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Cristiano Ronaldo has sent out a strong message after scoring in Al-Nassr's 3-1 win over Al-Fateh in the Saudi Pro League.

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Al-Nassr win 3-1 over Al-FatehRonaldo sends out message afterwardsPortugal star feeling strongFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Ronaldo scored his 14th Saudi Pro League goal of the season as he was on the scoresheet off Sadio Mane's assist in a 3-1 win over strugglers Al-Fateh. The win has now put Al-Nassr in third over Al-Qadsiyah, who are set to take on leaders Al-Hilal on Monday. Ronaldo has now sent a strong message on Instagram after the statement win.

AdvertisementWHAT RONALDO POSTED

On Instagram, Ronaldo posted photos from the win with the caption: "We’re not stopping."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Despite Ronaldo's words, Al-Nassr are unlikely to be in the Saudi Pro League title race against Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad as they are eight points behind both teams and have played one game more. As such, Al-Nassr will be in a battle for the last Asian Champions League-paying spot against Al-Qadsiyah.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR AL-NASSR?

Ronaldo will be looking to add to his Saudi Pro League tally when Al-Nassr return to action against Al-Raed on Thursday, January 30.

The Manchester United and Real Madrid icon is the highest-paid player in the world, but just how much does he make in Saudi Arabia?

Being a professional footballer is a childhood dream for many and it's not just the prospect of playing in front of packed stadiums that is so appealing to those pursuing a career in the football industry.

Part of the appeal is also the financial rewards, with those making it big in the game ranking among the highest paid athletes in the world.

Cristiano Ronaldo is without a doubt one of those who made it big and the former Manchester United and Real Madrid star is arguably among the richest athletes across the globe.

Just how much does the Portugal icon earn at Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr, though?

GOAL delved into the numbers from Capology and found out!

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Cristiano Ronaldo's salary in numbers

Cristiano Ronaldo has never really had an awful lot of reasons to complain about his wages throughout his career, but his financial situation went to the next level when he made the move to Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.

The Sporting CP academy graduate earns a whopping £3.18 million ($4m) per week, which puts him on well over £165m ($210m) per year.

Player Nationality Weekly wages GBP Weekly wages USD Annual wages GBP Annual wages USD

Cristiano RonaldoPortuguese

£3,188,790

$4,027,872

£165,817,068

$209,449,340

AdvertisementGettyTop earners at Al Nassr

Cristiano Ronaldo is – wholly unsurprising – the best-paid player at Al Nassr, and by some distance.

He earns more than five times as much as second-placed Sadio Mane, although there's absolutely no need to feel sorry for the former Liverpool man as he is still on very lucrative wages.

Former Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte sits third, with Marcelo Brozovic and new signing Jhon Duran completing the top five.

Top 5 highest paid players at Al Nassr

Player Nationality Weekly wages GBP Weekly wages USD Annual wages GBP Annual wages USD

Cristiano RonaldoPortuguese£3,170,298$4,049,851£164,855,482$210,592,240Sadio ManeSenegalese£634,060$809,970£32,971,096$42,118,448Aymeric LaporteSpanish£388,361$496,107£20,194,797$25,797,549Marcelo BrozovicCroatian£383,606$490,032£19,947,513$25,481,661Jhon DuranColombian£329,747$411,563£17,146,843$21,401,301Top earners in Saudi Pro League

It will not come as too much of a surprise to find out that Ronaldo is the best-paid player in the Saudi Pro League as well.

In fact, he earns twice as much as Karim Benzema and Neymar, who share second-spot in the SPL's rich list.

Riyad Mahrez and Sadio Mane, meanwhile, complete the top five.

Top 5 highest paid players in the Saudi Pro League

Player Club Weekly wages GBP Weekly wages USD Annual wages GBP Annual wages USD

Cristiano RonaldoAl Nassr£3,170,298$4,049,851£164,855,482$210,592,240Karim BenzemaAl Ittihad£1,585,149$2,024,925£82,427,741$105,296,120NeymarAl Hilal£1,585,149$2,024,925£82,427,741$105,296,120Riyad MahrezAl Ahli£827,448$1,057,011£43,027,281$54,964,575Sadio ManeAl Nassr£634,060$809,970£32,971,096$42,118,448ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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Al-NassrHighest paid players in the world

It says a lot about the financial power of the Saudi Pro League that the five best-paid players in the world all ply their trade in the Saudi top flight.

