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It’s hardly the most flamboyant clash given the two basement dwellers are pitted against each other, but this is an opportunity for the teams to get their campaign on track

The Preview by Jamie Alter23-Mar-2010

Match facts

Wednesday, March 24
Start time 2000 (1430 GMT)Yusuf Pathan hasn’t performed since his century, Shane Warne hasn’t performed at all•Associated Press

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It’s hardly the most flamboyant clash given the two basement dwellers are pitted against each other, but this is an opportunity for the teams to get their campaign on track. Kings XI Punjab are tied with Rajasthan Royals on two points, separated only by a minor difference in net run rate, with both picking up their maiden wins after three defeats. Rajasthan earned their first points with a disciplined fielding and bowling effort against an insipid Kolkata Knight Riders, and Punjab held their nerve to force a tie against Chennai Super Kings and then clinched the Super Over.Punjab’s IPL campaign has been hampered by the absence of their Australian players, either injured or unavailable, and the poor form of captains former and present, Yuvraj Singh and Kumar Sangakkara. The batting has not been imposing, the bowling toothless. But on a steamy Chennai night that turned from deplorable to delirious, their bowlers managed to convert a modest total into a mountain and procure a tense win in the Super Over. Now, with the arrivals of Brett Lee and Shaun Marsh, Punjab have another reason to believe they’ve turned the corner. Critics will argue that one win won’t cure Punjab’s frailties but it has given them a much-needed shot of enthusiasm, which Sangakkara and Yuvraj hoped would mark a change in their fortunes.Rajasthan have also been hurt by the absence of Shane Watson and injuries that ruled out Graeme Smith and Dimitri Mascarenhas. As a result, their batting has been poor and the bowling lacks the zing that a player of Watson’s ability brings, especially since Shaun Tait’s radar needs drastic fine-tuning. Worse, the middle order has not responded as a unit; their only win was put into motion by Abhishek Jhunjhunwala’s 45 and a debut innings from Adam Voges. Shane Warne has been an utter flop with the ball and his tinkering with the bowling attack – he’s opened with five different bowlers in four games – hasn’t yielded desired results. Warne has vocally and tactically shown a lot of faith in Yusuf Pathan, opening with his offspin successfully in the win over Kolkata, but the time has come for the likes of Michael Lumb, Tait, Munaf Patel and Naman Ojha to perform.

Team talk

The arrival of Lee and Marsh is immense for Punjab. As a precaution Punjab tested Lee in a practice match today and a final call on him and Marsh, who has also been sidelined by injury, will be taken before the game. If they are passed fit, expect the Aussie pair to slot right in at the top of the batting and bowling line-ups.Rajasthan might not want to tinker with the unit that secured a maiden victory, despite how disappointing Hampshire’s Lumb has been. He scored a duck in the last game but should continue at the top of the order in place of the absent Smith, until Watson arrives next month.

Previously…

Rajasthan won the first game played between these two sides in 2008, by six wickets, before Punjab hit back with a 41-run win. When they came up against each other in South Africa, Punjab beat Rajasthan by 27 runs before losing the second game by 78 runs.

In the spotlight

Yusuf Pathan: Yusuf has failed to get going since that 37-ball century in the first match. He can’t obviously be expected to score centuries each time he walks to the middle but, being Rajasthan’s main match-winner, he’s got to take stock of where his batting’s at. Yusuf has been exposed by the short ball in his last three innings.Piyush Chawla: The man – yes, he really is, so can the TV commentators stop referring to him as a youngster? – singled out by Sangakkara as “outstanding” needs to do something, anything. Chawla has taken two wickets in four games at an average of 52.00 and an economy-rate of 7.42. His variations have been limited, the batsmen haven’t been kept guessing, and the legbreak isn’t being crafted well enough.

Prime numbers

• Punjab have been the most successful batting side in the last five overs of a game. In four macthes they have scored 203 runs off 120 balls, losing 11 wickets. In that same period, Rajasthan have scored 173 while losing more wickets than any other team, 14.
• Rajasthan have conceded the least number of sixes in the last five overs, just three in four games.
• In six innings played by Swapnil Asnodkar, Naman Ojha and Paras Dogra – three of Rajasthan’s young Indian talents – they have scored a combined total of 157 runs at an average of 26.16.

The chatter

“Why would he return if he’s not fit? He’s raring to go. Good days are back.”
“The IPL is a bit [more] relaxed than ODIs or Tests and it will be easy for me after the injury.”

