Cloete, von Berg keep Spartans in play-off race

Nelson Mandela Bay Giants were kept to 137 for 9 in a chase of 166 on a slow pitch in Port Elizabeth

Liam Brickhill09-Dec-2018Gihahn Cloete targets the off side•MSLAB de Villiers’ Tshwane Spartans kept their Mzansi Super League play-off hopes alive, holding Nelson Mandela Bay Giants to 137 for 9 to secure a 28-run victory at St George’s Park. Opener Gihahn Cloete’s third fifty of the competition carried Spartans to 165 for 4 on a pitch that played slightly on the slow side, and de Villiers then set the tone early in defence of the total, pulling off a stunning diving catch in the outfield. Shaun von Berg’s canny legbreaks were instrumental in maintaining Spartans’ control with the ball, and he collected 3 for 19 in four overs.While Spartans would have been even happier with a bonus point – they have yet to secure one so far this season – the victory nonetheless took them to fourth place on the points table, with two games in hand, as well as slightly improving their net run-rate. Giants remain third on 21 points with one more round robin game against Paarl Rocks on Wednesday. The inaugural MSL title race is still wide open for every team apart from Durban Heat.De Villiers did his first job right in calling correctly at the toss and opting to bat, knowing that a pitch that encouraged the spinners would be difficult to chase on. Cloete backed up the decision with a 59-ball 65 that anchored the innings and laid a platform. Pushed up to open, Cloete dealt with the early loss of Andrea Agathangelou by sharing in a 72-run stand with Dean Elgar, who hit three sixes in his 32.Together they took Spartans to 44 for 1 in the Powerplay, and even found ways to attack the spinners, hitting sixes off the captain Jon-Jon Smuts, Aaron Phangiso and Imran Tahir before Tahir had Elgar driving uppishly into the hands of Heino Kuhn at cover in the 10th over.Tahir should also have had de Villiers lbw in his third over soon afterwards. He rushed a slider on to the batsman’s pads to start the over, prompting an appeal that was turned down. There was another more vehement plea four balls later as Tahir rapped de Villiers on the pad with a legbreak only for umpire Shaun George to shake his head again. Replays showed the ball pitching in line and going on to crash into leg stump. Tahir was distraught. Even more so when de Villiers reverse-swept the very next delivery for four.De Villiers wasn’t at his vintage best, managing a slightly scratchy 33 before he was out in the final over, but Eoin Morgan gave the innings some impetus, swatting two sixes – the first via a leading edge – in a rapid cameo to push the total above par.Giants knew that a win in this game would virtually secure their place in the play-offs, but when they lost three wickets inside the Powerplay, their task looked increasingly difficult. Giants lost Jason Roy in the first over, and Rudi Second to de Villiers’ brilliant outfield catch minutes later. Seamer Lutho Sipamla overcame a no-ball and a Free Hit that went for six to dismiss Smuts for 26, and then the spinners took over.Von Berg trapped Kuhn lbw in his very first over, and Jeevan Mendis had Christiaan Jonker stumped with a ripping legbreak as Giants slipped into trouble at 73 for 5. When von Berg had Chris Morris caught reverse-sweeping to point and Duckett was run out seeking a single off a misfield for 47, Giants were 92 for 7 and suddenly a vital bonus point seemed a distinct possibility for Spartans.Sisanda Magala struck two enormous sixes to keep Spartans sweating, but he fell attempting a third off von Berg. De Villiers’ men went into the penultimate over with just two runs to play with in order to secure the bonus point and Giants’ last pair at the crease. Despite an lbw appeal and a scrambled single that might have seen Tahir run out, Sipamla couldn’t grab the vital wicket, but Spartans had already done enough at least to keep themselves in the hunt for the play-offs.

Aitana Bonmati blasts Chelsea for 'playing dirty' after Blues stun Barcelona in Champions League semi-final

Barcelona star Aitana Bonmati has blasted Chelsea for "playing dirty" during the Blues' 1-0 win in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.

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Barcelona stunned by Emma Hayes' sideChelsea take lead back to LondonBonmati furious with how they playedWHAT HAPPENED?

