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O Palmeiras sofreu uma nova derrota no Campeonato Brasileiro, no sábado (5), ao ser batido por 2 a 1, pelo Fluminense, no Maracanã. O resultado deixou o time um pouco mais longe da liderança, mais precisamente 13 pontos atrás do Botafogo. Há quem diga que com a fase aguda da Libertadores e a distância na tabela do Brasileirão, apenas uma competição será priorizada. No entanto, dentro do clube o foco pode até estar em uma, mas sem perder a outra de vista.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasJoão Martins recebe punição do STJD por fala sobre o ‘sistema’ e vai desfalcar o PalmeirasPalmeiras07/08/2023PalmeirasTorcida do Palmeiras prepara corredor alviverde para decisão contra o GaloPalmeiras07/08/2023PalmeirasPalmeiras tem retrospecto positivo quando vence o jogo de ida no mata-mata da LibertadoresPalmeiras07/08/2023

+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Nesta quarta-feira (9), o Verdão recebe o Atlético-MG, pela partida de volta das oitavas de final da Libertadores. No primeiro jogo, em Belo Horizonte, vitória alviverde por 1 a 0. Agora, no Allianz Parque, basta um empate para garantir a ida para as quartas de final da competição. Embora o resultado fora de casa tenha sido bom, a concentração é total para que a classificação não escape diante do Galo.

+ Copo Stanley a partir de R$120,00. Bebida gelada nos 90′ de jogo do Verdão!

Por isso, Abel Ferreira e sua comissão técnica levaram a campo um time misto contra o Flu. Dudu, Raphael Veiga, Piquerez e Zé Rafael nem viajaram ao Rio de Janeiro. Enquanto Rony, Mayke, Artur, Murilo e Gabriel Menino ficaram no banco de reservas. Apenas Weverton e Gustavo Gómez atuaram no Maracanã. A escalação e a derrota podem indicar que o clube já não conta mais com o Brasileirão, mas não é verdade.

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Internamente, o clube assume que a partir do momento que o Botafogo disparou, o campeonato ficou mais difícil. Isso é algo que o próprio Abel Ferreira já declarou em entrevistas coletivas. Ao mesmo tempo, o pensamento é de que o Palmeiras está no “bolo” daqueles que vêm logo atrás do Fogão e estariam em uma briga caso o líder começasse a oscilar. Lembrando que ainda resta um turno inteiro para o término da competição.

+ O erro que o Palmeiras não pode repetir se quiser passar pelo Atlético-MG

Mesmo se o título ficar impossível, ainda assim há uma luta que promete ser forte pelas três posições restantes do G4 da tabela, que garantem vaga direta na fase de grupos da Libertadores de 2024. Na mesma faixa da classificação estão equipes que disputam outros torneios e, caso sejam eliminados, se voltariam exclusivamente ao Brasileirão. Ou seja, não há como “tirar o pé” totalmente do campeonato.

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Na Libertadores, em teoria, restariam mais seis partidas para ser campeão, ainda que a preparação para cada uma delas seja realmente “jogo a jogo”, pois pelo caráter eliminatório eles podem nem acontecer. Enquanto no Brasileirão a tabela mais longa permite que um planejamento seja feito com antecedência, considerando os duelos em que jogadores serão poupados ou não.

+ Torcida do Palmeiras prepara corredor alviverde para decisão contra o Galo

Assim, o entendimento palmeirense é de que foco será total na Libertadores quando houver jogos da competição, mas sem perder o Brasileirão de vista, pois o título ainda não é impossível e há outras disputas que precisam ser encaradas com atenção. Sem contar que, se uma eliminação acontecer na Liberta, o Brasileiro será o único torneio a ser disputado até o final do ano. Portanto, nada de “jogar a toalha” no nacional.

He had been with Sydney Thunder since joining as a 16-year-old rookie and top-scored for them in last season’s final

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Apr-2025Jason Sangha, who was one of the stars of South Australia’s Sheffield Shield triumph, has made a full domestic move to the state after signing a two-year deal with Adelaide Strikers.Sangha had been with Sydney Thunder since joining as a 16-year-old rookie and last season returned from an injury lay-off to top-score with 67 off 42 balls in the final against Hobart Hurricanes.Related