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Manchester United fans have taken to Twitter in outrage after a commemorative kit celebrating the 1999 Champions League win over Bayern Munich was released, which the Red Devils will be wearing next season.

Weirdly, it will be 21 years since that famous final at the Camp Nou, in which Ole Gunnar Solskjaer netted an injury-time double to beat Bayern and win Sir Alex Ferguson’s side the treble; wouldn’t it have made more sense to have worn it in the season just gone seeing as it was exactly 20 years ago?

Will OGS still be in charge of Man Utd come next May? The Flying Pig discusses in the video below…

Also, quite embarrassingly, United won’t even be in the Champions League next season after failing to qualify, so it feels somewhat as if they are trying to get involved in the occasion despite not being involved – a sentiment summed up perfectly by the first tweet in the sequence below.

The shirt has ’90+3′ printed on the sleeve to signify the minute in which Solskjaer struck the winner; it’s safe to say it’s all a tad embarrassing.

Let’s see what the United fans on Twitter have been saying about the strip…

كشفت صحيفة “ليكيب” الفرنسية، أنّ رجل الأعمال القطري ناصر الخليفي، رئيس مجلس إدارة نادي باريس سان جيرمان، ورئيس مجموعة “بي إن سبورتس” الإعلامية، حصل على البراءة في الاتهامات الموجهة له برشوة الاتحاد الدولي من أجل حقوق تلفزيونية لبطولة كأس العالم وكأس القارات.

وكان مكتب السكرتير العام السويسري، قد اتهم جيروم فالكي الأمين العام السابق للاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا”، بقبول رشوة من ناصر الخليفي، باعتباره مدير مجموعة “بي إن سبورتس” الإعلامية، لحصولها على البطولات الكبرى مثل كأس العالم وكأس القارات وذلك في فبراير الماضي، وتمت مُطالبة حبس الخليفي 28 شهرًا.

فالكي متهم بالحصول على رشوة من الخليفي تتمثل في فيلا في سردينيا، وأكثر من مليوني ونصف المليون يورو (طالع التفاصيل كاملة).

وقام القضاء السويسري بـ تبرئة رجل الأعمال القطري من كل التُهم التي وجهت له من مكتب المدعى العام السويسري، وفقًا لما ذكرته الصحيفة.

وأوضحت الصحيفة أنّه تم تخفيف العقوبة كذلك على فالكي لحبس 120 يومًا مع إيقاف التنفيذ.

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Manchester United fans have attributed Paul Pogba’s poor performances to his mind being elsewhere amidst rumours Real Madrid want to sign him.

The World Cup winner was highlighted as one of the worst players on the pitch as United lost 2-1 to Wolves on Tuesday night for the second time in the space of a month.

Pogba has been flirting with the idea of signing for Real Madrid, admitting in a press conference whilst on international duty that it would be a “dream” to play for them, fuelling rumours that he was on his way to the Bernabeu.

Rumours were so rife that Solskjaer had to address them in one of his press conferences, claiming the midfielder is happy at Old Trafford.

Many United fans on Twitter aren’t buying it though and after the Frenchman put in a poor shift against Wolves, they began to point the finger towards these rumours.

Here’s what United fans have been saying on Twitter.

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According to the Basque outlet Noticias de Gipuzkoa, Everton are set to do battle with Merseyside rivals Liverpool over the signature of Real Sociedad defender Diego Llorente, who is attracting interest from afar thanks to his fine performances in La Liga.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the Toffees are keen to sign the Spanish international to bolster their backline for next season, but it will come at some cost. The report claims Llorente has a £43m release clause written into his contract with the Basque side, and city rivals Liverpool are said to be readying a £25m offer for the 25-year-old’s services.

Llorente, formerly of Real Madrid, has already racked up 70 La Liga appearances and has become a Spanish international due to his form, and seems to be improving every season.

In this era of ‘big 6’ dominance, has finishing 7th become as good as winning a trophy? The Pl>ymaker FC squad have their say in the video below…

The centre-back is also a versatile player, who can play capably in a defensive midfield position thanks to his tactical intelligence and his composure on the ball.

Bad news for Yerry Mina?

One would assume that Chelsea will not sanction the departure of Kurt Zouma whilst they are under a transfer ban, so that leaves Marco Silva with just Phil Jagielka, Yerry Mina and Michael Keane as his options in defence.

Should the Toffees win the race for Llorente, it is likely that he would go straight into the starting lineup given the amount that he looks set to cost – and Everton could end up with three centre-backs who cost upwards of £25m at the club, with Mina costing £27m last summer whilst almost £30m was spent on Keane.