Chelsea pulled off a sensational result in Spain as an Erin Cuthbert goal gave them a 1-0 win over reigning Champions League holders Barcelona away from home. Prior to Saturday, no team had beaten Barcelona away for five years.

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In the second half, Barcelona were awarded a penalty for an apparent handball from Kadeisha Buchanan; Barca were preparing to take the kick, but the decision was overturned by VAR after a lengthy delay. Bonmati was left confused by the fact the penalty was not given, and also claimed that Emma Hayes' side employed "dirty" tactics.

WHAT BONMATI SAID

Per Mundo Deportivo, Bonmati said: "I have not understood why a penalty was called and why Mariona was preparing and then they began to review it. In the end this has to be done the other way around. It is clear that there was a prior offside by Salma, I have not seen the play and I can't say anything. If the VAR has marked this, we can't do anything.

"I am not in favor of playing with these interruptions, but we knew it. We had talked about Chelsea playing like this, which for me is playing dirty. We have warned the referee, but it is not up to us if they allow it. We have to know how to play with it."

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

Chelsea and Barcelona will renew hostilities next weekend in the second leg. It remains to be seen if the Blues can hold their nerve and pull off an astonishing upset.

عفت نصار: أوافق على رحيل زيزو في هذه الحالة.. ويجب على الزمالك ألا ينتظر أحمد فتوح

أكد عفت نصار لاعب نادي الزمالك الأسبق، أحقية الجماهير في عدم التفريط في نجوم الفريق، خاصة وأن القلعة البيضاء نادي بطولات وينافس على الألقاب.

وقال نصار في تصريحات تلفزيونية بفضائية “etc” عبر برنامج “بوكس تو بوكس”: أحمد زيزو أحد أهم الركائز وله مكانة خاصة، مجلس الإدارة يدير النادي وجميعهم على علم بالديون وقالوا إنهم سينشئون صندوقًا لدعم النادي،”.

وأضاف: “أنا رشحت هذا المجلس على أمل أن تنتهي كل الأمور المادية، خاصة وأن هذا مجلس يضم رجال أعمال، وهم يستفيدون من اسم الزمالك على المستوى الشخصي”.

خاص | أزمة جديدة داخل الزمالك بسبب إبراهيما نداي

وواصل: “المفترض أن من يخوض غمار الانتخابات، يكون من أجل تقديم المساعدة وتحقيق انجازات وبطولات، لكن أن تفكر في البيع.. لا، إذا تم بيع زيزو من هم اللاعبين الذين ستتعاقدون معهم؟ إلا لو تم بيع زيزو بـ 10 ملايين دولار وتم ضم 3 أو 4 صفقات سوبر”.

واستكمل: “ألوم على مسؤولي الزمالك الذين ظهروا عبر البرامج بدون مقابل مادي، لأنهم يظهرون في البرامج بسبب اسم الزمالك، وكان عليهم أن يحصلون على أموال ومنحها للنادي”.

واستطرد: “أرفض بيع زيزو إلا حال تعاقد الزمالك مع أشرف بن شرقي على سبيل المثال وثنائي دفاعي مثل محمد عبد المنعم، ونحتاج ظهيرين بالجهة اليسرى على اعتبار أن أحمد فتوح وارد ألا يعود”.

واستأنف: “ما الذي يجعل الزمالك ينتظر أحمد فتوح؟، نريد ظهيرين مثل فتوح أو علي معلول ليس أقل من ذلك”.

وأتم: “لو كان يوجد مدير فني يبني للمستقبل لما كان فرط في أحمد عيد الظهير الأيمن للمنتخب الأولمبي، نحتاج من يرسم خطة للمستقبل، نحتاج أيضًا مهاجم مثل مصطفى محمد، لو هذا حدث الناس ستوافق على بيع زيزو، لأن غرضنا هو بناء الفريق”.

A helping hand for Kylian Mbappe! How Ligue 1 are aiding PSG and Marseille ahead of their European semi-finals – explained

PSG & Marseille have been handed a boost by Ligue 1 authorities as their league fixtures have been rescheduled ahead of their European semifinals.