Kevin De Bruyne is the Premier League's top earner at £20,800,000 per year, which is a remarkable £12m short of the SPL's number five Sadio Mane.

Elsewhere, Robert Lewandowski is on £27,473,166 per year at Barcelona in LaLiga, roughly £2m clear of Kylian Mbappe at Real Madrid.

Harry Kane, meanwhile, makes £20,606,935 as the Bundesliga's biggest earner following his move from Tottenham to Bayern Munich.

Lionel Messi has to make do with a measly £9,393,870 ($12m) per year at Inter Miami as MLS' top earner.

Top 5 highest paid players in the world

Player Club Weekly wages GBP Weekly wages USD Annual wages GBP Annual wages USD

Cristiano RonaldoAl Nassr£3,170,298$4,049,851£164,855,482$210,592,240Karim BenzemaAl Ittihad£1,585,149$2,024,925£82,427,741$105,296,120NeymarAl Hilal£1,585,149$2,024,925£82,427,741$105,296,120Riyad MahrezAl Ahli£827,448$1,057,011£43,027,281$54,964,575Sadio ManeAl Nassr£634,060$809,970£32,971,096$42,118,448

Arsenal have risen through different levels under Mikel Arteta, and though there have been some ridiculous claims of the Spanish tactician harnessing the so-called dark arts in recent weeks, you can’t argue against the magical job that has been made over the past several years.

Arteta inherited a squad that was failing to inspire confidence, fill the Emirates Stadium, continue Arsene Wenger’s legacy in a positive and fitting fashion.

He’s pieced the London club back together, brick by brick, and though the Gunners have fallen short, so agonisingly short, in each of the past two Premier League title battles against Manchester City, it’s important to look back at where Arsenal have come from.

A range of distinctive improvements have converged to form a fearsome new whole, with the backline among the finest that European football has to offer at the moment.

Arsenal's defensive overload

Arteta and Arsenal’s sporting director Edu deserve all the plaudits for their success in trimming the fat at the Emirates over the past few years and signing players fit for purpose within an elite-level outfit.

This has been displayed through the loping strides taken at the rear, with William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes combining to stand as one of the meatiest and most formidable partnerships around.

Indeed, last season, Arsenal great Lauren even said: “There isn’t a better centre-back partnership than Gabriel and William Saliba in the Premier League, in my opinion.”

23-year-old Saliba’s red card against Bournemouth might muddy the present view, but then football fans are fickle, and one blot on the France star’s copybook does not negate the stunning work that he has plied in recent years, rivalling the likes of Virgil van Dijk as Europe’s prized centre-back.

Great teams carry more than just one or two high-class stars, and Arsenal have strengthened well over the past several windows, but there is now something of an overload of left-footed defenders.

Oleksandr Zinchenko has completed 70 appearances since joining from Pep Guardiola’s City in a £30m deal, but injuries and a loss of form have seen his playing time diminished, leading to more recent captures of Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori.

With youngsters such as Ayden Heaven pushing for a breakthrough, outcasts like Kieran Tierney will be looking for a way out, especially after interest was drummed up this summer.

He’s not the only one. Though Jakub Kiwior has earned a bit of game time this season, he’s not inspiring confidence and may well be given the boot in 2025.

Jakub Kiwior's performance vs Bournemouth

Arsenal signed Kiwior from Italian club Spezia during the 2022/23 winter window, purchasing him for a £20m fee. There’s no question that the Poland international is a talented player, but he’s perhaps failed to quite bring it all together as Arteta would have hoped.

Saliba might have been dismissed against the Cherries but he’s been a pillar of rock-hard strength in recent years for the Gunners and was certainly not the only defender culpable for the team’s first defeat of the season.

Writing in his post-match player ratings, football.london’s Kaya Kaynak branded Kiwior with a 5/10 score, saying: ‘Had been doing OK defensively but his weak pass back to Raya for the penalty was really poor.’