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But his contract was up at the end of the campaign and he has moved to Strikers following a prolific Sheffield Shield season where he made 704 runs at 78.22 including the title-clinching 126 not out against Queensland.”The fans here have been incredibly welcoming, and I am eager to give my best on the field in the upcoming BBL season,” Sangha said. “My time with South Australian cricket has already been filled with some unforgettable moments, and I am excited to create many more while wearing blue.”The support from the community has been amazing, and I can’t wait to give back by helping the team achieve success. I am looking forward to building on our achievements and making a significant impact with the white ball.”Overall for Thunder, Sangha made 836 runs at 32.15 with a strike-rate of 121.15. He was named captain for BBL12, the 2022-23 season, but suffered a fractured collarbone three games into the campaign.”Jason’s talent and dedication on the field are well-known, and his impressive track record speaks volumes about his potential,” Strikers’ talent manager Shaun Williams said. “Not only has he demonstrated remarkable skill, but his leadership qualities and work ethic are also exceptional.”We believe that Jason will bring a new energy to our team, inspiring his team-mates and contributing to our overall success. We are excited to see him integrate into our squad and look forward to the positive impact he will undoubtedly have both on and off the field. His all-round abilities, combined with his leadership skills, promises exciting times ahead for South Australian cricket.”Such was the red-ball form Sangha showed in the latter stages of last season that he has a chance of featuring for Australia A who are due to play series against Sri Lanka and India during the winter.Strikers now have 10 names locked in for the 2025-26 BBL. They are one of only two clubs, along with Sydney Sixers, who do not currently have a pre-signed overseas player with each side allowed to secure one name ahead of the draft which will take place on June 19.Current Adelaide Strikers squad Cameron Boyce, Jordan Buckingham, Alex Carey, Thomas Kelly, Harry Nielsen, Lloyd Pope, Alex Ross, Jason Sangha, Matt Short, Henry Thornton

While they haven’t gone quite as big as they have in windows prior, it’s been a good summer of business for Chelsea so far this year.

The Blues have made a massive amount of money selling players deemed no longer good enough and replaced them with a host of exciting talents like Liam Delap, Joao Pedro and Jorrel Hato.

However, it would probably be fair to say that some fans were left a little disappointed by the club not signing Xavi Simons last week, and instead opting for Alejandro Garnacho.

However, those supporters might soon forget all about the new Tottenham Hotspur star, as Chelsea appear to be closing in on someone who’d be a significant upgrade.

Chelsea target Simons upgrade

According to a recent report from Si Phillips, as relayed by Caught Offside, Chelsea remain incredibly keen to sign Fermin Lopez before the window shuts.

Transfer Focus

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

More than that, though, Phillips has revealed that, in recent hours, the Blues have received encouragement from the player’s camp, which indicates he may well inform Barcelona that he wants to leave.

While that would undoubtedly help grease the wheels of any potential deal, the deal would still be a costly one, with other reports from today claiming that the Catalan giants would want a fee of up to €90m to sell, which is approximately £78m.

While that is an enormous sum of money, Lopez is an extraordinary talent and may well be worth it, especially as he’s an upgrade on Simons.

How Lopez compares to Simons

Simons and Lopez are both relatively young attacking talents who can play and thrive either on the wing or in attacking midfield, which makes comparing them a pretty straightforward affair.

If we start with their output, it quickly becomes very apparent that the young Spaniard is the more dangerous player.

In 46 appearances, totalling just 2039 minutes, the “creative” star, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, scored eight goals and provided ten assists.

That means he managed to average a goal involvement every 2.55 games, or every 113.27 minutes, which is undeniably impressive for someone his age.

On the other hand, the Flying Dutchman scored 11 goals and provided eight assists in 33 appearances, totalling 2763 minutes, for Leipzig.

Now, that does result in a better average of goal involvement every 1.73 games, but that was largely due to him making fewer appearances than the Barcelona star.

When you look at minutes played, his average shoots up to a far less impressive figure of a goal involvement every 145.42 minutes.

Things do not get much better for the Lilywhites’ new star when we examine their underlying numbers either.

Here, the “spectacular” Spaniard, as dubbed by former manager Xavi, comes out ahead in most relevant metrics such as expected and actual non-penalty goals plus assists, shots and shots on target, crosses into the penalty area, goal-creating actions, tackles won and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.71

0.47

Non-Penalty G+As

0.75

0.57

Progressive Passes

5.05

5.80

Progressive Passes Received

7.90

7.61

Progressive Carries

2.26

3.51

Shots

2.81

2.26

Shots on Target

1.14

0.92

Passing Accuracy

82.2%

78.1%

Key Passes

1.88

2.10

Passes into the Final Third

4.19

3.26

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.32

0.22

Goal-Creating Actions

0.54

0.51

Tackles Won

1.32

0.83

Blocks

1.02

0.87

Successful Take-Ons

1.72

1.45

Carries into the Penalty Area

0.97

0.80

In other words, the El Campillo-born maestro appears to be the more dangerous and creative outlet, while also being more willing and able to contribute to the defensive side of things.