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  • PSG & Marseille competing for European glory
  • PSG set to face Dortmund, whereas Marseille will take on Atalanta
  • League fixtures deferred to provide ample recovery time
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    With the football season reaching its climax and matches piling up, Ligue 1 has recognised the need to provide PSG and Marseille with ample recovery time ahead of their pivotal European encounters. The rescheduling of league fixtures is expected to afford the teams a longer preparation period, enhancing their chances of success on the continental stage.

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    THE BIGGER PICTURE

    The LFP Board of Directors convened on Friday to deliberate on the scheduling adjustments for PSG and Marseille, considering the clubs' participation in the semifinals of prestigious European competitions. The Reims versus Marseille and Nice against Paris Saint-Germain fixtures, originally slated for the 32nd matchday, will now take place on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, at 9:00pm.

    Furthermore, recognising the ripple effect of rescheduling on other clubs, the LFP Board of Directors has taken proactive measures to accommodate Reims and Nice. The matches between Stade Brestois 29 and Reims, as well as Nice and Havre AC, originally scheduled for the 33rd matchday, have been brought forward to Friday, May 10, 2024.

    To ensure fairness and maintain the integrity of the league schedule, all other matches of the 33rd matchday of Ligue 1 Uber Eats will proceed as planned on Sunday, May 12, 2024, at 9:00 p.m. This adjustment accounts for Marseille's involvement in the Europa League semifinal return leg, which precedes the league fixtures.

  • DID YOU KNOW?

    After knocking Barcelona out of the Champions League quarterfinals with a 6-4 aggregate win, PSG are slated to take on Borussia Dortmund on May 1 in the first leg, followed by the crucial second leg on May 7. Mbappe & Co. will have a rest period of six days ahead of the match at the Parc des Princes which should help them. Similarly, Marseille will also have no domestic commitments between their two European legs which is another boost to their hopes of winning the competition.

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    WHAT NEXT?

    The rescheduling of fixtures underscores Ligue 1's proactive approach to bolstering the performance of French clubs in UEFA tournaments and elevating France's index ranking, a key strategic objective for the league. PSG will be back in action against Lyon on Sunday, while Marseille will face Toulouse on the same day.

"They can’t afford" – Journalist reacts after Spurs dealt another injury

Tottenham have been dealt another injury blow they "can't afford" after news this week, says journalist Paul Brown.

Spurs injuries mounting for Ange

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou is seemingly dealing with problem after problem at Hotspur Way right now, as squad members succumb to injuries by the week.

James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Ashley Phillips, Richarlison, Ryan Sessegnon, Ivan Perisic and Manor Solomon are all unavailable to play right now, with Sessegnon only just returning to light training after his summer hamstring surgery.

First team chance for unseen Tottenham player scuppered after injury blow

Ange was expected to play him amid the Spurs injury crisis.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 30, 2023

Van de Ven, Maddison, Solomon and Perisic aren't expected back on the pitch until 2024, with reports suggesting the latter may never feature in a Spurs shirt again.

Phillips could out for around a month, according to Postecoglou, while Richarlison is hoping to make a comeback in December. With AFCON and the Asia Cup starting in early January, Spurs also face losing Pape Matar Sarr, Yves Bissouma and Son Heung-min pretty soon.

Perhaps the most infuriating injury, though, is for midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur.

The Uruguay star is now set to be absent till February next year in what is a pretty horrible circumstance for him. Having only just returned from a lengthy absence, previously being forced to sit out for nine months after an ACL injury.

Bentancur was taken off with ankle ligament damage in Tottenham's 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa last weekend, coming after a pretty poor challenge from Villa defender Matty Cash.

Spurs "can't afford" Bentancur injury

The midfielder could've helped shore up Postecoglou's options in the middle of the park, especially with Bissouma and Sarr leaving for AFCON next year, but Bentancur's expected absence till after the tournament means Spurs will be desperately short.

Tottenham could even sign a new midfielder in January to make up for the lack of cover, according to The Guardian and Jacob Steinberg this week.

