There was speculation the enclosure would be renamed due to the political dynamics in the country

ESPNcricinfo staff31-Jan-2025The PCB has dismissed speculation that former captain and politician Imran Khan’s name would be removed from an enclosure at the recently-renovated Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore owing to his imprisonment on charges of corruption.Speculation was doing the rounds that PCB had removed Imran’s name due to the current political situation in Pakistan. The Gaddafi stadium has been renovated for the Champions Trophy that starts on February 19.The Imran Khan enclosure, which is one of the VIP stands in the stadium, has been a permanent fixture at the venue since 1992, when he led Pakistan to victory in the ODI World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. Tickets for Champions Trophy games in Lahore are being sold online under the ‘Imran Khan Enclosure’.Imran is presently in Adiala jail in Rawalpindi and has denied allegations of corruption, insisting he is a victim of a political vendetta. However, a court recently convicted him and his wife Bushra Bibi in a corruption case, sentencing them to 14 and seven years respectively in prison.Imran, who leads the Tehreek-e-Insaaf party, is currently in opposition to the ruling coalition government of Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Pakistan Peoples Party. The Punjab province is governed by a PML (N) government led by Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of former premier, Nawaz Sharif.

A “world-class” Liverpool player and his agent have now made a big decision regarding his future at Anfield, Fabrizio Romano reports.

Ben Doak leaves Liverpool as FSG ramp up sales

While this summer has seen so much focus on new signings for the Reds, it has also been a busy period of outgoing transfers, with a host of players moving on and more to come. Trent Alexander-Arnold got the ball rolling, while the likes of Jarell Quansah, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez have followed, and now Ben Doak has completed a £25m move to Bournemouth, as FSG plot more spending in line with PSR.

The Scot has spoken of his happiness at moving to a new club, with regular playing time a big reason for his decision to move on from Liverpool, with the Reds struggling to promise him a key role.

“I’m buzzing to be here. I feel like it’s the right time for me and it’s a great opportunity to play regular football at the highest level. It feels like the perfect fit. The team play very nice football. It’s fast and it really suits my game, so I felt like I couldn’t say no to the chance to play here.”

With Doak’s future sorted, it’s now a case of refining the squad while making sure Arne Slot has the necessary depth to compete on four fronts.

Liverpool's hero vs Bournemouth wants Anfield stay

According to Romano on X, Federico Chiesa and his agent have “informed” Richard Hughes and Co that he wants to stay put, in a big twist after being widely expected to depart this summer.

The £150,000-a-week Chiesa is such a popular player at Liverpool, with his positive attitude and love for the game rubbing off on the fans and his teammates.

For that reason, retaining the services of the Italian makes complete sense if he can stay fit, especially with Doak’s exit further weakening the squad depth in the wide areas.

Chiesa is far more than just a cult figure in the squad however, with Alessandro Pierini once describing him as “world-class” during Euro 2020, and his vital goal at home to Bournemouth last week showing what an important player he can be for Liverpool.

Granted, his time at Anfield has been a disappointment overall to date, but fitness issues have hampered him in that time, and he could be an invaluable squad player if his availability improves.

Wirtz will love him: Liverpool chasing "world-class" £86m Isak alternative

Liverpool have earmarked this European superstar as a potential signing before the end of the window.

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 19, 2025

As the Bournemouth game showed, Chiesa has the potential to be a superb impact substitute for Liverpool, possessing pace, technique and end product, and to sell him now would be a big mistake by the Premier League champions.

The leading wicket-taker of the Test series has also bowled the most overs among seamers across both teams

Alagappan Muthu30-Dec-2024

India have had Jasprit Bumrah bowling like few ever have in this Border-Gavaskar Trophy. He has 30 wickets at an average of 12.83. The rest have 36 wickets at 41.33. Soon after India lost the Melbourne Test, where the 31-year-old fast bowler picked up a five-for, and went 1-2 down with one Test to play, Rohit Sharma, the captain, was asked if there is a risk of over-bowling Bumrah.”Yeah, there is,” Rohit said. “To be honest, he has bowled a lot of overs. There is no doubt about it. But again, every Test match we play, we keep that in mind. You know, the workloads of all the bowlers in fact. But again, if somebody is in such a great form, you want to try and maximise that form how much ever you can. And that is what we’ve been trying to do with Bumrah.”But there comes a time where you need to step back a little bit and give him that little bit of extra breather as well. So, we’ve been very careful. I’ve been very careful. I talk to him about how he feels and stuff like that. So, yeah. Those things should be managed carefully. And I’m trying to do that on the field.”Related

