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Chelsea and Enzo Maresca face their sternest examination yet when Premier League leaders Arsenal visit Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Maresca’s side enter the London derby riding a wave of confidence following their stunning 3-0 Champions League demolition of Barcelona on Tuesday night.

The emphatic victory showcased Chelsea’s evolution from early-season inconsistency into genuine contenders, with teenage sensation Estevao’s spectacular solo goal providing a potential glimpse of the exciting future being built in west London.

However, Arsenal represent an entirely different proposition.

Mikel Arteta’s men arrive at the Bridge unbeaten in their last seven meetings with Chelsea, not to mention 16 games unbeaten overall since losing to Liverpool in August.

The Blues currently trail Arsenal by six points in the Premier League table, meaning Sunday’s clash carries enormous significance for their title ambitions.

Victory would reduce that deficit to three points and encourage realistic title hopes, while defeat would establish a potentially irrecoverable nine-point gap to the leaders with barely a third of the season completed.

Maresca faces crucial selection decisions, particularly surrounding Cole Palmer’s fitness.

Chelsea have already signed "the next Cristiano Ronaldo" for half of his release clause

He could be their next Estevao-esque talent.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 27, 2025

Chelsea have done well to cope without their superstar player, but reports have suggested that Palmer could be in contention to face Arsenal after breaking his toe recently.

The England international has been out since Chelsea’s defeat to Man United at Old Trafford in September, first being kept out by a niggling groin problem before then suffering that toe injury earlier this month.

It’s been a nightmare start to 25/26 for Palmer personally, with the Englishman desperate to get back on the field.

Enzo Maresca provides Cole Palmer update ahead of Arsenal clash

Now, in some good news for the Blues, Maresca has confirmed that Palmer is ready to start against Arsenal this weekend.

In more good news, Maresca also confirmed that midfielder and summer signing Dario Essugo also took part in a training session this morning.

Palmer’s availability for Sunday’s clash provides Chelsea with their most potent weapon against the Premier League leaders, coming as a big boost for Maresca.

The 23-year-old has been instrumental in Chelsea’s transformation under Maresca, providing the sheer quality that elevates their attacking play.

The former Man City star racked up 18 goals and 14 assists last term, spearheading Chelsea to the Conference League, Club World Cup and a top four Premier League finish.

His composure in decisive moments separates him from Chelsea’s other attacking options, and against high-pressure opponents like Arsenal, Palmer’s calmness on the ball and intelligent decision-making will prove invaluable.

Suddenly, Chelsea’s chances of upsetting Arteta have just increased tenfold.

Spirit and togetherness shine through at Lord’s in a victory that unites the past, present and future of South African cricket, and South Africa itself

Firdose Moonda16-Jun-20257:27

Bavuma: We’ve wiped all doubts with the way that we’ve played

The Lord’s air sizzled with South African spirit.I want to explain that better, but as someone who has always struggled with identity – a third-generation South African of Indian heritage and a child of the late Apartheid/early democratic era – I don’t know if it’s mine to explain.It’s a deep belief (hope is too light a word, knowledge too strong) that anything is possible.This is the blessing and the curse of being a South African of my generation: our parents and grandparents did not think they would live to see the end of segregation and we are still bungling our way through to proper unity. But we believe it’s possible because there are some things that always told us it could be. Sport, especially in the last six years since the Springboks won their third Rugby World Cup, is one of them.On the fourth morning at Lord’s, as Temba Bavuma and Aiden Markram walked out down the pavillon steps, 69 runs away from history, I was on the outfield as a commentator for the BBC’s and I lingered longer than my colleagues. That’s when I felt it. And breathed it in. As the fans in the Compton and Edrich Stands drew the pair onto the pitch with their cheers, it was like a magnetic field had enveloped us. Our time was here.The next two hours and 16 minutes were fraught. The crowd roared as Bavuma blocked the first ball and then the second. I yelped when the third hit him on the pad, involuntarily and to the giggles of those around me. Behaviour like that is usually frowned upon in the press box but they let me have it, because all the world’s cricket press knows how long South Africa have waited. Mistakenly, they also thought we all wanted them to win every time. Spoiler alert: some of us didn’t, at least at first.A lot of people involved in cricket will tell you that cricket has been part of their lives for a long time, including me. I never played but grew up in a cricket-loving family and community, who saw sport as intensely political. My father and uncles (our mothers and aunts didn’t play) recognised how sport was used as a tool by the Apartheid regime to sideline people of colour. It was an act of rebellion, as well as a chance to have some fun, to stay involved. That’s what “board” cricket was about.An emotional Keshav Maharaj celebrates the win with Lungi Ngidi•ICC/Getty ImagesThe South African Cricket Board organised cricket among people of colour, as opposed to the South African Cricket Union, which was the white administrative body. Board cricket was serious and competitive but often played in substandard facilities and some records have been lost. I was a child but I remember board matches feeling like “our place”, where we could just be and not be judged. I had the opposite feeling when I first started attending matches after unity, as someone from a previously disadvantaged race group. When unity came in 1992 and the Board got swallowed by the Union, there was very little space for people like us, and it left us bitter. Many of us grew up supporting India, Pakistan and West Indies, who looked like us, and actively disliked the South Africa team.Cassim Docrat, an administrator from the Board, who did find a place in the Union, often reminds me that the decision to come together was rushed, and for the benefit of white cricket to get back to the international stage. Considering how few players of colour made it to the national team in the first 25 years of readmission, it’s difficult to disagree with him.

