Chelsea have opened talks with the representatives of a big-name player after their triumph over Barcelona in the Champions League, according to a fresh update on Wednesday morning.

Chelsea seal statement win over Barcelona on dream European night

Enzo Maresca’s side put in a scintillating performance at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night, dismantling Barça 3-0 in a European encounter that underlined their credentials as genuine contenders for silverware this season.

Chelsea dominated from start to finish, displaying an intensity and quality that left the five-time European champions thoroughly outclassed.

The Blues flew out of the blocks with relentless energy, pressing Barcelona high and refusing to allow the Spanish side any time on the ball. Their attacking intent was evident throughout a pulsating first half that saw Chelsea create numerous opportunities, though they endured frustration as two goals were chalked off for offside and handball before finally breaking through.

The first goal arrived when Marc Cucurella’s dangerous cross deflected off Jules Koundé, giving Chelsea a deserved advantage after 27 minutes of intense pressure.

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Estevao was the star of the show as Chelsea beat Barcelona in the Champions League.

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It got from bad to worse for Barça, with captain Ronald Araujo receiving a second yellow card for his reckless challenge on Cucurella near the touchline. The sending-off proved catastrophic for Hansi Flick’s side, allowing Chelsea to seize complete control after the restart.

The second half belonged to 18-year-old sensation Estevao, who produced a moment of individual brilliance that will be remembered for years in west London.

Collecting the ball wide on the right, the Brazilian winger embarked on a mesmeric dribble, gliding past Pau Cubarsí before cutting across Alejandro Balde and unleashing an unstoppable finish into the roof of the net. The stunning strike showcased his exceptional technical ability and composure, stealing the show in a much-anticipated head-to-head with Barcelona’s own teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal.

Liam Delap then rounded off a superb Chelsea display with his first Champions League goal for the club after initially seeing it chalked off, with Cucurella getting a lot of plaudits too for his exceptional display against Yamal.

Minutes

93′

Expected Assists

0.59

Tackles (Won)

5 (4)

Interceptions

1

Clearances

2

Blocked Shots

1

Recoveries

4

Aerial Duels (Won)

1 (1)

Key Passes

1

Passes

55/63

Touches

97

It was a statement win for Chelsea, who now go into their mouth-watering Premier League tie against Arsenal this weekend in very high spirits.

Now, according to Sky Switzerland reporter Sacha Tavolieri, supporters could have more reason to get excited.

Chelsea reopen talks with Mike Maignan who's "very keen" to join

AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan has long been a target for Chelsea amid their hunt for an elite-level keeper, with his contract expiring at the end of this season and potentially up for grabs at zero cost.

As per Tavolieri, Chelsea have reignited negotiations with Maignan and his camp, as the French international edges closer to departing the San Siro.

BlueCo are seizing on a developing contract standoff that could see the 30-year-old leave Italy as a free agent next summer, with Maignan reportedly informing Milan that he will not sign a new deal despite the club offering improved terms that would double his current salary.

The France number one can begin formal discussions with foreign clubs from January onwards, positioning Chelsea favourably in the race for his signature.

Maresca apparently views the experienced shot-stopper as a potential solution to Chelsea’s ongoing goalkeeping concerns. While Robert Sanchez has featured regularly this season, Filip Jorgensen could leave in January, and neither have fully convinced Chelsea’s manager.

Maignan is also “very keen” on the idea of joining them, so this could be one to watch closely as we fast approach the winter window.

The former Lille star is widely regarded as one of Europe’s top shot-stoppers, with Liverpool’s Alisson describing him as a world-class keeper at a truly elite level.

Manchester United’s central midfield department has been one that has come into huge question over the last couple of months, with Ruben Amorim needing improvements in such an area.

The 40-year-old has often had to rotate the options to the heart of the side, with Bruno Fernandes often the man to start as a number eight on a regular basis.

The Portuguese international has mainly been joined by Casemiro in the two midfield roles in 2025/26, which has allowed the latter to make a name for himself in the Premier League.

However, at 33, the Brazilian is now entering the latter stages of his professional career, with the player set to leave at the end of the season upon the expiration of his contract.

