MatériaMais Notícias

O técnico Zé Ricardo optou por colocar a força máxima do Vasco na partida contra a Portuguesa. Os três pontos vieram, mas a equipe ganhou um desfalque para o clássico contra o Botafogo, domingo, às 20h, no Castelão, em São Luís. O lateral-direito Weverton recebeu o terceiro cartão amarelo e não estará a disposição do comandante.

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Com isso, a tendência é que o experiente Léo Matos seja titular pela primeira vez na temporada. Justamente contra um velho conhecido, que não traz boas lembranças para o jogador. Foi no clássico da amizade disputado em São Januário pela Série B, que o lateral foi expulso ainda no primeiro tempo.

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Ao caminhar em direção ao vestiário, ele foi alvo de muitos xingamentos e vaias por parte da torcida.Sem rumo e com um a menos, o time dirigido por Fernando Diniz sofreu uma goleada por 4 a 0, que praticamente sacramentou a permanência do clube na segunda divisão. Rodadas depois, o rival se sagrou campeão e o Cruz-Maltino se afundou no pior ano da instituição.

+ Confira e simule a tabela do Campeonato Carioca

O cenário atual é um pouco diferente. O Vasco passou por uma intensa reformulação em seu elenco e ainda segue ativo no mercado. O Glorioso, por sua vez, perdeu peças importantes, mas tem a esperança de montar um grupo mais forte com a chegada do investidor John Textor e a transformação em clube-empresa.

Na temporada, Léo Matos entrou pela primeira vez em campo no último domingo contra o Madureira. Todavia, exerceu a função de zagueiro e não comprometeu. Diante da Lusa, ele também entrou na segunda etapa para ajudar o time na marcação e nas jogadas aéreas.

+ATUAÇÕES: Nene marca, e Thiago Rodrigues fecha o gol na vitória do Vasco sobre a Portuguesa pelo Carioca

Em meio à saída de boa parte dos nomes de 2021, Léo Matos foi um dos remanescentes. Criticado, o atleta tentará reconquistar o seu espaço. Zé Ricardo ressaltou e mostrou no domingo que o time terá várias formas de jogar ao longo do ano. Dessa forma, cabe ao lateral provar que pode ser útil e ajudar na Série B.

England allrounder might be a doubt for the final Ashes Test, in Hobart from January 14

Andrew Miller06-Jan-2022

Ben Stokes is unlikely to bowl again in the ongoing fourth Test, and could be a doubt for next week’s Ashes series finale in Hobart, after sustaining an injury to his left side on the second day of play at SCG. On Thursday, he managed just five balls of his fourth over before leaving the field, clutching his side, whereupon Mark Wood delivered the final ball of the over.For now, the England management has held off sending Stokes for a scan, and having returned to the field soon after his assessment he would be free to bat at No. 5 if he is fit to do so. However, he spent much of the rest of the day fielding in the slip cordon – a position that allowed him not to run as much as he might have elsewhere on the field, but one from which he has been shielded in recent times, in the aftermath of the recent finger injury.Related

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In his absence, England’s seam burden was shared between James Anderson, Wood and Stuart Broad, who was the standout performer with figures of 5 for 101.”He’s one of the toughest blokes I’ve ever met, the toughest cricketer I’ve ever met,” Broad said at the close. “For him to go off and not bowl… it’s obviously sore. But he’s icing it at the moment. We’ve no information on what’s happened in his side.”Hopefully we give him a lot of rest tomorrow. Twelve-24 hours in cricket is quite a long time. It gives the body a lot of time to heal. We’ll wait and see. He stayed on the field so he could bat in his usual position. He’s a tough character. He’ll be out there if it’s not torn to shreds. We as England fans and team-mates hope it’s not as bad as him not bowling again on this trip.”Stokes, who came into the Ashes after a lengthy break during the English season to manage his mental health in the wake of a broken finger, has struggled to make an impact on the series so far, with 101 runs at 16.83 and four wickets at 71.50 in the first three-and-a-bit Tests. However, with the ball, he has been consistently used in an enforcer’s role by Joe Root, tasked with bowling lengthy spells of short-pitched bowling to unsettle Australia’s batters.

Leicester City are looking to add another forward to their ranks in January, and have identified their latest target as they seek to avoid an immediate return to the Championship.

Leicester City best of the promoted sides

Steve Cooper has guided Leicester clear of the relegation zone in the early part of the Premier League season, with the Foxes three points clear of the drop as things stand and sitting 15th, ahead of both Southampton and Ipswich, who were promoted from the Championship with them.