The north Londoners have been dealt a pretty big blow as a result of Bentancur's injury. That verdict is shared by reporter Paul Brown, who also claims Spurs can't afford losing the 26-year-old.

rio-kyerematen-rodrigo-bentancur-tottenham-opinion

“Postecoglou said that Bentancur’s setback was disappointing, and I think with Spurs so many men down through injury already, they can't afford to be losing anyone else," said Brown to GiveMeSport.

"I think that's a pretty big blow for them coming at the time it did. Bentancur, I think, is a pretty important player for them. He's got a skillset that I think most of the rest of his rivals in midfield don't have. I just think it's disappointing and frustrating for him really that that happened. So, you have to hope it does not keep him out for too long.”

Bentancur was a mainstay under former boss Antonio Conte before his ACL tear, and comes as a very experienced figurehead with over half a century of caps for Uruguay at international level.

His spell on the sidelines is almost certain to be felt as Tottenham gear up for a tough festive fixture schedule

Spurs have made "manoeuvres" to sign £15m man likened to Wijnaldum

Tottenham have made some moves behind-the-scenes in their chase for a £15 million international who's been likened to Georginio Wijnaldum.

Ange could be left short in Spurs midfield

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou, amid his current squad injury crisis, is also facing the very real prospect of being left short in midfield at the start of next year.

Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma will be travelling to take part in the Africa Cup of Nations once January comes around, while Rodrigo Bentancur could be out until February after his ankle ligament injury.

"Terrific" – Ally McCoist thinks Spurs could make an "interesting signing"

The pundit suggests his style is just perfect for Ange.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 29, 2023

Coupled with the absence of James Maddison, who is expected back in January but with no suggestion as to when, Postecoglou may well be starved of options in the middle of the park soon.

Fabrizio Romano also recently revealed that Spurs are now unwilling to green-light a loan move for Pierre-Emile Hojberg, potentially as a result of Postecoglou's player shortage. Reports now claim that Tottenham are targeting a central midfield player in January (The Guardian), with Postecoglou recently lamenting his side's back luck when it comes to fitness issues.

Tottenham midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur.

"It wasn't a great tackle," said Postecoglou on Bentancur's injury. "I thought he started the game so well and I think it was the reason we got a real good foothold on the game. He's such a creative player. It's the last thing we needed, another injury. So disappointed to lose him but we're yet to see the extent of it."

Spurs have also been tipped to move for a new centre-back, which they are still determined to do, and a forward – but Bentancur's latest problem and a few more imminent absentees perhaps warrants more numbers in midfield.

Tottenham make "manoeuvres" for El Khannouss

Now, according to Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), the north Londoners have apparently made behind-the-scenes move for a new transfer target. Spurs are initiating "manoeuvres" to sign Bilal El Khannouss from Genk, with the young midfielder showing a lot of promise in the Jupiler Pro League right now.

Since being promoted to the first team in 2022, El Khannouss has played 67 matches in all competitions, racking up four goals and seven assists in that time. The Morocco international could also cost around £15 million to prise away from Genk, which would come as a pretty affordable price from Tottenham's perspective.

El Khannouss' playing style has been likened to that of Wijnaldum by Football Transfers. Given the Dutchman's past starring role for ex-club Liverpool, it's a pretty tantalising comparison.

Genk technical director Dimitri De Condé, speaking back in 2022, hailed the 19-year-old's potential as a real "pleasure to watch" when at his very best.

Key passes

Through balls

Dribbling

Taking set-pieces

“Bilal is a pleasure to watch and during my eight years at the club, I have rarely seen such a talent at KRC Genk."

Liverpool could beat Chelsea to £80m signing who’s Coutinho 2.0

There was never any doubting Jurgen Klopp, surely? Last term Liverpool looked a shadow of the team that had run Manchester City so close to the title, and indeed won the Premier League during that bizarre campaign during the pandemic.

The club had lost its aura and that was largely due to a paperweight midfield that was without a cut and thrust capable of competing with the barnstorming central areas that City and Arsenal possess.

