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He will remain with the team to continue his rehabilitation and has not been replaced in the squad

Andrew McGlashan02-Dec-20250:46

McGlashan: An unfortunate end if Khawaja’s Test career is over

Usman Khawaja’s international future is in doubt after he was ruled out of the second Test at the Gabba after failing to recover from the back spasms that he suffered in the opening match in Perth.Khawaja had batted for the first time since the injury on Tuesday during a 30-minute net session but did not come through it with a clean bill of health to be able available for selection. It will be the first Test he has missed since his return in early 2022.Related

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“Khawaja will remain with the team to continue his rehabilitation,” a statement said. “He has not been replaced in the squad.”The third Test begins in Adelaide on December 17 which gives Khawaja two weeks to recover although there will be questions over whether he can regain his place.Khawaja’s form was under scrutiny heading into the series – he is now averaging 31.84 since the end of the 2023 Ashes with one century in 45 innings – and coupled with the way Travis Head threw down the gauntlet as an opener and his public statements about being keen for the role, it had sparked a debate about whether now was the time to draw an end to Khawaja’s Test career.His absence opens the door for Head to continue the opening role he took on in the second innings in Perth where he carved his way to 123 off 83 balls although there are other potential routes Australia could take.Since Perth, Head has spoken about being willing to take on the role on a more permanent basis but there remains an ongoing debate about his value at No. 5. Coach Andrew McDonald has also floated the notion of flexible batting orders within a Test.Usman Khawaja was ruled out of the second Test•AFP/Getty Images

“I’m not sure about the middle-order part, but I’d probably expect Trav to open,” Scott Boland said. “It’s hard because obviously he’s put in a lot of work since the last game to try and get his body right but he hasn’t come up unfortunately. I thought he looked pretty good in the nets but he must’ve thought himself that he wasn’t ready to go.”Josh Inglis and Beau Webster are the spare batting options in the squad. Inglis, who made a century on Test debut against Sri Lanka earlier this year, scored a hundred against England Lions last week. Webster was unlucky to miss out on the XI in Perth having made four half-centuries in his first seven Tests alongside contributing handy wickets.Boland added losing Khawaja wasn’t ideal but was confident Australia would be able to adjust as they did in the first Test.”I guess it does [upset the balance of the team] a little bit because we probably planned to have Uzzie there the whole time,” he said. “But I think the best thing about our team over the last few years is that when someone has come out due to form or an injury or something like that, someone’s always stood up and done their job.”Trav did that last week and even without Pat [Cummins] and Josh [Hazlewood], some bowlers have come in and done a good job. We’ve obviously got huge depth in our squad and we can replace anyone if we need to.”If Head does take Khawaja’s role again and makes a success of it, and whoever comes into the XI performs well, it may be tough for Khawaja to return.Khawaja initially suffered back spasms on the opening day at Perth Stadium. England collapsed so quickly on the first afternoon that Khawaja was unable to open due to the time he’d spent off the field and when he emerged at No. 4 could only make 2 before gloving a short ball from Brydon Carse.On the second day Khawaja took his place at first slip, taking a catch to remove Harry Brook and then spilling a low edge offered by Jamie Smith. His back went into spasm while leaping for another edge provided by Smith, opening the way for Head’s remarkable century.

His mis-step at the boundary may haunt him, but India’s biggest drop was at the selection table

Sidharth Monga03-Aug-2025

Mohammed Siraj has not opened the bowling four times in ten innings in the series against England•Getty Images

Mohammed Siraj just can’t catch the edge of Ben Duckett’s bat.Siraj is the leader of the attack who has not opened the bowling four times in ten innings in the series against England. There is a reason for this. There have been occasions when he has missed his lines – never the length – with the new ball. Also, outside Jasprit Bumrah – his beloved “Jassi “, in the absence of whom he tends to lift his performance – Siraj is the only swing bowler in India’s side. And the Duke’s ball swings more for first-change bowlers because by then the embossment on the ball comes off, giving it the perfect roundness while being shiny for swing.It is, however, Siraj’s wobble-seam ball that is the bigger threat. And his metronomic control of lengths. Even though he sometimes loses line, he hardly ever loses length. In the 19th over of England’s second innings at The Oval, Siraj beats Duckett five times on the outside edge. Stuart Broad on air starts speculating when he will bowl the outswinger, which swings into the left-hand batter. Siraj stays away, and stays honest to the process, bowling five balls on a good length and one only half a metre shorter. Three of them seam big. Siraj walks back with a wry smile on his face.Related