Ultimately, Simons is certainly a talented player, but Lopez appears to be better in almost all metrics; therefore, Chelsea should do everything possible to sign him before the window closes.

Their own Gyokeres: Chelsea make late move to sign "aggressive" £69m star

Chelsea could snap up their very own Viktor Gyokeres with this late £69m swoop.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 1, 2025

تقدم فريق المصري بالهدف الثاني أمام الاتحاد الليبي، في المباراة التي تجمع بينهما الآن ضمن منافسات بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية.

وتقام المباراة بين المصري والاتحاد الليبي، ضمن منافسات إياب دور الـ32 من بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية موسم 2025-2026 على ملعب السويس.

وكان المصري قد واجه الاتحاد الليبي، في ذهاب دور الـ32 من الكونفدرالية على ملعب 11 يونيو، وانتهى اللقاء بالتعادل السلبي.

وسجل عبد الرحيم دغموم هدف المصري الأول في الدقيقة 18 من عمر اللقاء، بعد تلقيه تمريرة مميزة لينفرد بالمرمى تمامًا، محاولاً استغلال خروج الحارس عن منطقة الجزاء وسدد لتخطئ وترتطم في الحارس، ويحصل عليها مرة أخرى ويراوغ لاعب الاتحاد الليبي بمهارة ويصوبها في المرمى.

طالع.. فيديو | عبد الرحيم دغموم يسجل هدف المصري الأول أمام الاتحاد الليبي

وأضاف محمود حمادة هدف المصري الثاني، من تصويبة صاروخية من داخل منطقة جزاء الاتحاد الليبي، لتسكن مباشرة في المرمى بالدقيقة 76. هدف المصري الثاني أمام الاتحاد الليبي في الكونفدرالية

Regardless of the result in Seville last night, Nottingham Forest supporters will have endured a night full of memories – one that would’ve been unthinkable just a handful of years ago.

Ange Postecoglou’s side claimed a 2-2 draw against Spanish side Real Betis, but some form of disappointment will be felt after failing to hold onto the victory.

Cedric Bakambu put the hosts ahead, but Igor Jesus’ quick-fire double within a couple of minutes put the Reds 2-1 up heading into the half-time break.

It looked as though Forest could hold on for an iconic first game back in Europe for 30 years, but it wasn’t to be as Antony fired in a late equaliser to steal a point.

Whilst the Reds were unable to claim all three points, the first 45-minute showing was one of the club’s best in many years, with numerous players catching the eye during such a period.

Douglas Luiz’s stats for Forest against Real Betis

After starting back-to-back games for the first time, Douglas Luiz was handed a third start in a row for Forest last night – once again producing a sensational display at the heart of the side.

The Brazilian operated alongside Elliot Anderson and Ibrahim Sangare in the middle of the park, with the trio dominating the Spanish outfit during the first half of the meeting.

The 27-year-old completed 88% of the passes he attempted, whilst also achieving a 100% cross completion rate – showcasing the impressive nature he produced with the ball at his feet.

His cross came in the 23rd minute, with his perfectly placed cross landing on the head of Jesus, who managed to double his tally just five minutes after netting his first.

Without the ball, Luiz was just as impressive for Postecoglou’s side, making two recoveries and winning two ground duels – in what was a superb all-round showing.

However, to the surprise of many, the former Aston Villa star was replaced at halftime, subsequently being replaced by winger Dilane Bakwa for the second half of the clash with Manuel Pellegrini’s side.

It was confirmed after the game that the midfielder was replaced as a precaution, but the decision to sub on one player was arguably a bigger mistake than taking the Brazilian off.

The Forest player who failed to impress against Real Betis

The clash against Betis last night has given a generation of supporters the chance to experience the European days that will have been spoken about by loved ones before them.

For years, the club have been languishing in the Championship, but the rise has been remarkable, with huge credit needing to go in the direction of owner Evangelos Marinakis for his constant funding and ambition.

Such ambition was highlighted during the summer transfer window, with the Greek businessman dropping over £200m on new additions to help create a squad capable of competing in the Europa League.