I’ve allowed myself to wonder if it was always supposed to take 27 years, and scolded myself for daring to compare the length of Nelson Mandela’s imprisonment with South Africa’s trophy drought

I was one of those who found a place on the periphery, in what was then a white-dominated and male-dominated space. By the mid-2000s, I was a teenager and I started working in cricket, as a scorer. Shukri Conrad was the Lions coach when I made it to the Wanderers score box, where I spent a handful of happy years doing ball-by-ball commentary for Cricinfo before moving into the editorial space. So it’s not just that cricket has occupied the major part of my life, Cricinfo has too. It’s through them that I have had a front-row seat to South Africa’s performances since 2009, a close-up to some celebrations and much heartache.The 2012 tour to England is my highlight, especially as Graeme Smith won the hearts of the nation with his century in his 100th match as captain, and by bringing his new-born daughter Cadence to Lord’s, where South Africa won the mace for the first time.Smith was also part of the broadcast team for this final and we’ve been exchanging little comments throughout the Test, increasingly with more stress in our voices. For a few minutes on the fourth morning, while Tristan Stubbs battled, we tried to distract ourselves by discussing where Cadence will go to high school. That’s how much time has passed.Graeme Smith and Vernon Philander were key parts of the 2012 South Africa team that attained the No. 1 Test ranking•Getty ImagesThe 2015 World Cup semi-final is an obvious lowlight, both because of the result, and the race-based selection interference which caused a major loss of trust in the administrators, but there have been others. Waking up to see that South Africa had lost to Netherlands at the 2022 T20 World Cup, the 2023 ODI World Cup semi-final and 2024 T20 World Cup final the most recent.Of those, the 2023 defeat stands out because of the controversies around Temba Bavuma. He played the match with a strained hamstring and though that didn’t have much impact on the eventual result, was made to shoulder most of the blame. Cricket clearly has a sense of humour because Bavuma also batted in this match with the same injury and is now being hailed a hero.Hearing his name, chanted to the tune of “Seven Nation Army”, around Lord’s showed how much South African cricket has changed. It helps that the expat community, especially, has fallen in love with Springbok captain Siya Kolisi and embrace his black excellence. It also helps that Kolisi has won two World Cups. I’ve always felt sorry for Bavuma for being in Kolisi’s shadow and when I heard the Lord’s crowd, I could see him stepping out of it. He was ready, and I knew that from the interviews he had done pre-match, in which he spoke openly about being labelled a product of transformation (I contributed to it with the 2016 piece I did on his century) had been a handbrake on his career. I was sorry for the crudeness, but I also had a job to do, and I know we can’t escape race. Bavuma also now knows that. He understands his role in the bigger picture, as does that squad as a whole, and there are some very sombre reasons why.On the final morning of the victory over Pakistan that secured South Africa’s qualification for this final, batting coach Ashwell Prince lost his wife Melissa to cancer. She was 40 years old and beloved in South African cricket circles. Her death provided a completely different perspective to what was happening in front of us: just a game, with consequences, but clearly nothing as serious as what was happening in Prince’s life. It’s not that we stopped caring about the result, but we understood that there were important things going on. Three months later, Conrad lost his father, a former cricketer.A delighted Shukri Conrad and Kagiso Rabada after the win•ICC/Getty ImagesWhen Prince gave his batting talk to the team ahead of the final, he referenced those losses. Real, raw, heart-shattering losses. A game of cricket? He can get over that. But raising his three young sons alone, wishing for Melissa’s presence at every milestone and even every ordinary moment? There’s no getting over that. So, though the match matters and everyone is expected to do everything they can to win it, other things matter far more. It’s with that in mind that South Africa approached the final.Still, it can be difficult in the moment not to think winning is all that matters, both as a professional sportsperson and, by the looks of it, as a diehard fan. I’m not quite that (and I can’t be as a journalist) but I also wanted the win badly, partly so I’d have something different to write but mostly because I had that feeling all Test; that belief that this was it.When Bavuma was dismissed my heart sank. Not another mess-up for him to explain. I couldn’t watch Stubbs bat. He seemed so out of his depth. He’s a kid. He’ll get there. With 20 runs to get, I started to get serious about what was about to happen, what I’d need to say, what I’d need to write. I didn’t even realise when Markram was dismissed because of the non-reaction from the Australians. Kyle Verreynne’s awkward ramp made me grimace, and he told us afterwards he didn’t know what he’d been thinking, but by then they were on the verge. On screen, I saw Smith, barely able to contain himself as the winning runs loomed.They came with a drive and a wave of emotion like nothing I’ve experienced at a sporting venue. South Africa, rejoice!Related