They lacked a Rodri, a Thomas Partey, players who crash around while still bringing an element of class to the way they use the football.

However, in 2023/24, that problem has been fixed. A holding midfielder is perhaps still required but in Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Alexis Mac Allister, a brighter picture has been painted.

So, the thought of adding to that young triumvirate of players is exciting. Enter the January transfer window…

Liverpool's January plans

Chief among the club's plans for the upcoming transfer window will be keeping Mohamed Salah who was the subject of a mega bid from Saudi in the summer.

The thought of their great Egyptian leaving in the next few years is becoming more of a reality the longer time goes on and finding an heir apparent is wise.

It perhaps explains recent links to Bayer Leverkusen sensation Florian Wirtz. The German has attracted the interest of Chelsea of late according to reports but Liverpool are in the conversation too.

Indeed, as per claims in Spain, the Reds are even preparing a €92m (£80m) bid to lure the 20-year-old away from the Bundesliga.

Wirtz's stats this season

Widely renowned as one of the most promising young footballers on the continent, Wirtz has recovered exceptionally well from a horrendous ACL injury that kept him out of action for the best part of nine months in the latter stages of 2022.

Despite that, he was still able to feature 25 times across all competitions for Leverkusen last term, posting four goals and eight assists.

In 2023/24, however, he has gone to another level. Under the wing of former Liverpool hero Xabi Alonso, Wirtz already has six goals and ten assists in 17 outings.

It's been a remarkable start to the season for a young talent who sadly for Alonso seems destined for greater pastures.

Wirtz's style of play

Wirtz is a phenomenally versatile player having played on the wing fleetingly in his young career, as well as a second striker and as a classic number 10. It's in that attacking midfield position, however, where he's been electric this season.

A right-footed talent, the player's heat map (as per Sofascore) dictates that he likes to drift inside onto his favoured foot, often operating in the left-hand channel.

Though, as a remarkable goal in October (shown below) dictates, he can also operate equally as well on the opposing side, gliding past players in jaw-dropping fashion.

This is seemingly a player who has it all. Anton Ferdinand, whether you take his opinion seriously or not, is one man who has been left in awe of the Germany international who he claimed should be spoken about "in the same way as Bellingham", a man Liverpool were so religiously linked with before his move to Real Madrid.

Klopp may have Szoboszlai in his ranks now, a man compared to the marvellous Philippe Coutinho but truth be told, Wirtz is the true heir.

Like the Brazilian who left Anfield for Barcelona, he likes those left-hand channels, cutting inside and unleashing a deadly dose of creativity.

At his peak, Coutinho was a freak of nature in the opposition's third of the pitch. During 2017/18, he sat inside the top 2% of positionally similar players in the Premier League for progressive passes per 90 (11.77) and progressive carries (5.60).

Wirtz isn't quite the same level of ball carrier, managing 4.23 per 90 this season in the Bundesliga, but his creativity is immense. Ranking inside the top 2% of positionally similar players in the German top-flight, he has registered 7.59 progressive passes. It's not quite the dizzy heights of Coutinho just yet but at the age of just 20, these numbers will certainly get even better.

Such a generational talent would, therefore, be a wonderful addition to the Anfield ranks. It's just a pity they'll have to break the bank to seal their next Coutinho.

The £4.5m Leeds flop who now sells vacuums for a living

Leeds United ended their three-year stay in the Premier League earlier this year as they were relegated from the top-flight under Sam Allardyce.

The experienced English coach arrived in an attempt to save the day but was unable to prevent the relegation after Javi Gracia and Jesse Marsch had left the club in a difficult position.

Whilst the managers can take responsibility for their respective failures, former sporting director Victor Orta should shoulder some of the blame for his work to assemble the playing squad that failed to perform.

Georginio Rutter

£35.5m

Brendan Aaronson

£28.4m

Rodrigo

£25.9m

Dan James

£25.1

Luis Sinisterra

£21.6m

As you can see in the table above, the Spaniard was able to splash the cash on several occasions in an attempt to bolster the squad, for Bielsa and Marsch, but rarely had success at Premier League level with those big-money moves.