Squad depth is something that is huge for European competition, not to mention the Premier League – with the Reds desperately needing to be competitive on all fronts in 2025/26.

Such rapid success has seen big money being spent by the board, subsequently completing the £26m transfer of French forward Arnaud Kalimuendo late on in the window.

The 23-year-old is yet to start a single game for the Reds, but has made numerous substitute appearances – even coming off the bench in the 64th minute last night.

However, after replacing goalscorer Jesus, he was always going to have a huge task on his hands, something which he ultimately failed to live up to in Seville.

Minutes played

26

Touches

13

Passes completed

5

Possession lost

6x

Duels lost

100%

Shots taken

0

Touches in opposition box

2

Fouls committed

1

Kalimuendo featured for just 26 minutes, only registering 13 touches of the ball, but ironically, it was his failure to bring the ball under his spell which saw him squander a key chance to kill the game off.

He also only completed a total of five passes, losing possession six times – showcasing his lack of positive impact after having the trust shown in him by Ange to add the finishing touches to the performance.

The Frenchman also got dominated by the Spanish backline, subsequently losing 100% of the duels he entered, with Ange making a huge mistake in not keeping Jesus on the pitch.

To top off Kalimuendo’s dismal outing, he was subsequently handed a 6/10 match rating by Nottingham Post journalist Sarah Clapson – further highlighting his lack of impact.

There’s no denying he’s a hugely talented player with a huge future, but ultimately it was the wrong decision to bring the youngster on – with a more bruising focal point needed to see out the narrow win.

However, he will still have a huge role to play in the months ahead, with the Reds having to negotiate a contested fixture schedule in Europe and domestically heading into the new year.

The main focus will be on Luiz, with real hope that the Brazilian’s injury isn’t too serious to allow him to continue his excellent form against Sunderland on Saturday night.

Weekly wages: Nottingham Forest FC 2025/26 highest-paid players

Football FanCast take a look at Nottingham Forest’s top ten biggest earners for the 2024/25 season.

ByCharlie Smith Sep 24, 2025

Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny is hoping he is not the man between the posts when the Catalan giants take on Real Madrid in the highly-anticipated Clasico later this month. Instead, the veteran shot stopper hopes that the injured Joan Garcia is fit in time for the trip to the Santiago Bernabeu as he talked up the world-class potential of the summer signing.

Garcia becomes Barcelona's latest hero

Having completed his much-anticipated €25 million (£22m/$29m) transfer from local rivals Espanyol under controversial circumstances, Garcia wasted no time endearing himself to the Barcelona faithful. His performances proved why the defending La Liga champions fought tooth and nail to acquire the promising goalkeeper's services. Szczesny, who renewed his deal at Barca for another season, has already stated in the past that he vows to do everything in his capacity to help the 24-year-old reach the pinnacle of football.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSzczesny aims to make Garcia 'the best goalkeeper in the world!'

In a recent interview with Polish publication , the ex-Arsenal and Juventus keeper spoke of his admiration of the summer signing. "I saw him last year at Espanyol and he made a huge impression on me," he said. 

"After three days of training together in Barcelona, I decided that I could contribute in my own small way to the development of possibly the best goalkeeper in the world! I'm not saying that he is there now, but I see incredible potential in him. And if I can help him in any way — not only for the good of the team, but also to feel that I was there for this exceptional talent, because he is an exceptional talent, and even if I helped him develop by just a tiny percentage — it is already a great satisfaction for me."

Szczesny in no mood to play against Real Madrid

Garcia's dream start, however, turned into a nightmare. During a training session on the morning of September 26, the 24-year-old suffered a torn meniscus. The custodian underwent a successful arthroscopic surgery the same day, but was effectively sidelined for four weeks, putting his participation in the Clasico against arch-rivals Madrid on October 26 in jeopardy. 

Szczesny wishes that Garcia recovers in time for the blockbuster clash. "I sincerely wish him a speedy recovery. And I'm not counting on playing in El Clasico myself," Szczesny told . 

"I value the clarity of our relationship with Joan. He knows perfectly well what my role is, and I want to have an influence on him playing at his best. I have no doubt who will be, and who should be, the number one goalkeeper at Barcelona. I think he's a guy with great potential. I'll be immodest to say I can help him a little . I accept this role with great responsibility. I don't want anyone to have any doubts. There will never be a competition for the number one jersey here."

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GettyWhen do Barcelona return to action?

After suffering their first La Liga defeat of the season, a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Sevilla last week, Hansi Flick's men squandered top spot to Madrid. They will return to action on October 18 against fellow Catalonian outfit Girona. 

