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Juventus head coach Luciano Spalletti has warned his players of the challenges that come with Tuesday's Champions League visit to Bodo/Glimt's Aspmyra Stadion. The former Italy and Napoli manager admitted that the visitors will be at an obvious disadvantage due to the adverse weather and pitch conditions, while also reassuring that his team will improve with time.

Juve face daunting trip to Bodo/Glimt

Juventus will visit Norwegian heavyweights and giant killers Bodo/Glimt on matchday five of the Champions League on Tuesday. It will be an extremely tricky challenge for the Bianconeri, given the adverse weather and pitch conditions on offer at the Aspmyra Stadion. 

Located north of the Arctic Circle, the Aspmyra Stadion is among the northernmost footballing venues in the world, located at 67 degrees latitude. Situated on the west coast of Norway, it is a hotspot for tourists and locals to experience the enchanting Northern Lights (or aurora borealis). Weather forecasts for Tuesday indicate temperatures sitting at an icy 1°C, along with potential snowfall. 

However, it's not just the unforgiving weather conditions visiting teams have to deal with. Aspmyra Stadion uses an artificial pitch, a surface that often challenges visiting teams. The likes of Jose Mourinho and Ange Postecoglou have often called Bodo out for their use of the "plastic" field. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSpalletti aware of the task at hand

Speaking to at the pre-match press conference on Monday, Juve boss Spalletti acknowledged the challenge of playing at the Aspmyra Stadion and conceded that the hosts will head into the clash with an obvious advantage.

"Not the ideal climate for a football match? It's a very tough match. We were joking with the players and I told them it's tougher than they expected," said the ex-Napoli boss. "I've had to deal with these temperatures on these pitches, and it's a different experience, breathing in this cold air. Sometimes you can't even keep your eyes open. But there's always the thrill of the challenge."

Spalletti also addressed the team's recent string of unconvincing displays, reassuring that the best is yet to come.

"I think it's premature to completely overturn everything right now. We haven't done well, but we haven't done badly either," he explained. "We're in that middle ground where, with some new things, we can raise the bar. We have a bit of everything here, but we need to recognise them and deploy them at the right times.

"These guys are perfect; they're eager to participate and show off their skills. Tomorrow I'll change something, otherwise we risk losing confidence, and then we need to analyse things properly.

"In the camp, there's no longer the rigidity of roles that seems like disorder but is actually freedom. In that freedom, you have to find balance. This constant rotation of roles and the search for a position is an advantage."

'Pitch and climate a disadvantage' for Juve, admits Spalletti

Spalletti went on to highlight the biting cold and artificial turf at Bodo, a far cry from the traditional grass pitches found in Europe’s elite leagues. 

"Did you mention the weather? Let's address one thing first, because it seems like we've had a bit of a disaster," he added. "But the players haven't performed as badly as people pretend. I was the first to say we needed to do more, and we need to get them out there, we need to use the horses we have and all our qualities. I've seen the desire in this team, and you either face responsibility or you lose. 

"The pitch and the climate are a disadvantage, because I've been fortunate enough to work abroad, and the air you breathe is different. It's all a matter of habit, and it's different from ours. Our desire to perform must make up for this gap. They're also good at selecting players, and not just for the pitch and the cold; in an international comparison, they have a significant value.

"[Playing at the Aspmyra Stadion] is a real difficulty, due to habits and rebounds. We'll certainly pay something for this, but we'll face it. We all had fears, then after facing them we adapted, but this can give us some satisfaction. The pitch bothers us, but we want to perform our best."

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AFPSpalletti's Juventus reign not off to an ideal start

After beginning his spell with the Old Lady with a 2-1 win over Cremonese, Spalletti's side have slumped to three straight draws. Their European campaign stands at risk of collapsing if they fail to come away with maximum points from Norway on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Juve sit in seventh position in Serie A, seven points off the pace. However, Spalletti has assured that his troops will fight for the Scudetto until the end.

The story of how South Africa won one out of their first five Tests and then remained unbeaten in their next seven

Firdose Moonda07-Jun-20256:55

Philander: ‘SA will put up massive fight against favourites Australia’