As a result, the hierarchy will desperately need to target added reinforcements in the midfield department, especially with the January transfer window now approaching.

Man Utd looking to sign mega-money midfielder

Over the last couple of days, United have been named as one of the sides interested in a deal to sign RB Leipzig star Assan Ouedraogo in the January window.

The German star has endured a phenomenal start to the 2025/26 campaign, featuring in 11 Bundesliga outings and already posting a total of six goal contributions in the process.

However, it’s been reported that Ole Werner’s side are extremely reluctant to offload the 19-year-old, who is seen as a player with huge potential to explode into an elite-level talent.

He’s not the only player currently in the Red Devils’ sights at present, with Nottingham Forest sensation Elliot Anderson still firmly in their sights ahead of the winter window.

According to journalist Andy Mitten, Amorim’s men “would love” to sign the 23-year-old midfielder who has been a shining light at the heart of the Reds side in 2025/26.

It’s also been reported that such a deal could rise to around the £100m mark, which would be a club record for United, passing the figure forked out for one player in 2016.

Why Anderson could be Man Utd's new Paul Pogba

Paul Pogba joined United in a staggering £89m deal back in the summer of 2016, with such a deal becoming the most expensive in the club’s long-standing history.

The Frenchman arrived for his second spell at Old Trafford, amassing over 225 appearances and often catching the eye with various impressive moments over his six-year period.

From long-range strikes to vital efforts in Manchester derbies, he truly did capture the hearts of the supporters – that’s despite concerns over his fitness and attitude at certain times.

However, there’s little denying he’s one of the most technically gifted players to operate in the deep-lying midfield roles, as seen by his tally of 86 goals and assists for the Red Devils.

Despite Bruno operating in such a role, there’s little denying the first team have lacked a technical player of Pogba’s quality, but that could be about to change with a move for Anderson.

Like Pogba, he would be a massively expensive addition, but his underlying stats from the 2025/26 campaign showcase his incredible technical ability with and without the ball.

The Englishman, who’s been labelled “world-class” by one analyst, has completed 8.3 progressive passes per 90, with 8.2 of his efforts being made into the final third.

Games played

12

Goals & assists

2

Pass accuracy

83%

Progressive passes

8.3

Passes into final third

8.2

Take-ons completed

1.3

Ball recoveries

8.5

Tackles made

2.8

Duels won

7.2

Such numbers showcase his incredible ball-playing ability, with such talents allowing him to pick out numerous of the club’s £200m additions in attacking areas.

He’s also completed 1.5 key passes per 90 to date, with 1.3 of his passes being into the opposition’s 18-yard box, further highlighting his world-class talents in possession.

However, without the ball, Anderson has been just as impressive, as seen by his tally of 2.8 tackles made and 7.2 duels won per 90 in the Premier League this campaign.

The aforementioned figures showcase why he would be the perfect box-to-box option for Amorim’s side, which could get the best out of Bruno once again in the near future.

£100m for a player in the modern market is slowly becoming an acceptable choice, as seen by the likes of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City, who have all spent such a figure on players in years gone by.

However, if United are to do it, Anderson would be the perfect player to spend such an amount on, with the midfielder having the immediate quality to impress, whilst potentially improving tenfold in the years ahead.

Alongside Zirkzee: Man Utd's "waste of time" must not start again for Amorim

Ruben Amorim has a bold decision to make over the future of one Manchester United flop.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 25, 2025

Wolverhampton Wanderers star Joao Gomes is now close to sealing a move to a rival Premier League club in January, despite Rob Edwards wanting to keep him.

With just under a third of the Premier League season gone, Wolves find themselves in a worse position than they possibly would’ve imagined, having collected just two points from their opening 11 games, leaving them nine points adrift of safety.

It has been nothing short of a disastrous start to the campaign for the Old Gold, who are arguably already staring down the barrel of relegation, having now lost their last five league games on the spin, failing to score in four of those matches.

As such, it is little wonder that Fosun & co have started to identify new targets ahead of the January transfer window, with it recently being revealed that Independiente’s Patrik Mercado is in line to become Edwards’ first signing since arriving at Molineux, following talks.