How Temba Bavuma found a role model in a 14-year-old

Glimpse into South Africa's future: Young squad set for Zimbabwe challenge

Rabada toasts 'special, special, special' win: 'I'm willing to give my blood for this team'

India series as commercially important as the Ashes, says ECB chief executive

South Africa revel on Lord's stage as WTC gets showpiece it deserves

On air, I tried to remember all the names I wanted to mention, to pay homage to the generations of cricketers that wanted this victory deeply: Barlow and Procter; Pollock and Kallis; Amla and Philander. Bacher’s came out easily. A divisive figure among people of my parents’ generation, for his role in supporting rebel tours, he has become a dear friend and his recent, severe illness has been on my mind for months. Not everyone approves of my relationship with Bacher. To me, it’s proof that we are not our parents, and that there is a space to see someone as a human first. I look forward to explaining how the WTC works to him. He’d asked me a few months ago and we didn’t have the time, but now I’ll just say South Africa won and I don’t think he’ll have too many more questions.Most of the rest of the names were more recent, men whose careers I had covered and some of whose struggles I’d seen. Makhaya Ntini stands out. He retired a few years after my career began and was always reluctant to talk about the experience of being the only black African in the squad until just before the Social Justice and Nation Building hearings of 2021, when he found his voice and told his story.The hearings had their flaws but they cracked South African cricket open and let the light in. We gave ourselves the space to talk about our experiences. Personally, covering the SJN gave me an agency I was too scared to take hold of before. It reassured me that my community’s story, however small in cricket, also mattered, that the things I had endured, as a woman of colour in the press box, also mattered and that all the attempts I’d made to amplify the voices of players of colour were worth it.One of my earlier pieces was about the two men of colour, Hussein Manack and Faiek Davids, who travelled with South Africa’s first post-readmission side to India. Manack’s father, Aboo, has collected and kept a meticulous history of cricket among our people, the Johannesburg-based South Africans of Indian heritage. I will stop putting off plans to go and see it, and maybe even digitise it. When I thought of who the Lord’s victory was for, I also thought of Aboo Manack, a contemporary of my late father.Aiden Markram gets the party started with a friend in the stands•PA Images via Getty ImagesThen I looked around and I saw little Milan Maharaj running in the opposite direction from where her father, Keshav, was calling her and I smiled through the tears I was also trying to hide. I saw what you saw as Bavuma held his son Lihle in one arm and the mace in the other. As Ian Smith put it, “The two most important things in his life.” And it felt right. It felt like South African spirit.I’ve allowed myself to wonder if it was always supposed to take 27 years, and scolded myself for daring to compare the length of Nelson Mandela’s imprisonment with South Africa’s trophy drought. I remember, very vaguely, February 11, 1990 when Mandela was released and addressed the world from the Cape Town city hall and I know, from many readings of his speech, that what stuck with me was that he said we had reached a point on the march to freedom that was “irreversible”. He was right. Here we are. Six democratic elections later, and we have also ended the rule of Mandela’s former party in what is hailed as a triumph for peaceful power transition.South African cricket feels like it reached that same point on June 14, 2025. It’s not that they overturned three decades of near-misses or proved themselves under pressure. It’s that they did it together. Or as we would say, “together-together”.Those who know South Africans know we like to repeat words when we’re trying to emphasise them. “Now-now”, which is more now than now; “sure-sure”, when we want to be, well, sure of something. “Together-together” is not just the together of the squad and the support staff and the spectators, but the together that includes the past, the present and the future. The together that my generation believes is possible, even though there are still so many things that divide us.Breathe Mzansi. We’re all right.