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All through the match, like a true disciple of Bumrah, Siraj has bowled only two balls fuller than 5m when two specialist batters have been in the middle. Both of them yorkers, both of them wickets: Jacob Bethell in the first innings, and Zak Crawley to what proved to be the last ball of the third day. Crawley’s wicket levelled him for the most wickets in the series.When Siraj comes back for the 21st over, he tries that full inswinger to the left-hand batter, and gets driven for four. Broad says he has gone to the well too early. It is uncharacteristically early for Siraj, yes, but this is also his 163rd over of the series. Only Chris Woakes has bowled more. The whole first hour goes without a wicket for Siraj. Prasidh Krishna gets his man Duckett at the other end.In 6.1 overs in the first hour, Siraj has created 13 false shots, gone for 26 runs, 13 of them off edges, but first drinks is when he should be done for a while. Try taking the ball away from him. Especially when you have only three bowlers for the conditions. On day two, he bowled eight unbroken overs in a session to help India come back into the match. Asked earlier how come he never needed workload management, he said the , the man upstairs, has kept him healthy, and he just wants to honour that gift by playing as much as he can.

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Siraj goes on for two more overs, gets Ollie Pope out with the wobble-seam ball, and finally goes out of the attack and straight to the change room for running repairs. All the way up three floors’ worth of stairs at The Oval.Just the time to think about how it has taken Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain to make it mainstream what a skilled bowler Siraj is, and not just a workhorse that he is usually given credit for. He bowls outswing and wobble seam, the occasional inswinger, his pace always remains up, he hardly ever bowls a half volley, hardly ever bowls short without meaning to bowl a bouncer, and keeps on going and going. He still averages 31.75, which doesn’t quite put him in elite company. Is it possible he doesn’t have the mythical X-factor?Mohammed Siraj stepped on the fine-leg boundary to hand Harry Brook a reprieve•Getty ImagesSiraj has been fielding at mid-on in the absence of Bumrah to keep helping out Prasidh and Akash Deep. Bowling coach Morne Morkel says Siraj doesn’t lead by words, but by example and actions. He comes down the steps after the breather, but now fields at long leg. The short-ball plan is on, and Harry Brook hits the first ball straight to him. Siraj takes the catch, but has overestimated how far he came in to take it. The backward momentum carries his back foot on to the boundary triangles.If it is just a rope, Siraj’s foot just hovers above the rope and lands safely inside. Reminiscent of Dion Nash stepping on the rope where it overlapped in a thrilling finish to an ODI in Australia. It is not an excuse because they all know there are triangles, and not just the rope. It is the cruelty of it all. That it comes to him even before he has found his bearings and has become comfortable with his whereabouts vis-à-vis the triangles.Siraj turns around with his face in his hand. Not sure what he sees when he opens his eyes again, but there is an England fan just to his left clapping in his face. Minutes later, Siraj is back to his customary mid-on when they show the slow-motion replay on the big screen. The crowd goes ooooooo-ah at the replay. Can it get more cruel? Siraj knows what is going on, but doesn’t react.

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Reprieved on 19, Brook has run riot. At lunch, he is on 38 off 30 balls. Siraj, who is at mid-on towards the pavilion at lunch, walks in the opposite direction. All the way to Prasidh, who is walking towards the pavilion from fine leg at the opposite end of the ground. The two share a low-five, a hug and a smile. Nothing needs to be said. They walk off together. Siraj keeps patting Prasidh on his head. The rest of the team is waiting for them at the gates, and clap them off. These are the two with a big job to do. Akash Deep has been fighting a niggle from day two. He has had what seems like a pain-killing injection.The three bowlers practically bowled a whole session between them on the second afternoon to keep India alive in the series. All bar two overs. India have selected poorly again. Since the start of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, India have chosen not to play four strike bowlers for the given conditions in favour of batting depth. They have lost five of the matches, and won two. The absence of the fourth fast bowler in the XIs in Australia has perhaps played a role in Bumrah breaking down, which has now left him a three-out-of-five-Tests bowler.Once again, Siraj, Prasidh and Akash Deep are asked to bowl through a session because bowling any spin to the Bazballing Englishmen on this pitch can quicken India’s exit from the series. Siraj’s pace stays up but he is human; his spells get shortened. To just six overs now. Then three at the end of the session. This is the lowest average seam he has drawn all match. In the middle of his first spell, he throws away the tubigrip on his calf: execution over protection.4:24

Morkel: ‘Siraj is a natural leader’

Prasidh’s average pace drops by 4kph, as does his swing and seam. He bowls only six overs in the session. Akash Deep’s average pace goes down by 3kph. He bowls only five overs. The ball is getting older, and Brook and Joe Root put India to the sword. A whopping 153 runs come in the session for the wicket of Brook, caught at mid-on by Siraj, but after having added a further 89.Siraj ends the session lying prone on the pitch, trying to field a hit back down the ground. He dusts himself up, wipes his face on his shirt, exposing his black undershirt as he walks off. This time, Prasidh consoles him and pats him on the back, but the belief seems to have evaporated. Siraj has been leading what seems the proverbial “one final push” for long enough for it to be Groundhog Day. At tea, another push seems beyond even him.