However, Mercado may end up simply being brought in as a replacement for one of the Wanderers’ current key players, with a new update emerging on the future of a central midfielder…

Joao Gomes close to sealing January move to Man Utd

According to a report from Trivela (via Sport Witness), Gomes is now close to sealing a January move to Manchester United, with talks advancing over the course of the past week, despite the fact Edwards wants to keep hold of the midfielder.

A move to United could now be on the cards in January, with a €50m (£44m) fee being mentioned, which would undoubtedly be a major blow for Edwards in his bid to steer the struggling side clear of the bottom three.

The Brazilian has been a key player over the past few seasons, recently surpassing 100 matches in a Wolves shirt, and it would be fair to say supporters were impressed by his performances in the 2024-25 campaign.

The 24-year-old, who rakes in £105k-a-week, is particularly impressive from a defensive point of view, placing in the 97th percentile for tackles per 90 over the past year, when compared to other midfielders, having averaged 3.39.

With Gomes contracted until 2030, Wolves should be able to command a good fee for his services, but the fact they are currently bottom of the Premier League table weakens their negotiating position, as relegation would surely make a summer departure an inevitability.

That said, if Fosun were to cash-in this winter, it would significantly weaken Edwards’ side’s already low chances of avoiding the drop, and they should keep hold of the 10-time Brazil international until the end of the season.

Fosun in contact to sign £30m Premier League ace Related Fosun in contact to sign £30m Premier League ace who Wolves feel is perfect

The Old Gold haven’t got the reply they’d have wanted.

Posts ByCharlie Smith Nov 21, 2025

Diogo Jota’s widow, Rute Cardoso, has shared a moving message on Instagram as the couple’s youngest child celebrated her first birthday. It was the family’s first without the former Liverpool forward, whose life was cut short in a devastating car crash last summer.

A heartbreaking milestone for a family still in mourning

Jota and Cardoso were childhood sweethearts and married in a stunning ceremony in Porto on June 22, 2025, but their life together as newlyweds lasted only days. Less than two weeks later, the 28-year-old forward and his brother, Andre Silva, died in a horrific accident. Their daughter, born on 26 November last year, turned one this week. Cardoso marked the moment by posting a collection of photographs featuring Jota cradling and smiling with his baby girl. The caption contained only three words: “A whole year.”

AdvertisementGetty Images SportPortugal still reeling from the loss of a star

The tragedy struck just weeks after Jota had helped Portugal defeat Spain in the Nations League final. Instead of becoming a platform for the next chapter of his flourishing international career, the victory became one of the final images of Jota in a Portugal shirt. Tributes poured in that day, with skipper Cristiano Ronaldo leading the way.

Writing on X, he said: "It doesn’t make sense. We were only just in the national team together, you had only just got married… To your family, your wife and your children, I send my condolences and wish them all the strength in the world. I know you’ll always be with them."

According to Portuguese outlet Sic Noticias Ronaldo has collaborated with luxury watchmakers Jacob & Co to design customised timepieces commemorating Portugal’s Nations League triumph. Each watch features a skeleton dial and a Portuguese coat of arms. The report adds that Ronaldo arranged for these watches to be sent to his international teammates ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Armenia, but crucially, he also ensured one was sent directly to Jota’s family. 

Portuguese journalist Nuno Luz highlighted the gesture, saying: "These are details that are done without advertising and that show the genuine way that Cristiano Ronaldo is. Often, people from outside have an image of him that does not correspond." 

On social media, Jacob & Co wrote of the design: "A skeleton dial, custom design and the Portuguese coat of arms, a watch as exceptional as the champions themselves."

Liverpool continue to honour Jota

Jota’s death has left an irreplaceable void at Liverpool. Speaking ahead of the match against Nottingham Forest, manager Arne Slot reflected emotionally on the impact of the tragedy.

Slot said: "We are always judged, sometimes fair, sometimes not fair. But I saw the interview (with Robertson) live and I know that it is an issue for us, which is completely normal. At this moment in time, I always think how must it feel for his wife and his children? Because it is so, so, so much harder for them than it is for us. But that we will miss the player and the person is completely clear. Now we play Nottingham Forest, last season there we were 1-0 down and it only took him (Jota) one minute to score the equaliser. So now I am talking about the player that we miss for sure. That we also miss him as a person is also clear."