1st Test vs India, Centurion: won by an innings and 32 runsDean Elgar’s daddy hundred in his penultimate Test set up a massive victory for South Africa, ensured they could not lose the series and that the country remained India’s final frontier. Elgar’s 185 came after South Africa’s decision to go in all-pace paid off as Kagiso Rabada’s 14th five-for left India splintered around KL Rahul’s second hundred at Centurion. Elgar had support from David Bedingham, who scored 56 on debut and Marco Jansen, who scored 84 at No. 7, and South Africa took a 163-run first innings lead.It proved enough as the combination of Rabada, left-arm seamer Nandre Burger (also on debut) and Gerald Coetzee dismissed India for 131, with Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill the only second innings batters to get into double figures. South Africa did lose something: their captain, Temba Bavuma to a hamstring injury.Jasprit Bumrah shared the Player-of-the-Series award with Dean Elgar•Gallo Images/Getty Images2nd Test vs India, Cape Town: lost by 7 wicketsThings went from the sublime to the ridiculous as Newlands played host to the shortest Test – which lasted just seven overs more than a full ODI – and South Africa were bowled out for their lowest total in a hundred years. Mohammed Siraj took 6 for 15 in the first innings as all but two South African batters – Bedingham and Kyle Verreynne – got past ten.India’s response showed signs the surface was improving and led by Kohli’s 46, they scratched together 153. Against the run of play, Aiden Markram produced his seventh Test hundred but Jasprit Bumrah’s 6 for 61 made a mess of South Africa and left India a target of 79. They reached in 12 overs, after lunch on the second day, to share the series spoils. The pitch later received an unsatisfactory rating from the ICC.Rachin Ravindra smashed his maiden Test double century in just his seventh innings•Getty Images1st Test vs New Zealand, Mount Maunganui: lost by 281 runsAnd then from the ridiculous to the barely believable when South Africa took a squad with seven uncapped players to New Zealand as almost all their frontliners were engaged with their new T20 tournament: the SA20. Six made their debut in this Test and it was evident how deep the gulf was between them and New Zealand.A century from Kane Williamson and a career-best 240 from Rachin Ravindra saw New Zealand pile on 511. They bowled South Africa out for 162 and, as if to make a point, batted again. Williamson scored a second-innings ton too and New Zealand left South Africa a humongous 529 to chase. At 5 for 2, it was clear what the outcome would be. South Africa were bowled out for 247 in what can only be described as an embarrassing state of affairs.Kane Williamson became the quickest (number of innings) to 32 Test centuries•Getty Images2nd Test vs New Zealand, Hamilton: lost by 7 wickets A more competitive South African side had moments where they looked as though they would pull off an upset for the ages when they took a 31-run first innings lead over New Zealand and then set them a target of 267. The notable performances came from the more established names – Dane Piedt, on comeback from the United States, who took 5 for 89 in the first innings and eight wickets in the match – and Bedingham, who shunned the SA20 for a chance at an international career and scored his first, and to date only, hundred.But there was no stopping Williamson, whose 133* saw New Zealand home and earned them their first series win over South Africa. South Africa’s coach Shukri Conrad binned the tour as an aberration, which he likened to “when Burnley went to Anfield,” and it has been referred to in those terms ever since.Keshav Maharaj picked eight wickets for the match•AFP/Getty Images1st Test vs West Indies, Port of Spain: drawnA stung South African side – some of whom had just lost their first ICC white-ball final – regrouped in the Caribbean with a herculean task on their hands. They had to win seven of their eight remaining Tests to have any chance of qualifying for the WTC final. Bavuma returned and scored 86 in the first innings in Trinidad before Rabada and Keshav Maharaj combined to take seven wickets and leave South Africa in control with a 124-run first innings lead. With rain around and victory on their minds, South Africa declared on 173 for 3 and left West Indies 298 to chase. At 64 for 3, South Africa would have sensed victory but despite Maharaj’s best efforts, time and 92 from Alick Athanaze denied South Africa and left their campaign hanging by a thread.Wiaan Mulder put up an all-round show•AFP/Getty Images2nd Test vs West Indies, Guyana: won by 40 runsBeing bowled out for 160 in their first innings – thanks largely to Shamar Joseph’s 5 for 33 – could have been enough to make that string snap, but the stirrings of a comeback began when South Africa bowled West Indies out for 144. Markram’s 51 and Verreynne’s 59 held together a second innings effort of 246 and left West Indies 263 to chase. They were 104 for 6 when Gudakesh Motie and Joshua da Silva put 77 for the seventh wicket and things seemed to be getting away from South Africa. But, Maharaj broke the stand and took three of the last four wickets to give South Africa a tense win and put them back on track.Kyle Verreynne is all smiles after getting to his second Test century•AFP/Getty Images1st Test vs Bangladesh, Mirpur: won by 7 wickets Bangladesh were stunned by a South African attack with two frontline spinners (Piedt had been retained from the wreckage of New Zealand) who bowled them out for 106 but responded