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A drizzle during tea, probably not hard enough to stop play but hard enough to not start already stopped play in, gives India slightly longer to recharge: 15 minutes to be precise. The shower has perhaps spiced the pitch a little bit. The break has perhaps given them a bit of succour. Prasidh picks his pace up again. Siraj doesn’t dip. A nervous Bethell leaves them an opening. Prasidh hits the top of middle.Now, with 42 runs still needed, Siraj takes up the role of conducting the crowd. It is a lovely split in the crowd. When England are playing well, it seems the crowd is predominantly English. When India get on a roll, it seems the opposite.Siraj and Prasidh start hunting the front pad of Root and Jamie Smith like men possessed. The seam has gone up even with the older ball. Only 12.3% balls seamed more than 0.75 degrees in the middle session. Now the number is up to 17.4%. When he is not geeing up the crowd, Siraj is bowling a clever mix of wobble-seam balls and the odd outswinger.This atmosphere and tension is as good as it has got all series. Siraj and Prasidh are now running on hope and adrenaline. Incredibly, Siraj has allowed batters only 69% control, but has only two wickets after 26 overs. At 181.2 overs, he has now overtaken Woakes as the most worked bowler in the series. At 20 wickets, he is the most prolific as well.2:11

Bangar: Mohammed Siraj will fancy the new ball

There is a lot of acknowledgement that Siraj has bowled better than 20 wickets at 36.85 suggests. In cold blood, at least in the third session, he has strayed down leg 30%, which, despite all the excitement created, fails to get him an lbw. Then again, it is a miracle he is running in and bowling just as quickly as he did in the morning.Also, in cold blood, India have made inefficient use of their bowling resources all series. An inhumane 92% of their overs in this Test have been bowled by just the three fast bowlers. In no Test have England strained their main bowlers as much. Even in the absence of Ben Stokes, who does give you a cheat card in English conditions, and the injury to Woakes, England have, despite picking no spinner, bowled as much spin as India.In the corresponding fixture of the similarly epic Ashes series 20 years ago in this country, the leading wicket-taker of the series dropped a catch to lose the series nobody felt he deserved to be on the losing side of. Siraj is no Shane Warne, but his predicament put Atherton on air in the mind of Warne in the 2005 Ashes.If India go on to lose on the fifth morning, especially if Siraj gets them any closer, that catch will become a memory difficult to live down. In cold blood, though, it should never come down to just one catch. The India team management need to do their fast bowlers a favour and start selecting better.

The Australia A tour of India will mark the start of Konstas’ season before a defining month of Sheffield Shield cricket for New South Wales

AAP09-Sep-20250:27

Konstas gone for duck as tough Caribbean tour ends

Sam Konstas doesn’t care for regrets or critics. And by putting himself on a self-imposed social media ban, the teenager hunting an opening spot in a home Ashes series has ensured he will hear as little of the latter as possible.The 19-year-old is set to play two four-day matches in India for Australia A before targeting four Sheffield Shield games for New South Wales with a goal of finding the red-ball form that eluded him on a tough tour of the West Indies.Whatever happens in the next two months, you can be sure the charismatic young gun won’t be giving two hoots over what outsiders say about his approach.Related

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Konstas dazzled the cricket world on Boxing Day last year against India on Test debut with a flamboyant and audacious 60 off 65 balls. Critics said he would not be able to play that way on a regular basis and succeed.Runs have since proven elusive and Konstas did not pass 25 in his next nine Test innings.  He is competing with a plethora of candidates to partner Usman Khawaja for the opening Ashes Test in Perth but has no regrets about his approach on debut against Jasprit Bumrah and company.”I wouldn’t change it,” Konstas told AAP. “I don’t have any regrets in my life to be honest. I thought that was the right method at the time and it paid off. I don’t get too fixated about what others say. Whatever I feel is right I totally commit to.”My method is someone who is an aggressive batsman that likes to take on the game, while understanding the game situation when I do play well. It is about trying to score runs and win games.”The more experiences I have in different conditions the more I will adapt. I have to find my method and what works best in each situation.”What also works best for Konstas is not having social media. He went from a relative unknown to a global attraction overnight with 281,000 followers on Instagram. Watching the ball and not his phone screen is now the focus.”I never had social media until I was 18. I had it for a year and now I have taken a break from it to be more present and try and get back in the Ashes squad,” Konstas said. “It is just about focusing on myself and trying to give it a good crack.”Everyone uses social media differently but I feel now is the right time to get off it. I don’t read my comments on Instagram. I don’t care what other people say to be honest but everyone has their opinion.”Konstas heads to India with confidence and valuable lessons already under his belt.”I’ve had a few experiences in the subcontinent,” Konstas said prior to taking centre stage at Tuesday’s ASICS kit launch at the SCG. “I was lucky enough to be in the MRF Academy last year and to tour Sri Lanka as well with the Aussie boys. Hopefully I can score plenty of runs and adapt to those conditions.”It is about trying to be in the present moment with any game I play whether it be my club team, NSW or Australia A ahead of the Ashes.”I got so much out of my first time in the Caribbean and facing a quality fast attack. The wickets were tough to bat on.For me it was about trying to find methods for scoring runs in those conditions and understanding the bounce is variable and trying to find another method, if I do go again.”

