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Celtic striker Giorgos Giakoumakis has been officially passed fit for the Hoops’ vital Scottish Premiership clash with Ross County this weekend.

The Lowdown: Celtic face another big game

Ange Postecoglou’s men return to league action on Sunday action, with title glory within their reach after opening up a lead over rivals Rangers.

Celtic still have plenty of work to do, however – they meet the Gers once more at the start of May – and victory at fifth-place Ross County may not be easy.

Ahead of the game on Sunday though, the Hoops have received a big injury boost.

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The Latest: Giakoumakis passed fit

Taking to Twitter on Friday, reliable journalist Alison Conroy confirmed that Giakoumakis is officially back after recovering from a hamstring issue, delivering an emphatic four-word verdict:

“Giorgos Giakoumakis is back.”

The Verdict: Big boost for Hoops

This is an enormous positive for Celtic, who missed Giakoumakis’ firepower in last weekend’s Scottish Cup semi-final defeat to Rangers at Hampden Park.

The Greek goal machine has averaged a goal  every 96 minutes for the Hoops this season, netting nine times in 16 league appearances, and a potentially tight game on Sunday could require him to take one chance with aplomb.

A win at Ross County would feel like another significant step towards the title and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the returning Giakoumakis be the match-winner.

In other news, a financial expert has made a key Celtic claim. Read more here.

Former Glasgow Rangers striker Steven Thompson has been left slamming the display of Scott Wright in their UEFA Europa League clash on Thursday night.

The Lowdown: All to do

Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team have it all to do at Ibrox, after former Manchester City left-back Angelino scored with just a few minutes to go to give RB Leipzig the 1-0 win in the first leg.

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It will be interesting to see whether the Dutch manager changes any tactics or personnel for the second leg of the tie, as they will no doubt need to for it to turn the scoreline around.

The Latest: Wright slammed

Speaking on BBC Sportsound (via BBC Sport, 21:26pm), Thompson slammed Wright’s performance after he was taken off for Fashion Sakala just shy of the 70-minute mark, claiming that he was ‘quiet’ and failed to make a real impact on the game:

“Scott Wright has been quiet. In this second half he’s moved out to a more familiar right wing position but hasn’t made much of an impact.”

The Verdict: Anonymous

The fact that Wright was taken off for Sakala with the score at 0-0 is testament to how much he seemed to struggle in the match.

The Scotsman actually ended up recording fewer touches than goalkeeper Allan McGregor, the only Gers starter to do so, while he also had no shots on target and made no key passes, crosses or long balls, losing possession a total of 15 times (SofaScore).

Scottish football journalist Bill Young suggested that the occasion of a semi-final overwhelmed him, and that definitely seemed to be the case.

In other news, find out what ‘monumental blow’ for the Teddy Bears has emerged here!

Liverpool will endeavour to get the job finished as they head into the second leg of their Champions League semi-final clash with Villareal, however early team news coming out of Spain could cause Jurgen Klopp problems.

What’s the latest?

According to The Athletic Liverpool reporter James Pearce, Gerard Moreno is fit to play in the crucial clash for his side this evening.

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The Spanish striker missed out on the first leg due to a hamstring injury, but according to the report Unai Emery expects Moreno to be available for selection.

Huge blow for Liverpool

The 30-year-old forward is a key player for Villarreal and will surely offer a goal-scoring threat in the side’s pursuit to get back into the game after losing 2-0 at Anfield last week, which could be a huge blow for Liverpool.

Despite suffering several injury issues, Moreno’s Champions League form has been undeniable when he has been fit to play, with a goal contribution in four of the six games he has played, scoring twice and assisting his teammates three times throughout their impressive campaign in the competition.

The centre forward has played a key part in getting his Europa League winning side to their first semi-final in the prestigious competition since 2006, so his presence in the team during their home leg will surely be felt by the Liverpool players and they will have to work hard to stop him taking any chances from the game.