Kiwior suffered the ignominy of being withdrawn at the 80-minute mark, having been introduced seven minutes before half-time, replacing Raheem Sterling after Saliba was dismissed for a last-man obstruction.

It wasn’t a dreadful performance from the 24-year-old, all things considered, but he displayed rustiness in possession and will be frustrated with his manager’s decision to hook him after being introduced past the hour mark.

Minutes played

43′

Touches

24

Accurate passes

13/17 (76%)

Key passes

0

Dribbles (completed)

2 (1)

Possession lost

5x

Tackles + interceptions

0

Clearances

3

Total duels (won)

5 (2)

Dribbled past

1x

The dynamic defender must not be judged on one performance alone, but nonetheless, for the good of his career, it’s perhaps high time for him to search for pastures new.

Why Arsenal should sell Jakub Kiwior

Kiwior has been praised in the past for his “extraordinary” qualities by his countryman Robert Lewandowski, who’s rather good in front of goal and thus knows a talented defender when he sees one.

But we need to be realistic, and with the Pole featuring 20 times at left-back last season, moved from his natural role in the centre due to the Gunners’ imperious and immovable (unless one gets sent off) partnership, it’s hard to see where he fits in, Arteta having spent around £42m on Euro 2024 star Calafiori.

As with the earlier-mentioned Tierney, Kiwior was the subject of transfer attention this summer, with Arteta seemingly considering his departure in August.

The £58k-per-week ace has room for growth and a slick passing game that makes a convincing comment on the strategy behind signing him, influencing Arsenal’s defensive structure, but his pitch time this season has been almost negligible, introduced against Bournemouth only because of dramatic circumstances.

He’s one of the lowest-paid first-teamers on the books but has still cost Arsenal around £5m in wages since being signed back in January 2023. Partner that up with the transfer fee, and he’s cost the club £25m without having properly established himself, even leading Arteta’s train of thought toward his exit only a matter of months ago.

Arteta has had no reservations about cutting players loose who are not going to enhance the project over the past several years, and he must do so again with Kiwior in 2025.

The 5 foot 11 star doesn’t look like he’s going to displace any of his highest-profile defensive teammates, but this simply bears testament to the job that Arteta has done. It would be best for his career path if he took the first steps of a new journey in 2025.

Fewer touches than Raya: Arsenal must axe 4/10 flop after Bournemouth

Arsenal suffered a rare Premier League defeat on Saturday evening.

ByMatt Dawson Oct 21, 2024

“They are all-time greats and truly outstanding ambassadors for Pakistan and global cricket,” said PCB chief Ramiz Raja

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Oct-2021Abdul Qadir and Fazal Mahmood, two of the greatest to ever play the game for Pakistan, have been inducted into the PCB hall of fame.Mahmood was a devastating swing bowler and such was his skill that he became the very first superstar of Pakistan cricket. He made his debut against India in 1952, picking up 139 wickets in 34 Tests at an average of 24.70. His twin six-fors against England at the Oval in 1954 are part of cricketing folklore, especially the one in the second innings that helped Pakistan defend a total of 167.After a professional career that lasted 20 years and having inspired generations of fast bowlers – Shoaib Akhtar called him “a torch bearer” – Mahmood died in 2005 aged 78. In 2012, he was posthumously awarded the Hilal-e-Imtiaz – the second highest civilian award – in recognition of his services to Pakistan cricket.How the Pakistan Hall of Fame works

The PCB Cricket Committee finalised a shortlist comprising players who were retired from international cricket for, at least, five years. Then, a 13-person independent panel, which included three ICC Cricket Hall of Famers, four former Pakistan captains and six members of the print and electronic media, was constituted to take part in the voting process, which was overseen by an internal auditor.

