could open the door for a move to Villa Park. However, several Premier League clubs are in the race for his signature, including Crystal Palace.

With Sporting unwilling to listen to winter bids, Villa may have to wait until the summer to pursue the centre-back, unless they trigger the release clause, although it is unclear how feasible that would be, given their well-documented PSR issues.

"Fantastic" Diomande could be exciting long-term addition for Villa

The 21-year-old, who is represented by the same agency as Harvey Elliott, is at the right age to be a long-term success at Villa Park, and he impressed right across the 2024-25 campaign, as highlighted by scout Jacek Kulig.

A modern defender, the Ivorian, who has made three Champions League appearances this season, is very comfortable in possession of the ball, as showcased by his performance across some key statistics over the past year, while the youngster also has a keen eye for goal.

That said, Villa have one of the best defences in the Premier League, having conceded just 11 goals, so there is no pressing need to sign a centre-back, and it may be better to wait until next summer to sign Diomande, at which point Sporting’s asking price will hopefully drop.

Bo Bichette is on the open market for the first time in his career, and it seems he’s attracting plenty of interest in the early stages of free agency.

There had been some speculation that the Blue Jays shortstop may fare better at a different infield position in free agency, but early indications are that he’s still garnering a lot of interest as a shortstop.

According to MLB insider Jon Morosi, the bulk of the interest in Bichette thus far this offseason has been with the intention of utilizing him at shortstop. However, Morosi also noted that teams with an established shortstop already on the roster have expressed interest in bringing Bichette on board at second base or even third base.

Although Bichette had a solid season at the plate in 2025, he struggled defensively. He ranked dead last among qualified shortstops in terms of outs above average at -13, and he had one of the weaker arms at the position, too.

Moving him to second base would potentially be a better fit for his arm, though there are seemingly still teams who are eyeing him at shortstop.

Bichette missed much of the postseason with a knee injury, but when he returned to the field for the World Series, he was inserted at second base instead of his usual spot at shortstop. Bichette hadn’t played second base since 2019 when he was still in the minor leagues, but he performed well defensively in the Fall Classic.

In 2025, Bichette slashed .311/.357/.483 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs. His .840 OPS was his best since 2020. He’s in the market for a long-term deal, and it seems his subpar defense at shortstop isn’t dissuading potential suitors thus far into the free agency period.

India will eye a series win and may not want to tinker much with their XI after a close match

Sidharth Monga02-Dec-2025

Big picture – Raipur’s second ODI ever

There is a reason why ODIs are a format after India’s heart. Why, at a time when ODIs fight for relevance outside the World Cup, do Indians still sell out stadiums to watch their team in action? It doesn’t demand as much devotion as Tests do, but still provides enough time and certainty for their heroes to showcase their skill and fitness. And when two of the greatest of all time, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, find the form they did during the first ODI between against South Africa, it’s all the more reason for a three-match series to be frenzied.While ODIs are less reliant on luck than T20Is, the first ODI was also an example of how much heavy lifting the side losing the toss has to do. Despite all the pedigree they have, India came within a couple of connected full tosses of possibly losing to a side that has been chopping and changing, and has played 37 players in this year alone.Ranchi was India’s experience and skill coming up against the conditions and the incredible hitting depth in the South Africa line-up. You’d expect the same for the rest of the series if India keep losing tosses – they have now lost 19 in a row – but the only ODI Raipur has ever hosted was a bit of a dream for seam bowlers, who bowled New Zealand out for 108 in early 2023.Related

• 'I'm easy wherever I fit in' – Bavuma not fussed about batting spot ahead of must-win ODI

• 'They're brilliant, and are performing' – Kotak on Rohit, Kohli

• Harshit takes the first step in fast bowlers' race for 2027 WC

• SA find reason for ODI optimism despite top-order tangles

It happened to be the match immediately after one that mirrored this series’ Ranchi ODI. Asked to bat first back then, India rode on Shubman Gill’s double-century to post 349 for 8 – exactly what India got against South Africa in Ranchi – and had New Zealand reeling at 131 for 6, but the lower order gave India a scare once the dew came in, getting to within 12 runs of the score.This time, you’d hope Raipur gives us a closer contest than the Ranchi thriller. Not least because if India are on the dealing end of a one-sided game, the series will then have to feature a dead-rubber in Visakhapatnam.