He added: "It is good for us to remember him at all times. It is possible because of the person and player he was. It is impossible to measure what it does to the players and to our results. The last thing I would do is use it as an excuse. I don't know. What I do know is that we miss the player, that is 100 per cent sure, and we miss the person, but I cannot measure the impact that has on our results. That is impossible for me to say, and we will never use it as an excuse."

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Getty Images SportLiverpool retire Jota’s No. 20 shirt

Liverpool have confirmed that Jota’s No. 20 shirt has been permanently retired across the entire club, including Liverpool Women and all academy age groups.

A statement from Liverpool read: "It was the number he wore with pride and distinction, leading us to countless victories in the process – and Diogo Jota will forever be Liverpool Football Club’s number 20. After consultation with his wife, Rute, and family, the club can announce the squad number will be retired in honour and memory of Diogo across all levels, including LFC Women and Academy.

"The move is recognition of not only the immeasurable contribution our lad from Portugal made to the Reds’ on-pitch successes over the last five years, but also the profound personal impact he had on his teammates, colleagues and supporters and the everlasting connections he built with them."

Jota’s number might have been retired, but his memory remains vividly alive in every corner of Anfield.

Three double centurions on the second day while J&K’s Khajuria was dismissed on 190

Deivarayan Muthu02-Nov-2025Nair continues to rack up the runsLeft out of the senior India and the India A squads, Karun Nair served another reminder to the selectors and team management, converting his second successive fifty-plus score for Karnataka into a double-century, against Kerala in Mangalapuram. This was Nair’s fifth double-hundred in first-class cricket and third since 2024.After dropping him for the home Test series against West Indies in favour of Devdutt Padikkal, Nair’s state junior, chief selector Ajit Agarkar said that they ‘expected a little bit more’ than his 205 runs in eight innings at an average of 25.62 in the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.Nair went back to the Ranji Trophy and scored an unbeaten 174 against Goa in Shimoga in the second round. After that knock Nair felt that he “deserves” to be part of India’s Test team.”Obviously, it is quite disappointing, but I know that I deserve to be there after the last two years I have had,” Nair told reporters during the last round. “People might have their own opinions, but for me personally, I can have my own. My own opinion is that I deserve a lot better.”He eventually ran out of partners in Shimoga but found ample support from 22-year-old R Smaran, who scored a double-century of his own. The pair added 343 for the fourth wicket, stopping 12 short of Karnataka’s first-class record. Manish Pandey and Dega Nischal had piled on 354 for the fourth wicket against Uttar Pradesh in Kanpur in 2017-18.It was seamer NP Basil who ended the stand when he dismissed Nair for 233 off 389 balls, including 25 fours and two sixes. Smaran then proceeded to make a career-best 220 not out. Karnataka will hope that the twin double-centuries will translate into their first outright win this season.Shikhar Mohan: A new star for Jharkhand?•PTI Another double-centurion: Shikhar MohanJharkhand’s rookie opener Shikhar Mohan also hit a double-century, setting up his team’s push for an innings win against Nagaland in Ranchi. After Jharkhand had lost two early wickets on the first day, Mohan combined with stand-in captain Virat Singh, who was leading the side in the absence of Ishan Kishan, who had linked up with the India A team in Bengaluru as cover for the injured N Jagadeesan. They accumulated 253 for the second wicket before Virat was trapped lbw by left-arm spinner Imliwati Lemtur.Mohan and Kumar Kushagra (58) then carried Jharkhand past 400. Robin Minz also helped himself to a half-century before Jharkhand declared on 510 for 8. Mohan finished with 207 off 303 balls, with 21 fours and three sixes in his third first-class innings. A prolific run-getter in age-group cricket for Jharkhand, Mohan, now 20, is making a smooth step up to the Ranji Trophy.Elsewhere in Raipur, Jammu and Kashmir opener Shubham Khajuria came close to a double-hundred, but left-arm spinner Aditya Sarwate denied him and dismissed him for 190 off 344 balls. His knock countered Chhattisgarh professional Ravi Kiran’s 7 for 82.Nachiket Bhute’s five-for wrecked TN•PTI Vidarbha flex their depthNo Danish Malewar. No Atharva Taide. No Harsh Dubey. No Yash Thakur. No problem for defending champions Vidarbha.Despite being hit by injuries and unavailability of their strike bowlers Thakur and Dubey, who are on India A duty, Vidarbha had enough depth to dominate Tamil Nadu in Coimbatore. Tamil Nadu were also without Gurjapneet Singh, Jagadeesan and India Under-19 allrounder RS Ambrish, but it was Vidarbha who coped better.Fast bowler Nachiket Bhute, who was playing his 14th first-class game, stepped into Thakur’s shoes and triggered a TN collapse. From an overnight 252 for 4, TN were bowled out for 291. Bhute threatened both edges, especially the inside edge of both right-handers and lefties with his inducker. Both M Shahrukh Khan and B Indrajith were done in by sharp induckers. Bhute gifted himself a five-wicket haul a day after his 26th birthday.Aman Mokhade then kickstarted Vidarbha’s reply with fluent strokes against both pace and spin. When TN captain R Sai Kishore pushed one marginally outside off, Mokhade stretched forward and swept him flat and hard into the square-leg boundary. When offspinner S Mohamed Ali darted one into the stumps from around the wicket, Mokhade dared to back away and pump him through the covers. But just when he was looking set to reel off this third successive century, Sai Kishore had him caught by Vimal Khumar for 80. Vidarbha’s professionals Dhruv Shorey and R Samarth then helped them cut their deficit to 80 by stumps on day two.