أثارت تصريحات محمد صلاح ضجة كبيرة، وقد سلطت الأنظار عليه خلال جلسة تدريبية مفتوحة لفريق ليفربول بعد وقت قصير من المقابلة التي أجراها.

وقد طغت أحداث ما بعد مباراة ليدز يونايتد والتي انتهت بالتعادل الإيجابي بثلاث أهداف لكل فريق وتصدر صلاح عناوين الصحف بسبب تصريحاته.

وأثارت تعليقات صلاح حول آرني سلوت مدرب ليفربول ضجة عالمية، ولم يتوقع أحد كل ما قيل منه وتساءل الجميع إذا كان المصري سيشارك في الجلسة التدريبية المفتوحة.

ولاحظ الصحفي “مارك أوجدن” ما كان يفعله محمد صلاح أثناء خروجه لتدريبات ليفربول قبل لقاء إنتر ميلان في دوري أبطال أوروبا.

اقرأ أيضاً.. أليسون بيكر على رادار عملاق أوروبي للرحيل عن ليفربول

وأفادت “rousing the kop” أن الجميع يعلم أن صلاح يستمتع بكونه النجم الأبرز في ليفربول وأن الأنظار مسلطة عليه وهذا ما جعله لاعب عظيم.

ومع ذلك فقد تخلي النجم المصري عن غروره قبل بدء الجلسة التدريبية وشوهد وهو يحاول التصرف بشكل طبيعي قدر الإمكان، وتجاهل الموقف لتخفيف الضغط عن النادي.

وذكر أوجدن في بودكاست لـ “ESPN”: “نعم، بالطبع، طلب منا الحضور لبدء التدريبات، وكان هناك بعض الانتظار مما زاد من ترقبنا ولكن عندما خرج صلاح كان كل شيء طبيعي للغاية”.

واختتم: “خرج مع إيكتيكي ولم يكن هناك أي شعور بأنه يسير في آخر المجموعة، لم يكن دخوله متأخراً بشكل درامي ولم يثر ضجة كبيرة، ذهب مع إيكتيكي وعانقه أيضاً سوبوسلاي عناقاً خفيفاً ثم انضموا للتدريبات وخاضوا مباراة تحضيرية مصغرة”.

The England opener has remained undroppable despite plenty of patchy form, and he showed why at The Oval

Matt Roller01-Aug-2025

Zak Crawley got to his half-century in just 42 balls•AFP via Getty Images

How do you explain a cricketer like Zak Crawley? He is an outlier, a player who continues to defy conventional wisdom. No man in Test history has opened the batting so often (93 innings) and averaged so little (31.06), yet he is one half of England’s most prolific opening partnership for a decade and his place has rarely been so secure.This Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy series has been a trademark Crawley series: he has averaged 34.50, a tick over his career mark, and has thrilled and frustrated in equal measure. He has made three substantial contributions in eight innings, yet none of England’s first-choice top seven have scored fewer runs. He remains England’s enigma, his career a web of contradictions.Crawley was England’s top-scorer in their first innings at The Oval and personified their approach, jumping at the chance to dominate India’s seamers. Before his dismissal, Crawley hit one in every four balls that he faced for four, maintaining a strike rate well above 100. He scored 56 of his 64 runs in boundaries, reasoning that on a seaming pitch, attack was the best form of defence.Related

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It was the perfect attack for him to face. Crawley has the peculiar distinction of getting better when the bowling gets faster, reasoning that he is at his best when he has no time to think and lets his instincts take over. Facing seam, he averages 43.31 against balls at 84mph/135kph or quicker, compared to just 27.31 against those below.But that is precisely why England’s management have retained him for so long. He has missed only three of their 47 Tests since Boxing Day 2021 – and those through injury – despite two long ruts in form. That he was their top-scorer in two consecutive marquee series (Australia 2023 and India 2024) vindicated the sense that he is better equipped against the best than the rest.Crawley is encapsulated by the fact he has only been dismissed once in 119 balls in this series against Jasprit Bumrah, but twice in the seven balls he has faced from Nitish Kumar Reddy. India’s rebalancing at The Oval pitted him against three fast-medium bowlers; Crawley may have been the only England batter to breathe a sigh of relief when India left Shardul Thakur out.If he rode his luck at times – inside-edging Prasidh Krishna past leg stump, flashing him over the slips – he made good use of it. Crawley hit two perfect straight drives – one mid-off, the other mid-on – in three balls from Mohammed Siraj, and made a capacity crowd collectively purr when he spanked Prasidh through cover point.1:58