strongly to leave South Africa 99 for 5 in the reply. A lower-order rescue act between Verreynne, who scored his second century, and Wiaan Mulder saw South Africa score 308 and hold the advantage. Rabada left Bangladesh reeling with a second six-innings 6 for 46 but Mehidy Hasan Miraz’s 97 and Jaker Ali’s 58 kept South Africa in the field for a ball short of 90 overs. Bangladesh scored 307 and, in poetic synchrony, set South Africa 106 to win. They got there with a few jitters, and without Bavuma. He had re-injured his elbow, after it was a concern in 2022, and Markram led the side.Tony de Zorzi celebrates his maiden ton•AFP/Getty Images2nd Test vs Bangladesh, Chattogram: won by an innings and 273 runsTony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs and Mulder all scored their first Test centuries in an innings that marked the rebirth of South Africa’s batting prowess after a dearth of hundreds. They declared on 565 for 6, confident they had more than enough. Rabada took a second successive Test five-for in Bangladesh’s first innings, where they made 159, and followed-on. Maharaj claimed 5 for 59 in the second innings as he and Rabada bookended both South Africa’s bowling experience and their success. The match was over inside three days as South Africa claimed a first series win in the subcontinent in more than a decade, since beating Sri Lanka in 2014. Many members of the squad, including Maharaj, have identified this as the turning point that gave South Africa the belief they could go all the way.Marco Jansen finished with 11 wickets for the match•AFP/Getty Images1st Test vs Sri Lanka, Durban: won by 233 runs South Africa’s home summer began with great expectation as Bavuma was back from injury and initially, a sense of dread. He top-scored with 70 in Durban but South Africa were bowled out for 191 against a Sri Lankan side with more pace variety than had toured this country before. Then, as though a spell had been cast on Sri Lanka’s batters, they played a baffling array of poor strokes as Jansen ran through them. He plucked career-best figures of 7 for 13 and Sri Lanka were bowled out for 42 – their lowest Test score. Stubbs scored a second Test hundred and Bavuma a redemptive third as South Africa set Sri Lanka an academic 516 to win the game. They were bowled out for 282 against an attack that lost two members – Gerald Coetzee to a groin strain and Mulder to a broken finger.Dane Paterson picked seven wickets in the Test•AFP/Getty Images2nd Test vs Sri Lanka, Gqeberha: won by 109 runsWith Mulder out, Ryan Rickelton got an opportunity and made it count with a workmanlike debut century at St George’s Park. Bavuma contributed with 78 and Verreynne thrilled with a 133-ball 105 as South Africa’s first innings reached 358. Sri Lanka replied with guts and temperament, led by Pathum Nissanka’s 89 but they had no other milestones to record as Dane Paterson plugged away. At 35 years old, Paterson had proved the worth of his time in the county circuit and the value of having someone with over 500 first-class wickets in the squad as he gave South Africa a 30-run lead. On a good batting surface, they then scored 317, with Bavuma scoring another half-century. Sri Lanka needed 348 to win and things hung in the balance on 205 for 5 after four days. Maharaj took 5 for 76 to seal the series and South Africa’s fifth successive win.Kagiso Rabada roars in satisfaction after making 31 off 26 to take South Africa home•Associated Press 1st Test vs Pakistan, Centurion: won by 2 wickets Stop. The. Press.South Africa didn’t need to win this match and at times seemed to be doing their best to lose it as they were faced with chasing 148 in the fourth innings and needed a ninth-wicket partnership of 51 to do it. The precursor to all that is that Paterson took 5 for 61 and Pakistan were bowled out for 211 in the first innings. Then Markram scored 89, Khurram Shehzad and Naseem Shah shared six wickets between them, and debutant Corbin Bosch scored an unbeaten 81 to give South Africa a 90-run lead.Jansen then took 6 for 52 as Pakistan were dismissed for 237. South Africa should have won at a canter but were 27 for 3 overnight on day three and Mohammad Abbas had all three. He added three more then next day at 99 for 8, South Africa were about to head into 2025 needing to win their last Test. Amid the devastating news of the death of batting coach Ashwell Prince’s wife, Melissa, the result barely mattered by lunch on day four until Rabada and Jansen formed the unlikeliest of alliances, nudged, nurdled, edged and smashed their way to the most thrilling of victories. South Africa qualified for the WTC final with a game to spare.South Africa celebrate their 2-0 victory against Pakistan•AFP/Getty Images 2nd Test v Pakistan, Cape Town: won by 10 wickets The job was done and Newlands was a riot as South Africa saved their batting best for last. Rickelton scored the first double-hundred by a South African opener since Graeme Smith in 2013 and the first double by any South African since Hashim Amla in 2016. Bavuma brought up a fourth century and second in the campaign and Verryenne scored his first hundred at home in a first innings domination. Pakistan were bowled out for 194 and 478, and 19-year-old debutant Kwena Maphaka played his first game, and South Africa needed just 58 to win. They completed a magical summer with a clean sweep.Seven Tests wins is their second-longest streak (after nine in 2002-03) but they won’t be chasing that necessarily. One more has been the mantra through the campaign and the next one is Lord’s.