It follows a tricky summer which saw them hamstrung by financial fair play and transfer issues, though they eventually managed to spend in excess of £70m on new faces.

Their standout star has been Brighton loanee Facundo Buonanotte, who has managed three goals and two assists so far this season, while 20-year-old Abdul Fatawu has also made an impressive start to life at the King Power after sealing a permanent move.

Meanwhile, Jamie Vardy continues to prove reliable in front of goal. Now 37-years-old, the former non-league striker tops the Foxes goalscoring leaderboards with four goals and an assist.

Leicester City’s top goalscoreres 24/25

Jamie Vardy

4

Facundo Buonanotte

3

James Justin

2

Stephy Mavididi

2

Jordan Ayew

2

However, in an ideal world he cannot start every game given his age, and without him leading the line Cooper’s side look somewhat toothless, with the Foxes comprehensively beaten by Manchester United in the one game Vardy missed this season, with free transfer Jordan Ayew looking well off the pace.

As a result, January reinforcements are key for Leicester to continue to avoid the drop, and they appear to have found a potential bargain.

Leicester City keen on Ligue 1 striker

That is according to AfricaFoot [Via Sport Witness], who report that Leicester City are very keen on signing Ligue 1 outcast Mostafa Mohamed from Nantes this winter.

The Egyptian forward joined the French side from Galatasaray 18 months ago after a successful loan spell, but after a strong first season he has seen his game time reduced this time around. He has started just four of his side’s Ligue 1 games this season, scoring just once in that time.

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And the report claims that he is seeking more game time, wanting to leave the club as a result, with Leicester “looking to sign” the forward in the New Year. Though he is under contract until 2027, taking home £28,000 a week in France, it is understood that Nantes are willing to cash in on him for 10m euros (£8m), which would represent close to double the amount they signed him for.

A new striker is a must for Cooper’s side, and Mohamed has proven pedigree, while he also shares an agent with summer signing Caleb Okoli which could make a deal even easier to complete in what is traditionally a tough window to do business in. Could he be the man to help fire Leicester City to safety?

Leeds United temporarily moved to the top of the Championship table on Tuesday night with a relatively comfortable 2-1 win over Watford at Elland Road.

Largie Ramazani handed the home side the lead after just four minutes as his strike from distance was fumbled by Hornets goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann, who was then unable to prevent it from crossing the line.

It was then 2-0 just three minutes later thanks to another gift from the shot-stopper, who parried a cross from Wilfried Gnonto straight into the path of Brenden Aaronson, for him to find the back of the net.

The Whites are now top of the league and will be hoping that their rivals slip up on Wednesday night to maintain their place in the automatic promotion places ahead of the weekend.

Daniel Farke’s side travel away from West Yorkshire to take on Bristol City at Ashton Gate in the lunchtime kick-off in the Championship on Saturday.

The German head coach may be forced into making a couple of changes to his starting line-up from the win over Watford, though, after a couple of issues cropped up on Tuesday night.

The Leeds players who could miss out against Bristol City

Firstly, there will be a change at left-back for the Whites after Junior Firpo picked up his fifth booking of the season in the second tier, which has triggered an automatic one-match suspension.

The 28-year-old star has produced one goal and three assists in 11 appearances for Leeds so far this term, along with 3.9 tackles and interceptions per match.

This shows that he has made an impact at both ends of the pitch and will, therefore, be a loss in the game against Bristol City, with Isaac Schmidt and Sam Byram potential replacements for him on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Ramazani also looks set to be unavailable for selection after he was withdrawn from the game after just 14 minutes with an ankle injury.

After the match, Farke revealed that it was a “painful” roll or twist of the ankle for the Belgian forward, who was caught with a strong challenge on the touchline.

The German head coach added that it would be “difficult” for the summer signing from Almeria to be available for the clash with Bristol City, due to the short turnaround between Tuesday night and Saturday lunch.

This suggests that Leeds will have to make a change to their starting XI on the left flank when they travel to Ashton Gate on Saturday, and it is down to Farke to decide on his best option to come in.

The summer signing has been in impressive form since his move to Elland Road during the last transfer window, in an attempt to replace Crysencio Summerville partially, and will be hard to replace.

Largie Ramazani's form this season

The 23-year-old star has not taken much time at all to settle back into life in England, having come through the academy system at Manchester United prior to his move to Spain to shine for Almeria.

