Category Uncategorized

His steady strike rate has been a constant talking point since last IPL, whether he fails or he scores

Nagraj Gollapudi30-Apr-20213:11

Manjrekar lauds ‘superb’ innings from Rahul

You have to feel for KL Rahul. That man is not just the captain of the Punjab Kings, but has been their best batter since he joined the franchise in 2018, which prompted him to take charge as captain at the start of 2020 IPL.In the last four seasons, including the ongoing IPL, no batter has scored as many runs in the IPL as Rahul, who won the orange cap in the 2020 edition. But it is him who still gets hauled up for not striking the right tempo while opening for them. His steady strike rate has been a constant talking point since last IPL, whether he fails or he scores.Despite the debate Rahul has carried on doing what he does best: shut his ears to the outside noise and continue scoring. He continues playing to the situation. On Friday evening in Ahmedabad, the Kings started to ride the wave confidently with Chris Gayle in the mood to attack his former franchise, the Royals Challengers Bangalore.Related

• Harpreet Brar: Meet RCB's wrecker-in-chief who took out Kohli, Maxwell, de Villiers

• Harpreet the hero after Rahul's 91* as Punjab Kings move up

Gayle’s strike rate in the first 10 balls in the Kings’ first six matches this season was 86. His highest was 12 runs in the first 10 balls in those matches. On Friday, Gayle stuck at 280, blasting 28 runs in his first 10 balls including five fours in an over against New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson. Rahul helped Gayle build the momentum as the Kings were sailing smooth at 91 for 1 at the halfway stage; 200 was in sights.Just then Gayle got sucked into a short-pitched delivery and faltered. He cursed himself on his way out. He would be seen sitting by the side of the Kings’ dugout, staring coldly in the distance, hurt that he could not impose himself the way he wanted to. In a matter of minutes, he would be joined by Nicholas Pooran, who, too, walked back shaking his head after a three-ball duck, the fourth time he had failed to open his account this IPL. Deepak Hooda and Shahrukh Khan promised a lot but once again were overwhelmed by the situation.Once again Rahul was on his own. The Kings were 132 for 5 with three overs remaining. The last boundary had been hit in the 12th over. That was not Rahul’s concern. He had seen his team nearly sink on many such situations in the past only for him to emerge as the life guard and take them to the shores.He urged his young partner Harpreet Brar, who was playing his first match of the season, to stay put. Brar obeyed his captain’s orders. A partnership blossomed quickly as Brar triggered a late assault with some fluent hits against Harshal Patel, the best bowler so far this tournament, who was then toyed by Rahul as he walked across his stumps to power a 22-run final over.ESPNcricinfo LtdIt was in the third straight match against the Royal Challengers that Rahul walked back undefeated, amassing 284 runs and having batted all 20 overs on these three occasions. Ever since he joined the Kings in 2018, no other batter in the IPL has scored a higher percentage of his team’s runs (scored off the bat) than Rahul’s 29.2%. On that list, Rahul is followed by stalwarts such as AB de Villiers and two-time orange cap winner David Warner. In this period Rahul has played 28.2% of the balls the Kings have faced, including in this season.Last year Rahul faced criticism for being selfish from pundits who urged him to be selfless, keeping in mind the firepower his team possessed in the middle order in the form of Pooran and Glenn Maxwell. While Maxwell couldn’t fire, Pooran was inconsistent. The Punjab side had started the season badly, but bounced back before marginally losing the playoffs race. The one constant, though, was that Rahul kept scoring.This season again Rahul remains Kings’ best batter with 331 runs at an average of 66.20 and strike rate of 136.21. The remaining specialist batters meanwhile have scored 476 runs at an average of 19.83 and a strike rate of 128.64. Nonetheless, Rahul’s strike rate remains a talking point.At the start of this IPL, Wasim Jaffer, the assistant coach of the Kings, said that a new and aggressive Rahul would be seen in action. Twice this season, against the Kolkata Knight Riders and the Sunrisers Hyderabad, when Rahul attempted to attack straightaway and failed, the Kings struggled to get 120 and lost both matches. Rahul might wonder to himself then: damned if I score and damned if I don’t.There is a reason Rahul bats the way he does. You cannot blame for him for not trusting his other batters. Rahul understands if he does not drop the anchor, his team could very easily lose the situation. Agarwal, Gayle and Pooran would need to play according to the situation.Rahul cannot be ploughing a lone furrow for the Kings.