With that being said, Klopp already given a grave warning about Moreno in his post-match press conference with BT Sport last week when he was asked about how he feels about being 2-0 up in the first leg;

“It is not over, there is another leg and Moreno will be back for them in the next round I think.”

If Liverpool can continue to dominate their opponents in Spain this evening, they will be in their third competitive final of the season after qualifying for the FA Cup final and winning the Carabao Cup final at Wembley last month.

Despite the concerns about the returning Villarreal striker, Liverpool should have enough of a head start to take their opportunity to go to the third Champions League final in five years, but we have seen crazier things happen in the Champions League on these huge occasions.

AND in other news: “I’m told…”: Romano drops major LFC transfer claim, supporters will be buzzing

Rangers boss Giovanni van Bronkhorst has been handed a big lift at Ibrox ahead of next season’s Champions League…

What’s the talk?

A decision has now been made that will have big implications for teams in Scotland and Rangers specifically as it directly impacts how they will be able to qualify for the Champions League next term.

Indeed, The Scotsman have reported that UEFA has now decided to ban all teams in Russia from European competitions for the 2022/23 campaign.

For starters, the champions of the Premiership will gain automatic qualification for the competition, with Rangers currently sitting six points behind their rivals in the table.

Secondly, the runners-up in the Scottish top-flight will now enter into the third qualification round, instead of the second, next term.

Van Bronckhorst will be delighted

The Ibrox giants head coach will surely be delighted with this news as it is a huge boost to his side heading into next season.

This change to the qualification rules means that the Gers have a better chance of making the group stages of the Champions League as they will not have to play the first two games that they would have otherwise had to play.

They are set to skip the second round, assuming they finish second in the Premiership and do not win the Europa League, and van Bronckhorst will be buzzing with that. Not only does it increase their chances of qualifying, as it removes the possibility of them being knocked out before the third stage, but it also means that his players have two fewer games to deal with.

Rangers will, therefore, have a smaller risk of burning their players out as they will save, at least, 180 minutes of football in the early parts of 2022/23. The head coach will be delighted by this as it will keep his players fresh and fit to compete on all fronts next season, with the Gers potentially competing in the Champions League, Premiership and both domestic cups.

Although, it is worth stressing that Rangers can still qualify for the group stages of Europe’s premier competition without needing to go through the qualifying rounds. If they are able to overturn their 1-0 deficit against RB Leipzig on Thursday and then win in the final of the Europa League then they will follow the winners of the Premiership into the tournament at the same stage.

AND in other news, Rangers played an Ibrox blinder with £22k-pw “cornerstone” who’s like “Graeme Souness”…

Wolverhampton Wanderers may face a battle to keep hold of Barcelona-loanee Francisco Trincao for next season, should Bruno Lage consider him part of his plans.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from Sport Witness  (via TEAMtalk), who claim that the West Midlands side face competition from Liga Portugal side Sporting CP, who have made the former Braga man a “priority.”

As per the report, Sporting manager Ruben Amorim is the man who has made Trincao the club’s priority signing, with the 37-year-old having managed the Barcelona-loanee when the pair were at Braga.

Sporting understand that Wolves have an option to buy clause as part of the loan deal that saw him make the temporary switch to Molineux, though reportedly remain confident in completing a deal for the 22-year-old with Wolves undecided on activating the option to buy clause.

According to Transfermarkt, the loan cost Wolves £5.4m with the option to buy clause set at £25m.

Goncalves 2.0

Trincao’s future at Wolves is entirely dependent on Lage’s decision. Whilst he has managed just two goals and one assist in 27 Premier League games, there have been glimpses of the player that struck eight assists in 27 appearances for Braga just two seasons ago.

Going by the expected goals tally, Trincao, who has been described as a player who can make a “massive impact”, should have four goals this season, which whilst is still not exceptional for a player of his talent, would see him rank as the Old Gold’s third-highest goalscorer behind Hwang-hee Chan and Raul Jimenez who have notched five and six goals respectively.