Additionally, Silva often deploys a four-man backline with two centre-halves, so one of Mina or Keane could potentially be dropped to the bench to accommodate Llorente.

Both of the aforementioned Toffees defenders cost a fair bit of money, but it’s Mina who has struggled to justify his transfer fee the most. He’s made just 12 appearances for the Toffees since his summer arrival, largely due to injuries, and has struggled to impress when given the chance.

Keane, meanwhile, despite a tough debut season himself has shown in patches that he can become a solid long-term investment for the Merseysiders.

يأمل جولين لوبيتيجي المدير الفني لـ إشبيلية، أن يتمكن فريقه من المنافسة أمام خصم عظيم مثل برشلونة في المباراة التي ستجمع الفريقين غدًا بالدوري الإسباني.

وتحدث لوبيتيجي في تصريحات على خلفية المباراة المرتقبة نشرتها صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية.

وقال مدرب إشبيلية: “مباراة الغد ضد برشلونة بدون مرجع، نخوض مواجهة جديدة ضد منافس بطاقة متجددة، وهذا يُظهر أشياء جيدة للغاية، كل مباراة هي فرصة جديدة وسنفكر في فعل ما نعرفه ونريد القيام به”.

وأضاف: “مواجهة برشلونة هي مباراة رائعة ضد منافس وخصم عظيم، الطريقة الوحيدة للتنافس مع فريق مثل برشلونة هي دفعه إلى أقصى الحدود في جميع نواحي كرة القدم”.

اقرأ يضًا.. كومان: إمكانيات ميسي لا شك بها.. وأتمنى دعم مركزين في برشلونة

وعن مجموعة إشبيلية في دوري أبطال أوروبا والتي تضم تشيلسي وكراسنودار وستاد رين، أردف لوبيتيجي: “إنها مجموعة متطلبة للغاية، لا يمكن أن يكون الأمر بخلاف ذلك في هذه المسابقة”.

وبشأن غياب لينجليه عن برشلونة للإيقاف، استطرد: “لديهم خسارة في الدفاع ولكن برشلونة فريق كبير ولديه ما يكفي من اللاعبين، وسيغطي غياب لينجليه”.

Tottenham sent scouts to watch AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie play against Atalanta on Saturday according to Italian outlet Sport Mediaset, and he might just be the man to fill the hole in Spurs’ midfield.

The 22-year-old has impressed during his 22 appearances for Milan this season, so much so that his loan from Atalanta, which began at the start of the season, has been made permanent for a fee of £22m. He’s a physical, yet mobile central midfielder who has also played at centre-back on both sides.

This positional versatility makes him an attractive proposition for Spurs with their limited budget. But aside from his ability to play in defence, his central midfield attributes are the reasons the club’s scouts are testing the waters.

Harry Winks has impressed in the position this season and Moussa Sissoko has been, well, acceptable, but that’s clearly not enough depth, or quality in Sissoko’s case, to really prolong a title challenge. The best teams in the world now aim to have two world class players for every position, and although this is rarely achieved, Spurs must aim for this too.

His age means the price Spurs would have to pay wouldn’t be astronomical, with Transfermarkt valuing the Ivorian at £31m. Capturing Kessie at this price and in this summer window would mean not having to spend more on an older midfielder or not spending more on the man himself after he’s spent a few seasons at AC Milan.

If Mauricio Pochettino is still manager next season, he’ll be pleased to see such a youngster join the ranks because he’d be able to mould him to Spurs’ style as he has when bringing through Harry Kane and Dele Alli for example. He’s also unlikely to demand to play every game straight away like an expensive midfielder in his prime may do.

If the scouts liked what they saw this weekend, Spurs should swoop in to secure the youngster’s signature before his price goes over their heads or before their star players become disillusioned with the club’s lack of ambition.

Who do you think Spurs should sign this summer to improve their squad?

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According to Sky Sports, Arsenal attacker Emile Smith-Rowe is reportedly set to join Bundesliga side RB Leipzig on loan until the end of the season, and that deal could boost Southampton’s chances of bringing Jean-Kevin Augustin, whom they are keen on according to a report in The Sun earlier this month, to St Mary’s before Thursday’s transfer deadline.

What’s the word, then?

Well, Sky Sports report that the 18-year-old flew out to Germany on Wednesday night and is expected to undergo a medical with the top-flight outfit on Thursday morning, with a move expected to go through.

The exit of Smith-Rowe, who has made six senior appearances for the north London outfit this term according to Transfermarkt, has been sanctioned amid Denis Suarez’s likely arrival at the Emirates, as per Sky Sports, and he will join Gunners teammate Reiss Nelson in the Bundesliga.