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No Gabba 2021 at MCG 2024 as India lose a Test they needn't have

Bumrah’s 53.2 overs at the MCG are the most he’s ever bowled in a Test match. That’s taken his tally for the series to 141.2 which puts his workloads ahead of Pat Cummins (136.4) and Mitchell Starc (131.2) and Mohammed Siraj (129.1).India gave up one big, match-turning century in Adelaide, two in Brisbane and another one in Melbourne, not to mention a whirlwind fifty to a 19-year-old debutant on Boxing Day. Would India have posed more of a threat if they’d gone in with another frontline bowling option instead of packing the back-end of the XI with allrounders?”Look, Akash Deep (five wickets at 54) and Mohammed Siraj (16 wickets at 31) are the frontline seamers,” Rohit said. “It’s just that they’ve been very unfortunate not to be seen on the wicket column.”Siraj, especially, is bowling his heart out. I don’t think there’s anything else that he can do. Obviously, there are technical aspects of his game that he’s looking into. But other than that, in terms of his effort, his attitude, bowling those long spells, he’s always up there. It’s just that the wicket column doesn’t show how well he’s bowled.”So is Akash. In Brisbane and here, in both the games, he’s bowled really well. It’s just unfortunate that he couldn’t get the wickets under his name. It’s just everyone’s job to make sure that whoever plays needs to get the job done for the team. It’s not about one or two individuals.”India’s other seamer is Nitish Kumar Reddy and he admitted on Sunday that as well as his batting is going – he scored a maiden Test century which helped India recover from 191 for 6 in the first innings – he wanted to do more with the ball. Reddy has contributed only 35 of India’s 542.2 overs in their last four Tests.”When we saw him [Reddy] for the first time, we saw there’s a lot of potential, which is why he came here in the first place,” Rohit said. “And he’s come and shown here what he’s capable of. You know, with the bat, he was brilliant.”He understood the situation pretty well, read the situation pretty well. And he’s got solid technique as well. And superb mind, not to forget.””Right now it’s very hard to say the growth part because it’s only been four test matches for him but I hope that he plays for long enough for India in all forms.”