The Athletics will complete their first season in their temporary home of Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, Calif., against the Royals on Sunday.

Between their departure from their longtime home in Oakland and the move into their new stadium in Las Vegas expected by 2028, Sacramento is home. It may not feel that way, though, as they became known simply as the "Athletics" this season. The franchise's stopgap home is set to feel a bit more natural next season as they unveiled new alternate uniforms Sunday that proudly read Sacramento across the chest.

The new jerseys will seemingly replace the team's current gold alternates with the "A's" logo on the left chest. According to MLB.com's Martín Gallegos, the A's plan to wear their new Sacramento gold uniforms for every home Saturday game next season.

Just one of two MLB franchises without a City Connect uniform, the new jerseys are a no-brainer to further relate to their new city even if they will only be there for a couple more years. The Athletics' '25 campaign will come to a close Sunday as they finish the regular season near the bottom of the AL West with the Angels. There's plenty to be excited about, though, with strong rookie campaigns from Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson, plus the deadline deal where they acquired top prospect Leo De Vries by sending Mason Miller and JP Sears to the Padres.

Despite looking like the better team, India were in threat of being 3-1 down. Thanks to the riveting draw in Manchester, they now have a chance at 2-2

Sidharth Monga27-Jul-20252:09

Manjrekar: ‘Warriors’ keep sprouting for India when needed

One of the least appreciated aspects of cricket narratives is the sheer physicality of it.There were times during the Old Trafford Test when we sat and wondered what the narrative would have been had this been a three-match series. It would have offered India an honourable series defeat that they could have won with a little bit of luck or with a little bit of ruthlessness.Instead, it felt like the fourth Test was exposing them physically. Their strike bowlers were down on pace and looking toothless, their injury replacement was not serviceable for whatever reason (which they should investigate and prevent a repeat of), and they looked like they were losing to a side that had a bit of luck in the early part of the series, which was now displaying superior conditioning, not by much but enough to outlast them.India’s batters had one final chance to flip that narrative on its head. To show two can play the game. That even though Ben Stokes believes pain is just an emotion, they can make some of his team-mates feel the physical pain of a long Test series that has been going into the final session of the final day on flat pitches.Related

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Gill, Washington, Jadeja tons script India's great escape

It was just that India had lost two wickets in the first over. That can happen. Especially in a short period before a break when batters appear to be facing a lose-lose situation. They still had five sessions to go with two wickets gone and their best batter of the last five years down with a broken foot.India had an ally in the dying pitch – otherwise you can’t hope to bat five sessions for a draw against modern Test attacks – but this was as much a test of their temperament as it was of their physicality. Batting out draws is a task modern batters have to rarely face. Unless the deficit is small – 311 wasn’t – you can get there only one ball at a time. There is no counterattacking, there is no rushing. Time moves at its own objective pace. It can feel excruciatingly slow, especially when you are not in the middle.Out in the middle, India needed only four batters to negotiate 875 balls between them.Why KL Rahul had a middling batting average had been an enigma coming into the series. He had never scored 400 runs in a series nor scored more than one hundred in one. A lot of his good work in the rest of his Test career had happened in the first quarter of series. Here, he had scored a second century in a series for the first time, but even that resulted in a turning point in a Test India lost at Lord’s.Ben Stokes sees his offer for a draw to Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar rebuffed•Getty ImagesRahul and Rishabh Pant, his partner at the time, wanted to get the milestone out of the way if they could before lunch. Pant ended up getting run-out. It was a human reaction. Rahul was honest enough to acknowledge what that happened. And good enough to regroup a week later and go back to doing what had brought him close to that second hundred.Except that runs didn’t matter here. So engrossed was he in just defending, switching off and switching on, that he was not even awake to a misfield late on the fourth evening. The milestone didn’t matter in this innings. The greatest achievement for Rahul was that he forced the opposition captain to risk an injured bicep and then come up with an absolutely unplayable ball to get him out. Not before he had faced 230 balls.Rahul’s partner on the fourth evening, Shubman Gill, is in the form of his life but under the pump as captain. There have been questions if this is his team. Whether it was him who wanted Shardul Thakur and not Kuldeep Yadav in the XI, and if so, why did he not bowl Thakur enough? Why were India 2-1 down, and going towards 3-1, after looking like the better team for long periods of this series? He also had to face the hat-trick ball with India needing to bat out five whole sessions.His bat doesn’t ask Gill these questions. That’s the one thing he is in control of. Not the injuries, not the weather that keeps turning against him, not the toss. He faced 238 balls with calmness and composure that have been the hallmark of his batting. This was his slowest Test hundred. Only once has he left more balls alone in an innings. He needed to quickly put behind the one he left alone and was out lbw.2:34

Has Washington nailed his spot in India’s Test XI?

Batters generally tend to not tempt cricketing gods. They take the runs that are available unless batting with the tail or with an injured batter. Gill was not afraid of doing that when he decided to face all the left-arm spin – in the first session of the day – when Liam Dawson was firing it in the rough for Washington Sundar.Washington, who had to be promoted to cover for the injury to Pant. Washington, who is so good a player that the team management is moving mountains to fit him in the XI. He has bowled balls and hit shots that will fit in the highlights reels of the series, but this innings was about anything but highlights.For more than two sessions, he and Ravindra Jadeja needed to negotiate everything thrown at them. India’s No. 1 allrounder and his heir apparent. Jadeja became only the third visiting player to score over 1000 runs and take more than 30 wickets in a single country. Washington finally got his maiden Test century after having been stranded on 96 and 85 before. They batted together for 55.2 overs, keeping out shooters and kickers. By the end of it, England were so knackered they wanted to get off the field with 15 overs left.The physicality was now catching up with England. India now have a full set of fit fast bowlers to choose from. The luck finally turned for them with three dropped catches that proved pivotal. They now have a chance to walk away with 2-2, which, at this point, seems like a fair result. It’s a good thing this was not a three-Test series.