With Trincao being one of two left-footed forwards at the club, he offers Lage an unorthodox option throughout the role of an inverted winger, and with the recent switch in tactics to a counter-pressing 3-5-2 system, the Portuguese attacker could massively benefit from such a direct approach.

As it stands, the Barcelona loanee has just two more games to prove his worth, with Lage yet to make a formal decision on the matter. He will have to decide pretty soon though amidst the expiring loan deal and severe interest from Sporting.

However, judging by the impact Pedro Goncalves has made since swapping Wolverhampton for Lisbon, the Old Gold could be staring down the barrel of another disastrous transfer decision.

Since moving away from Wolves, the fellow Portuguese star has scored 38 times in just 77 outings. The last thing Lage would want is a repeat scenario of that.

In other news: Wolves plot bid to sign “terrific” £12m-rated gem who “runs the show”, Lage needs him 

Rangers ended their Premiership campaign with a convincing 3-1 win at the weekend and now Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side face the prospect of a UEFA Europa League final tonight.

The Gers have travelled from Ibrox for this gigantic European clash in Seville, with a trophy and Champions League football awaiting the winner of the match.

Rangers come into the game off the back of smashing Hearts with a much-changed team on Saturday as a host of first-team players were rested.

They will now need to be brought back into the side for this clash and one player who must be unleashed is Finland international Glen Kamara.

The central midfielder was not involved in the win over Hearts and must now come into the side in the middle of the park, with John Lundstram and Ryan Jack either side of him.

He was phenomenal in the second leg of the semi-final clash with RB Leipzig and proved that he can have a major influence in this competition. As per SofaScore, he won three of his five aerial duels, made two interceptions and one tackle and created one chance in 90 minutes.

The gem also produced a fine piece of skill after shrugging off two challenges to set Ryan Kent away before James Tavernier’s goal and scored a sensational strike himself, as he stroked the ball into the corner with his weak foot from 20-yards.

His former Dundee United boss Neil McCann previously hailed him as “lightning-quick” and also said: “He isn’t a big, physical lad but he’s made of iron and really strong. I knew immediately that he could handle the ball under pressure and not give it away, so he was perfect.”

Rangers will need his strength in what could be a tight, cagey, affair in Seville tonight. A major European trophy is on the line and this means that both teams should be putting everything on the line to come away with the win, with these comments from McCann showing that Kamara has the requisite attributes to thrive in this type of match.

Therefore, Kamara – who has been tipped to be worth up to £10m this summer – must start in the final tonight as he has the quality Rangers need to win the match.

His performance against Leipzig shows that he has the technical proficiency to make a huge impact in the final third, whilst the quotes from his former boss prove that he has the mentality and physicality to handle a competitive clash with Frankfurt.

He can be the match-winner for the Gers with these qualities and that is why van Bronckhorst must unleash him from the start.

AND in other news, Major boost: Early Rangers team news emerges before UEL final, supporters will love it…

Tottenham Hotspur could repeat their Dejan Kulusevski masterclass by signing one of his former teammates…

What’s the word?

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, Spurs are ready to do business with Juventus once again, this time for midfielder Weston McKennie, who they want to sign on a loan-to-buy agreement, too.

The USMNT international has often been linked with a move away from Turin and he has struggled to maintain a regular place in Max Allegri’s starting XI.

Paul Pogba could return to the Allianz Stadium and that would push the American further down the pecking order. McKennie is currently valued at £22.5m by Transfermarkt.

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Kulusevski repeat

Given the success stories of Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur, it would be wise for sporting director Fabio Paratici to return to his former club for yet another signing.

Central midfield may not be a priority heading into next season but it’s clear that manager Antonio Conte is keen for reinforcements in the role, with the Telegraph suggesting that he wants deep enough squad depth to challenge, particularly if they qualify for the Champions League.