His goal against Watford was certainly fortunate, as Bachmann made a huge error to palm the ball back into his own net, but it was still a strong strike from distance by the winger and he gave the goalkeeper a chance to make a mistake by fizzing the shot with pace and swerve to make it difficult.

That was his third goal in six starts for Leeds in the Championship so far this season, as the young attacker has shown that he can provide a big goal threat from a wide left position.

As you can see in the table above, Ramazani has produced four direct goal contributions in six starts in the second tier, whilst outperforming his xG tally.

He has also contributed defensively, with 1.8 tackles and interceptions per game, and these statistics show that the forward has made a positive impact at both ends of the pitch.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Manor Solomon came on to replace him against the Hornets on Tuesday night but he must move aside for Farke to unleash Dan James from the start, to ease the blow of losing Ramazani through injury.

Why Dan James should start over Manor Solomon

The Tottenham Hotspur loanee came on in the 14th minute and put in a solid, if unspectacular, performance down the left flank for the Whites.

He failed to provide a goal or an assist in his 75 minutes on the pitch, before being substituted for Sam Byram in the final minutes, and managed one shot on target and zero ‘big chances’ created.

Since his move to Elland Road in the summer, Solomon has produced zero goals, one assist, and one ‘big chance’ created in four appearances for the club – assisting Mateo Joseph’s goal against Hull.

James, meanwhile, came on for the last 18 minutes and earned a player rating of 8/10 from LeedsLive’s Beren Cross, who hailed his pace, energy, and creativity.

In those 18 minutes, the Wales international created two ‘big chances’ for his teammates – twice as many as Solomon has in four appearances – but was not rewarded with an assist for his efforts.

As you can see in the table above, James is also a proven Championship performer who showcased his quality as both a scorer and a creator in the division during the 2023/24 campaign for Farke.

The winger contributed with a stunning 26 goals and ‘big chances’ created in 28 starts in the league to help Leeds reach the play-offs and should, therefore, be trusted by the manager to come in and perform on Saturday.

Solomon is yet to prove himself in a Leeds shirt and James outperformed him in just 18 minutes on Tuesday night, which is why he should be the man to ease the blow of losing Ramazani through injury.

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England attack comprised five right-arm seamers and Root’s part-time offbreaks

Matt Roller16-Dec-2021Graham Thorpe, England’s assistant coach, has defended their selection and bowling plans after Australia racked up 221 for 2 on the first day of the second Ashes Test in Adelaide after David Warner admitted his surprise at their short-ball barrage.England made two changes to the side that was thrashed by nine wickets at the Gabba, bringing in James Anderson and Stuart Broad in place of Mark Wood and Jack Leach; as a result, their attack comprised five right-arm seamers of a similar pace and Joe Root’s part-time offbreaks.Jos Buttler dropped two catches off Marnus Labuschagne – including one particularly straightforward one late in the day – and England’s seamers beat the bat on a number of occasions, but ultimately a return of two wickets in 89 overs with the pink ball served to highlight the attack’s lack of variation.Related