Matthew Wade hit a six off the final ball as Hobart Hurricanes unleashed their considerable firepower in a superb chase of 202 to defeat Brisbane Heat in a pivotal result that kept alive the BBL finals hopes of three teams.Openers Caleb Jewell and Mitchell Owen got Hurricanes off to a rampant start on a batting-friendly Gabba surface. After a late wobble, Hurricanes needed 11 runs off the final over and then whittled it down to requiring one off the final ball. Wade finished as the hero with a six off Xavier Bartlett that sailed over deep square leg.It was Hurricanes’ seventh straight win and sealed a home final. It was a disappointment for Heat, who had posted a big score on the back of Marnus Labuschagne hitting 77 off 44 in his BBL return.Their defeat was further soured by left-arm spinner Matthew Kuhnemann injuring his right thumb late in the contest in a development that could have ramifications for Australia’s upcoming Test squad to Sri Lanka.The result kept alive the slim finals prospects of Adelaide Strikers, Perth Scorchers and Melbourne Renegades, who would have all been eliminated if Heat had won.Owen ignites early, Wade the late heroThe elevation of Owen from the middle-lower order to opener has proven a masterstroke for Hurricanes this season. The powerfully-built Owen has had the licence to attack in the powerplay and once again he got Hurricanes off to a flier.He whacked three sixes in his favoured leg-side region as Hurricanes motored to 47 for 0 after four overs. Owen was running hot and, bizarrely, a fire started in the DJ booth in the terraces.There was a brief delay as nearby fans had to be evacuated, but Owen did not lose his rhythm on resumption. He whacked legspinner Mitchell Swepson for a trio of blows into the crowd in the sixth over before holing out for 44 off 20 balls.After Charlie Wakim was stumped for a duck in a tight call, Jewell and Nikhil Chaudhary combined for an 81-run partnership to get Hurricanes back on track. Jewell batted beautifully with several gorgeous strokes through the covers as Hurricanes gained the ascendency by the time they took the Power Surge in the 16th over.But the match turned with Chaudhary and Jewell dismissed in the Surge and it came down to a nerve-jangling final over.Wade and Jake Doran had to combat slower deliveries from Bartlett before Wade swept a faster paced ball into the crowd to seal a stunning result that had wider ramifications.Heat’s mixed fielding effort, Kuhnemann injury scare Heat were outstanding with the ball and in the field during their championship run last year. But they’ve been ragged as this season has worn on and were left to rue several dropped catches.Nathan McSweeney was the main offender with three dropped catches, including Owen and Jewell early in their innings. In his defence they were tough chances, and he did almost make up for it with brilliant efforts to dismiss Jewell and Chaudhary. Swepson also clung on to a blinder to dismiss Tim David, but it wasn’t enough.There will be a nervous wait over the fitness of Kuhnemann, who ran off the field with one ball left in his final over after being hit on his right thumb by a firm drive from Wade.Newbie Bean strikes in professional debutIn a blow for Hurricanes, quick Billy Stanlake was ruled out for the remainder of the season after he suffered a shoulder injury in the outfield against Renegades.Left-arm quick Marcus Bean had the big shoes of Stanlake to fill. It loomed as a tough initiation for the native Queenslander in his first professional match after being plucked out of club cricket in Tasmania.Skipper Nathan Ellis handed the 21-year-old beanpole, pardon the pun, the new ball, but he made a nervous start after bowling a wide. He sprayed his next delivery but McSweeney could only toe the ball straight to cover in an ugly dismissal.Bean, sporting a wispy moustache and bleached blonde hair, was naturally ecstatic as he pumped his fist and let out a scream in understandable jubilation. Bowling sharply around 135 kph, he bowled a cracking back-of-a-length delivery that beat Labuschagne.By the end of his debut, Bean bowled in four different phases and equipped himself well to finish with 1 for 32 from 4 overs.Labuschagne shines in sole BBL appearanceThere was a lot of expectation over the returns of Labuschagne and skipper Usman Khawaja, who were both playing their sole BBL matches of the season.Khawaja tried to make up for lost time with a first ball boundary. He then showcased the type of inventive batting more befitting of his new Test opening partner Sam Konstas with a scooped six off Ellis followed by lapping a full toss to the boundary.Khawaja raced to 23 off 8 balls before being deceived by a superb slower delivery by Ellis. In came Matthew Renshaw, who overshadowed Labuschagne with a rapid 40 to dominate the 69-run partnership.Renshaw’s improved power-hitting was again on show as Heat rattled along at a run rate of 10 per over. But he was left frustrated after being run out at the keeper’s end attempting a second run.Heat went through a lull in the middle overs until taking the Power Surge and blasting 33 runs across the 15th and 16th overs. Labuschagne took over as he mixed traditional strokes with inventiveness to slam quick Riley Meredith around the ground.Labuschagne has a modest BBL record, but clearly relished – much like Steven Smith – the freedom of T20 cricket after a gruelling Test summer. He notched his second BBL half-century off 31 balls and combined with Tom Alsop in an innings-turning 85-run partnership.Labuschagne reached a new BBL personal best score before being dismissed off the last ball of the innings.

While they’ve faced their fair share of criticism for the amount of money spent, Chelsea have built an impressive squad full to the brim with talented players over the last few years.

From defence to attack, numerous game-changing stars will likely give Enzo Maresca some serious selection-based headaches next season.

Yet, it’s still clear that, as things stand, Cole Palmer is far and away the Blues’ most important player.

The Englishman has already amassed a tally of 72 goal involvements in 97 games for the club, and therefore, fans should be excited about reports linking Chelsea to someone who could be the next Palmer.

Chelsea target the next Palmer

It’s been a hectic summer for Chelsea so far this year, as on top of competing in and winning the Club World Cup, they’ve been incredibly active in the transfer market.

Transfer Focus

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

Of all the signings the Blues have made thus far, it’d probably be fair to say that Joao Pedro and Jorrel Hato are the most exciting, with the former already scoring three goals and the latter being one of the most highly-rated defenders in world football at the moment.

Yet, even with their squad already significantly bolstered, the West Londoners now appear close to signing another up-and-coming talent, someone who could be Maresca’s new Palmer.

At least that is according to a recent report from transfers expert Fabrizio Romano, who has reaffirmed Chelsea’s intense interest in Xavi Simons.

More than that, the Italian journalist has revealed that despite the Pensioners’ interest in Alejandro Garnacho, they “keep working” on the deal to sign the RB Leipzig star.

While Romano makes no mention of how much the Dutchman might cost, reports from earlier this month claim that a fee of around £61m should be enough to tempt the German outfit into selling.

It’s certainly a lot of money to spend on one player, but Simons has proven his ability in recent seasons and would be more than worth it, especially as he could be Chelsea’s new Palmer.