Last year, Yuzvendra Chahal the first bowler to reach the 200-wicket mark in the IPL. No one else has reached there yet – the next best among active bowlers is Bhuvneshwar Kumar with 186. But a year on, and five matches into IPL 2025 for his new team Punjab Kings (PBKS), questions are cropping up about Chahal’s effectiveness.In this IPL, Chahal has picked up just two wickets in five innings at an economy rate of 11.13 and has not bowled his full quota in three games. Since making his debut in IPL 2013, Chahal – a wicket-taking option – has never had an economy rate of over 9.41 (2024) in a season. This year, he is going at 11.13, the 56 he conceded in his four overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Saturday not helping that number.Piyush Chawal, another legspinner and the second-highest wicket-taker in the history of the IPL, felt Chahal has been playing a “safe game”, which is new for him.Related

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“Well, he created that chance [Chahal dropped Abhishek Sharma off his own bowling] and you need at least one chance, and he created that one and he has nobody [else] to blame for that,” Chawla said on ESPNcricinfo’s TimeOut show. “He almost reached there but apart from that… later on when both the batters [Abhishek and Travis Head] were going after him, I didn’t find that Yuzvendra Chahal which we used to see a couple of years back and even till last year. He was just not trying to get the batter out. He was just trying to toss it wide and playing more of a safe game, defensive bowling. That Yuzvendra Chahal we have not seen.”What would Chawla have done on a flat pitch like the one in Hyderabad where the opponents are playing a high-risk, high-reward game chasing a huge target?”I have not seen him bowling googlies also. If you’re bowling wide outside off stump for them [left-hand batters] and it’s going away from there, so you eventually get a chance to get a wicket or something like that,” Chawla said. “But he didn’t bowl that, maybe because of the lack of form. If you see this season, he has bowled some 14-15 [15] overs and he’s not bowled his four [overs] quite often, and he’s conceding more than 11-12 runs in a season at the moment, which [makes] you feel you want to play a defensive game.Yuzvendra Chahal has looked off-colour so far•BCCI

“You just want to get your four overs in and then try to pick up a wicket. But today, I felt it was the day when you have 245 runs on the board, any which way you’re going for runs, so you should better try for wickets and if you pick up those couple of wickets, then you are in the game.”PBKS, who have never won the IPL, went hard for Chahal at the auction and spent INR 18 crore for him, making him the most expensive spinner ever bought at an IPL auction. He is their premier spinner. Though PBKS have won three of their five matches so far, will Chahal’s form affect them as the race for the playoffs heats up?”I think the few deliveries that he bowled when he picked up Travis Head’s wicket, that is what we need to see Yuzvendra Chahal bowl more often,” Wasim Jaffer said. “You’re looking to spin the ball, looking to bowl googly, looking to put some revs on the ball, which I think we are missing from watching Yuzi. He is very defensive in his mindset and the pressure is pretty much visible on his face that, you know, he’s off colour. But you know for Punjab to become good, he’s the main puzzle that they need to solve.”

Whilst Rangers’ current transfer business has been fairly put under the microscope by fans and media alike, it wasn’t so long ago that a Premier League winner was walking out of an Ibrox medical.

Rangers' transfer window lacks experience

This time around, the Gers were incredibly busy. By the time that the deadline passed, they had welcomed as many as 14 fresh faces to officially get the era of the 49ers underway. But the jury is still out on those arrivals. Russell Martin is yet to win a game in the Scottish Premiership and his frontline has particularly struggled despite a number of attacking signings.

When the Scottish Premiership returns, the manager must simply hope for the 49ers’ investment to pay off and for the likes of Oliver Antman and deadline-day arrival Youssef Chermiti to prove their worth.

Elsewhere in the squad, midfield reinforcements such as Joe Rothwell and Thelo Aasgaard also arrived alongside defenders Nasser Djiga, Max Aarons and Derek Cornelius as Rangers overhauled the majority of their side.

Aarons has particularly struggled so far, though, and it was his red card in the second leg against Club Brugge which set Rangers on course for humiliation.

How many games Russell Martin has left at Rangers after new Ibrox sack update

It’s been a disastrous spell for the Gers boss.

1

By
Tom Cunningham

Sep 5, 2025

It’s not the first time that the Gers have signed from the Premier League and it’s unlikely to be the last, given Martin’s connections. That said, it wasn’t too long ago that they were attempting to welcome those who have not only played in England’s top flight, but came away with a winners’ medal.