South Africa are already in the semi-finals but Pakistan, despite not winning a game so far, are still in contention for a spot in the last four

Andrew Fidel Fernando20-Oct-20252:48

High-flying South Africa take on deflated Pakistan

Big picture – Can Pakistan find some batting firepower?South Africa have already booked a semi-final spot. Despite not having won a match so far in the tournament, Pakistan still have a slim chance of sneaking into the knockouts, provided they win their last two matches by huge margins and other results also go their way. With no teams ruled out of contention just yet (at least until Monday’s Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka match finishes), there is plenty on the line in every game. This tournament has now arrived at its pointy end.Pakistan’s bowlers will perhaps still be buoyed by their most recent performance. Fatima Sana and Co. struck early and then repeatedly against England, restricting one of the better batting units in the tournament to a low score that Pakistan looked likely to chase down, before a second spell of rains washed the rest of that match out. As had been the case in that game, the rains that have held sway in Colombo will likely envenom seamers, who may get the ball to move appreciably off a slightly moist deck. Often, teams prefer to bat first at the Khettarama – a venue that is notoriously tricky for chasing sides, especially under lights. But at this time of year, bowling first is an advantage too.Related

Road to the semis: Five teams in contention for one spot

Bangladesh, Pakistan and SL fall behind in the power game

In fact, Pakistan’s batters were on the receiving end of some good seam bowling in Saturday’s match against New Zealand, when they had been 92 for 5 in an already rain-reduced innings, before more rains ended that match. South Africa have experienced seamers like Masabata Klaas and Marizanne Kapp in their XI. Although they haven’t quite lit this World Cup up so far, both bowlers are very capable of bowling themselves into better rhythm on a helpful deck.The tougher the surface is to bat on, however, the more Pakistan will feel they can compete. As batting is by a distance the weaker of their two main discipline, a low-scoring match would suit them best. In fact, it had been a low-scoring game in which Pakistan last took South Africa down, roughly a month ago in Lahore.South Africa’s batting, which, as Sri Lanka found out on Friday, is led off by one of the best opening combinations going, is looking in increasingly good shape. They appear to have left the embarrassment of being blown away for 69 in their tournament opener well and truly behind them.1:15

Sekhukhune: ‘We want to keep ticking all the boxes’

Form guidePakistan: LLLLW
South Africa WWWWLIn the spotlight – Fatima Sana and Nonkululeko MlabaPakistan captain Fatima Sana has been putting together an excellent World Cup, with nine wickets at an average of 16 so far. Almost 15% of her overs have also been maidens (she has bowled more maidens than any other bowler in this tournament). Against England, her last outing with the ball, Sana bowled some vicious inseaming deliveries, presenting a beautiful wobble-seam, and extracting substantial movement to send balls shooting between right-hand batters’ bats and pads. Both South Africa’s opening batters are right-hand batters. Expect Sana to repeat that same mode of attack against them.Although in T20Is Nonkululeko Mlaba has been a force for some time, this World Cup may be remembered as the tournament in which she stepped up her ODI bowling. She is by a huge distance South Africa’s most penetrative bowler of the tournament, having claimed 11 wickets at an average of 15.18, with an economy rate of 4.63. Pakistan’s batters will know that even if they survive the seamers, they have one of the world’s smartest spinners to counter later in the innings.Pitch and conditions: Can the rain please stop?I think we can call it now – the northeast monsoon appears to have properly arrived in Colombo, which makes a match uninterrupted by rain even less likely. There will likely be juice in the pitch for the seamers, but it is a rare match at the Khettarama where the ball does not take significant turn as well.0:58