India prioritised recovery – both physical and mental – ahead of their Women’s World Cup final match against South Africa on Sunday

Vishal Dikshit01-Nov-20251:50

Chopra: India winning the World Cup will change women’s cricket landscape

Harmanpreet Kaur sat down for the pre-match press conference at the DY Patil Stadium, her face seemingly devoid of any emotion. There was only a simmering fire.She had cried uncontrollably after India sealed a high-octane victory over Australia in the semi-final. That was only two nights ago. Two nights to digest the high of beating serial World Cup winners. Two nights to come to terms with the fact the job isn’t quite done.”Well, the semi-final was a very high-pressure game and very intense,” Harmanpreet said on the eve of the final against South Africa. “After that, recovery was something which we all paid more attention to because the fresher we are, mentally, for the final, the better it will be.”Because we have been working hard for so many years and we have been batting day and night, whenever our batters camped or there were team camps. So, skill-wise we know we have done a lot and now it’s only about keeping ourselves fresh for tomorrow and recovery is something which we all talk about, and everybody is really taking that thing very seriously and hopefully tomorrow we will feel even fresher for the main game.India will be playing their third ODI World Cup final. South Africa, just their first.”Keeping yourself balanced and focused is something which is the key,” Harmanpreet said. “We are having those sessions where we have been talking about how we can be more focused and more balanced and at the same time keeping ourselves relaxed because this is the biggest stage and biggest opportunity for us, playing in home conditions and that also final match.2:27

WWC final – Can India come down from their high in time?

“But I think the most important thing is that we have to enjoy this because there is nothing bigger than this in our life as a cricketer and as a captain. So our focus is to enjoy this moment and keep taking small targets which we have to achieve as a team rather than thinking bigger targets because you can achieve bigger targets if you achieve the small targets.”Harmanpreet is into her fifth World Cup now, but this is her first as captain. India have arrived at the final after a topsy-turvy league stage that saw them win only three of their seven games. She was clear “there’s no bigger motivation than a World Cup final” to up their game.Related

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“We know pretty well how it feels after losing [a World Cup final],” she said. “We’re really looking forward to the feeling of winning a final. Hopefully it’s going to be a special day for us tomorrow. We’ve worked really hard, and now it’s about getting everything together tomorrow.”India’s road to the semis looked wobbly right from the start. They began with collapses against Sri Lanka and Pakistan but turned things around to win both games. They lost all the matches they played against higher-ranked teams – South Africa, Australia and England – and it was only when they arrived in Navi Mumbai, a ground where they have had lots of success, that things picked back up.”We weren’t shaken up even once in the team because of those three big losses,” Harmanpreet said. “Even after that, everyone was together and everyone was talking about how to reach the final. We had a positive mindset which really helped us that we’re here now. When you have such a positive mindset and everyone feels from within to perform for the country…”We were definitely talking about where to improve but at the same time there was a common goal, there was the awareness that it’s a long process and there would be ups and downs, wins and losses. At the end of the day, what matters is we’re here in the final. So we used to think how to move forward after those losses, how to improve, be there for each other.”2:43

WWC final: Harmanpreet and Tryon will be key players

India have looked far more convincing over their last three matches, including a washout against Bangladesh. The XI seems more balanced, with six bowling options, bigger contributions from the bat, and all of it culminating in another historic victory against forever favourites Australia. That night ended with plenty of tears, from Jemimah Rodrigues on the field and Harmanpreet in the dugout as she hugged whoever came her way, crying into their arms.”I think I’m a very emotional person, and I cry a lot,” Harmanpreet said with a smile. “So it’s not like I cry only after losing. I have cried a lot after winning too, maybe yesterday you have seen me on television. But my team-mates have seen me in the dressing room many times – on small occasions also, whenever we have done well. I am the first person to cry.”As a player, these moments are very important. To beat a team like Australia, which is a big team and has always done well on the world stage. It’s not an easy thing to perform and be mentally strong in front of them. But I think overcoming that hurdle was something very special to all of us. I always tell my team that you don’t need to control your emotions. If you feel like crying, cry. At the same time, just keep enjoying. I think there is no bigger achievement or thing for us. Tomorrow is a special day and we will go with the same mindset.”There is a sell-out crowd expected for the final on Sunday.”The entire team is charged up, we’re there for each other and praying for each other,” Harmanpreet said. “That shows how close this team is and how ready we are for this match. Now it’s only giving your best, all the strategies and plans have been taking shape for the last two years. We had been planning for a home World Cup, what kind of conditions we’d get, so know it’s only about giving your 100%.”

When Gian Piero Gasperini was unveiled as Roma's new coach back in June, he made a point of repeatedly stating that his first objective was getting the fans onside. The former Atalanta coach may have worked miracles in Bergamo but he's always been a bit of a divisive figure, so his appointment certainly wasn't met with universal approval among the supporters.

Truth be told, they would have preferred to see local legend Claudio Ranieri continue as coach for another year. However, Ranieri refused to reverse his retirement in order to take up a directorial role with the club and felt that the infamously gruff Gasperini was precisely the kind of character required to revive Roma.

"I didn't like him [when I was a coach]," Ranieri revealed with typical honesty, "and I told him so, but he was chosen because I am convinced that Rome needs a strong personality, a coach who is never satisfied, who is always angry, who wants to improve the team, the individual.