Why Simons could be the new Palmer

So, the first thing we have to say is that we aren’t claiming that Simons is as good a player as Palmer, as over the last two years, the Englishman has been nothing short of world-class and undoubtedly one of the best players in the entire Premier League.

However, the Dutchman is still a sensational footballer, one with masses and masses of potential that shares some key similarities with the former Manchester City ace.

The first of those is that, at just 22 years old, he’s almost the same age and has already established himself as a key player at club and international level.

For example, he’s already won 28 senior caps for the Netherlands, six of which came at last year’s European Championships, and in those 28 games he’s scored five goals and provided four assists.

At club level, the Amsterdam-born star has made 135 appearances across stints with Paris Saint-Germain, PSV Eindhoven and, most recently, Leipzig.

PSG

11

0

1

PSV

48

22

11

RB Leipzig

76

21

23

Netherlands

28

5

4

In those 135 appearances, the dynamic “game-changer,” as talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him, has scored 43 goals and provided 34 assists, which comes out to a brilliant average of a goal involvement every 1.75 games.

Aside from his output, the flying Dutchman is also positionally versatile, and, like Palmer, is more than happy playing as a traditional number ten, or out wide on the wings, where he can use his close control to glide past opposition defenders.

Ultimately, fans shouldn’t expect Simons to come in and be at the same level as Palmer right away, but there are some key similarities between the pair, and over time, we see no reason why he couldn’t become just as effective for Maresca.

Shades of Hazard: Chelsea lead race for £40m "superstar" alongside Simons

The dynamic attacker would add another dimension to Chelsea’s squad.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Aug 7, 2025

Fixtures announced for fifth season of competition as ECB brace for equity sale in coming days

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jan-2025

The fixtures for the fifth season of the Hundred have been announced by the ECB, with the tournament set to open with a double-header between London rivals London Spirit and Oval Invincibles at Lord’s on August 5.Invincibles, the defending men’s champions, and Spirit, the defending women’s champions, are also expected to be the most sought-after franchises in the Hundred equity sale, which gets underway on Thursday, when Invincibles and Birmingham Phoenix are the first teams to go under the hammer.As reported by ESPNcricinfo, this year’s tournament avoids a clash with Major League Cricket, the US-based tournament that will be entering its own third season in 2025. The Hundred final is set to take place on August 31, also at Lord’s, with the Eliminator slated for The Oval on August 30.For the first time this season, direct signings have been permitted in both the men’s and women’s competitions, with Laura Wolvaardt and Amelia Kerr the first to have been recruited in that fashion, as they join Southern Brave and Manchester Originals respectively.Charlie Dean, who has been retained by London Spirit after her role in last year’s title win, said: “August is fast becoming one of the best months of the summer. The Hundred has developed into an excellent competition, we play in front of fantastic crowds and even from the middle you get a sense of how the crowd is so full of families and young people.”The cricket itself is high quality, the format is accessible and quick, and we’re all really looking forward to getting back to it and hopefully defending our title.”Oval Invincibles’ captain, Sam Billings, who is also seeking to defend the title, added: “It will be great to kick off The Hundred with a sold-out derby at Lord’s. From our point of view, we’re looking to start strongly as we have done the last couple of years to set the tone for another positive year. No doubt it will be a brilliant atmosphere at Lord’s.”It was another fantastic tournament last year, we’ve worked hard at the Invincibles to build a really strong core and there’s no reason why we can’t have another great year. The Kia Oval is undoubtedly one of the best places in world cricket to play, our home support is special. We all hope we can build on the last couple of years and keep the trophy in South London.”Season tickets for previous holders will be on sale from today, while an exclusive window for previous attendees will be open from March 4-18. Priority sales will be from April 1-15, before tickets go on general release from April 17.Click here for Men’s Hundred fixtures
Click here for Women’s Hundred fixtures

Arsenal chiefs, led by sporting director Andrea Berta, are still working to back Mikel Arteta in the transfer market before this summer’s deadline on September 1.

Right now, it is reported that the potential Premier League title challengers are prioritising player sales right now after spending over £200 million on Kepa Arrizabalaga, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Cristhian Mosquera and headline-grabbing star striker Viktor Gyokeres.

However, the possibility of another incoming hasn’t been definitively ruled out yet. Berta and co remain linked with a high-profile move for Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, who would come in as a goalscoring number 10 to complement club captain Martin Odegaard (Sky Sports), but there is now a danger of Spurs hijacking their proposed deal.