Nawaz: ‘We are not being able to build momentum with the bat’

Team news: Pakistan might strengthen their battingPakistan will search for ways to add muscle to their fragile batting order. Could Eyman Fatima or Sadaf Shamas make it back into the XI as they search for better combinations?Pakistan (possible): 1 Omaima Sohail, 2 Muneeba Ali, 3 Sidra Amin, 4 Aliya Riaz, 5 Natalia Pervaiz, 6 Eyman Fatima/Rameen Shamim, 7 Fatima Sana (capt), 8 Sidra Nawaz (wk), 9 Diana Baig, 10 Nashra Sandhu, 10 Sadia IqbalSouth Africa will likely keep their XI as it is.South Africa (possible): 1 Laura Wolvaardt (capt), 2 Tazmin Brits, 3 Sune Luus, 4 Marizanne Kapp, 5 Annerie Dercksen, 6 Chloe Tryon, 7 Nadine de Klerk, 8 Karabo Meso (wk), 9 Nondumiso Shangase, 10 Masabata Klaas, 11 Nonkululeko MlabaStats and trivia Sana has played more ODIs (ten) against South Africa than any other team. But she has a poor record against this opposition, having claimed only six wickets at an average of 62.83. Before this tournament, Mlaba had bowled in 12 matches in Asia, and claimed 18 wickets at an average of 31.44. Her bowling average in Asia is now 25.27, and her strike rate is down to 29.3. This is more than twice as good as her numbers at home (average 51.18, SR 71.4). Since 2020, these teams have played each other ten times. Pakistan have won two of those games, both at home. South Africa have won the other eight.

After taking over as interim manager following the Rockies firing Bud Black mid-season, Colorado is promoting Warren Schaeffer as the full-time manager for the 2026 season. The team announced the decision on Monday afternoon.

Schaeffer took over in May and posted a 36–86 record as interim manager with the Rockies this year. Despite the unfortunate outcome of the season, the Rockies are ready to give Schaeffer a fresh slate next year.

“We’re confident Warren is the right person to lead our club moving forward,” Rockies president of baseball operations Paul DePodesta said in a statement. “He has established strong relationships with our players, understands the culture of this franchise and embodies the energy and work ethic we want on and off the field.”

A couple Rockies players endorsed Schaeffer after the season for him to return in the future, including outfielder Jordan Beck.

“I like what he’s changed; I like what he brings to the table,” Beck said in September, via CBS Sports. “There is real accountability and there is true conversation. He makes guys feel really comfortable and prepared, and that’s important for a young team.”

The 40-year-old Schaeffer was promoted to the major leagues for the 2023 season as he was hired as the Rockies’ third base and infield coach. Before coming to majors, Schaeffer worked 10 years coaching and managing in the minor leagues.

If any side has it in them to gift bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers a much-needed Premier League win, it might well have been Ruben Amorim’s all too often charitable Manchester United outfit.

Indeed, heading into this Monday night clash at Molineux, the Red Devils had previously handed relegation-threatened West Ham United a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford.

However, the visitors from Manchester were far more ruthless on this occasion, as Wolves’ abject season shows no signs of stopping off the back of United running out convincing 4-1 winners.

Sitting on just two points, you likely could pick flaws all night long in the woeful home performance, with the die-hard Old Gold faithful clearly at their wits’ end with the ownership at their lowly club, having staged a fan protest before yet another defeat was tallied up.

What went wrong for Wolves on Monday

Championship football already looks destined to be returning to the West Midlands very soon, with the fresh appointment of Rob Edwards to replace Vitor Pereira doing very little to save the sinking ship.

Edwards just can’t account for some silly errors that plagued Wolves’ game all evening, though, with Andre in the first half – who has been on United’s transfer radar – dilly dallying on the ball for far too long, before Bruno Fernandes then scrappily gave the fortuitous away side a 1-0 lead. As journalist Liam Keen put it, the defending for this opening strike was ” totally shambolic.”

The likes of Yersen Mosquera in the heart of the ropey Wolves defence didn’t fare any better, either, with the shaky number 15 handing Fernandes his second of the one-sided affair late on, after a handball decision went against him for the penalty.

Mason Mount also had all the time in the world to put away United’s third when both Mosquera and Emmanuel Agbadou left him in acres of space to fire home, with the abysmal defending on show typical of a side that has surrendered a seriously worrying 33 goals already this season.