Form guide

India: WWLLW
South Africa: LLWLL

In the spotlight: Harshit Rana and Nandre Burger

India had only a brief window of movement in Ranchi before the dew turned bowling into a nightmare. But Harshit Rana took two wickets in that small window to put India ahead. He has now shown that not only can he be effective in hitting the pitch hard with the old ball, but also with the new ball. Rana’s next challenge might be taking the new ball in the afternoon, when it tends to do little.Unlucky to not be a regular part of the Test set-up just yet, Nandre Burger took on that challenge in the afternoon in Ranchi, and came out with credit. He bowled at consistent high pace, and found a way to challenge the batters. If Burger can find a way to do even better, he will be a theme in the rest of the series.

Team news: Bavuma, Maharaj should be back

India will not want to be fickle with Ruturaj Gaikwad and Washington Sundar at Nos. 4 and 5, respectively. Now that they have started the series with them there, one match against a soft ball shouldn’t be enough to push the two players out.India (probable): 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Rohit Sharma, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Ruturaj Gaikwad/Rishabh Pant, 5 KL Rahul (capt, wk), 6 Washington Sundar, 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Harshit Rana, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Arshdeep Singh, 11 Prasidh KrishnaTemba Bavuma should be back after resting in the first ODI•ICC/Getty Images

South Africa rested regular captain Temba Bavuma and Keshav Maharaj for the first ODI, but they were both quite active. Bavuma spoke to the players during drinks breaks, and Maharaj served as a substitute fielder for a while. So they should come right back in. Maharaj is an easier swap for Prenelan Subrayen, while Bavuma should replace one out of Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton, both of whom scored ducks in Ranchi.South Africa (probable): 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Quinton de Kock/Ryan Rickelton (wk), 3 Temba Bavuma (capt), 4 Matthew Breetzke, 5 Tony de Zorzi, 6 Dewald Brevis, 7 Marco Jansen, 8 Corbin Bosch, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Nandre Burger, 11 Ottneil Baartman

Pitch and conditions

The India vs New Zealand match from 2023 remains Raipur’s only day-night List A game, so there isn’t much history to go by. But the endeavour generally is to not produce a pitch too loaded in favour of the bowlers. So that 108 all out of nearly three years ago will likely be an aberration more than the trend. The weather promises to be pleasant for cricket, with temperatures not likely to go higher than 27 degrees celcius or lower than 14.

Stats and trivia

• Rohit Sharma now holds the record for most ODI sixes: 352.
• The 681 runs scored in Ranchi was the highest aggregate for an India-South Africa contest.

Chasing 152, the openers gave Bangladesh a start of 109 in 11.4 overs, and it turned out to be decisive

Mohammad Isam02-Oct-2025Bangladesh prevailed by four wickets in the first T20I despite Afghanistan captain Rashid Khan’s mid-innings burst of four wickets. Nurul Hasan and Rishad Hossain took Bangladesh home with eight balls remaining. Bangladesh had lost six wickets for nine runs in the space of 25 balls, that too after their openers got them 109 runs in 11.3 overs.Parvez Hossain Emon and Tanzid Hasan both struck fifties, dominating the Afghanistan bowling as they chased 152. Rashid, though, struck four times in two overs, while Fareed Ahmad and Noor Ahmad took a wicket each, as Bangladesh looked down and out at one stage.

Rashid rips through Bangladesh

Fareed had dropped Emon on 27 but he made amends by removing him for 54 off 37 balls in the 12th over. However, Afghanistan barely celebrated the wicket, given the start the Bangladesh openers had provided.Rashid then got the googly zipping through Saif Hassan, whose front-foot prod was not enough to save him. Rashid ended the over with Tanzid’s wicket as the left-hand batter edged the legspinner for 51.Rashid removed both Jaker Ali and Shamim Hossain in his next over, both falling lbw. Jaker missed a sweep, while Shamim went back into the crease to turn the ball around the corner. When Noor also had Tanzim Hasan lbw in the next over, Bangladesh looked out of the contest.