PCB Cricket Committee: Saleem Yousuf (chair), Ali Naqvi, Umar Gul, Urooj Mumtaz and Wasim Akram

Independent voting panel: Javed Miandad, Waqar Younis, Zaheer Abbas (all ICC Cricket Hall of Famers), Intikhab Alam, Rashid Latif, Sana Mir and Shahid Afridi (all former Pakistan captains), Aaliya Rasheed, Chishty Mujahid, Dr Nauman Niaz, Rasheed Shakoor, Sohail Imran and Qamar Ahmed (all print, electronic and broadcast journalists)

Qadir was every bit as influential and had such mastery over his legspin that it was almost like magic. Over a 13-year Test career, he picked up 236 wickets at an average of 32.80, including a nine-for against England. But numbers alone cannot encompass his impact on the game. He was a showman. When he had the ball, no one could look away. Even his action was a wonderfully extravagant routine, and he admitted more than once that it was contrived as a spectacle to distract the batters. Variety was the key; it was said he had six different deliveries per over.Qadir left behind an immense legacy when he died in 2019 aged 63. He was conferred with the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, the third-highest civilian award in Pakistan, the following year. His son Usman follows in his footsteps and is a reserve member of the Pakistan squad that is due to play the T20 World Cup.PCB chairman Ramiz Raja heaped praise on both men as he prepared to induct them into the hall of fame, alongside Hanif Mohammed, Imran Khan, Javed Miandad, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, and Zaheer Abbas.”Fazal’s heroics in the early days introduced Pakistan cricket to the world as a force to be reckoned with and later inspired the next generations of fast bowlers,” Raja said. “The wily, crafty and magical Abdul Qadir revived and reignited the slowly vanishing art of wristspin bowling. Fazal Mahmood and Abdul Qadir are all-time greats and truly outstanding ambassadors for Pakistan and global cricket.”The PCB decided to announce its Hall of Fame inductees on October 16 to commemorate Pakistan’s debut in international cricket.

Rohit and Rahul hit fifties to seal small chase after Jadeja and Ashwin take three wickets apiece

Sidharth Monga08-Nov-20214:03

Agarkar: Missed opportunity for Rahul Chahar

India signed off from the T20 World Cup on a winning note after restricting Namibia to 132. It is not easy to be up for such dead rubbers after you have been knocked out of the competition, but intensity has hardly been an issue for Virat Kohli, who was captaining in his last T20I. The man Kohli hinted at as his successor, Rohit Sharma sealed the chase with 56 off 37 after Ravindra Jadeja and R Ashwin took three wickets each.Namibia’s innings goes nowhere
Usually T20 innings have ebbs and flows, turns and bends. A big over or a maiden to turn things around. Punctuations. This one was just one long sentence of no pace. From the moment Jasprit Bumrah got Michael van Lingen caught at mid-off with a bouncer, wickets fell regularly but not too quickly and runs came regularly but not too quickly.Watch cricket live on ESPN+

Sign up for ESPN+ and catch all the action from the Men’s T20 World Cup live in the USA. Match highlights of India vs Namibia is available in English, and in Hindi (USA only).

Test spinners take threes
Jadeja and Ashwin then owned the middle overs with three wickets each even as Rahul Chahar went for 30 for 0 in his only match of the tournament. Jadeja had Craig Williams stumped, Stephan Baard lbw and JJ Smith caught at cover. Ashwin used changes of pace and direction of turn to claim his three victims, Jan Loftie-Eaton edging a slow offbreak to slip, Gerhard Erasmus edging a carrom ball and Zane green bowled middle stump off a really slow, drifting offbreak.Wiese, Trumpelmann get something to bowl at
David Wiese top-scored with 26 off 25 to make sure Namibia were not bowled out, and the No. 10 Ruben Trumpelmann hit a six and a four off the last over, bowled by Mohammed Shami, to take Namibia to 132.Rohit enjoys early luck
There is a misconception around that Rohit has some weakness against left-arm pace, and he nearly added to it in the first over of the chase. He played for swing first up, but the ball didn’t come back in as much as expected, beating him on the outside edge. The next one he tucked off the hip straight to short fine leg, but was dropped. In the third over again, he lobbed one to midwicket, but Smit misjudged the catch and went on his knees too early and was unable to take the couple of steps needed to take the catch.Rohit shows off stroke-play
Lofts down the ground, pick-ups off the hips, square cut, pull, crashing legspin over mid-off, Rohit then unfurled the goods to make sure India were well on their way to victory. By the time he skied a slower ball from Jan Frylink, India had reached 86 in the 10th over. Kohli didn’t come out to bat, promoting Suryakumar Yadav, who, in company with KL Rahul, saw India through. Rahul ended with another fifty, and India with another win, albeit a hollow one.