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Asked if England should have included either a frontline spinner or a genuine fast bowler like Wood with a point of difference, Thorpe insisted that they had selected a strong attack. “No, I think we picked the right team for this match,” he said. “Actually, I thought that on another day, we could have grazed the edge more and it could have been different on day one.”England reverted to a short-ball plan at stages during the day, with Ben Stokes used as an enforcer and bowling to six-three leg-side fields. Stokes was England’s most expensive bowler, conceding 50 runs in his 13 overs, but did take the wicket of Warner, slapping a cut straight to cover.”That’s a tactic they have obviously tried to put through to us,” Warner said. “I don’t know why they were doing that. For us, you have to play each ball on its merits. Obviously here [the boundaries are] short square, so you have to back yourself to have a gameplan and stick to that. They mix up their fields as well with different field placements and then from your perspective it’s about how you’re going to adapt to that situation.”You get into positions where you are almost in one-day mode as well. There are gaps in front of the wicket, [you play] a couple of flat-bat shots. Once you get one or two boundaries away and you start leaking, you have to change tactics. But they didn’t do that. It worked into our plan a bit, and the ball gets softer.”The length that they bowled here today isn’t hitting the stumps,” he said, comparing conditions to the 2019 series in England when he had struggled against Broad. “That length there is hitting the stumps in England, and that’s the difference. I batted out of my crease and Marnus [Labuschagne] did as well to be able to leave the ball on a good length and we backed ourselves that the ball was going to go over the stumps. That was something that we learned from the Gabba.””It unsettles,” Thorpe had insisted earlier. “It gives you an option and a way of attacking. I don’t think you can attack like that all the time due to what it physically takes out of your bowlers. They may all be right-arm bowlers but for me they’ve all got a slightly different style about them as well. We stuck at it well but we didn’t quite get the rub today.”I don’t think our plans were too bad. If we’d bowled poorly, we would have gone for a lot more throughout the day. It’s not a case of feeling sorry for ourselves when we come in tomorrow again, it’s a case of trying to do very similar things and when it comes to our turn to bat, doing things for a long period of time.”I think you saw that from the two players today, they did things well for long periods of time, and you can take advantage in the last session at times if you have an attack which is a little bit more tired. It’s very important that we’re able to make some inroads tomorrow.”Having lost five World Test Championship points and their collective match fees due to a slow over-rate at the Gabba last week, England managed to bowl 89 of the scheduled 90 overs on the first day in Adelaide, though they required five overs of Root bowling negatively with the old ball in order to catch up.While over-rates are likely to remain a problem with a five-man seam attack, Thorpe played down the issue. “I think there’s bigger things going on in the world than over-rates,” he said. “You get through as quick as you can [but] reviews are taking time to get through, sometimes batsmen aren’t ready and minutes get lost throughout the day’s cricket.”It’s just one of those things in Test cricket. We’d like it to be more perfect but it isn’t. We would have liked some more overs [under floodlights] with a newer ball but it’s challenging at times. Everyone thinks it’s straightforward getting through 80 overs at the perfect time but it isn’t. It’s much harder [because of] temperatures, make-up of your team and the stoppages that go on throughout the day.”

Simon Harmer has signed a long-term contract extension with Essex, committing himself to the club until the end of the 2026 season.Harmer, the South African offspinner, joined Essex in 2017 as a Kolpak registration and has been their main overseas player since that legal loophole closed after the UK’s departure from the European Union.He has taken 308 first-class wickets for Essex since he signed, the most in England over the last five years and 48 more than his nearest rival, his team-mate Jamie Porter. He has also contributed in limited-overs cricket, notably in the T20 Blast in 2019 when he was player of the match in Essex’s semi-final and final victories.Related

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Essex failed to qualify for the six-team Division One of the County Championship last year but have strengthened over the winter with the signing of Matt Critchley from Derbyshire as a replacement for the retiring Ryan ten Doeschate, and a number of senior players – including Alastair Cook, Adam Wheater and Paul Walter – have signed contract extensions in recent weeks.”The club gave me an opportunity in 2017 for which I will always be grateful,” Harmer said. “The progress this team has made under Anthony McGrath is a major factor to signing. I’m determined to continue developing my game across all formats and look forward to contributing to further success, both on and off the field, over the next five years.”McGrath, the club’s head coach, described Harmer as “an important leader” and said that his signing represented “a real signal of intent.””Harmy has been an important part of our success in recent years and I’m delighted he’s committed his long-term future to Essex,” McGrath said. “The talent we have within this team is incredible and his match-winning skills will be instrumental for our plans to achieve further success in the future.”

Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea managed a draw against last season’s Premier League runners-up Arsenal, in a tightly contested 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.

Gabriel Martinelli opened the scoring in the 60th minute before Chelsea’s Pedro Neto fired back in the 70th minute.

The Blues held 49% of the ball, but did manage 17 shots, generating 1.28 xG, and creating one big chance.

Meanwhile, the Gunners had slightly more of the ball with 51% possession, taking fewer shots than Chelsea with 13, generating a lower xG of 0.99, but creating four big chances.

The talking point of the game, among the brilliant tactical battle between Maresca and Mikel Arteta, was the wonderful strike from Neto, equalising for Chelsea and making it a more interesting end to the game.

Pedro Neto's performance vs Arsenal

Neto scored his fourth goal of the season, now making 15 appearances for the Blues since joining in the summer from Wolves for a fee of around £51.4m, plus £2.6m in add-ons.

The 24-year-old has already started multiple games on either wing for the Blues now, playing as a right and left winger, providing three assists alongside his goals for his teammates. But Sunday afternoon’s performance by the Portugal international was brilliant all round.

Alongside scoring the goal, Neto made two key passes, completed three of his four crosses, took three shots, and won three of his six ground duels, working hard to track back and do his bit on the defensive end too.

His all-round quality was key in this game, often isolating the full-back out wide, and finding space to affect the game.