Nurul saves Bangladesh’s blushes

Nurul and Rishad were Bangladesh’s last recognised batters. Rishad, though, had not been in good form while Nurul was reeling from his strange knock against Pakistan in the Asia Cup. But they bounced back with the match-winning stand. Nurul struck two sixes in his unbeaten 23, while Rishad struck the winning runs with his third boundary, as Bangladesh won with eight balls remaining.Rashid Khan picked up four wickets•Afghanistan Cricket Board

Bangladesh strike early with the ball

Bangladesh didn’t lose shape when they bowled during the powerplay, despite Taskin Ahmed going for three fours in the first over. Nasum Ahmed bowled Ibrahim Zadran as the batter went for a slog. Tanzim Hasan got on to rear towards Sediqullah Atal’s chest, for the batter to give a tame catch to Emon at slip.Darwish Rasooli was a victim of a huge mix-up with Rahmanullah Gurbaz when Mustafizur Rahman stopped the ball off his own bowling, with both batters next to each other at the non-striker’s end. Rasooli sacrificed his wicket, as Afghanistan lost three wickets in the powerplay. There was no respite after the powerplay either, as Mohammad Ishaq holed out to deep square leg in Rishad’s first over.

Emon, Tanzid make merry

Bangladesh’s innings kicked off when Emon struck Mohammad Nabi for 16 runs in the fifth over. Rubbing salt into the wounds were two dropped catches in the over. Emon slammed a six off the first ball, before being dropped by Gurbaz on the fourth ball. The batter launched the next ball over midwicket for another six, before Fareed dropped a straightforward catch off the last ball.Tanzid, who returned after being dropped for the last two games, got into the act soon afterwards. He hammered a huge six off Nabi in the seventh over, followed by a second one off Noor in the following over. Both openers hit a six each off Sharafuddin Ashraf in the tenth over before bringing up Bangladesh’s first century stand for any wicket against Afghanistan. Afghanistan did make a comeback from there but could not convert it into a win.

The Houston Astros beat the Miami Marlins 8-2 on Monday night. Marlins starting pitcher Sandy Alcantara gave up six earned runs on nine hits in seven innings. Despite these facts, MLB Network's still found an opportunity to run a "no-hitter alert" during Alcantara's outing.

The in-game look and graphic happened in the bottom of the 4th inning as host Greg Amsinger made the case that it was not too early to be talking about Alcantara's bid for a no-hitter.

"If you're sitting on your couch and rolling your eyes that we just ran that graphic," Amsinger said, taking aim at anyone who believes in jinxes. "A no-hitter alert? If you think that we're impacting Sandy Alcantara in Secaucus, New Jersey… Man, therapy's not that expensive."

Then as Amsinger continued saying, "Look, you think he's going to give up a hit," Alcantara proceeded to give up a hit.

Here's that moment:

Keep in mind this happened with zero outs in the 4th inning.

The panel immediately cracked up and Amsinger quickly changed his tune. "If you're sitting on your couch and you don't think we impact no-hitters, you don't know what the hell you're talking about."

Somehow it only got sillier from there. After retiring the first nine hitters of the game, the first four batters to walk to the plate in the fourth inning got a hit. The first out of the inning came on a fielder's choice that scored a run. By the time Yanier Diaz hit a two-run double, the Astros were up 5-0.

To be fair to Amsinger and , the no-hitter alert is not something that the show takes 100% seriously. Last summer ran a no-hitter alert before a game between the Marlins and Los Angeles Dodgers. You may recall that Dodgers' starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto immediately gave up a home run to Jazz Chisholm on the very first pitch of the game to break it up, much to the delight of everyone.

Stats highlights from the high-scoring thriller between KKR and LSG at Eden Gardens

Sampath Bandarupalli08-Apr-20252:04

Does Nicholas Pooran have any weakness?