Tottenham have burst into the race for Eze following James Maddison’s long-term injury, with the England international expected to be out for the majority of 2025/2026 after rupturing his ACL in pre-season.

Competition from their north London rivals means Berta will be forced into a decision over bidding for Eze sooner rather than later, but the 27-year-old isn’t their only potential late signing of the summer.

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Reports last week claimed that Arsenal are eyeing Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet, despite the 20-year-old having only just signed a new contract in May, and the possibility of him joining on a ‘buy-to-loan’ deal has been mooted.

As well as the young Frenchman, versatile Atalanta star Ademola Lookman is beginning to surface as a more regularly-linked possible target.

The Nigerian recently announced that he’s submitted a transfer request as he looks to leave the Gewiss Stadium, and his relationship with the Serie A side now looks completely broken.

“I feel I have no choice but to speak out for what I believe is right, and I feel that enough is enough,” Lookman wrote on social media.

“I can confirm I have now handed in a formal transfer request.”

The 27-year-old was used as a CAM on occasions last term, making further cameos on the left-wing and at centre-forward, but Lookman was utilised in the majority of his appearances as a supporting second striker.

His 20 goals and seven assists in all competitions across 2024/2025 followed on from an historic Europa League final performance against Bayer Leverkusen in 2024, with his stunning hat-trick both winning the trophy for Atalanta and ending Leverkusen’s unbeaten run.

Arsenal make offer to Ademola Lookman with Berta ready to pay £45m

Various Italian sources have reported that Arsenal are prepared to move for Lookman as Serie A giants Inter Milan continue to haggle over price.

Now, according to the newspaper Corriere di Bergamo (via FC Inter News), Arsenal are willing to pay £45 million for Lookman, more than Inter’s, and they’ve made an offer to the player himself.

However, they also report that the former Everton and Leicester City forward has no intention of accepting right now, with Lookman seemingly setting his sights on a move to the San Siro.

The African is “only” interested in Inter, but as this saga over his future drags on, Lookman faces a hefty fine amid his ongoing strike.

It remains to be seen whether Berta and Arteta can turn Lookman’s head and force a U-turn. However, as things stand, Arsenal may need to look elsewhere for alternatives.

“Being dedicated to whatever you do and knowing the secret of your business is what makes you unique,” said Jay-Jay Okocha after Lookman clinched the African Player of the Year award in 2024.

“Lookman is a unique African best Player of the Year, not just [an] African best. Go and verify what I’m saying – many are still testifying about him, and more will do so. His award is a reward for dedication and hard labour.”

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علق وليد سليمان، لاعب النادي الأهلي السابق، على الاسم المحتمل ليكون المدير الفني الجديد للفريق خلال الفترة القادمة، وهو الدنماركي جيس ثورب.

وكان الإعلامي إبراهيم فايق، كشف في حلقة مساء الثلاثاء، ببرنامجه الكورة مع فايق، المذاع على قناة إم بي سي مصر، أن المدرب الدنماركي جيس ثورب سيتولى قيادة النادي الأهلي ومتبقي بعض الرتوش الأخيرة لحسم الأمر.

كما أعلن النادي الأهلي، مساء الثلاثاء في بيان رسمي، أن محمود الخطيب اجتمع مع لجنة التخطيط، من أجل الاستقرار وحسم ملف المدير الفني لقيادة الفريق خلال الفترة القادمة.

وقال وليد خلال تصريحات في البرنامج ذاته مع إبراهيم فايق: “أول مرة أسمع عن جيس ثورب وسيرته الذاتية ليست كبيرة جدًا”.

وأضاف: “يهمني المدرب يكون لديه شخصية قوية جدًا، الأهلي مليء بالنجوم، والذي يفرق مع النجوم، المدرب الشخصية ويستطيع أن يتحكم فيهم”.

طالع | شوبير: الأهلي استقر على المدرب الجديد.. وهذا موعد الإعلان عنه

وتابع: “كنا نحتاج إلى النجوم يفوقوا، اللاعيبة أستغلت مباراة الزمالك ليعودوا ويصالحوا الجماهير، كما قدم عماد النحاس عملا كبيرا بعد رحيل ريبيرو، ويستحق التواجد في الجهاز الفني الجديد للأهلي”.

وأتم: “الدوري أهلاوي، نحتاج اللاعيبه تفوق وهذا حدث في مباراة كبيرة مثل الزمالك، الأهلي بلغة الكرة عندنا يتصدر لا يمكن أن يترك الصدارة (عندما يركب الجدول خلاص)”.