For a long time, Arsenal had a reputation for being frankly rubbish at selling their star players, and in all fairness, it wasn’t entirely unwarranted.

For example, superstars like Mesut Özil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had to be forced out of the club after signing mega-money deals and the sensational Alexis Sanchez was moved on in a swap deal that saw Henrikh Mkhitaryan come to North London.

However, in recent years, Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar have slowly turned the Gunners into a club that can, and often does, get significant fees for their stars and unwanted players.

In fact, the pair have overseen some big sales in the last couple of years, including a frustrating player who netted the club a much larger fee than Granit Xhaka did.

Arsenal's recent notable sales

So, starting with the Swiss international’s sale to Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2023, the Gunners earned a cool £21.4m.

Now, that might not seem like a massive sum of money for a player that was so important to Arteta’s side, but at the time, he had just a year left on his deal, was 30 years old, and by all accounts, the manager wanted to give him the chance to take on a new challenge after spending six incredibly intense seasons in North London.

However, while the tenacious midfielder’s exit was a big one that summer, it wasn’t the most profitable, as a month later, the club announced the sale of American academy graduate Folarin Balogun, who joined Ligue 1 outfit AS Monaco for a fee in the region of £35m, which for a player who had made just ten appearances for the club was seriously sizable.

The club continued to pick up hefty fees for fringe players this summer as well, with Aaron Ramsdale joining Southampton for a fee that could reach £25m, while Emile Smith Rowe joined Fulham in a deal that could see the North Londoners earn up to £34m, which is seriously impressive considering the minuscule amount of minutes he received last season.

However, while both these sales are impressive, Arteta and Edu oversaw another significant exit this summer that was arguably the most remarkable sale of them all.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

Eddie Nketiah's Arsenal exit

Yes, the player in question is Eddie Nketiah, who finally left Arsenal this summer after joining the club as a 14-year-old.

The talented “beast”, as dubbed by Arteta, endured a mixed career in North London, as while he showed glimpses of real quality here and there, he was ultimately more frustrating than anything else, and despite earning a new £100k-per-week contract and the number 14 shirt in the summer of 2022, he couldn’t establish himself as a regular starter.

For example, despite stepping up in the latter half of the 21/22 campaign, scoring ten goals and providing one assist in 27 appearances, he could only muster an underwhelming tally of 38 goals and seven assists in 168 first-team appearances across his entire career in North London.

Appearances

168

Goals

38

Assists

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.26

That means that the once-capped Englishman averaged a goal involvement every 3.73 games for the Gunners, and while that certainly isn’t abysmal, it is nowhere near good enough to lead the line for a club looking to win the Premier League title.

So it felt more like when and not if he would be sold, but given his lack of form and game time over the last couple of seasons, there was concern that he wouldn’t bring in much of a fee, a concern that proved wrong.

In the dying embers of the transfer window this summer, and following multiple failed moves to Marseille and Nottingham Forest, Edu and Co finally got the fee they were after when Crystal Palace agreed to pay up to £30m for the 25-year-old forward, which is a seriously impressive fee considering the far more important Xhaka was sold for just £21.4m just a year prior.

Ultimately, Nketiah’s sale this summer worked out for everyone, as Arsenal got a sizable sum for a player who wasn’t good enough to play for them, Palace got a striker with Premier League experience, and the player himself has the chance to establish himself as a starting striker for a first-tier club.

£32m star's Arsenal career looks done & dusted after Shakhtar

The talented international looks a long way from the Arsenal first team.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 23, 2024

Como boss Cesc Fabregas is reportedly a target for Bundesliga high-flyers Stuttgart with coach Sebastian Hoeness linked with a move away.