"I will be a friend for him, I will be on one side and if he needs something, we will try to solve problems together. He's aware of the difficulties we will encounter but if I had stayed, I would have lost a year of time for the construction; he was called to build something that can bear fruit.

"That won't be easy, of course, but that's why we offered him a year to make himself understood." Happily for everyone involved, Gasperini has needed less than six months to win over the fans by cooking up a surprise Scudetto challenge…

The first sign of Gasperini's killer counters

An hour into Sunday's Serie A clash with Cremonese, Roma were 1-0 up and going top of the table – not that you would have known that from Gasperini's demeanour. He'd been on edge pretty much all afternoon, irked by the decision-making of the match officials, and, in the 62nd minute, he was sent off.

Unsurprisingly, Gasperini lost it and, rather amusingly, he argued afterwards that if he was going to be dismissed, it should have been in the first half rather than the second. Indeed, when he was issued two yellow cards in a matter of seconds just after the hour mark, an irate Gasperini insisted that, in that particular moment, he hadn't actually said anything insulting towards the referee or his assistants.

However, Gasperini's rage quickly dissipated. While he was still reluctantly making his way to the stand, substitute Evan Ferguson scored his first goal for the club. Five minutes after that, a visibly ecstatic Gasperini was out of his seat and slapping colleagues after Wesley finished off the kind of killer counterattack with which the 67-year-old had enjoyed such remarkable success at Atalanta.

AdvertisementThe wizard of Rome

By the time the moment came to speak to the press after a 3-1 win that moved Roma two points clear at the summit of Serie A, Gasperini was all smiles – and particularly when he was shown images of a piece of street art that appeared in the Italian capital last week depicting him as a wizard concocting a title challenge with 'grit, heart and sweat'.

"That's wonderful but disconcerting!" Gasperini joked in his post-match interview with . "The ingredients are fantastic, though, and I agree they are the things that we need. Maybe we can also add a little spice and salt." With Gasperini as coach, that shouldn't be too much of a problem. Keeping a lid on the fans' expectations represents a tougher task.

What's interesting, though, is that Gasperini isn't really trying to rain on anyone's parade. He's actually preaching positivity, looking to ride rather than quell the wave of optimism generated by Roma's best start to a season for 10 years.

"We want to keep playing like this," Gasperini said on Sunday. "It's only right to dream in these positions, while at the same time being aware that very few dreams come true in the end. However, we're trying to keep the dream going for a while longer."

Getty Images SportContinuing Ranieri's good work

The good news for Roma's long-suffering supporters, some of whom weren't even alive when they last won the Scudetto (2001), is that we've already seen enough evidence to suggest that the Gasperini-led title challenge is at least sustainable.

As Ranieri alluded to, nobody anticipated an especially smooth transition from last season to this. Gasperini is a notoriously demanding coach, he has been known to clash with unwilling workers, and it usually takes some time for his methods to take root.

There was, therefore, a fear that his spell at Roma would go the same way as his last stint at one of Italy's biggest clubs, when he was sacked after just five games in charge of Inter all the way back in 2011.

However, Gasperini has done a sensational job building upon the excellent platform put in place by Ranieri, who took over with the Giallorossi in total disarray last November and led the club to a fifth-place finish, after losing just once in the second half of the season.

As a result, Roma have retained a base level of organisation and commitment that has allowed them to continue eking out wins. Indeed, across Europe's 'big five' leagues, only Real Madrid (23) have won more matches by a single-goal margin in 2025 than the Giallorossi (20).

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A surprisingly strong defence

Roma have also kept clean sheets in half of their 12 Serie A games so far, and conceded just six goals – fewer than anyone else in Italy's top flight thanks to the likes of veteran centre-back Gianluca Mancini, goalkeeper Mile Svilar and midfield duo Manu Kone and Bryan Cristante, who are both doing an excellent job of protecting the three-man backline.

However, to say that the excellent defensive record is surprising would be a massive understatement, as Gasperini's Atalanta were renowned – and revered – for their offensive game, which was significantly aided by the willingness to go one-v-one at the back.

Gasperini even brought up his adventurous approach in his first press conference as Roma boss. "I don’t think it's any secret, everyone knows what kind of football I like," he said. "My style of play reflects my own characteristics.

"My teams have always played in a certain way, with intensity and quality, scoring a lot of goals, always focused on scoring one more rather than conceding one fewer."

And yet 10th-placed Udinese are the only team in the top half of Serie A to have scored few goals (12) than the current league leaders (15).

One-hundred and sixty-one games later, it all comes down to this.

After a drama-filled week of heartbreaking eliminations and champagne-popping celebrations, there is still plenty to be decided on Sunday, the final day of the 2025 MLB regular season.

In the National League, two teams remain jockeying for one final playoff spot. Over in the American League, the AL Central and AL East divisions have yet to crown a champion, and there is playoff seeding up for grabs throughout the bracket.