MatériaMais Notícias

Após a vitória por 1 a 0 do Santos sobre o Palmeiras, pela partida de ida da final do Paulistão, Guilherme e Otero tiveram uma interação curiosa na Vila Belmiro.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCampeonato PaulistaCom Neymar na Vila, Santos vence Palmeiras e abre vantagem na final do PaulistãoCampeonato Paulista31/03/2024Fora de CampoEx-Palmeiras critica decisão de Abel Ferreira em derrota para o Santos na finalFora de Campo31/03/2024SantosNeymar é ovacionado e vai ao vestiário da Vila antes da final entre Santos e PalmeirasSantos31/03/2024

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O gol da vitória do Santos saiu em cruzamento pela esquerda de Guilherme. Otero apareceu nos segundo pau e testou no contrapé de Weverton, que não conseguiu fazer a defesa.

➡️ Com R$50 no Lance! Betting, você fatura R$255 se apostar no 1 a 1 entre Santos x Palmeiras

Guilherme ‘invadiu’ a entrevista de Otero e perguntou se o venezuelano pagaria um jantar pela assistência na final do Paulistão. O meia agradeceu pelo passe e valorizou a entrega do camisa 11.

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– Agradecer o Guilherme pela assistência. Ele se dedicou e correu muito em campo, nos orgulhamos disso – disse Otero em entrevista após o clássico.

➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários do Paulistão

A grande decisão entre Santos e Palmeiras será no domingo (7), às 18h, no Allianz Parque. O Peixe pode empatar no próximo final de semana que ainda leva o título do Paulistão. Em caso de vitória da equipe de Abel Ferreira por um gol de diferença, o duelo será decidido nos pênaltis.

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Harry Kane has directly responded to reports linking him with a transfer to Barcelona. The England captain has also revealed that talks over a new Bayern Munich contract are yet to begin, at least raising the possibility that his career could take another step, but he insists there is no reason for fans in Bavaria to be worried about an imminent departure.

• Bayern contract talks yet to begin

  Kane has responded to links with Barcelona while admitting that formal talks with Bayern Munich about extending his current deal have yet to begin.

  "I haven't had any contact with anyone, nobody has contacted me," he told . "I feel very comfortable in the current situation, even though we haven't yet discussed my situation with Bayern."

  Crucially, from a Bayern perspective, he added: "There's no rush. I'm really happy in Munich. You can see that in the way I'm playing. If there's contact, then we'll see. But I'm not thinking about the new season yet. First up is the World Cup in the summer. And it's very unlikely that anything will change after this season."

  His response to a question on whether Bayern fans should worry was: "I don't think so."