Signing McKennie on an initial loan would be hugely beneficial towards the budget as the club wouldn’t have to fork out a hefty fee when there are other areas of the squad to bolster.

On top of that, the 23-year-old would be a very solid addition indeed.

Capable of playing in a variety of engine room roles, the Juventus powerhouse could be of huge use to Conte when competing in multiple competitions next season.

“He’s an outstanding talent. In the No.6 or No.8 position he has the mentality, a real working mentality that you need,” once claimed his former Schalke manager David Wagner. “And he’s brave on the ball as well. He can be one of the best midfielders in the Bundesliga.”

Also lauded as a “rock” by Old Lady legend Andrea Pirlo, McKennie ranks inside the top 2% of his position peers across Europe for touches in the penalty box (3.65 per 90), showing that he likes to get forward to try and create something, whilst also being able to press high up the pitch with 0.41 final third tackles per 90, which rates him inside the top 14%, per FBRef.

On the above evidence, the 5 foot 10 midfielder would be a nice signing to make during the off-season and considering how well the Kulusevski deal has gone, it would make perfect sense to repeat that masterstroke by bringing McKennie in on an initial loan.

AND in other news, Paratici eyeing Spurs swoop for £60m-rated “phenomenon”, just imagine him and Romero…

“I am not bothered about criticism. As I said, people criticise only important people”

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Aug-20212:17

Ajinkya Rahane: I am not bothered about criticism

Only important people are criticised, Ajinkya Rahane has said, dismissing concerns that the talk around his form might have had any impact on his game. Rahane has averaged 27.36 in 13 Tests since the start of 2020, but his innings of 61 and the partnership with Cheteshwar Pujara, another batter struggling for big runs, helped India turn around a position of disadvantage into an incredible Test win at Lord’s.India were effectively 28 for 3 when Rahane walked in to join Pujara in the second innings with England ecstatic at having just dismissed Virat Kohli, who himself is going through a lean patch. Rahane and Pujara added 100 runs for the fourth wicket in 49.3 overs to get India into a fighting position before the tail ran away with the game.”I am happy people are talking about me,” Rahane said when asked if he found it frustrating that he has been under the scanner for long. “I have always felt people talk about important people so I am not concerned about that. It’s all about the contributions for the team. Cheteshwar and I have been playing for a long time, we know how to handle pressure, we know how to handle certain situations, so we are not concerned about them. We are just focusing on the team, we just want to contribute for the team, and that’s what we are doing. Whatever we can’t control, we are not thinking about that.”Does the criticism motivate? “Everything motivates,” Rahane said. “I mean playing for the country motivates me the most. I am not bothered about criticism. As I said, people criticise only important people. I am happy people are criticising me. I only focus on the controllables.”Rahane was satisfied that he and Pujara were able to contribute to the team’s case at Lord’s. “It was really satisfying,” Rahane said. “I always believe in contributions to the team. For me, I always think about the team so that contribution of 61 or 62 was really important.”It was all about hanging in there. The communication was all about thinking about small targets and then build it from there. We always talk about Cheteshwar, he plays slow, but that innings was really important for us. He batted 200-plus balls, even though he got just 46 [45] runs, I think those 200 balls were really important for us.”We back each other. He told me to back my game. I told him to back his own game, whatever methods he wants to go with. I thought the communication was very good. We just wanted to build one good partnership. We knew 170-180 would have been a very good score on that wicket.”Two days before the Headingley Test, the third of the series in which India lead by 1-0, Rahane said all the fast bowlers, including Shardul Thakur, who missed the Lord’s Test with a hamstring injury, were fit and available for selection. They hadn’t yet decided the combination they were going to go with.