All over the pitch, there were very few positives to latch onto, with a lacklustre attacker now needing to be dropped by Edwards, after he put in another no-show against the rampant Red Devils.

Wolves flop must now be dropped after Man Utd

Apart from Jean Ricner Bellegarde scoring Wolves’ first league goal since October, there would be little to smile about from an attacking point of view at Molineux for the hosts, especially when it came to Jorgen Strand Larsen’s idle showing.

Long gone now are the days when Larsen was being tipped for a £50m switch to Newcastle United after bagging 14 league strikes during his debut season, with the out-of-sorts Norwegian instead now on the receiving end of some sarcastic cheers when he was substituted off after an uneventful 69-minute spell against Amorim’s men.

As per the aforementioned Keen, Larsen even had to be calmed down by his manager after looking “furious” with the jeers directed at him.

But, when looking at the table below, it’s hardly a shock that the hardened Molineux masses decided to voice their frustrations in such a gallows humour way, with the goal-shy number 29 coming off after registering zero shots and just five accurate passes.

Minutes played

69

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

19

Shots

0

Accurate passes

5/9 (56%)

Total duels won

2/12

Moreover, Larsen only mustering up a sorry 19 touches of the ball in total means even Johnstone in between the sticks for the relegation-doomed side had more touches of the ball, coming in at a far heftier 42.

The Newcastle-linked striker’s notable drop off has impacted the Old Gold so much this season that former Premier League scout Mick Brown, when speaking to Football Insider earlier in the campaign, stated that his presence up top now makes the basement outfit a “worse side.”

This is a far cry from analyst Ben Mattinson’s previous comments that he was a “proper number 9” when scoring goals for fun, meaning Edwards must seriously consider axing him soon, even as his other striker option in Tolu Arokodare, prepares to head to the African Cup of Nations.

Desperate times could call for desperate measures, with Hwang Hee-Chan perhaps the answer in from the cold up top, considering he does have 23 top-flight goals for the Old Gold, one of which came this season, lining up as the sole centre-forward.

Whatever changes do occur, Wolves need to start doing the basics correctly if they stand any chance of turning around their likely insurmountable points gap, with Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher stating that they have “no fight” at the moment.

Larsen could fall victim to Edwards shuffling his pack, with Wolves surely left with plenty of regret now that they handed the out-of-form number nine a new, bumper five-year deal in September, instead of cashing in.

Wolves now want to sign 'top talent' from Man City with player set to leave in January

Rob Edwards’ side need inspiration from somewhere.

ByEmilio Galantini 6 days ago

“It’s a privilege to have that kind of confidence from the management towards an opener,” the batter says after his maiden ODI hundred

Hemant Brar04-Dec-20254:31

Gaikwad: I decided I’d try to be consistent in any game this year

Ruturaj Gaikwad says he was “pretty much confident” of adapting to the No. 4 position despite having never batted there previously in 50-over cricket. Before the South Africa series, Gaikwad had batted 86 times in List A cricket but never below No. 3.He started the series with 8 off 14 balls in Ranchi before scoring 105 off 83 balls in the second ODI in Raipur, which he said was “definitely” his best innings across formats and levels.”[The team management] told me that I would be batting at No. 4 this series,” Gaikwad said after the match. “I feel it’s a privilege to have that kind of confidence from the management towards an opener. So I took it that way.Related

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Shadowing the king: When Gaikwad matched Kohli shot for shot