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Barcelona eye Lewandowski's successor

  Kane has been heavily linked with Barcelona as the Catalans weigh up a potential future without Robert Lewandowski, who is out of contract at the end of this season and will turn 38 in August.

  Barcelona have enjoyed tremendous success by putting their faith in the veteran Pole, even at this late stage of his career, and could try to replicate that model with Kane, himself 33 in July.

  The former Tottenham Hotspur star is believed to have a release clause in his Bayern contract set at €65 million ($75m/£57m). It makes Kane eminently affordable in this market and could secure the No.9 position at Barcelona for the next three or four years. The only catch is that the clause has to be activated by Kane himself, obviously requiring him to be at least a little unsure about his future in Munich, and it needs to be done by the end of January.

  Local reports in Barcelona have claimed that Kane is "considering" the idea.

• Kane's consistent message about Bayern

  Kane has openly said multiple times how happy he has been, and continues to be, with Bayern.

  "I've said throughout my whole career, I'm not someone who likes to think too far ahead. I'm extremely happy here," he told in April of this year.

  "I think we have a fantastic team, fantastic coaching staff and I just feel like whilst I feel like I'm in the best condition, I wanna play at the highest level possible, and this is as high as it gets, So I know a lot can change in football in a short space of time and things can happen, but ultimately my focus is here. I'm not thinking about any other league or any other team. And with football, I like to just go the flow and at the moment the flow is here at Bayern Munich."

  Just last month, Kane told the that he considers Bayern his "second home". 

  He said: "We've got a great chance for all the trophies this year. Whenever you start a season with Bayern, you're favourites. We haven't had great cup runs since I've been here so we want to try and put that right. Then in the Champions League, it's still early stages but ultimately it's about trying to win the competition. And going into the World Cup, you want to be at your best.

  "Bayern are known around Europe every year as one of the best and one of the favourites to win the Champions League. I wanted to test myself at that level and I’ve loved it on and off the pitch. It feels like my second home now. I'm enjoying every moment of it and hopefully it continues."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Barcelona need urgent decision from Kane

  Given Kane's comments about being happy where he is, it doesn't give Barcelona the best chance. That could feasibly change if Bayern contract talks aren't forthcoming, although his current terms don't run out until 2027 and, like the player himself said, there is "no rush" on that front.

  Conversely, Barcelona need it to be a rush because of the deadline in the release clause activation. But whether there is enough time for that when Kane's mind is firmly on the remainder of the season with Bayern and then the summer's World Cup with England, feels unlikely.

Brendon McCullum conceded that England “clearly need to improve” in one-day cricket after they fell to a 3-0 clean sweep against New Zealand. ‘Go harder’ has been the mantra of this England team, with Harry Brook imploring his side to double down in their efforts with the bat after his side’s first collapse in Mount Maunganui a week ago. Two matches and two further batting failures later, however, McCullum has reset the party line and called for England to adopt a more considered approach.”Harry’s said before that we need to put pressure back on the bowlers, and there are times when we do need to be a little braver and put some pressure on the bowlers,” McCullum said following the defeat in Wellington. “And then there are other times where we’ve got to adjust to their lengths and lines.”Not necessarily in a high-risk sort of way but just by being brave enough – whether that’s coming down the wicket or moving around the crease – just get things going a little bit more and bounce off one another.”Across the series, England lost 11 wickets in the opening 10 overs of the innings, compared to New Zealand’s four, and were bowled out in all three matches. Their innings in Wellington was their longest of the trip, batting for 40.2 overs before they were all out.”I think when we’re confronted with good, flat wickets, we’re a very, very good cricket team,” McCullum said. “I think we play a high-octane style of cricket and those conditions suit us. When the wickets have a little bit in them and they’re a bit more challenging, whether that be spin or seam or swing, we probably can’t quite adapt our tempo quick enough.Fewest runs by a team’s top four•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