أبدى محمود عبد الرازق شيكابالا لاعب فريق الكرة الأول بنادي الزمالك، حزنه الشديد مما يحدث داخل أروقة القلعة البيضاء، خلال الفترة الأخيرة. 

وقال شيكابالا في تصريحات على قناة “إم بي سي مصر 2”: “منذ يومين وأنا حزين على ما يحدث في الزمالك، لا يليق أن نترك النادي بهذا الشكل”.

طالع.. عضو الزمالك لـ”بطولات”: جاهزون لتقديم استقالة جماعية في هذه الحالة.. ومديونيات النادي تجاوزت الـ2 مليار

وأضاف: “أريد أن أهنئ محمود بنتايج على عقد قرانه، ولكن ما يحدث في الزمالك غير طبيعي، لعبت في الزمالك سنوات كثيرة جدًا، لعبت في أسوأ فترات الزمالك ولم نصل لهذه المرحلة”.

وتابع: “مجلس الإدارة حال عدم قدرته على تلبية طلبات الزمالك وجماهيره، أطالبهم بالرحيل، أكثر مجلس حصل على دعم جماهيري هو المجلس الحالي والأمر أصبح صعبًا”.

واختتم شيكابالا تصريحاته، قائًلا: “يزن نعيمات كان سينضم لنادي الزمالك وميدو تحدث معه والأمور كانت شبه محسومة، ولكن مثل ما حدث الأيام الماضية، كل لاعب يرتبط اسمه الزمالك فجأة (مش بتلاقيه)”. 

Cristiano Ronaldo is set to receive only a one-match ban for his red card against the Republic of Ireland in Portugal's penultimate World Cup qualifier. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner was sent off after elbowing Dara O'Shea off the ball and was set for a three-match ban for 'violent conduct'. However, FIFA's disciplinary committee has decided to let the 40-year-old off easy.

Ronaldo only gets a one-match ban for O'Shea elbow

Ronaldo was expected to miss one or two of Portugal's opening clashes in the 2026 World Cup in North America after being shown a red card for violent conduct on O'Shea. However, FIFA's disciplinary committee have ruled that the Portugal captain's actions were only worth a one-game ban, which he has already served after he missed Roberto Martinez's squad for the 9-1 win over Armenia. His punishment, however, also holds a two-game suspended ban, which will be triggered if he is found guilty of a similar offence yet again in the next 365 days.

Ronaldo was sent off just before the hour mark, after Swedish referee Glenn Nyberg consulted with VAR, having shown the five-time Ballon d'Or winner a yellow card initially. In the review, it seemed clear to the referee that, in a tussle with O'Shea, Ronaldo clearly elbowed O'Shea in the back without any ball involvement around him.

AdvertisementGettyCR7's first international red card

The red card against the Republic of Ireland was Ronaldo's first of his international career as the Portugal captain has never been sent off in his 226 appearances with the national team. It has been reported that this disciplinary record may have played a massive part in the FIFA disciplinary committee's decision.

However, this wasn't the first time Ronaldo and O'Shea clashed as the Portugal captain and the Irishman had previously clashed, with the Al-Nassr star appearing to slap him all the way back in 2021. While O'Shea had hit the deck at that point as well, the referee and VAR had missed the incident, and Ronaldo had gotten away with his assault on the Ireland star; however, the same was not the case this time around.