Rutter and Aaronson – the two most expensive signings of Orta's time at Elland Road – combined for one goal and four assists in 47 top-flight matches throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

The now-Sevilla chief is not the only Leeds figure to have made mistakes in that department over the years, though, and one famous transfer market blunder was the signing of attacker Tomas Brolin.

The fee Leeds paid for Brolin

Back in November of 1995, the Whites agreed a club-record deal to sign the Sweden international from Italian side Parma for a reported fee of £4.5m.

It was claimed that the club paid £600k upfront for the talented forward and the remaining £3.9m was due to be paid to the Serie A outfit over the subsequent two-and-a-half-years.

Parma reportedly announced that the deal was off as Brolin had failed to agree personal terms with Leeds but the move eventually went through, and then-managing director Bill Fotherby stated that he was always confident that it would go ahead as planned.

It was a big gamble from the Whites as they decided to smash their club record to sign a player who had only played three matches for his club that season and was coming off the back of recovering from a broken foot the previous year.

Brolin has since revealed that he did not want to leave Parma and that his belief was that the Italian side wanted to cash in on him before his contract expired, as the Bosman ruling was due to come in and they did not want to lose him on a free transfer.

Brolin's goal record for Parma

The excellent midfielder enjoyed an impressive spell in Italy with the club as he racked up 31 goals in 190 appearances in all competitions, with spells there on either side of his time with Leeds.

He proved himself to be a goalscorer from a midfield position and contributed to a successful period in Parma's history as they won four trophies during his time there.

The Italian team won the UEFA Supercup, the UEFA Cup, the Europapokal, and the Italian Cup between 1991 and 1995, with Brolin playing a part in their successes.

His best season for goals came during the 1990/91 campaign as the Swedish wizard smashed in seven goals in 33 Serie A outings for Parma.

Brolin's goal record for Sweden

Brolin also caught the eye on the big stage for his country as the impressive attacker racked up an outstanding 25 goals in 46 caps for Sweden throughout his career.

He burst onto the international scene with a fantastic 1992 European Championship performance as the gem ended the tournament as the top-scorer with three strikes.

Two years later, the attacker enjoyed an excellent World Cup as he managed three goals in six outings as his country reached the semi-finals before their loss to Brazil in the last four.

His exploits for Parma and Sweden seemingly convinced Leeds that he was the right player to smash their club record transfer fee on as they swooped to sign him for £4.5m just over a year on from his World Cup heroics in America.

Brolin's goal record for Leeds

However, things did not go to plan for Brolin at Elland Road as his big-money switch to England turned out to be a nightmare for everyone involved.

Howard Wilkinson was the Leeds manager at the time and the Sweden international claimed that the head coach promised him a creative midfield role, where he could get on the ball to make things happen in the middle of the park.

This was not to be the case, though, as he was, instead, utilised as a centre-forward or out wide and was never able to play in the position that was promised to him, as per his claim.

Former Leeds forward Tomas Brolin.

Brolin went on to score just four goals in 24 appearances for the Whites in all competitions throughout his time in Yorkshire, which worked out as around £1.1m per goal from his £4.5m transfer fee.

In 1996, the forward had to apologise to Wilkinson after telling Swedish television that he had agreed to join Norrkoping on loan as an April Fool's interview, which ended up being taken seriously in the English media.

The club eventually opted to release him from his contract in 1997 for a reported £140k to end a dismal spell at Elland Road after his club-record switch from Parma.

What Brolin is up to now

He retired at the age of 28 and ventured into the business sector having met Swedish inventor Goran Edlund in 1997, who had developed a new vacuum cleaner nozzle.

In 2018, The Sun reported that Brolin was a 50% partner in The Twinner and that the brand had become popular in Sweden over the subsequent two decades. By that point, they sold 130,000 products per year and the company was said to be worth 'millions of pounds'.

The Swedish former professional has, therefore, become a successful owner of a vacuum company, which is not the traditional route that former international players take after their retirement, but it has seemingly worked out well for him.