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Stuttgart boss Hoeness tipped to leaveBundesliga side target Como boss FabregasFabregas' contract runs until 2028Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

Stuttgart are bracing for the potential departure of Hoeness in the summer as the 42-year-old coach continues to impress with Die Schwaben. They currently sit fifth in the Bundesliga standings, one point shy of the Champions League-paying spots. Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen and RB Leipzig are all said to be interested in signing Hoeness.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

German publication BILD have reported that Stuggart are already drawing up a shortlist of coaches to succeed Hoeness if the 42-year-old leaves in the summer. The report has suggested that Fabregas is atop Die Schwaben's list as the Como boss, who signed Dele Alli this winter, has impressed with the Serie A newcomers at they sit 15th in the league standings in their first season in the top flight.

DID YOU KNOW?

Fabregas has a contract with Como until the summer of 2028 and if Stuttgart want to sign the former Barcelona midfielder, they will have to cough up a contract termination fee. However, this not be a problem as they will receive close to €6 million (£5m/6.2m) if a club breaks Hoeness' deal with Stuttgart.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR FABREGAS?

Como are looking to continue their fight to stay in Serie A for another season at the least and Fabregas will lead his side next when they take on Juventus at Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia on Friday, February 7.

Celtic welcome RB Leipzig to Parkhead in the Champions League this evening as they look to win for the first time since matchday one against Slovan.

The Hoops thumped the Slovakian side 5-1 in Glasgow on their opening night in the League Phase but their two matches since that have not been quite as comfortable.

Brendan Rodgers’ side followed up their win over Slovan with a devastating 7-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in Germany, a game in which they were 5-1 down by half-time.

They then battled hard to secure a 0-0 draw away at Atalanta in their most recent outing in the Champions League, which means that they have four points in their three matches so far.

The Scottish giants had to dig in deep to land a draw in Bergamo, as the home side dominated the match – with 66% possession – and racked up 2.38 xG worth of chances without scoring.

Leipzig are currently second in the Bundesliga, with six wins and five goals conceded in nine games, and Celtic could face a similar test at Parkhead this evening, which means that they will have to contain the German side’s biggest threats.

RB Leipzig's biggest threats

They typically line up in a 4-4-2 or 4-2-2-2 system and this means that they often have two centre-forwards to occupy the defence and cause problems in the final third.

Those two strikers have, for the majority of this season, been Lois Openda and Benjamin Sesko, who both offer different kinds of attributes at the top end of the pitch.

Openda is a fleet-footed, mobile, marksman who likes to make runs off the last line and has showcased his goalscoring quality this term, with five goals in eight Bundesliga starts, although he is yet to score in Europe.

Leipzig’s biggest threat in the Champions League so far, though, has been Sesko, who has scored three goals in three games in the competition – with two strikes against Juventus and one against Dortmund.

Appearances

9

3

xG

2.40

2.42

Goals

3

3

Aerial duels won per game

2.3

2.3

Aerial duel success rate

64%

70%

As you can see in the table above, the Slovenia international has scored six goals from just 4.82 xG across the Bundesliga and the Champions League this term.

The 6 foot 5 titan has also won the majority of his aerial battles, winning 2.3 per game on average, and scored two headers across both competitions, which illustrates how much of a challenge it will be to keep him quiet tonight.

Sesko is a centre-forward who offers quality in front of goal, as shown by his xG overperformance, as well as a physical presence for the centre-backs to deal with, which is why Rodgers must brutally ditch Auston Trusty from his starting XI.

Why Auston Trusty should be dropped

The USA international, who was signed from Sheffield United on a permanent deal in the summer transfer window, was selected to start alongside Cameron Carter-Vickers in the 6-0 win over Aberdeen in the League Cup at Hampden Park on Saturday.

His performance was rewarded with a player rating of 8/10 from The Scotsman, who wrote that the centre-back was rarely troubled by the Dons and kept things neat and tidy in possession.

Despite a strong showing, and a clean sheet, against Aberdeen, Rodgers must take the former Arsenal man out of the starting line-up as Sesko could take advantage of his struggles with aerial duels.

In the Premier League last term, Trusty barely won the majority of his battles in the air, winning 55% overall, as the Blades were relegated and conceded a staggering 104 times in 38 outings.