Ronaldo's absence raises questions about Portugal squad

Ronaldo's absence for Portugal's 9-1 win over Armenia raised serious questions from fans over the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's spot in Martinez's World Cup squad as Portugal's attacking play seemed a lot smoother. The same was the case during the 2022 World Cup when Fernando Santos played Ronaldo as more of a substitute through the tournament in Qatar with stars like Goncalo Ramos, Joao Felix and Diogo Jota starting instead.

However, the quarter-final failure against Morocco eventually saw Santos receive the sacking and Martinez being onboarded as the head coach of the Portuguese national team. The former Belgium coach quickly reintegrated the former Real Madrid man into the squad as he led Portugal to their Nations League triumph last year.

Nonetheless, questions are still being raised as to whether having Ronaldo as the main man in the Portugal squad is the best way forward for the 2026 World Cup as the country look to raise their first-ever trophy on the international stage.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty Images SportPortugal's World Cup opener to feature Ronaldo

Despite all the questions regarding Ronaldo's form at the highest level, it is highly unlikely that Martinez will be altering his squad this close to the World Cup. As such, it is almost guaranteed that Ronaldo will be the first name on the teamsheet when Portugal kickoff their 2026 World Cup campaign in North America.

However, the ill-tempered Ronaldo will have to keep his emotions in check through the tournament, as another sending off or even a violation of FIFA's regulations could see him miss the latter stages of the World Cup.

Diego Simeone has lavished praise on "incredible" Raphinha and expressed his surprise at the Barcelona star missing out on the 2025 Ballon d'Or. The Brazilian winger was once again decisive on Tuesday night as the Blaugrana overturned an early deficit to defeat Atletico Madrid 3-1 at the Camp Nou and tighten their grip at the top of La Liga.

Atletico struck first but then lost control

Atletico began the contest with confidence and clarity. Within 20 minutes, they were in front thanks to Alex Baena, who timed his run to perfection, beating Barcelona’s defensive line before sending a low shot beyond Joan Garcia. But the goal did not break Barcelona’s resolve. Hansi Flick’s team settled, began to dominate possession and soon found the spaces that Atletico had initially denied them. Six minutes after falling behind, it was Raphinha who dragged Barcelona level with a goal. He collected a perfectly weighted through ball from Pedri, rounded Jan Oblak with the poise of a centre-forward and stroked the ball home to cancel out Baena's opener.

Barcelona could have gone into the break ahead after Dani Olmo won a penalty following a clumsy challenge in the box. But the opportunity went begging as Robert Lewandowski, usually so assured from the spot, blazed his attempt over the crossbar. In the second half, Barcelona’s patience paid off. Olmo curled a sublime effort into the bottom corner to hand them the lead, but as he struck the ball, he lost his balance and crashed onto his shoulder and was forced off. With Atletico pushing forward in search of an equaliser, Barcelona struck again. Deep into added time, Alejandro Balde surged down the left and fired a low cross into the area, and Ferran Torres met it with a sharp finish from close range to seal the victory.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportBallon d’Or snub leaves Simeone stunned

Despite the disappointment of the result, Simeone was in no mood to hide his admiration for one of the players who undid his team. In his post-match comments, the Atletico manager offered a glowing assessment of Raphinha’s performance. 

"Raphinha is an incredible player," he said. "He can play everywhere. As a winger, as a midfielder, as a striker, or even as a wing back. He can score, can create, he presses and runs. I don’t know how he didn’t win the Ballon d’Or. For me, I would choose him always."

Raphinha finished fifth in this year’s Ballon d’Or rankings, despite registering over 60 goal contributions and helping Barcelona lift three trophies. The prize went to PSG’s Ousmane Dembele, who won a treble with the French outfit, with 17-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal taking second place. Vitinha was third, and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah came in fourth.

Simeone reflects on missed opportunities & Cardoso injury

Simeone gave a detailed breakdown of the match, praising his team’s determination despite the defeat.