Here's a breakdown of everything each team is playing for on the final day of the 2025 regular season:

American LeagueToronto Blue Jays (93-68)

All the numbers from the PBKS vs KKR game, which set new records for low totals in the IPL

Sampath Bandarupalli15-Apr-20256:18

Pressure or complacency – why did KKR collapse?

111 – The total Punjab Kings (PBKS) successfully defended against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on Tuesday, the lowest in the IPL (excluding shortened matches). The previous lowest was 116 for 9 by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) against Kings XI Punjab (now PBKS) in Durban during the 2009 edition.In the previous fixture between these two teams in IPL 2024, PBKS chased down 262 at Eden Gardens, which was the highest successful chase in the IPL.5 – IPL matches where both teams were bowled out, including the PBKS-KKR game. Two of the four other games also featured KKR, but they won those.ESPNcricinfo Ltd95 – KKR’s total in the chase is their joint-third-lowest in the IPL, and the first time they have been bowled out for under 100 since 2009. It is also the third-lowest total in the IPL by any team against PBKS and the lowest since 2017.95 – KKR’s total is the joint-lowest by any team in the IPL to feature a half-century stand. Ajinkya Rahane and Angkrish Raghuvanshi added 55 for the third wicket. In 2009, KKR were bowled out for 95 against Mumbai Indians (MI) despite a 54-run stand between Brad Hodge and Sourav Ganguly for the third wicket.97.94 – KKR’s win probability as per ESPNcricinfo’s Forecaster at the end of the ninth over of the chase, when the strategic time out was taken. They needed 41 runs in eleven overs with seven wickets in hand at that stage. They lost all those, adding only 24 more.8 – Four-plus wicket hauls for Yuzvendra Chahal in the IPL, the joint-highest in the IPL alongside Sunil Narine.Three of those eight hauls by Chahal have come against KKR, including a five-for. Narine has three four-plus wicket hauls against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).Yuzvendra Chahal returned to form in grand style•Getty Images2-12 – PBKS’ win-loss record at home across IPL 2023 and 2024. They have won two of their three home games so far this season.36 – Wickets for Narine in the IPL against PBKS, the most by any bowler against an opponent, going past Umesh Yadav’s tally of 35, also against PBKS.15.3 – Overs PBKS batted on Tuesday, the fewest by any team in the IPL after electing to bat first (excluding shortened matches). The previous fewest was 17.2 overs by Pune Warriors against MI in 2011.KKR were also bowled out in 15.1 overs, making it only the third men’s T20 where both teams were all out in 16 or fewer overs.

A late-career promotion has provided a fresh challenge for Chandimal, while also giving a boost to new star on the block, Kamindu Mendis

Andrew Fidel Fernando02-Dec-2024Thirteen years and more than 80 Tests into his international career, Dinesh Chandimal is in the throes of something brand new, in the same country he had debuted in.At his best, Chandimal is a free spirit – the kind of batter who goes out looking for run-scoring opportunities, then throws his entire body behind the aggressive shots.The lofted hits down the ground struck so vigorously his helmet shifts on his head, the back arched as he spanks a ball through the covers, the big slog sweeps in which he almost loses his balance – these are all hallmarks of his greatest innings.Related

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But now there is need for him to be a different sort of player entirely. The rocket-fuelled arrival of Kamindu Mendis means someone had to move up the order to No. 3. Chandimal was thriving at No. 5, a position in which he averages 50.29 and from where he had scored seven of his 15 centuries, and a double-century.But Sri Lanka needed Kamindu to move up, and Chandimal made way.”When the selectors and coach asked me to move up to No. 3, it was a new thing for me as well, because I’d only ever batted one innings at No. 3,” Chandimal told ESPNcricinfo. “I told them to give me a day to think about it. So I thought, well, I’m nearing the end of my career, and we need to groom youngsters. No. 3 is a big challenge, and that you face the new ball and fresh bowlers.”Batting No. 3 is notoriously difficult in a place such as South Africa. The first Test of this series was a case in point: Sri Lanka were guilty of playing too many aggressive strokes in their nosedive to 42 all out. “Batting at No. 3, you have to leave a lot of balls, and your forward defence has to be solid. Those are the things to tighten, and those are the biggest challenges for me.”Beyond this, on this particular tour, Sri Lanka are facing an exceptionally tall seam attack. Marco Jansen is a little taller than two metres. Kagiso Rabada stands a shade higher than 1.9 metres. Sri Lanka were perhaps guilty of not leaving as many balls on length as they could have, but they are also dealing with unusual trajectories.