“We’ve got some talented players but, unfortunately, our performances at the moment in this form of the game aren’t quite up to scratch and we need to rectify that.”England’s top order combined for an historically poor series, managing just 84 runs between the top four, the lowest tally in one-day international history. Of the top six, only Brook, Joe Root and Jos Buttler made a score of 20 across the three matches.McCullum, however, does not believe it is a concern heading towards the Ashes, where Australia are expected to serve up similar styles of wickets. In the longer format, he argues that England have been able to counter different conditions well.”I like to separate it,” McCullum explained. “I think in T20 cricket we’re going really well and in Test cricket we have a pretty decent idea of where we’re at – and I think we’ve performed reasonably well, albeit we have a huge challenge ahead of us.Related

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“One-day cricket is clearly the area we need to improve, and my comments are more directed at one-day cricket. I think when we do come across the trickier conditions in Australia and Test cricket, we have a pretty good understanding of how we’re going to go about it. It doesn’t guarantee us anything but it gives us a level of confidence going into that series.”He also believes that, despite a number of players experiencing a poor run of scores, the likes of Jamie Smith, Ben Duckett and Root will be “better for the run” after getting a number of games under their belt.”They’ve marked centre a few times and gone through the process and I’m sure they’ll be better for it. With the prep that we’ve had with the other Test guys who’ve been here for a while too, we’ll have no excuses come Australia.”McCullum identified Jamie Overton as England’s “huge win” for the tour, after the bowling allrounder contributed with the bat in all three matches and put together his finest performance in ODI cricket in Wellington, scoring 68 runs and taking two for 32 with the ball.”I think there’s times when we think he’s a better player than he does,” McCullum said. “And on this tour he’s fully believed in the player he can be at this level. There’s not too many players around the world who can bowl 140kph, field the way he does and hit the ball as cleanly. It’s been a huge series for Jamie…he’s incredibly well liked within the group and we’re all delighted for him.”England’s next competitive fixture will now be in Perth, with the long-awaited Ashes series finally around the corner after years of build-up.”I’m proper excited,” McCullum concluded. “We’re incredibly respectful of the challenge Australia is going to present us and we know how hard that tour is going to be.”It’s going to require a team to stay together right throughout, to be as strong as we can to try and block out any of the outside noise. But we’re very respectful of who we’re coming up against, we’re so excited to get over there and we can’t wait to get started.”

Evan Longoria is officially retiring from baseball.

After 16 seasons, the longtime third baseman is set to sign a one-day contract with the Tampa Bay Rays on June 7 before calling it a career with the team that drafted him back in 2006.

Longoria spent the first decade of his career with the Tampa Bay Rays before being traded to the San Francisco Giants ahead of the 2018 season. He then played five seasons in the Bay Area but struggled to stay healthy. Longoria's most recent MLB stint was with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2023.

Throughout his impressive career, Longoria was named an American League All-Star three times (2008 to '10), and won three Gold Glove Awards, a Silver Slugger Award, and the 2008 AL Rookie of the Year Award. He is the franchise's leader in hits (1,471), RBI (892), runs (780), and home runs (261).

The Rays will honor Longoria at a pregame ceremony from George M. Steinbrenner Field on June 7 ahead of their matchup against the Miami Marlins.

Boston Red Sox pitcher Walker Buehler and manager Alex Cora were both ejected from Tuesday's game against the New York Mets in the top of the second inning after losing their cool following a heinous call from home plate umpire Mike Estabrook.

When pitching to Juan Soto, Buehler threw a pitch that was practically right down the middle of the zone. Soto took the pitch as Francisco Lindor was attempting to steal second base, however, Estabrook ruled it a ball because catcher Carlos Narvaez jumped to his feet in an effort to mow down Lindor.

Buehler was irate that Estabrook ruled the pitch a ball, and rightfully so, but he took things a bit too far when angrily protesting the decision from the home plate umpire.

Have a look at Buehler's meltdown on the mound:

Lip readers won't have to work too hard to decipher what Buehler shouted at Estabrook, as it was immediately clear that their verbal exchange was anything but friendly.

After Buehler was tossed, Cora came out from the dugout to give the umpiring crew a piece of his mind. It didn't take too long for him to follow in Buehler's footsteps on a one-way trip to the locker room, though he didn't leave the field before airing out his grievances.

Buehler pitched 2 1/3 innings in Tuesday's game before his ejection, after which he was replaced by Brennan Bernardinho.