He said: "We started well, but they managed to hurt us inside, with the ball filtered inside. In the second half, it was the opposite: they started a little better, but after 20 minutes, we were the ones who looked for the game. We couldn’t complete it, but I liked the team. We know that they have very good feet and that they play with a lot of people inside so that disorder appears in the rival centre-backs, and today it worked very well for them. But I feel very calm and happy with what the team did. This will help us to improve. Now, a tough match also in Bilbao."

Simeone also acknowledged that an injury to Johnny Cardoso forced an early tactical reshuffle. The USMNT midfielder lasted just 14 minutes before being forced off following a clash with Olmo.

He told reporters: "Cardoso’s injury forced us to adjust. We had high hopes for Johnny, but he got injured and had to leave the game."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

Getty ImagesWhat comes next for Barcelona & Atletico Madrid?

The defeat brought an end to Atletico’s seven-match winning streak across all competitions, pausing the momentum they had built over recent weeks. Their focus now shifts to a demanding run of fixtures to close out 2025, starting with a trip to Athletic Club on Saturday, followed by league meetings with Valencia and Girona, then a crucial Champions League encounter with PSV. Barcelona, meanwhile, continue their climb, buoyed by confidence and a growing belief that they can sustain their latest title push under Flick. The win marked the Catalan side's fifth consecutive league win and carried them four points ahead of Real Madrid, who play on Wednesday.

Tottenham Hotspur have had a fair few talents that have been underappreciated over the years, but none more so than central midfielder Mousa Dembélé.

The Belgian joined the Lilywhites in a £15m deal from Fulham back in the summer of 2012, with many supporters unaware of the quality he possessed prior to his switch to North London.

He racked up a total of 249 senior appearances during his seven-year spell at the club, arguably cementing himself as one of their best ever midfielders.

From dazzling runs with the ball at his feet to dominant physical displays out of possession, the talent cemented himself as a key player during his spell in the Premier League.

Since his move to Guangzhou City in 2019, the Lilywhites have massively lacked a player of his quality, with Thomas Frank unable to rely upon one player to be his own version of the Belgian.

Why Bentancur has struggled with Spurs in 2025/26

After Frank’s arrival in the summer, there was a huge question mark around what system the Dane would operate with at Spurs after utilising various formations at Brentford.

However, it appears as though the 52-year-old has settled on a three-man midfield in a 4-3-3 system, which has seen Joao Palhinha operate at the base, with two box-to-box players ahead of him.

Rodrigo Bentancur has been one of the most utilised players in such an area, as seen by his tally of 10 appearances out of a possible 11 in the Premier League to date.

However, the Uruguayan has struggled to impress in those outings, even being benched against Manchester United in the final game before the ongoing international break.

The 28-year-old’s underlying stats from the 2025/26 season showcase his struggles of late, which could see him drop down the pecking order further in the months ahead.

He has only created 0.6 chances per 90 this season, which ranks him in the bottom 25% of all players in the division – often struggling to make a huge impact when in possession.

Such a skillset is vital when playing with Palhinha at the heart of the side, with the Portuguese international known to break up the play and allow those around him to provide the creative spark.

However, out of possession, Bentancur has also struggled under Frank, only making 0.5 interceptions per 90, which also places him in the lower quarter of all midfielders in England’s top-flight.

The aforementioned figures highlight his all-round struggles in North London, which could certainly put his long-term future at the club in jeopardy – that’s despite penning a new deal earlier this campaign.

The Spurs star who’s already showing 'shades of Dembele'

Top-level midfielders in the modern game cost a small fortune, with numerous clubs in the Premier League often forking out mammoth sums to land world-class talents.

Four teams in England’s top-flight have spent £100m or more on a midfielder in the last five years, with Chelsea doing so on more than one occasion, with deals for Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernández.

However, Spurs are a club that unfortunately aren’t in a position to willingly fork out such funds in the market, with more of a focus being directed to younger prospects.