Lescott reveals why Rangers move collapsed

The year was 2016, Mark Warburton was Rangers manager and Joleon Lescott had just left Aston Villa following their relegation from the Premier League. On paper, some saw an ageing, struggling defender, but Rangers saw the two-time Premier League winner who starred at Manchester City. And, as such, they attempted to secure his signature.

The move even got so far advanced that the defender was about to put pen to paper. Lescott looked destined to sign for the club, only to walk out of a medical with the Gers after their doctor found an injury problem following an initial scan.

Whether things would have worked out for Lescott in Scotland is a question that not even Rangers have an answer for, but they were soon proved right about their injury concern. Not long after his move to AEK Athens, the former Man City man was ruled out for the season after suffering a knee injury.

Left-arm seamer returns to Chelmsford after three previous seasons in 2017-19

ESPNcricinfo staff01-May-2025

Mohammad Amir enjoyed a spell with Essex in 2017•Getty Images

Mohammad Amir, the Pakistan left-arm seamer, has rejoined Essex for this season’s Vitality Blast campaign.Amir, 33, previously featured for the club across two spells, in 2017 and 2019, claiming 24 T20 wickets in 21 matches. The latter saw him take 10 at 20.10, with Essex – as County Champions – going on to win the Blast final and complete the double.For Pakistan, he has claimed 71 wickets at 21.64 in 62 T20Is, up to and including the 2024 T20 World Cup in June last year. He will arrive at Chelmsford having represented Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League, for whom he has taken seven wickets in six matches.”I am very excited to join Essex once again,” Amir said. “I have always enjoyed my time at this club where I feel at home and the love I received from the team and the amazing supporters was overwhelming.”I look forward to contributing to the team and hopefully help the club achieve success this season.”Chris Silverwood, Essex’s director of cricket, was instrumental in the signing of Amir in his first stint as the club head coach in 2017, and said: “We are thrilled to welcome Mo back to Chelmsford and are very excited to see him in Essex colours again.”I know the experience and skillset he brings having worked with him with here before. He will certainly strengthen what is an already strong squad for our T20 Blast campaign this season.”Amir, who will wear the No.5 shirt, is available to Essex throughout the group stage of the competition, with an option to extend his stay should the club progress to the knockouts.

AC Milan consultant Zlatan Ibrahimovic has hit back at fierce criticism of Portuguese winger Rafael Leao, hailing him as "magic" and an undisputed world-class talent in world football. In a passionate defence, Ibrahimovic dismissed concerns over the 26-year-old's form and attitude, reminding critics that Leao "won a Scudetto all by himself."

• Ibrahimovic leaps to Leao's defence

  Ibrahimovic has launched a staunch defence of under-fire Milan forward, labelling the Portuguese star as "magic" and crediting him with single-handedly winning the 2021-22 Serie A title – a campaign the Swedish icon was part of. Speaking to , Ibrahimovic, in his capacity as a club consultant, dismissed the recent wave of criticism aimed at the winger.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  Leao facing intense criticism over form and attitude

  Leao has been the subject of fierce debate in the Italian media over his recent performances, with critics questioning his work rate and overall consistency. The former Sporting CP player missed the first few weeks of the Serie A campaign with an injury but made headlines by missing two key chances in the recent goalless draw against Juventus. That display reportedly resulted in a dressing down from coach Massimiliano Allegri in the team changing room after the game, and Ibrahimovic has given an insight into the confrontation.

• What Ibrahimovic said about Leao's 'magic'

  "I was in the locker room. Everyone was angry, everyone, Allegri, because we could have won," he said. "And even Leao, who had missed two goals. Let's remember that during pre-season he was the best, then he was out for two months, now he has to get back in shape. Of course, we expect magic, because Leao is magic! Of course, we'll always talk about him, because he's one of the best players in the world, and I'm not saying this for marketing purposes, but because I played football. I saw him as a kid, now he has two children: it's a journey. They say he's already 26, but I matured at 28. And anyway, when we won the Scudetto, I can say he won it all by himself."

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  What next for Leao and AC Milan?

  Ibrahimovic's public backing will provide a significant boost for Leao as he heads into the next block of fixtures after the international break. However, the focus will now shift to the player to respond on the pitch and deliver the consistent, match-winning performances that manager Allegri requires. With AC Milan aiming to compete on all fronts, Leao's ability to rediscover the "magic" Ibrahimovic praised will be critical to their success this season.