Bangar on Crawley-Duckett: Haven’t seen batting of that quality

His partnership with Ben Duckett was worth 92 in just 12.5 overs, and the collapse that followed vindicated their ultra-positive approach. Crawley and Duckett refused to let India’s seamers settle, disrupting their lengths by charging down the pitch and – in Duckett’s case – playing conventional and reverse-scoops. On a green seamer, it was defence that proved fatal.It was evident from Shubman Gill’s reactions at third slip – and, soon enough, mid-off – that England’s openers put India under severe pressure. After India folded for 224, Gill was caught between stools: he had no runs to play with, yet knew that he needed to break the partnership as soon as possible. Duckett’s fluffed reverse came as a huge relief.By that stage, Duckett and Crawley had reached a rare milestone, bringing up 500 runs for the series as an opening pair. It was the first time any opening pair had done so since 2015, and they were the first England openers to since Andrew Strauss and Alastair Cook in the 2010-11 Ashes. No wonder Crawley, for all his flaws, is considered undroppable.Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett have been the perfect contrast as an opening pair•Getty ImagesIt is not hard to work out why they have been such a success together. “One’s right-handed and a giant, the other is left-handed and isn’t,” Ben Stokes wrote in his programme notes for the Edgbaston Test. “When they get going, it can be a nightmare for bowlers trying to find rhythm.” A good ball to one is a freebie to the other, and vice-versa.Crawley is clearly frustrating to play against, and not only for his free-wheeling batting. He thrived on his role as pantomime villain at Lord’s and was on the wind-up again last week in Manchester, telling India’s batters their decision to bat on for centuries was “embarrassing” – seemingly oblivious that he was England’s only specialist batter without one in the series.His spliced pull to square midwicket felt oddly apt: he has always been a player of style over substance, and an anticlimactic dismissal was perfectly in keeping with the Crawley experience. On the flipside, for all that it looked like a missed chance to define the match, Crawley’s 64 was the highest score across both teams’ first innings.The Oval suits Crawley: it is one of two venues (along with the Utilita Bowl) where he has passed 50 three times in Test cricket, and is the English ground where he has scored the fastest. England have averaged fewer runs per wicket at The Oval than any other home venue in the last four summers; it is utterly in keeping with Crawley’s eccentricities that he has thrived there.

Samuel Luckhurst criticised a Manchester United star, who looked “haunted” in the first half of the 2-1 victory against Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.

Man Utd complete second-half comeback to prevail at Palace

Man United’s performance in the first half of the win against the Eagles left a lot to be desired, with Mark Goldbridge taking to X to criticise Ruben Amorim, while also taking aim at the manager’s reluctance to change things at half-time.

However, Amorim’s approach ultimately paid off, with Joshua Zirkzee cancelling out Jean-Philippe Mateta’s opener early in the second half, before Mason Mount secured all three points after being laid off by Bruno Fernandes from a free-kick.

The Red Devils were able to close out a 2-1 win, bringing their four-game winless run against Palace to an end, but it was far from a vintage performance, with Luckhurst taking to X to criticise Casemiro’s performance during the first half.

The reporter said: “Not remotely got going and Casemiro looks haunted up against Adam Wharton again.”

Man Utd should go all out to sign Wharton

It is little wonder United are so keen on signing Wharton, who put in a fantastic first-half performance, once again catching the eye with his passing ability.

With Amorim in the market for a new midfielder, INEOS should go all out to sign the Crystal Palace star, who was unlucky to be on the losing side after bossing the midfield in the first half, although Casemiro did manage to turn things around.

Although he lost possession 11 times, the Brazilian made a number of key defensive contributions throughout the match, winning seven duels, the second-highest number of any United player, while also making two interceptions, three clearances and three tackles.

Man Utd have unseen teenager who "looks better than half their first team"

Carrington has produced another gem.

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 29, 2025

Journalist Liam Canning was also left impressed with the 33-year-old’s display, in what could be his final season as a Man United player, although an encouraging new update from Fabrizio Romano suggests the central midfielder could extend his contract beyond next summer…

Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo has travelled to Tel Aviv on a "spiritual journey" to aid his physical and mental recovery following a difficult period at the club, a decision that has been fiercely defended by club legend Gerard Pique who has called for a radical change in how fans treat players after admitting the Uruguayan "raised his hand and said enough" regarding the abuse he receives.