Dominic Solanke remains the club’s record addition at £65m back in the summer of 2024, with no midfielder in Frank’s current first-team squad being bought for over £55m.

The likes of Lucas Bergvall and Pape Sarr both cost a combined £22m, with both now managing to establish themselves as key first-team members in 2025/26.

However, the academy system is another avenue for clubs to go down, with the Lilywhites desperately needing to put faith in youngster Tyrese Hall in the years ahead.

The midfielder joined the club at the age of just eight, subsequently spending 12 years in the youth ranks, before making the move to join Notts County on loan in the summer.

Such a move came after the youngster registered six goals and seven assists in 28 U21 appearances in 2024/25, with such a move being his first taste of senior football.

However, whilst it may appear a daunting task to many, Hall has taken it all in his stride, as seen by his impressive numbers at Meadow Lane over the past few months.

Central midfield

30

6 (5)

Defensive midfield

19

3 (4)

Attacking midfield

18

5 (3)

Centre-forward

6

3 (2)

Left midfield

3

1 (1)

Right midfield

1

1 (0)

The 20-year-old has already found the net on six occasions, with his latest strike proving to be the winner in the affair with Cheltenham Town at the beginning of the month.

Whilst he’s operated in a more advanced role with the Magpies, Hall has previously featured slightly deeper – even playing as a number eight for the Lilywhites in a post-season friendly back in 2024.

The youngster was brought on as a substitute in such a fixture and even impressed, with one of the commentators that day claiming he was showing “shades of Mousa Dembele”.

Such praise is huge given the levels produced by the Belgian during his own time in North London, with real hope that Hall can match such levels if given the opportunity.

At 20, he still has bags of time to reach his full potential, with his loan spell at Notts County undoubtedly helping him in his quest in the professional game.

However, Frank will need to keep a close eye on his progress and potentially hand him the opportunity to impress him in pre-season ahead of the 2026/27 campaign.

Dream Simons replacement: Frank has "one of England's best talents" at Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur already have an elite-level prospect on their hands in North London.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 18, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O Fluminense está próximo de confirmar o zagueiro Antônio Carlos, do Orlando City, como o primeiro reforço da próxima temporada. O jogador chega para repor a iminente saída do capitão Nino.

RelacionadasFluminenseFluminense define elenco para o Mundial; confira quem ficou foraFluminense06/12/2023NotíciasPonto final na escrita? Fluminense não vence o Grêmio há mais de quatro anosNotícias06/12/2023FluminenseFluminense faz último ensaio para o Mundial e pode ter amostra do que encontrará contra o Al-IttihadFluminense05/12/2023

Antônio renovou o contrato com o clube americano recentemente. O Orlando exerceu uma cláusula para prolongar o vínculo do jogador na intenção de não deixar o atleta sair de graça. O Fluminense vai pagar uma compensação financeira para ter o zagueiro no ano que vem.

➡️ Fluminense define elenco para o Mundial; confira quem ficou fora

O desejo do jogador de vestir a camisa tricolor não é novidade. Formado em Xerém, o zagueiro esteve perto de reforçar os cariocas ainda nesta temporada, mas o Orlando City quis manter o atleta. A vontade de Antônio Carlos de jogar pelo Fluminense é um dos maiores aliados do clube das Laranjeiras nesta negociação.

➡️ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Fluminense

A frustrada tentativa de trazer Antônio Carlos para esta temporada resultou na chegada de Marlon, outro “cria da casa”. Além do zagueiro do Orlando City, o Fluminense ainda sonha com o retorno de Thiago Silva, que está no Chelsea.