The Daily Star claimed, earlier this year, that the ex-Leeds flop donates 30% of his earnings from sales of the vacuums to a children’s rights society in Sweden.

He has had success off the field since his retirement, with a thriving business, and it is great to see that his sour spell with Leeds was quickly put behind him, as it was a nightmare move for all involved on the pitch.

Jury in Alex Hepburn rape trial discharged after failing to reach verdict

Former Worcestershire cricketer had been accused of raping a sleeping woman in 2017

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Jan-2019The jury in the trial of Alex Hepburn, the former Worcestershire cricketer who was accused of raping a sleeping woman, has been discharged after failing to reach a verdict.The case at Worcester Crown Court was adjourned on Friday afternoon, the fifth day of the trial, after the 12-person jury failed to reach a majority verdict following more than nine hours of deliberation.Hepburn, 23, now faces the prospect of a retrial after pleading not guilty to two counts of rape, following his initial arrest in April 2017.In the course of the trial it was claimed that the alleged victim, who cannot be named, had awoken during the attack, having initially assumed Hepburn to be Joe Clarke, his Worcestershire team-mate, with whom she had had consensual sex earlier in the night.Hepburn, who was born in Western Australia and moved to England in 2013 to pursue his cricket career, told the court that he had previously arranged to sleep in his friend’s room, and did not see the woman until he was in bed beside her.The case brought to light what was described in court as a “sexual conquest game” on the social media app WhatsApp, involving a number of Worcestershire’s players, including Hepburn and Clarke.Miranda Moore QC, for the prosecution, alleged that Hepburn had been “fired up” by his desire to win the competition, having posted the rules of the game to the WhatsApp group five days before the alleged attack.Hepburn, giving evidence, had claimed the WhatsApp group was “meant to be nothing more than immature chat between a group of friends”, adding that he was embarrassed that his family had had to see the comments that he had made.The Crown Prosecution Service will now discuss the prospect of a retrial with the lawyers and the judge, Jim Tindal, with a decision due in 14 days’ time.It is also understood that the ECB, the PCA and Worcestershire CCC are paying close attention to the case, with the behaviour of the club’s players likely to come under scrutiny from the Cricket Discipline Commission, irrespective of the verdict.

صفقة تبادلية منتظرة بين مانشستر يونايتد وباريس سان جيرمان

كشفت تقارير صحفية بريطانية، عن صفقة تبادلية بين مانشستر يونايتد وباريس سان جيرمان، تلوّح في الأفق خلال ما تبقى من فترة الانتقالات الصيفية الجارية.

مانشستر يونايتد يسعى لتدعيم وسط الملعب، وكذلك باريس سان جيرمان يبحث عن لاعب جناح في الميركاتو، قبل حوالي أسبوعين من نهاية سوق الانتقالات الصيفية.

مانشستر يونايتد ارتبط بالتعاقد مع الدولي الأوروجوياني، مانويل أوجارتي لاعب وسط باريس سان جيرمان، منذ مدة ليست بالقصيرة.

صحيفة “إنديبيندينت” البريطانية، أكدت أن مفتاح الصفقة سيكون عرض جادون سانشو على باريس سان جيرمان معارًا لمدة موسم مع إلزامية الشراء، من أجل إقناع النادي الفرنسي بالتخلي عن أوجارتي.

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الصحيفة البريطانية، أفادت أن باريس سان جيرمان كان يسعى لضم ماركوس راشفورد، لكن اللاعب الإنجليزي مُحصن في مانشستر يونايتد ولا ينوي النادي رحيله في الوقت الحالي.

جادون سانشو بسبب عدم التفاهم مع تين هاج، وتألقه في الموسم الماضي مع بوروسيا دورتموند، سيكون هو الخيار الأمثل لـ مانشستر يونايتد من أجل إقحامه في صفقة تبادلية مع أوجارتي.

يرى يونايتد أن خط الوسط الدفاعي هو مركز الأولوية في الصفقات، مع كون أوجارتي هو هدفهم الأساسي، ومدى قناعة المدرب تين هاج باللاعب صاحب الـ23 عامًا.

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