But it wasn’t just Neto who impressed for Chelsea, as there were some top defensive performances too, one of which came from the French defender, Wesley Fofana, who was in top form on the night.

Wesley Fofana's amazing performance

Fofana was given a 7/10 match rating by The Standard after playing a pivotal part in this 1-1 draw, showing his athleticism, strength, and recovery pace against the Gunners frontline.

The 23-year-old has struggled for fitness in the past few seasons at Chelsea, spending long spells on the sidelines. However, so far this term, the former Leicester man has managed ten Premier League appearances, totalling 867 minutes.

Minutes

90

Touches

63

Accurate Passes

47/51

Key Passes

1

Successful Dribbles

1/1

Ground Duels Won

2/2

Aerial Duels Won

1/1

Clearances

6

Blocks

1

Fofana won 100% of his duels, dealing really well with balls in behind, being aggressive on Kai Havertz to stop him turning, and ensuring Chelsea were solid in and around the box.

Even when the ball did break in the area, Fofana was quick to the scene, making six clearances and making a block.

But he was also important in build-up, recycling play, making accurate passes around the back and into the Chelsea pivot of Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia, as well as driving forward at times to keep Arsenal guessing, completing 100% of his dribbles in the game too.

Fofana is clearly an excellent defensive profile, and if Chelsea can keep him fit alongside Levi Colwill, the Blues have a well-balanced duo forming between the pair, with the Frenchman’s aggression and duel-winning ability, alongside the covering mentality and high IQ of his English colleague.

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استقر الجهاز الفني لنادي الزمالك، بقيادة البرتغالي جوزيه بيسيرو، على التشكيل الذي يخوض به مباراة سيراميكا كليوباترا، مساء اليوم الجمعة، في إطار منافسات بطولة كأس مصر.

وتقام مباراة الزمالك وسيراميكا كليوباترا، على أرضية استاد القاهرة، وذلك ضمن مواجهات نصف نهائي كأس مصر للموسم الجاري 2024-2025.

طالع | تشكيل الزمالك الرسمي أمام سيراميكا كليوباترا في كأس مصر.. سيف الجزيري في الهجوم

ونجح الزمالك في التأهل إلى هذا الدور بعد تغلبه على سموحة في ربع النهائي، حيث يسعى لمواصلة مشواره نحو التتويج بالكأس وتعويض جماهيره عن أي تعثرات سابقة.

ويشهد تشكيل الزمالك، مشاركة سيف الجزيري أساسيًا في مركز المهاجم، بعد عودته من صفوف منتخب تونس، واشراك محمد صبحي في مركز حراسة المرمى. تشكيل الزمالك المتوقع أمام سيراميكا كليوباترا اليوم في كأس مصر

حراسة المرمى: محمد صبحي

خط الدفاع: محمود بنتايج – صلاح مصدق- حسام عبد المجيد – محمود حمدي الونش – عمر جابر.

خط الوسط: نبيل عماد دونجا – ناصر ماهر – عبدالله السعيد – أحمد سيد زيزو.

خط الهجوم: سيف الجزيري.

It has been a poor start to the season for Erik ten Hag and his Manchester United side. The Red Devils’ victory last weekend against Brentford at Old Trafford was just their third in the Premier League all season and their fourth victory in all competitions including the 7-0 thrashing of League One Barnsley.

Ten Hag’s side are having plenty of issues in front of goal. They are the second-lowest scorers in the Premier League, finding the back of the net just seven times, with Southampton the only side with fewer. They have also had four games where they have not scored at all.

This has also had a negative effect on their goal difference in the Premier League. Whilst they have been better defensively, conceding just nine goals, they have a goal difference of negative two.

They have had a few injury issues again and it has meant their Dutch boss has been without some important players at times.

United’s injuries in 2024/25

Last season, the Red Devils were incredibly unlucky with the number of injuries they had. As per BBC Sport, United had the most cases of separate injury in the top flight with 45 and had the joint-most number of players injured for one game, an outrageous 11 in total.

Luckily for Ten Hag, they have not suffered quite as much in 2024/25. Several players have missed the entire campaign so far, including summer signing Leny Yoro, England international Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, who has had a long-term knee issue.

On top of that list, there have been a number of players who have missed large portions of the season with injuries. Mason Mount, who has had numerous fitness issues since joining from Chelsea last summer, has missed four Premier League games while Rasmus Hojlund was absent through injury for the opening four games.

Now, United find themselves without the likes of Kobbie Mainoo, who has been so important for Ten Hag, as well as centre-back duo Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans. The latter, who has been superb this season, is a doubt for tonight’s game against Fenerbahce after missing training.