Kusal Mendis has begun to find some form. In the second Test against Bangladesh, he hit 84 off 87 balls. In the first ODI, he struck 45 in 43 deliveries, and in the second, produced perhaps the innings of the evening by smoking a fifty off 20 balls – the fastest ever at Khettarama.Now that it seems obvious that Kusal has got his game humming, Sri Lanka’s batting coach Thilina Kandamby wants him to hit the big, match-winning notes. Those good double-figure scores need to become triple-figure ones, Kandamby said on the eve of the third ODI against Bangladesh in Pallekele.”He gave us a cracking start in the first game and is an experienced player, and he has played lot of cricket,” Kandamby said. “He has to understand that now, and he needs to convert those starts into hundreds. If he scores a hundred, we win 90 to 95% of our games. He knows that too.Related

• Shanaka, Karunaratne, Wellalage back in SL's T20I squad

• Rain in the way as Bangladesh look for first ODI series win in SL

“When you are in such good form, it’s a crime to throw away your wicket. He could have easily gone on to score 150 to 200 runs in the first match. We chatted about how to rotate the strike and other crucial aspects of batting.”Sri Lanka do seem to be expecting a flatter track in Pallekele that may suit Kandamby’s ambitions for Kusal for the series decider. Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka had also expected the tracks in Khettarama to be flatter than they ended up being, however.”Pallekele looks good for batting,” Kandamby said. “I think there will be good bounce as well. If you analyse the last few games at Pallekele, we had batting friendly tracks, and there’s been a lot of runs scored here in the past year. I hope that continues.”

Harry Kane says his first goal away at FC Koln on Tuesday was "one of his favourites" so far this season as Bayern Munich came from behind to beat the newly-promoted Bundesliga side 4-1 in the DFB Pokal. The England captain struck twice as Bayern created history by becoming the first team ever in Europe's top five leagues to win their first 14 games to a season in all competitions.

• Kane strikes again as imperious Bayern march on

  Bayern have been nothing short of unstoppable so far this season and after an early scare, that was the case once again as Kane, Luis Diaz and Michael Olise all got on the scoresheet to secure a comfortable victory in the end.

  The victory also meant that Bayern surpassed 50 goals for the season in just 14 games, 22 of which have been scored by Kane who has earnt early Ballon d'Or shouts. This succession of 14 wins broke a European record set by AC Milan in the 1992/93 season. Bayern have been in truly scintillating form and early tips for the Bavarian giants to win it all feel more than justified.

  On the night, Kane swivelled to strike home his first goal from the tightest of angles, before heading home from a corner in the second half to make the game safe. He expressed his appreciation for the first goal at the full-time whistle.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Kane describes 'favourite' first goal on the night

  Kane told ESPN it was one of his favourite goals of the season so far: "It's one of my favourites. I think, it's a mixture of good finishing, technique, instinct of my surroundings, I liked the goal. I'll have to watch it back.

  “It was a kind of chip, ‘spinny’ one into the far corner, it was nice. I've been playing the game long enough now. When I'm in the box, I know where I am and where the goal is. 

  “I'll probably try that 10 more times and it might not come off the way it did tonight. But that's the important thing, being able to do that in the high-pressure moment.”

• Bayern come from behind but win once again

  Koln took the lead in the 31st minute through Ragnar Ache, who headed into the far corner after a confident start by the home side. But this lead would last just five minutes, as Diaz equalised from what appeared to be an offside position before Kane and then Olise took the game away from their hosts in a ruthless attacking display.

  But Kane would still praise Koln for the pressure they put the champions under in the first half, posing one of their bigger tests of the season so far.

  “It was tough, first half especially,” Kane told ESPN. “I think the first 30 minutes it was a bit chaotic from both teams. We still had chances in the first half that if we take it can be a different game. But then about 15 minutes in they started getting set plays and they started putting balls in our box, the crowd got behind them, and it was difficult. We had to battle. 

  “It was obviously disappointing to concede like we did but then the best part was the reaction, to score so quickly after and bounce back and again to go 2-1 and take control before half-time was the most pleasing thing today.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty Images
  

  Bayern are just getting started

  This Bayern Munich train will no doubt steamroller on, with probably their two toughest tests of the season so far coming up in Champions League away trips to PSG and Arsenal. Win both of those, and Vincent Kompany’s side might will surely be the favourites for the competition.