Meanwhile, The Sun reported earlier this month that Saints were keen to bring Augustin to the Premier League, although the £38m price tag on his head suggest a deal would not be possible.

Have their chances been boosted late on?

Potentially, as long as Leipzig aren’t demanding a permanent deal now.

The addition of an attack-minded player who can play through the middle or out wide may well impact Augustin’s first-team chances at Leipzig, where he has only played 355 minutes of Bundesliga football this season following the departure of Ralph Hasenhuttl at the end of the 2017/18 campaign, as per Transfermarkt.

The 21-year-old netted 12 goals and provided a further six assists in 37 appearances in all competitions under the Austrian manager last term, once again according to Transfermarkt, and would fit the high-pressing style the 51-year-old wants to implement at St Mary’s.

While his reported value in The Sun is clearly an issue given Southampton’s record signing will be Danny Ings when they pay £20m for him in the summer, as per The Telegraph, it could potentially be possible that similarly to the Liverpool man, they agree a loan deal with a view to a permanent move at the end of the season.

Let’s see what develops across the next few hours…

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

Crystal Palace were still finding their feet as a club back in 2012 when they signed Joel Ward from Portsmouth for £400k.

Steve Parish and the rest of CPFC 2010 had only recently saved the club from administration in 2010, and Ward arrived amongst a barrage of other surgical squad additions such as Yannick Bolasie, Glenn Murray, Mile Jedinak and Damien Delaney.

However, it is the £400k man who has outlasted all of these names at Selhurst Park, and boy has he flourished.

Since becoming an Eagle at the age of just 22, Ward is now 30 years of age and also a father, growing from a boy into a man at Crystal Palace.

He has 238 appearances for the club under his belt, one of which came in a playoff final at Wembley where it was his headed clearance off the line in the last minute of extra time that saved Palace from a nightmarish goal concession.

He also grabbed an assist for Jason Puncheon in an FA Cup final, and his signing was one that club chairman Steve Parish surely beams with pride over every time he thinks about it.

If you were to divide his transfer fee by his total number of appearances, you would make the eye-opening discovery that Ward has only cost the Eagles £1.68k per appearance, which is remarkable value for money.

The Crystal Palace No.2 is also the third-highest Premier League appearance maker in the club’s history with 187 top-flight outings under his belt, while he has been involved in the third-most Premier League wins in the Eagles’ history – Ward has partaken in 62 top-flight victories.

Calling all Eagles fans: Can you get 90% on this quickfire Palace quiz?

Almost eight years on from his arrival at a time where Palace were perhaps just glad to be in existence, Ward has truly experienced every single emotion alongside the club on their rise back to the big time.

In other news, this misfiring Palace target would help Freedman and Parish partly solve one huge issue…

According to an exclusive report from The Express, Jurgen Klopp is stepping up his interest in Lille forward Victor Osimhen after ordering detailed scouting reports on the Ligue 1 star.

What’s the word, then?

Well, the 8-cap Nigeria international – who has four goals for his country – has been on fire for Lille in his first season with the French side, smashing in 13 goals and grabbing four assists across all competitions.

Osimhen only arrived at Lille back in the summer, following a 2018/19 campaign in which he scored 20 goals and recorded four assists in 36 games for Belgian side Charleroi.

The 21-year-old is the third-highest scorer in France’s top-flight this term behind Wissam Ben Yedder and Kylian Mbappe, and certainly seems to be one of Europe’s brightest young attackers if his form over the last 18 months is anything to go by.

May not get much game time with Divock Origi around

If Osimhen did complete a move to Anfield, one thing that may potentially be problematic is the amount of game time that the Nigerian would be afforded.

You only need to look at how little action Divock Origi is currently getting to reinforce this point.

The Belgium international has scored a number of massive goals for the Reds, including two Champions League semi-final strikes against Barcelona and one in the final itself, but despite that, Klopp has only handed his No.27 four Premier League starts and one Champions League start, recording just 518 minutes in total across both competitions.

In that case, Osimhen may wonder where his game-time will come from if Origi is also struggling to feature regularly.

Of course, it would be difficult for most forwards to feature ahead of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Divock Origi, but if any of those three pick up an injury or suspension, Origi is surely next in the pecking order to take their place.

It is for this one reason – Origi’s mere presence at Anfield – that the 13-goal forward might struggle to see a lot of action.

In other news, take a look at Virgil van Dijk’s hilarious gesture following the 4-0 win over Leicester…