When South Africa and India went off the scale

“In the one-day format, even when I was opening the innings, I always tried to make sure that whenever I was set, I was able to bat till the 45th over and capitalise after that. So I knew somewhat how to play between overs 11 to 40, how to rotate strike, what the boundary options were. So I was pretty much confident about how I could go through [the innings].”It was just a matter of how I could play my first 10-15 balls and after that, the process remains the same. I have been working really hard, and obviously been in good touch as well. So I wanted to make sure that whenever I am set, I make it a big one.”Gaikwad was involved in a 195-run stand with Virat Kohli, who scored his second hundred in as many games. When asked about the partnership, Gaikwad said it was something “you dream of”.Virat Kohli gives Ruturaj Gaikwad a pat on the back after the latter tonned up•AFP/Getty Images”I have been able to witness him since last one week now,” he said. “Whatever practice sessions we have had, he is batting unbelievably well… the amount of time he has and how he is able to convert it in the match as well. And even this game, I enjoyed a lot. [But] mostly, I was trying to be in my zone and not really think about how he is batting or how he is able to score runs.”The chat in between was very clear. We had set 5-5-, 10-10-run target and [discussed] how to manoeuvre the gaps or how to hit those boundaries, how we can rotate strike. So the chat was around that. I think we had really good running between the wickets as well. Obviously, you dream of these kinds of moments and to be able to have that kind of partnership, I really enjoyed a lot.”Before this series, Gaikwad last played an ODI for India in 2023. Since then, he has fallen behind the pecking order as opener, with Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill being India’s first choice, followed by Yashasvi Jaiswal. He got a chance in this series only because Shreyas Iyer was injured. How does he see this competition?”I think all these things are better if you don’t think too much [about them]. Because [if you do so], you are not in the present, and whatever matches are in front of you, you don’t have that much focus and preparation for them.”In the last Vijay Hazare Trophy, I couldn’t make that many runs [194 in seven innings]. Obviously, some things were going on in my mind. But after that, I thought whichever match it is, whether a club game, red-ball format, or white-ball format, I will make sure I try to stay consistent. I realised that my duty is to score runs as much as possible. And if I get an opportunity, well and good. Even if I don’t, it’s still fine.”

Luka Modric has revealed that Tottenham’s refusal to sell him to Chelsea more than a decade ago ultimately shaped the most successful chapter of his career. He suggested that what once felt like a crushing setback became the twist of fate that carried him to Real Madrid and earned him footballing immortality. Tottenham rejected multiple bids, leaving the midfielder to complete another season in north London before earning a switch to the Spanish giants a year later.

Modric reflects on his failed Chelsea transfer

Signed from Dinamo Zagreb in 2008 for £16.5 million, Modric went on to play more than 150 matches for Spurs. But as Chelsea intensified their pursuit in 2011, the Croatian admitted he made a misstep by voicing his desire to leave. 

Speaking on Croatian programme , he said: "Perhaps I shouldn't have said so publicly that I wanted to leave."

"Even so, I did very well at Tottenham. They were very tough on me, and the chairman, Daniel Levy, made it crystal clear in our first meeting [that] there was absolutely no chance they would let me go."

Despite the tension, Modric, as a true professional, continued to perform on the pitch. 

"After that, I carried on as if nothing had happened," he said. "I knew it would be complicated; both clubs are in London, and there's a rivalry. I wanted to go, even though I knew it was going to be very difficult." 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportA season of redemption before Madrid came calling

Denied the move he coveted at the time, Modric instead produced one of his finest campaigns in a Spurs shirt, helping the team finish fourth in the Premier League. Ironically, that season ended with Chelsea winning the Champions League. Nonetheless, Modric now views that turbulent summer with gratitude rather than regret.

"In the end, it didn't happen, and I kept playing, and it was perhaps one of my best seasons," he reminisced. "We finished fourth; that year, Chelsea won the Champions League. The season was phenomenal, and a year later, an even better opportunity came along. And in the end, it worked out even better; probably if I had joined Chelsea, I wouldn't have gone to Real Madrid."

Leaving Real Madrid: A decision heavy with emotion

Modric spent 13 seasons in Madrid, lifting a record 28 trophies, including six Champions League titles, and winning the 2018 Ballon d’Or.  Despite the silverware and accolades, he admitted that walking away from Madrid last summer was among the hardest decisions of his life.

He explained to : "Honestly, it wasn't easy, because I spent 13 years, almost half of my life, practically in a club, in a city. It was one of the best times of my life. I arrived in Madrid perhaps relatively late, at 27, but at the right time. I was ready for that step. The four years in England helped me a lot. And everything I experienced and achieved in Madrid afterwards seems unreal to me. 

"It is something incredible! Because you know what kind of club Madrid is, you know that they don't tolerate mediocrity, and to stay at that level, in a club like that, for so many years, with all the successes I've experienced there, it's something incredible. In my previous way of thinking, I believed that I would be satisfied if I ended my career at 35. But my professional curriculum has long since exceeded that limit, and I do not hide my gratitude: I am still, thank God, at that level and it is something incredible!"

Modric reiterated that he had always hoped to retire in Madrid, adding: "I've always said it and it wasn't platitudes, flattering the fans or the club – my big wish was to retire in Madrid. But simply, everything has a beginning and an end."