• Araujo takes special break from Barcelona

  The Uruguayan centre-back has been absent from the first-team picture recently, missing the last three La Liga matches due to personal reasons. However, it has emerged that Araujo has been granted special permission by the club to travel to Israel, seeking solace and mental clarity as he attempts to reset ahead of the second half of the campaign.

  According to reports from , the trip is not merely for leisure but serves as a crucial component of his rehabilitation. A deeply religious man, Araujo felt the need to disconnect from the toxic noise surrounding Barcelona and reconnect with his faith. The pressure of wearing the captain's armband, combined with persistent injury setbacks and fierce criticism from sections of the fanbase, has reportedly left the defender "emotionally shaken," prompting the need for a total psychological reset.

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• AFP
  

  Pique praises Araujo's decision

  The decision to step away from the spotlight has been applauded by former Barcelona captain Pique. In a candid interview with , the retired defender praised Araujo for having the courage to prioritise his mental health over the demands of the fixture calendar.

  "Mental health must be taken care of. It is evident, not only in the world of football or sport," Pique stated. "In this case, Ronald has raised his hand and said 'enough' and I think the club does very well to listen to him, give him the necessary time, and I think that all football fans in Spain should reflect a little."

  Pique’s comments highlight a shifting culture within the club. Previously, players were expected to play through the pain, whether it was physical or mental. However, Hansi Flick and the Barcelona hierarchy appear to be taking a more modern, holistic approach with Araujo, recognising that a player cannot perform at the elite level if their mind is not at peace.

• No more free-for-all on abuse, says Pique

  Pique went further than just defending Araujo; he launched a scathing attack on the culture of abuse that permeates Spanish football. The World Cup winner believes that football lags woefully behind the rest of society when it comes to basic respect and human decency.

  "Sport has always been slower in all this," Pique argued, referencing the slow progress on other social issues. "I remember the era of racism, that of violence in stadiums… At the fan level, it is like in football we are always the last to adapt to the moments.

  "It is time for there to be respect towards the professional, it is time that we stop being a world of 'open bar' [free-for-all] where everyone can do and insult whatever they want."

  Pique spoke from a place of deep personal experience. During the height of the Catalan independence referendum and Spain's golden era, Pique was often the target of vicious abuse from his own countrymen while playing for the national team. He revealed the unhealthy coping mechanisms he was forced to develop to survive, mechanisms he implies Araujo should not have to rely on.

  "I remember that I, in my time, especially for a few years with the issue of the independence process, going to the national team I lived that," Pique recalled. "You have to build an armour and it reaches a point, which is not even healthy, that you don't care what they say or what people think.

  "But that is the only way to preserve your mental health and be well emotionally. Others may find it harder or do not want to adopt these measures that I took."

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  What comes next?

  For Araujo, the immediate priority is finding peace in Tel Aviv. The club has set no specific date for his return to competitive action, prioritising his full recovery over rushing him back for La Liga duty.

  The hope within the Barcelona camp is that the defender returns revitalised, free from the "emotional shaking" that has plagued his season. 

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank only has to wait just over a month for the chance to make further additions to his squad in the January transfer window.

The Danish head coach was backed by the club during the summer window with a host of expensive signings to bolster his options across the pitch ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

Mohammed Kudus for £55m from West Ham United and Xavi Simons for £52m from RB Leipzig were the headline arrivals, as the Lilywhites splashed over £100m on two attackers to transform their frontline.

Xavi, unfortunately, has no goals and one assist in eight Premier League games so far this season, but Kudus has delivered one goal and four assists in that time, per Sofascore, as he has impressed out wide.

The former Hammers star has provided real creativity and excitement on the flanks for Spurs since his £55m move, but, like Xavi, there have been some underperforming players in Frank’s attacking ranks.

One of the Tottenham stars who needs to improve his performances ahead of the January transfer window is Brennan Johnson, who is at risk of being replaced.

Why Spurs should replace Brennan Johnson

Spurs signed the Wales international from Nottingham Forest for a fee of £47.5m in the summer of 2023, and he has been a successful signing on the whole.

Johnson, of course, scored the winning goal in the Europa League final under Ange Postecoglou at the end of last season, which is why he should be considered a worthwhile signing for £47.5m, as he won the club a major trophy.

However, the underlying numbers behind his performances last season and in the current one suggest that Spurs could upgrade on him out wide if they can find the right players to improve the team.