5 Consecutive wides bowled by Shardul Thakur in the 13th over of Kolkata Knight Riders’ chase at Eden Gardens. No bowler had done that before in the IPL. Four bowlers have bowled four wides in a row previously – Jasprit Bumrah (2015), Praveen Kumar (2017), Mohammed Siraj (2023) and Khaleel Ahmed (2024). Thakur also equalled the record for the longest over in the IPL (11 balls).15 Number of wides Lucknow Super Giants bowled against KKR, the most by a team in an IPL innings. Thakur bowled eight, the most by any bowler in an IPL match.1198 Number of balls Nicholas Pooran took to complete 2000 runs in the IPL – the second quickest behind Andre Russell (1120 balls).238 for 3 LSG’s total against KKR at Eden Gardens – their second highest in the IPL. It was also the second highest total against KKR in the IPL.Shardul Thakur bowled five wides in a row, a first in the IPL•Associated Press70.81 Win probability as per ESPNcricinfo’s forecaster for KKR in the chase after 12.5 overs, when they needed 77 runs with eight wickets in hand. It came down to 21.99 % at 16.1 overs after they lost five wickets for 23 runs in the space of 20 balls.87* Pooran’s score against KKR is the second highest in the IPL by any batter coming in after ten overs. Andre Russell’s 88 not out against CSK in 2018 is the highest.12.64 Combined economy of the pace bowlers in the KKR-LSG game, having gone for 316 runs in 25 overs. It is the fourth highest economy for fast bowlers in an IPL match, for a minimum of 150 balls bowled.

Celtic interim manager Martin O’Neill said that defender Cameron Carter-Vickers will miss the rest of the 2025-26 season with a severe Achilles injury, a setback that also threatens his chances of representing the United States at next summer’s World Cup. Carter-Vickers has 19 USMNT caps and was in contention for a potential spot next summer.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Celtic interim manager confirms injury

  O'Neill delivered the disappointing news during his pre-match press conference ahead of Celtic's weekend fixture against St. Mirren, revealing that the 27-year-old center back faces a lengthy rehabilitation process following the injury sustained during Celtic's 2-1 Europa League victory over Sturm Graz last month.

  "We will not see him," O'Neill said to reporters before Saturday's match at St. Mirren. "I think it might be April before he's even on grass. Funnily enough, I did ask him yesterday, did he think he would be ready for the World Cup? And he said he thought that would be very doubtful."

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Injury creates significant void for Celtic

  The American defender had made 13 appearances across all competitions this season before his injury, bringing his total to 172 appearances since joining the club initially on loan from Tottenham Hotspur in September 2021.

• How this impacts USMNT

  The 27-year-old has earned only one cap for the USMNT since Mauricio Pochettino took over, but was on the roster for the team's October friendlies – showing he was in contention for a spot in the Argentine's three-man backline. 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty Images Sport
  

  What's next for Celtic?

  Celtic will now be without its American center-back until at least April as he recovers. The club also has U.S. international Auston Trusty available, with the defender recently featuring for the national team in November. Celtic return to action on Thursday against Dutch side Feyenoord after a 1-0 win over St. Mirren on Saturday.

Lionel Messi’s late-night visit to the newly renovated Camp Nou has reignited talk of a fairy tale return, with Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia among those hoping to see the legend back in Blaugrana colours. The Inter Miami star shared an emotional post after walking on the pitch again, while Garcia and president Joan Laporta both spoke about the World Cup winner’s enduring bond with the club.

• Messi’s emotional midnight return to Camp Nou

  Messi sent shockwaves through Barcelona this week after making a surprise midnight visit to the newly renovated Camp Nou, stepping onto the pitch he once illuminated for nearly two decades. Currently on a break from MLS duties with Inter Miami, Messi took the opportunity to tour the ongoing stadium renovations and share a heartfelt message with Barcelona fans, his first since leaving the club in 2021.