“They gave me a lot of confidence that as long as they’re around, they will back me, whether or not the runs were coming at No. 3. It’s when there’s trust inside the team like that, that we are able to take decisions without being afraid”Dinesh Chandimal on the team management

“In Sri Lanka, we don’t have fast bowlers like that – with this kind of height,” Chandimal said. “So there’s no way to train against those kinds of release points. They get a foot or a foot-and-a-half of extra bounce. That is why it’s tough for us to judge.”It’s on length that you have to leave the ball, often. With a normal bowler, the ball has to pitch a little shorter for us to be able to leave on length. But with these bowlers, even if they pitch a couple of feet fuller than that, you can probably leave it based on length. If we get better at judging that length, we will be able to handle these bowlers much better.”Of Sri Lanka’s batters in Durban, Chandimal was the best at negotiating that bounce. Though he was out for a duck to a spectacular inseaming delivery from Jansen in the first innings, Chandimal was Sri Lanka’s best batter in the second dig. Arriving at the crease in the fifth over, he struck 83 off 174 deliveries.”When you play here, it’s not good to be tentative,” Chandimal said. “If you play a forward defence, you have to commit to it. If you play a shot you have to commit. And if you leave it, it’s the same. It’s that tentativeness that can get you.Dinesh Chandimal, who scored 83, was Sri Lanka’s best batter in the second innings in Durban•Associated Press”In the second innings, I just had it in my mind to be positive with every shot. If you’re in that mindset, you’re in a better place to pounce on the loose balls when they come also.”Part of that commitment will have flowed down from the management. When they asked him to bat No. 3, Sri Lanka coach Sanath Jayasuriya, the selectors, and captain Dhananjaya de Silva had assured him they would not abandon him if the experiment went badly.”They gave me a lot of confidence that as long as they’re around, they will back me, whether or not the runs were coming at No. 3,” Chandimal said. “It’s when there’s trust inside the team like that, that we are able to take decisions without being afraid.”In any case, If there is some spice in the Gqeberha pitch, as there is likely to be, Sri Lanka will be desperate for more such innings from their new No. 3. “There are some things you have to do for the team and for the future of Sri Lankan cricket, rather than thinking of yourself. I think I’ve always thought about Sri Lankan cricket first. I won’t complain about batting at No. 3. I’ll just take it as a challenge.”

Super-agent Jorge Mendes has dismissed the "noise" surrounding the young Spanish talent Lamine Yamal, urging for support for the 18-year-old Barcelona star. His comments come as Yamal himself refutes "lies" about his pubalgia injury after a stunning display in the Champions League, though Hansi Flick confirms the issue is still being actively managed.

Mendes defends Yamal

Mendes has publicly addressed the intense speculation and "noise" surrounding Yamal, following weeks of discussion about the 18-year-old's fitness and conduct. Mendes, who represents five players at Barcelona including Yamal, Alejandro Balde and Ansu Fati, broke his silence to defend the teenager from the mounting pressure. The agent's comments arrive in the wake of Yamal's scintillating performance in the Champions League, but also amid a backdrop of ongoing concerns over a persistent pubalgia injury.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportMendes addresses 'noise' and ongoing pubalgia concerns

Speaking directly on the recent debate surrounding Yamal, Mendes sought to normalise the situation and called for the player to be supported, not scrutinised.

“I don't understand all the noise surrounding Lamine Yamal. We've all been 18 and young," Mendes told . "As president [Joan] Laporta said, what we have to do is support him and help him as much as possible because he's a great asset to the club."

The Portuguese agent, whose Gestifute agency manages Yamal, acknowledged the unique burden on the young forward, who now wears the number 10 shirt for Barcelona once worn by the likes of Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona.

"Lamine is the player everyone is talking about worldwide; there's a consensus that he's a great player for both the present and the future," Mendes continued. "Having everyone watching you is also a great responsibility and a lot of pressure. He's handling it very well, and we have to continue helping him, and one way to do that is to focus exclusively on his work.”

Mendes also confirmed the reports of a physical issue but insisted it is being handled correctly by the player and the club.

“Lamine knows perfectly well what he has to do both on and off the field, and that's what he's doing: concentrating on working quietly and not talking much," he added. "He has some physical issues that he's addressing with the club to resolve them in the best way possible while he plays, and that's the most important thing, that he recovers well and can contribute as much as possible to the team."

Yamal hits back at 'lies' after Brugge heroics

Mendes's comments about letting the football do the talking were emphatically underlined by Yamal's performance in midweek. The agent noted: "The best thing Lamine does is let his play on the field do the talking; he does it like no one else, as we saw in the Brugge match."

In that chaotic 3-3 Champions League draw against Club Brugge on Wednesday, Yamal was Barcelona's standout performer. He dragged his side back into the game three times, scoring a sensational solo goal and creating the third, which resulted in a Christos Tzolis own goal.

After the match, Yamal himself confronted the recent rumours about his fitness. The forward missed seven games for club and country earlier this season with the pubalgia problem.

"I am good," Yamal told reporters. "I try not to read things. A lot has been said about my injury and that I was sad. It was all lies. I wanted to work hard to get back to this level, which is when I feel the best and have the most fun."

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Flick confirms injury is still being 'managed'

Despite Yamal's declaration and his agent's supportive words, Flick provided a more cautious assessment. The German coach confirmed that the pubalgia, a notoriously difficult groin-related injury, remains a daily concern.

"I am happy that Lamine is back on this level, but how I said also, we don't know what is tomorrow; we don't know what is next Sunday," Flick said in his post-game press conference in Belgium.

"The important thing is that he manages this situation he has now because it's not easy. He has to be focused on what he has to do, how he has to train and also the treatment. If he manages that the right way, hopefully it goes away, but it's not easy to say when with the situation."