Appearances

3

Sofascore rating

6.60

Goals conceded

7

Aerial duels won per game

0.7

Aerial duel success rate

25%

As you can see in the table above, the central defender has struggled badly in the air in the Champions League this season, losing a whopping 75% of his contests.

These statistics suggest that Sesko, given his aerial dominance, could take advantage of the summer signing in those situations to cause Celtic huge problems, which is why Rodgers must take Trusty out of the team to avoid that issue. T

The Celtic titan who should replace Auston Trusty

The Hoops head coach must unleash Liam Scales in his place in order to give the Scottish giants the best possible chance of silencing the former RB Salzburg sensation.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Unlike Trusty, the Republic of Ireland international is a towering central defender who has the presence and physicality to consistently dominate opposition forwards in the air, in the Premiership and in the Champions League.

In the 0-0 draw with Atalanta last time out in Europe, the former Aberdeen loanee won five of his seven aerial contests and made nine clearances to help his side keep a clean sheet.

Meanwhile, Trusty got away with losing five of his six aerial duels in that game because Mario Pasalic failed to score from any of his six headed attempts, which generated an xG of 1.0.

Sesko’s form for Leipzig this season, particularly aerially, suggests that he would not be as forgiving as the Atalanta midfielder was in front of goal, which is why the Hoops cannot afford to have a centre-back who is a liability in those situations tonight.

Appearances

10

3

Sofascore rating

7.61

7.07

Headed goals

1

1

Aerial duels won per game

5.7

4.7

Aerial duel success rate

76%

74%

As you can see in the table above, Scales has dominated players in the Premiership and in the Champions League in aerial contests this season.

The left-footed brute, who was lauded as “fantastic” for the team by Rodgers, has proven that he has the physical and defensive qualities that will be needed to keep a player of Sesko’s quality quiet this evening.

That is why the manager must bring him back into the starting XI to play on the left side of the defence, with Cameron Carter-Vickers on the right.

Worth more than Kuhn: Celtic lost a real star whose value's soared 1,300%

The former Celtic forward has thrived since moving down south to the Premier League.

1 ByDan Emery Nov 3, 2024

India decide against enforcing follow-on after visitors fold for 62; Siraj, spinners run amok

Saurabh Somani04-Dec-20212:50

Vettori: Great day for Ajaz but poor for New Zealand

Ajaz Patel made history in a stirring show for New Zealand. Then he watched New Zealand’s batters also make history, of the kind that stirred rather different emotions. Ajaz joined Jim Laker and Anil Kumble as one of only three men who had taken all ten wickets in a Test innings, becoming the first one to do so in an away game. He also faces the prospect of becoming the only bowler of those three whose feat came in a losing cause, with India having amassed a lead that’s quickly becoming out-of-sight for New Zealand.Watch live cricket on ESPN+ in the US

India vs New Zealand is available in the US on ESPN+. You can subscribe to ESPN+ and tune in to highlights of day two of the 2nd Test in English or in Hindi.

Ajaz’s indefatigable 10 for 119 in 47.5 overs had kept India to 325 all out in their first innings, but that looked north of gargantuan when New Zealand began their reply. They were shot out for 62 in just 28.1 overs, and Virat Kohli opted to give his batters time in the middle so didn’t enforce the follow-on. At stumps on the second day, India were 69 without loss, a lead of 332 and beyond the possibility of anything other than victory.Ajaz got into the record books but the only thing that went wrong for India was Shubman Gill copping a blow to his right elbow while fielding close in, and therefore not coming out to open. Mayank Agarwal was instead accompanied by Cheteshwar Pujara. They dealt with a ground down New Zealand attack confidently in the 21 overs they batted, with Pujara moving to 29 and Agarwal on 38.Related