1

5

Yoro, Lindelof, Shaw, Malacia, Hojlund

2

5

Yoro, Lindelof, Shaw, Malacia, Hojlund

3

6

Yoro, Lindelof, Shaw, Malacia, Mount, Hojlund

4

6

Yoro, Lindelof, Shaw, Malacia, Mount, Hojlund

5

4

Yoro, Lindelof, Shaw, Malacia

6

4

Yoro, Maguire, Shaw, Malacia

7

4

Yoro, Shaw, Malacia, Mount

8

6

Yoro, Maguire, Shaw, Malacia, Mount, Mainoo

These injury woes at centre-back mean Ten Hag must turn elsewhere when looking for options in the heart of his defence.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Who could start in defence against Fenerbahce

Perhaps the best option the Dutchman has could be Victor Lindelof, who himself has had injury issues this term. The Sweden international joined United for £30.7m up front and £8.8m in potential add-ons.

Interestingly, the Red Devils manager at the time was Jose Mourinho, who will be facing Ten Hag on the touchline tonight. Lindelof played 45 times under the legendary Portuguese boss before his sacking in 2018.

This term, the 30-year-old has featured in just two games. He played 45 minutes against Aston Villa prior to the October international break and a solitary minute against the Bees at Old Trafford last Saturday.

His importance to the side has diminished in recent years. Under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, the United number two featured prominently, playing 35 Premier League games in 2019/20. He has played less under Ten Hag, although is still an experienced player; he has played 261 games in that famous Red shirt, scoring four goals, including one in a 6-2 thrashing of Leeds United, and grabbing seven assists.

The defender, who earns £120k-per-week at United, was once criticised by Mourinho following his stint as United boss.

Speaking to Sky Sports, the former Real Madrid manager explained Lindelof tends to be “bullied” by strikers, claiming that he does not excel aerially.

Leading the line for the Turkish side are Edin Dzeko and Youssef En-Nesyri, both of whom have scored against United in the past. Given the stand at 6 foot 4 and 6 foot 2 respectively, this is an area the former United boss could potentially exploit.

If Lindelof does get the nod against Fenerbahce, it could be an excellent opportunity to prove his old manager wrong and become a more important player under Ten Hag, as he looks to get back to his best following injury.

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Barcelona could once again find themselves in a registration tsunami as they dream about signing Liverpool's Luis Diaz.

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Barca monitoring Diaz's situationWant to sign him in summerDiaz tied to Liverpool till 2027Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to SPORT, Barcelona are hell-bent on signing an elite left winger next summer and are keeping tabs on Colombia international Luis Diaz, whose contract at Liverpool runs out in June 2027. Diaz has emerged as a real candidate for the Catalans after previously being linked with Marcus Rashford and Rafael Leao.

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Diaz is having an outstanding season at Liverpool, already matching his best-ever goal tally in a single campaign for the Reds. Deco and his technical staff are in love with the player and want to sign him this summer to complete their attack consisting of Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, and Raphinha.

Barcelona had previously been linked with a loan move for Marcus Rashford during the winter transfer window, but the Englishman ultimately signed with Aston Villa. Barcelona will not be pursuing their interest in the 27-year-old any further, as they only saw Rashford as a short-term market opportunity.

Two more left-wingers have emerged on Barcelona's summer shopping list: Nico Williams and AC Milan’s Leao. Williams was on the verge of joining the Blaugrana last summer, but Barcelona ultimately opted to sign Dani Olmo instead. Meanwhile, the club’s board views Leao as the ideal fit for the left wing, though Deco has reservations due to the player’s inconsistent performances and past issues with managers.

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In contrast, Luis Díaz presents a more reliable option. A classy right-footed winger, Díaz is known for his professionalism and strong relationships with his coaches. However, the primary obstacle could be Barcelona's financial constraints.

The club's ongoing financial difficulties are well-documented, highlighted by the drama surrounding Olmo’s registration at the start of January. Reports suggest that Barcelona have reverted to the 1:1 financial rule, but it remains unclear whether they can secure the funds needed to bring one of the Premier League’s top attackers to Camp Nou.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR LUIS DIAZ?

Diaz could perhaps don the Barcelona colours next season. For now, though, he is focused on leading Liverpool's title charge in the Premier League along with Ballon d'Or contender Mohamed Salah. Diaz will next be seen on Wednesday, Feburary 19, when the Reds visit Aston Villa.