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AFPA new chapter at Milan at 40

Instead of hanging up his boots at the Bernabeu, Modric opted for a fresh challenge in Italy last summer. Any doubts about his ability to adapt at 40 have been emphatically dismissed. The Croatian has slotted seamlessly into Massimiliano Allegri’s system at AC Milan and has already contributed one goal and two assists. Modric has emerged as a key figure in a Milan side that harbours ambitions of reclaiming the Serie A title. He is expected to feature again on Monday night when Milan travel to face Torino. 

Fast bowler shows worth in match-turning performance, but will sit out final round on England’s orders

Vithushan Ehantharajah18-Sep-2025Josh Tongue’s final act of the 2025 English summer was taking Nottinghamshire to the cusp of the Divison One County Championship title.Tongue’s 5 for 100, his fourth five-wicket haul of the first-class season, completed a thrilling victory against Surrey. Chasing a remarkable four titles in a row, the defending champions now trail Nottinghamshire by 14 points heading into the final round.The new Division One leaders host Warwickshire at Trent Bridge next week, hoping to seal their first Championship since 2010. But they will have to do so without Tongue, who also took 3 for 43 in the first innings, with England erring on the side of caution to preserve Tongue for the Ashes, which begins on November 21 in Perth.Related

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Tongue is currently on an ECB central contract, which is due to be extended next month, and has emerged as a crucial member of the fast-bowling armoury. His high release point, speed and ability to find movement on flat pitches are vital to England’s hopes of wrestling back the urn in Australia.Though unfortunate for Nottinghamshire and Tongue, who only made his debut for the county in April after right pectoral issues and a hamstring tear kept him out of action having joined at the end of 2023, his performances showed why the 27-year-old is worth the cotton wool treatment.He was the difference-maker on day four of this de facto title-decider, bowling 17.2 of a tense final 55.2 overs of the match. A top speed of 93mph was surrounded by consistent pace in the late 80s, and consistent spells – the longest of six overs after the lunch interval. His removals of Rory Burns (ending an opening stand of 74) and Ben Foakes accounted for two of the top four, before a blistering final 3.2 over burst ended a dogged rearguard effort, taking the final three wickets to leave Surrey 21 short of their 315 target.Nottinghamshire head coach Peter Moores likened Tongue to former England seamer Stuart Broad, for his knack of bending matches to his whim.”The best person I ever coached on sensing moments was Stuart Broad – he knew when to up it,” said Moores, who had two spells working with Broad as England coach, and is on the cusp of becoming the first head coach to win the Championship with three different teams (Sussex in 2003 and 2006; Lancashire in 2011).”The way he [Tongue] impacted the game, it’s reserved for [only] a few people. Bowlers are kings of the game, really, if they have moments like that, because they are the only people that start the process. Everybody else reacts to what they do. But when he’s doing that, and at the top of his mark, we are glued. It’s box office.”Today we saw a player who is enjoying playing the game. He’s talented, he’s got pace and he’s got something I think we should never ignore in a bowler – he’s got an awkward action. You never ignore that. He delivers from past the perpendicular; it looks like it’s coming in but sometimes it’s going away.”England’s caution with Tongue is understandable given his injury history, which includes 15 months sidelined with a potentially career-ending right shoulder issue. That ended up being alleviated unconventionally with botox injections, leading to a Test debut against Ireland in June 2023, followed by an Ashes appearance at Lord’s later that month.Further setbacks kept him out of action entirely in 2024. This year, however, he has delivered the most red-ball overs (382.3) of his career, of which 369.3 have come this summer. Not only was he England’s leading wicket-taker in the Test series against India, with 19 from just three appearances, but he currently has more first-class dismissals (54) than anyone else in the ongoing English season.”I feel like now I’m in a better place physically I can hold that pace for longer periods and longer spells,” Tongue said. “Last year was a tough year for me during my injuries. But I know the hard work that I did over the winter just gone, it’s going to put me in good stead this season.”I did a few long spells during that Test series as well, so I knew I’ll be able to do it for Notts as well. And that’s the main thing, I just want to put all my effort into to winning games of cricket – and thankfully it’s, paid off today.”Tongue is not the only player involved in the title race who will not participate in the final round. Gus Atkinson will also be absent for Surrey’s trip to Hampshire.