  There is still work to be done on the domestic stage, with Bayern already five points clear at the top with Bundesliga matches against Bayer Leverkusen and Union Berlin on the horizon. But their start to the season is catching attention across Europe, not least now that they have smashed Milan’s record.

  Kompany said earlier this week: "My team is incredibly hungry for the trophy. It's not just the fans who want the title, it's something we live and breathe.

  "The records come when we approach every game with the mentality of wanting to win. That's the first thing. And the second is quality. The lads are fit and you can see a lot of automatic movements. They're hungry and want more! That's helping us right now."

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras está cada vez mais próximo de zerar a dívida com a Crefisa pela compra de jogadores com dinheiro emprestado da patrocinadora. Segundo informou o Uol e confirmou o Lance!, a quantia caiu para R$ 43 milhões e foi informada em reunião do COF (Conselho de Orientação e Fiscalização). Além disso, no balanço do mês de julho, o clube teve um superávit de R$ 28,9 milhões, bem acima do previsto.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasQuem é Kevin, joia do Palmeiras?Palmeiras07/09/2023PalmeirasJogador do Palmeiras tem pênalti invalidado por motivo inacreditável no Brasileirão Sub-20Palmeiras07/09/2023ListasFlamengo campeão brasileiro sub-20! Veja quem tem mais títulos de base organizados pela CBFListas07/09/2023

+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

No fim de 2019, que é considerado o auge da dívida com a empresa de Leila Pereira, o valor do débito era de R$ 172 milhões. Ou seja, em cerca de três anos e meio, a gestão palmeirense conseguiu cortar em quatro vezes esse montante.

+ Já pensou em ser um gestor de futebol? Participe da nossa Masterclass com Felipe Ximenes e descubra oportunidades

O motivo desse abatimento é a mudança na forma com que o clube quita o valor. Anteriormente, apenas a venda dos jogadores contratados com o dinheiro da Crefisa era a fonte do pagamento. De um tempo para cá, com as conquistas dos últimos anos, o “bônus” pago pela patrocinadora a cada troféu também passou a valer como forma de abater a dívida, o que ajudou a deixar o débito como está.

continua após a publicidade

No acordo com a empresa de Leila, o Palmeiras poderia fazer o abatimento conforme fosse negociando os atletas, e caso eles saíssem do clube sem custos, haveria um prazo de dois anos para que o valor fosse pago com juros amigáveis para facilitar a quitação. Para se ter uma ideia, o Verdão pagou quase R$ 65 milhões desse débito somente em 2022.

+ Fortuna de Leila Pereira, presidente do Palmeiras, aumenta; saiba valor

SUPERÁVIT EM JULHO

Outra boa notícia para o Palmeiras é o resultado financeiro do mês de julho. Depois de fechar os seis primeiros meses do ano com déficit acumulado de R$ 2,7 milhões, o clube abriu o segundo semestre com R$ 28,9 milhões de lucro. Ou seja, já amenizou os valores negativos do semestre anterior.

continua após a publicidade

Segundo o orçamento do Verdão, o valor previsto como superávit de julho era R$ 11,7 milhões, bem menor do que acabou sendo arrecadado no período. A grande diferença foi no quesito “negociação de atletas”, já que o Alviverde faturou R$ 26,5 milhões a mais do que o orçado para o mês.

Já o resultado anual também sofreu um impacto diante do lucro de julho. Em 2023 o superávit já está em R$ 26,2 milhões, também por influência da negociação de jogadores, que estão em R$ 40,5 milhões a mais do que foi previsto nos sete primeiros meses do ano. Assim, o que foi orçado como déficit de R$ 2,2 milhões no período, está positivo muito por conta dos números do “mês 7” de 2023.

Tudo sobre

CrefisaPalmeiras

Dominic Solanke has struggled to match the demands placed upon him at Tottenham Hotspur after joining in a big-money transfer back in the summer of 2024.