Smith takes List A career-best of 5 for 34 before Armitage sees hosts home with 68*

ECB Reporters Network10-Sep-2021Northern Diamonds produced a clinical performance with bat and ball to defeat Western Storm by seven wickets in their Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy at Emirates Riverside.The Diamonds were on point with the ball as Linsey Smith produced career-best List A figures of 5 for 34 to dismiss the Storm for 183. Captain Sophie Luff top-scored for the visitors with a fine innings of 65, but their total was always going to be tough to defend.Hollie Armitage led from the front in the Diamonds’ run-chase. The skipper blasted a half-century from 53 balls, and was unbeaten at the end on 68 alongside Bess Heath to guide their side over the line with ease, earning their fourth victory in five games in the competition.After being inserted, the Storm made a solid start through Fi Morris, who scored a brisk 30. However, Beth Langston dismissed Georgia Hennessy for 5 before notching a second wicket in her first seven-over burst to remove Morris.The visitors were able to settle into a rhythm with Luff and Alex Griffiths at the crease. The two players put on fifty in just 46 balls to put the Diamonds under pressure, and the hundred was brought up at the end of the 18th over. Jenny Gunn was forced to leave the field after pulling up before bowling her second over, and was replaced by Katie Levick.Smith earned her reward for a fine spell to remove Griffiths for 36, breaking a partnership of 65 for the third wicket. Storm collapsed after Griffiths’ dismissal, falling from 109 for 2 to 112 for 6 in the space of three overs. Luff was defiant amid the clatter of wickets, scoring a half-century from 57 deliveries.She shared a stand of 61 with debutant Chloe Skelton for the seventh wicket to propel the visitors towards a score over 170, but Smith returned from the Finchale End to surge through the tail. She removed Luff for 65 with the final wicket of the innings.The Diamonds enjoyed a rapid start to their chase aided by wayward bowling from the visitors. Lauren Winfield-Hill and Armitage were able to calmly see off the early overs to settle their team into the innings.Hennessy prised out Winfield-Hill with a delivery that kept low for 16. However, the home side were not deterred as Armitage and Sterre Kalis took the game away from the Storm to whittle down the total with ease. Kalis and Leah Dobson were both dismissed by Stephanie Hutchins, but it was too little too late for the visitors.Armitage completed a deserved half-century to allow the hosts to close in on victory. She and Heath produced an unbeaten stand of 54 to deliver the win, with Armitage dispatching the winning runs with a boundary through the leg-side.

The 36-year-old left-arm seamer has made himself available for selection in all three formats for the 2021-22 season

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Oct-2021Samad Fallah has received a no-objection certificate from Uttarakhand and is now eligible to return to his home state Maharashtra for the upcoming 2021-22 Indian domestic season. He has made himself available for selection in all three formats.Fallah, 36, played for Uttarakhand during the truncated 2020-21 season, which included only white-ball cricket because of the Covid-19 pandemic. He was Uttarakhand’s joint-highest wicket-taker during the 50-overs Vijay Hazare Trophy, with seven strikes in six games at an average of 28.57. He also played four of the team’s five matches during the T20 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, picking up two wickets while returning an economy rate of 8.28.Fallah, who made his Maharashtra debut in 2007-08, is the most prolific left-arm seamer in the history of the Ranji Trophy, with 272 wickets at an average of 28.56. His tally puts him one wicket above Saurashtra’s Jaydev Unadkat. Hiralal Gaekwad, whose Ranji Trophy career stretched from 1941 to 1963, picked up 278 wickets, but he bowled a mixture of left-arm spin and seam. Apart from 287 first-class wickets overall, Fallah has picked up 75 in List A cricket and 62 in T20s.During his peak years, Fallah was the leader of a strong Maharashtra pace attack that also included Anupam Sanklecha, Domnic Muthuswami and Shrikant Mundhe. Their best collective effort came in 2013-14, when they combined to propel Maharashtra to their first Ranji Trophy final in 21 years, which they eventually lost to Karnataka.Fallah’s brightest moment during that season came on the first day of the semi-final in Indore, when he picked up 7 for 58 to help bowl Bengal out for 114.