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Agarwal looked like he was merely picking up from where he left off in the first innings, as indeed he was because New Zealand’s innings was done and dusted in a couple of hours. Agarwal’s 150 was the foundation around which India’s first-innings total was built, an innings of impressive range and temperament.In its way, it was as valuable to India as Ajaz’s 10-fer. Ajaz had regular periods of wrecking mayhem at the other end, but Agarwal continued serenely on. He took on the spinners – including Ajaz – particularly whenever he spotted an opportunity, and showed sound judgement of when to leave the ball as well as excellent patience and shot-selection.Ajaz had begun the day by sending India from a strong 221 for 4 to a wobbly 224 for 6 in the second over, taking out Wriddhiman Saha and R Ashwin off successive balls. The Ashwin dismissal came via a peach, beating his forward defensive with drift, dip and turn to hit off-stump. The space available to beat bat as well as hit stump was so minute, Ashwin didn’t realise he had been bowled and signalled for a review thinking he was caught behind, before he looked back and had to walk off.India rebuilt from there through a 67-run stand with Axar Patel proving a valuable ally for Agarwal, showing equal patience and great strength square of the wicket and off his legs when the bowlers erred. Ajaz apart, those errors arrived more frequently than captain Tom Latham would have liked.India were steady on 285 for 6 at lunch, but the Ajaz show resumed soon after. He showed his skill in getting a well-set Agarwal to follow the ball with his hands because of the length and the sharp turn to feather a catch behind, and had taken all eight wickets to fall when he was confronted with the bottom three batters.The returning Jayant Yadav’s calculated gamble to take him on backfired when he holed out to long-off, and the record books had a new addition when Mohammed Siraj’s slog across the line was sliced up in the air for a catch to mid-off. The ball swirled and hung in the air for a second, a second that seemed a lot longer than it was as history held its breath, until Rachin Ravindra’s safe hands closed around it.Ajaz had achieved his remarkable feat in Mumbai, the city of his birth, but he would have barely had the time to savour the moment, the pumping fists and roars as the New Zealand team enveloped him in a group bear hug, when he was faced with the prospect of his achievement being sidelined as New Zealand’s batting crumbled.Siraj was on fire, and every ball that was on target asked searching questions off New Zealand. Will Young nicked off to slip when one straightened, Latham was caught at deep square leg when he couldn’t control his pull shot to a wicket bouncer, and Ross Taylor fell to a ball that rivalled Ajaz’s to Ashwin for ‘ball of the day’ honours, angling in on off and straightening to knock out off-stump. Ashwin, who seemed to have the ball on a string, struck with his first ball, while Axar and Jayant also had a share of the spoils.The only man who remained not out was Ajaz. He had got every wicket on offer, and didn’t let India get his. It was that kind of day for him. But New Zealand’s chances in this game began and ended with him, and with nothing forthcoming from either his bowlers or his batters, they are facing an abyss from which it seems impossible to climb out of.

The Black & Gold secured a 2-1 victory against the LIGA MX champions, with the Frenchman stunning in the match

LAFC defeats Club America 2-1 in final preseason match off of Lloris' heroicsDenis Bouanga and Nathan Ordaz scored for the LAFC open their 2025 MLS against Minnesota United FCGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED

With Los Angeles FC enjoying their pre-season tour, the fans have had a lot to cheer for as the club has been in fine form, winning all but one of their pre-season games so far. That includes a thrilling 2-1 win over Liga MX giants Club America in a fixture that had something for everyone. The MLS side walked away victorious on the night thanks to two second half goals but that wasn’t the standout play.

That prize goes to Hugo Lloris and his defense as they denied Club America a crucial equaliser in a sequence that included a double save from the Frenchman and a goal-line clearance.

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LAFC struggled to completely overwhelm Club America and just about kept the reigning Liga MX champions at bay in the first half, with the Mexican side putting them under pressure fast. However, they eventually found the breakthrough via Denis Bouanga before Lloris’ heroics in goal.

That seemed to ease the pressure off the Black and Gold, and onto the Liga MX side who conceded again, this time via Nathan Ordaz. While Club America did manage to snag one back, Ordaz’s goal ended up being the winner for Steve Cherundolo’s side.

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AFPWHAT LIES AHEAD FOR LAFC?

LAFC's MLS season kicks off on Feb. 22, but the club plays its first official match of the season a few days earlier. That comes via the CONCACAF Champions Cup as LAFC go on the road on Feb. 18 to face Colorado Rapids in Round 1, with the second leg taking place on Feb. 25.