  The Argentine posted an emotional note on Instagram after the visit: “Last night I returned to a place I miss with my soul. A place where I was immensely happy, where you guys made me feel a thousand times the happiest person in the world. I hope one day I can come back, and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I never got to…”

  Messi's message immediately sparked speculation about a possible loan return in 2026, although Barcelona officials were quick to dismiss the rumours. Still, for fans and players alike, his visit was a reminder of the unbreakable bond between the club and its greatest icon.

Advertisement

• Getty/Instagram
  

  ‘I hope he can play with us’ – Joan Garcia on Messi and teammates

  Speaking to , Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia revealed the dressing room’s surprise when Messi’s visit came to light and admitted that he, too, dreams of playing alongside the Argentine great.

  “No one expected Messi to do that, it’s good what he did. We talked about it in the dressing room, but we didn’t give it much importance either,” Garcia said. “I hope he can come and play with us, but I don’t know how possible or realistic that is.”

  The former Espanyol shot-stopper, who joined Barca in the summer, also took the chance to speak about his relationships with the team’s goalkeepers.

  On Wojciech Szczesny, he said warmly: “He’s a star. He’s very funny, we laugh a lot with him. Those of us who speak Catalan are teaching him words.”

  Garcia defended the Polish goalkeeper amid criticism for recent goals conceded: “That’s what Hansi asks of us, knowing that sometimes it won’t work out. He told me that’s how we play, and that it can happen.”

  When asked about Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Garcia was equally composed: “With Ter, everything is fine. The relationship is normal, like with any other teammate. It wasn’t uncomfortable for me.”

• Laporta rules out loan move but promises ‘beautiful tribute’ for Messi

  Barca president Joan Laporta also addressed Messi’s visit during an interview with , dismissing rumours of a short-term loan return while reaffirming that the club is preparing a fitting tribute for their former captain.

  “Out of respect for Messi, our players, and our members, it’s not the time to speculate with unrealistic scenarios,” Laporta said.

  The president admitted he was unaware of Inter Miami star's visit but expressed delight at the gesture: “I didn’t know he was coming, but Camp Nou is his home. When they explained how it happened, I think it was a sweet little spur-of-the-moment decision; he’d just finished dinner and felt like coming with some friends. It’s only right that Leo receives the most beautiful tribute in the world.”

  Laporta confirmed that the club are working on a dedicated tribute ceremony for Messi once the Camp Nou renovations are complete, with the new stadium expected to seat 105,000 fans.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Joan Garcia’s comeback nears as Camp Nou debut looms

  While the spotlight has been on Messi’s emotional return, Garcia himself is close to making his own comeback. The 24-year-old goalkeeper has been sidelined for several months following meniscus surgery, but is now expected to return after the international break. The upcoming La Liga clash against Athletic Club on November 22, after the international break could mark Garcia’s long-awaited debut at the renovated stadium – a moment he admits he’s been eagerly anticipating.

  For now, though, even as Garcia looks forward to stepping back on the pitch, his thoughts reflect those of millions of Barcelona fans worldwide – the dream of seeing Messi back where it all began.

Less than two years after hoisting the World Series trophy, the Rangers and Bruce Bochy have "mutually agreed to end his managerial tenure with the organization," the team announced Monday. The Rangers also announced that they have offered Bochy a role in the front office in an advisory capacity.

The Rangers join the Giants and Twins as teams who parted ways with their managers on Monday after the conclusion of the 2025 regular season.

Bochy came out of retirement after the 2022 season to become the manager of the Rangers. In his first season with Texas in 2023, he led them to a 90-72 record and their franchise's first World Series victory. After the Rangers failed to make the playoffs in either of the last two seasons, they have decided to search for a new manager.

Bochy has been an MLB manager for 28 seasons with the Rangers, Padres and Giants. He's led every team he's managed to a World Series appearance, won four World Series, and has compiled a 2,252-2,266 (.498) career record.

Though offered a role in the Rangers' front office, the 70-year-old manager could be a contender for other vacancies, including the Giants, his old team. Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey, who played under Bochy in San Francisco simply said Monday, "I don’t know what his status is yet. I haven’t heard, so I can’t speak to that.”