The Englishman cost a club-record £65m from AFC Bournemouth a little over 12 months ago, but he’s failed to put a regular run together within the first team squad.

He’s made 49 appearances in his two years in North London, only two of which have come in 2025/26, with his outings only totalling a dismal 31 minutes.

Solanke may have netted 16 times across all competitions last campaign, but ultimately, such a record is way below what was expected upon his big-money transfer to join the Lilywhites.

However, the fanbase could have a reason to be excited, with the prospect of the players who Solanke replaced potentially being teed up for a return to the club in the near future.

The latest on Kane’s potential return to Spurs

Club-record goalscorer Harry Kane left Spurs in an £82m deal back in the summer of 2023, joining German giants Bayern Munich in an attempt to win trophies.

It’s safe to say he’s been a success in the Bundesliga, scoring 98 times in his 103 appearances for the club – catapulting Vincent Kompany’s side to the title last season.

However, the 32-year-old could be set for a dream return to his boyhood club in the near future, with the Lilywhites having first priority if he is to move back to the Premier League.

Such news has led to current boss Frank stating that he would welcome the talisman back to North London with open arms – but cast doubt that such a move would happen anytime soon.

Kane is likely to have a release clause worth £56.7m becoming active in the summer of 2026, further generating excitement among the fanbase – understandably so given his tally of 280 goals for the club.

However, regardless of whether he does rejoin the Lilywhites in the near future, the club already have another talent in their ranks who could emulate his success in the capital.

The Spurs star who could be the new Harry Kane

In an attempt to battle for Premier League glory, Spurs have shifted their recruitment focus over the last couple of years, subsequently targeting young talent over recent years.

Lucas Bergvall is just one example of such a talent, joining in a £8.5m deal from Swedish side Djurgarden back in the summer of 2024, subsequently having an immediate impact despite his tender age.

The 19-year-old has since racked up over 50 appearances across all competitions, starring in key moments and arguably being one of Frank’s most important players in the 2025/26 campaign to date.

However, they’ve already got another impressive youngster lined up, with Irish striker Mason Melia set to join the club from St Patrick’s Athletic in the January transfer window.

The 18-year-old has already made a name for himself in his homeland, scoring 12 times and registering three assists in his 30 league outings during this calendar year.

His latest showing against Cork City saw him bag two goals in just 64 minutes, now currently sitting as the division’s second top goalscorer despite his tender age.

Padraig Amond (37)

13

Mason Melia (18)

12

Moses Dyer (28)

10

Owen Elding (19)

10

Michael Duffy (31)

9

Liam Boyce (34)

8

Rory Gaffney (35)

8

Ademipo Odubeko (22)

7

Such form has seen him even be included in the Ireland U21 squad over recent times, subsequently scoring twice in as many appearances – already starring against players multiple years above his age group.

Melia himself spoke glowingly about Kane upon his agreement to join the Lilywhites, stating that the Englishman was a player he looks up to in his career.

The teenager, who’s been labelled “relentless” by analyst Ben Mattinson, is currently averaging 0.5 goals or assists per 90 in Ireland, a simply remarkable feat given his teenage years.

His tally of 1.5 shots on target per 90 further demonstrates the clinical edge he possesses when in front of goal, potentially being a key first-team member in North London for many years to come.

It’s unclear upon his transfer in January whether Melia will be a first-team player or originally link up with the academy – but it’s clear he is a talent who does possess huge amounts of potential. As noted by talent scout Jacek Kulig, he is the “Irish Harry Kane”.

If he can make the same impact as Kane in North London, he will certainly go down as one of the best talents in their history – but he could also link up with the Englishman if he returns to join Frank’s side in the near future.

The best since Kane: Spurs talent could steal the #10 shirt from Maddison

Tottenham Hotspur may already have a star who could be Thomas Frank’s new number ten.

ByEthan Lamb Sep 23, 2025