Johnson scored 11 goals in the Premier League, to his credit, but his all-round play and lack of creativity were issues in the 2024/25 campaign for the Lilywhites.

xAG

0.10

Bottom 18%

Assists

0.12

Bottom 37%

Progressive passes

2.94

Bottom 39%

Progressive carries

2.48

Bottom 33%

Successful take-ons

0.79

Bottom 22%

Passes into the final third

1.03

Bottom 20%

Key passes

0.79

Bottom 9%

As you can see in the table above, the Welsh forward was one of the worst-performing wingers in the top-flight when it came to progressing the ball in possession and creating chances for his teammates.

It has been a similar case this season. Johnson currently ranks in the bottom 12% for progressive passes (1.24) and the bottom 1% for shot-creating actions (1.53) per 90, whilst he does not have a single assist to his name, per FBref.

You cannot knock his knack for scoring goals, with another four in all competitions this season, but his all-round performances are why the club should look to replace him.

Spurs considering bid to sign Premier League winger

According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham Hotspur are considering a bid to sign Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo when the January transfer window opens for business.

The report claims that the Ghana international has a clause in his contract with the Cherries, which means that he can be snapped up for a fee of £65m early on in the winter window, which has put a number of sides on alert.

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

Spurs were said to have been expecting a January deal to be too difficult to do before they learned of his release clause, and they are now weighing up whether or not to make a £65m offer to activate it.

TEAMtalk adds, though, that Liverpool are set to provide competition for his signature and that could make it tough for the Lilywhites, given that the Reds are the reigning Premier League champions.

If Spurs are able to win the race for the Bournemouth star’s signature at the start of next year, he could arrive in North London as a big upgrade on Johnson at the top end of the pitch.

Why Spurs should pay Antoine Semenyo's release clause

The Lilywhites, per TEAMtalk, have the financial power to pay the £65m release clause in January, and they should do so because of the quality that he could bring to Frank’s team.

Semenyo has already racked up six goals and three assists in 11 appearances in the Premier League so far this season for the Cherries, per Sofascore, whilst Johnson has produced two goals and no assists.

The chart above illustrates the gulf in class between the two players from an offensive perspective, as the former Bristol City marksman has offered far more to his team as both a scorer and a creator of goals in the top-flight.

Semenyo, who can play on either flank or through the middle as a centre-forward, also outperformed the Spurs winger at the top end of the pitch in the Premier League in the 2024/25 campaign.

Appearances

37

33

xG

9.98

10.40

Goals

11

11

Key passes per game

1.2

0.6

Big chances created

11

4

Assists

5

3

As you can see in the table above, the 25-year-old star scored as many goals as the Tottenham winger last season, but provided almost three times as many assists and averaged twice as many key passes per game.

Speaking last month, former Spurs star Chris Waddle dubbed Semenyo “the best winger in the country (England) right now”, and it is hard to disagree with that assessment when you consider his form in the 2025/26 campaign.

Per Sofascore, no winger in the Premier League has scored as many goals as Semenyo (six) so far this season. In fact, only Igor Thiago (eight) and Erling Haaland (14) have scored more goals than the Bournemouth sensation.

Therefore, Spurs could improve their team and land a proven Premier League superstar by activating his £65m release clause in the January transfer window, which could leave Johnson on the fringes of the squad because the Ghana international appears to be a significant upgrade on him.

He can end Bentancur's stay: Spurs gem is showing "shades of Mousa Dembele"

Tottenham Hotspur have a star who could end Rodrigo Bentancur’s career in North London.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 19, 2025

It is now down to Fabio Paratici and Frank to convince the 25-year-old star to make the move to North London in the winter window, as he could be a phenomenal addition to the squad with his quality as a scorer and a creator.

Ex-England seamer takes six wickets before classy century builds healthy overnight lead