ويحتل النادي الأهلي، المركز الثالث في ترتيب جدول الدوري المصري، بعد مرور 10 جولات برصيد 18 نقطة متساوي مع المصري والزمالك بنفس عدد النقاط أصحاب المركزي الأول والثاني على الترتيب.

Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr. is having a major impact at newly-promoted Portuguese side Alverca, where he is a minority shareholder. Sporting director Pedro Alves has hailed the Brazilian's influence, which has brought global visibility to the club, including a surprise appearance at a recent league match against Benfica.

Alves hails Vini

Alves described Vinicius Jr's involvement with the club as a "privilege," highlighting the immense visibility the Real Madrid star provides to the newly-promoted Portuguese side. Vinicius holds a minority stake in the ownership group that acquired the club in early 2025, and his influence is already being felt both on and off the pitch.

AdvertisementAFPVinicius Jr.'s surprise appearance and global reach

The Brazilian's commitment was on full display recently when he made a surprise appearance at Alverca's Primeira Liga match against Benfica, less than 24 hours after scoring for Real Madrid against Mallorca. The visit caught many, including the club's sporting director, off guard.

"I didn't know he was coming, it was a pleasant surprise," Alves admitted to . "The impact of having such a high-profile figure associated with the club is not lost on the management. The visibility he brings to us as a club, as a country… it's a privilege to have Vini on board."

This follows other promotional activities where the likes of Eduardo Camavinga and rapper Travis Scott were pictured in Alverca jerseys, giving the club what Alves described as "immense" visibility.

The powerful agent behind the project

Vinicius Jr.'s connection to Alverca comes via his agent, Thassilo Soares, known as 'Tata', who is the club's main investor. Tata, who also represents Premier League stars Lucas Paqueta and Gabriel Martinelli through Roc Nation Sports Brasil, has taken a hands-off approach to squad building, according to Alves. Despite his influence, the sporting director was keen to stress that the agent has not used the club to place his own clients.

"Roc Nation Sports doesn't have a single player here, that is, Tata, the football agent, didn't put a single player here," Alves stated. "He had the legitimacy to do so… but in the end he didn't interfere in any of the sports planning."

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AFPWhat next for Alverca?

As a newly-promoted team, Alverca's primary objective for the 2025-26 season is to maintain their status in the Primeira Liga. The club has already shown positive signs, putting in a competitive performance against giants Benfica. With the solid financial backing of their new ownership and the unparalleled global profile provided by their famous part-owner, the ambitious project is focused on establishing Alverca as a stable top-flight club in Portugal. On Saturday, they will take on Santa Clara in a league match.

Cruz Azul extended their unbeaten run in the Apertura 2025 with a 3-2 win over Juárez on Matchday 9, climbing into first place with 23 points from nine games. Manager Nicolás Larcamón, who joined at the start of the season, credited the team’s collective strength and fierce internal competition as driving forces behind their impressive form.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  An unstoppable Cruz Azul

  Cruz Azul are one of the hottest teams in Liga MX as the only unbeaten side in the league after nine rounds. With a record of seven wins and two draws, are shaping up as one of the top favorites to win the title. They boast the best attack in the tournament and one of the strongest defenses, a balance that reflects how well Larcamón has adapted since taking over in June. 

  His arrival was initially met with heavy criticism, especially after suffering a 7-0 defeat to the Seattle Sounders in the Leagues Cup, but the team’s current dominance shows just how quickly the coach has turned things around.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  'The confidence it brings'

  Larcamón emphasized that finishing first is more than just a morale boost – it’s part of the team’s larger ambition.

  “This is a match we must face with great responsibility. We aim for first place, and if we can achieve it this week, fantastic. The big objective is to be in first, not just for what it means on paper but for the confidence it brings. We are working to make that happen," he said. 

  Cruz Azul last won Liga MX in 2021. 

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  Larcamón highlights internal competition

  The Argentine manager highlighted the value of a competitive locker room, where multiple players are pushing for a starting role. He praised the impact of Ángel Sepúlveda and Gabriel Fernández, calling them key figures in the team’s attack and essential to their playoff aspirations:

  “It’s very positive to have attackers with confidence and quality for the type of football we want. I firmly believe that competition in every area of the field keeps players from relaxing. Both Ángel and Gabriel show great humility and give us excellent coverage in the position. I take my hat off to them," he said. 

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  Good times to continue?

  Cruz Azul will host 17th-placed Querétaro next Wednesday in Week 10 of the Apertura 2025, setting up a strong possibility for the team to extend its winning streak.