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay24-Sep-2025

Ollie Robinson was in the wickets for Sussex•Getty Images

Sussex 228 for 5 (Coles 102, Simpson 62*) lead Worcestershire 123 (Lategan 41, Robinson 6-68, Unadkat 4-43) by 105 runsOllie Robinson produced a reminder of his capabilities with a stunning six-wicket haul as Sussex took charge on day one of their Division One clash against Worcestershire.Taking two wickets in the first over of the match, Robinson went on to finish with season-best figures of 6 for 68 as he and Jaydev Unadkat combined to skittle Worcestershire for 123.James Coles then registered a measured century during a dominant afternoon session for the visitors, in which skipper John Simpson made 62 not out as Sussex finished the day 228 for 5, leading by 105 runs. Earlier, Dan Lategan (41) top-scored for the home side, with contributions from Matthew Waite and Gareth Roderick the only other scores of note.Returning to action for the first time since Saturday’s One Day Cup final triumph, already relegated Worcestershire were brought back down to earth with a bump, as a searing spell from Robinson saw the former England seamer take four wickets in the first hour of the match.Youngster Rehaan Edavalath was caught behind with the third ball of the match, before Pears skipper Jake Libby’s off stump was sent cartwheeling after facing just one ball as the Pears fell to 1 for 2.19-year-old Lategan provided a classy counter-attacking cameo for the hosts, easing the ball through the vacant offside whenever the opportunity arose, but Robinson continued his unrelenting start to the morning, claiming two further scalps, including that of first-class debutant Isaac Mohammed who was pinned lbw. A sobering opening hour was rounded off with the dismissal of Rob Jones, who suffered the same fate, leaving his side in a heap at 36 for 4.Lategan continued to regroup, but Worcestershire’s woes deepened with Gareth Roderick (22) caught behind after an encouraging start to his innings off the bowling of Unadkat. Robinson then collected his fifth wicket of a superb spell by removing the key man, Lategan, for his resolute 41.Robinson almost secured his sixth wicket in a morning session dominated by the bowlers, but the umpires were not convinced Simpson had held onto a rebound catch behind, as lunch was taken with Worcestershire 91 for 6.Unadkat picked up where he left off after the resumption as Ethan Brookes became his second victim with a regulation catch provided to Coles at slip.Unadkat took his season tally of wickets to 13, after removing Tom Taylor caught behind for nine and trapping Ben Allison in front without scoring as the Pears’ landslide continued.Robinson completed his six-fer with the wicket of Waite, who was the last man out for 33 as Worcestershire were dismissed for 123.Worcestershire hit back in resilient fashion as Ben Allison led the way in an inspired early spell, taking three wickets to help reduce Sussex to 67 for 4.The seamer first trapped Hughes lbw for 24, then took a stunning one-handed caught-and-bowled to remove Carter, before bowling Alsop for just one. At the other end, Taylor took his 51st Championship wicket of the season to drag the hosts back into the contest.Simpson and Coles led the Sussex revival however, dominating an afternoon session that saw the fifth-wicket pair add 90 runs before tea, with Coles reaching a fluent fifty in the process.Both batters moved past 1,000 first-class for the season during the evening session, with Coles reaching his century from 105 balls, before he was bowled by Ben Gibbon as Simpson and bad light closed out a dominant day for the visitors.

Former Tottenham star Gareth Bale has sent out a message to club legend Son Heung-min ahead of his return to Spurs on Tuesday. The South Korea international will make his first trip back to north London for the team's Champions League match against Slavia Prague where he will be given the chance to say a proper goodbye to fans following his summer exit.

• Son set for emotional Spurs visit

  Son left Tottenham in the summer after a decade with the club and joined MLS side LAFC on a free transfer. The popular star ended his stay on a high by captaining Spurs to a first trophy in 17 years by beating Manchester United in the Europa League final. The 33-year-old subsequently departed after the club's pre-season tour of Asia, meaning he is yet to say a proper farewell to Spurs supporters. That will all change on Tuesday night when Son will make his first return to the club for Tottenham's Champions League game against Slavia Prague. Son will be on the pitch before kick-off and will address the crowd in what promises to be an emotional occasion.

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  Bale has sent a special message to Son ahead of the fixture and hopes he enjoys what promises to be a very special occasion: "Hi Sonny, Just wanted to say a massive congratulations on your time here at Tottenham. Not many players get to bow out with their last game for their club with a trophy. You are a living legend here. Hopefully you will enjoy the evening. You deserve all the plaudits you get and good luck with my old club, LAFC, and hopefully you can bring home the title there as well."

• Spurs pay tribute to Son

  Tottenham have also unveiled a mural in tribute to Son ahead of the match. The artwork displayed on Tottenham High Road features Son's trademark celebration and the Spurs star with the Europa League trophy. Son paid a visit to the mural during his return to London and added his signature to the bottom.

  Son has also spoken about how important the trip back to his former club is for him, telling the club's media: "When I announced my difficult decision to leave Spurs in the summer, it was in Korea and I never got a proper chance to say goodbye to fans at the stadium. Now I am so happy because I am going to come back to London on 9th December, for the Champions League match, and be able to tell the Spurs fans in person just how much their support and love over 10 years has meant to me and my family. It will be emotional, but it's important for me and the club that this happens.”

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• Tottenham hoping to enjoy home comforts

  Son will no doubt be hoping to cheer Spurs to victory on Tuesday, with Spurs having been in good form at home in the Champions League. Head coach Thomas Frank is hoping his team can build on the weekend's win over Brentford and deliver another victory for fans. He told reporters: "It's always good to build momentum, to get more consistent performances. We will try to build on that tomorrow night, we have a good opportunity against a Slavia Prague side who are very direct and physical, man mark all over the pitch. That can particularly make it difficult for us. It is about us making sure we perform well, with forwardness and directness in attacking play."