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Em partida válida pela décima segunda rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro 2021, Atlético-GO e Palmeiras se enfrentam neste domingo (18), às 16h (horário de Brasília), no Estádio Antônio Accioly, em Goiânia–GO.

Corinthians não desiste de Paulinho, United encaminha chegada de zagueiro, Lyon rejeita oferta do Flamengo… O Dia do Mercado

Líder da competição nacional com 25 pontos conquistados, o Verdão vem de uma vitória sobre o Santos por 3 a 2, no Allianz Parque. O Atlético, por sua vez, ocupa a décima posição do torneio com 15 pontos e, na última rodada, empatou com o Juventude, no Alfredo Jaconi, em Caxias do Sul-RS.

O atacante Ronald, que se recuperava uma pubalgia, foi liberado pelo departamento médico do Atlético-GO, participou dos treinos de preparação para o duelo contra o Verdão pelo Brasileirão e pode ser relacionado pelo técnico Eduardo Barroca. O jovem de 20 anos foi um dos destaques nos confrontos da terceira fase da Copa do Brasil contra o Corinthians.

>> Veja a tabela completa do Brasileirão

RelacionadasPalmeirasCom trabalhos posicionais, Palmeiras encerra preparação para enfrentar Atlético-GOPalmeiras17/07/2021PalmeirasPatrick de Paula relembra infância e diz ter Deyverson como inspiração no PalmeirasPalmeiras17/07/2021PalmeirasContra Atlético-GO, Palmeiras pode igualar número de vitórias fora de casa da última temporadaPalmeiras17/07/2021

Além disso, Jonas Toró, que teve a sua contratação oficializada pelo clube na última sexta-feira (16), já está regularizado no Boletim Informativo Diário (BID) e pode estrear contra o Palmeiras, caso seja relacionado. O atacante de 22 anos chega por empréstimo do São Paulo até o fim da temporada.

Em preparação para o confronto contra o Atlético-GO, o técnico Abel Ferreira terá os desfalques de Luan, Rony e Luiz Adriano. Os atletas continuam realizando os seus respectivos tratamentos na Academia de Futebol junto ao departamento médico e estão fora da partida.

O zagueiro, com edema na panturrilha direita, e os atacantes Rony, com lesão no músculo adutor da coxa esquerda, e Luiz Adriano, se recuperando de um edema no joelho direito, cumpriram cronograma na parte interna do centro de excelência.

Para evitar novos desfalques, a escalação do Palmeiras para enfrentar o Atlético-GO, pelo Brasileirão, no domingo (18), será baseada no relatório do Núcleo de Saúde e Performance (NSP) do clube.

Horário, transmissão, arbitragem, prováveis escalações: os dados de Atlético-GO x Palmeiras

Data: 18 de Julho de 2021, domingo
Horário: 19h (horário de Brasília)
Local: Estádio Antônio Accioly, Goiânia– GO
Árbitro: Denis da Silva Ribeiro Serafim – AB/AL
Assistentes: Esdras Mariano de Lima Albuquerque – AB/AL e Brigida Cirilo Ferreira – FIFA/AL
VAR:Gilberto Rodrigues Castro Júnior – AB/PE, Clovis Amaral da Silva – AB/PE e Nilson de Souza Monção – CBF/RJ

Transmissão:
–REDE GLOBO (TV aberta para os estados de SP, GO, RS, PR, MG (exceto Juiz de Fora), TO, MT, MS, AL, CE e MA, com narração de Cleber Machado, comentários de Casagrande e Ricardinho, Central do Apito com Sálvio Spinola e reportagens de Karla Izumi e Victor Hugo Araujo);
–PREMIERE (pay-per-view para todo o Brasil, terá a narração de Jota Júnior, comentários de Fabio Junior e Maurício Noriega e reportagens de Rodrigo Castro);
–TEMPO REALdoNOSSO PALESTRApeloTWITTERe peloSITE.

ATLÉTICO-GO:Fernando Miguel; Dudu, Oliveira, Éder e Natanael; Marlon Freitas, Willian Maranhão e Arthur Gomes; Ronald (Igor Cariús), Zé Roberto (Lucão) e André Luís.Técnico:Eduardo Barroca

Desfalques: João Paulo (lesão muscular);
Suspensos:Ninguém;
Pendurados:Marlon Freitas, Zé Roberto e André Luis
Voltam de suspensão: Ninguém.

PALMEIRAS: Weverton, Marcos Rocha, Felipe Melo (Kuscevic), Gustavo Gómez e Matías Viña; Danilo, Zé Rafael, Gustavo Scarpa e Raphael Veiga; Breno Lopes e Deyverson.Técnico:Abel Ferreira

Desfalques: Gabriel Menino (Seleção Olímpica), Luan (edema na panturrilha direita), Luiz Adriano (edema no joelho direito); Rony (lesão no adutor da coxa esquerda);
Suspensos:Jailson (3º Amarelo);
Pendurados:Gabriel Menino, Danilo, Breno Lopes e Renan;
Voltam de suspensão:Ninguém.

After being out injured for almost a year, Neymar may be nearing his return as Al-Hilal registered the player for the 2024-25 Saudi Pro League season.

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• Neymar set to be registered by Al-Hilal
• Has been out injured for almost a year
• Renan Lodi to be snubbed in registration

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Neymar suffered a terrible injury in September of 2023 while on duty with the Brazilian national team, and the Al-Hilal star has been unable to return to the field since then. However, the Saudi Pro League side are set to register the former Barcelona star to the squad for the new season as per Saudi publication .

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  The Saudi Pro League only allows clubs to register a total of 10 foreign players to their squads every season so as to not affect the rise of domestic players. Al-Hilal already have 10 foreign players on their roster and Neymar's registration would close out the spot for one international player, and the report has suggested that the player could be former Atletico Madrid star Renan Lodi.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Lodi has been a regular for Al-Hilal since his move to the club in the winter transfer window, however, the arrivals of Joao Cancelo from Manchester City and left-back Miteb Al Harbi has the Saudi Pro League side pondering upon the Brazilian's place in the squad.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR NEYMAR AND LODI?

  If Neymar is indeed expected to return to action before the end of 2024, it is obvious that the Brazilian star will be included in the squad. As for Lodi, it has been reported over the last week that Al-Hilal have been looking for suitors for the full-back but with the transfer window ticking down it is unlikely that the same will be achieved before the deadline.

England will consider handing international opportunities to fringe players and testing their fast-bowling depth to help them cope with a demanding revised summer schedule of behind-closed-doors cricket.The ECB have made extensive contingency plans in the hope of salvaging a home international season when it becomes safe to do so, with the current ambition of starting a Test series against West Indies on July 8. It is likely that as many as 30 players will be called up to any England squad in order to allow for intra-squad practice games, and the possibility of playing white-ball and red-ball series concurrently remains on the table.ALSO READ: ECB’s Test plans boosted by latest government strategyThat means that England’s depth will be put the test. Mo Bobat, the ECB’s performance director, has been in regular discussions with Chris Silverwood, England’s head coach, and Ed Smith, the national selector, over the past two months, and told ESPNcricinfo that there may be chances for players on the fringes of the national team to allow them to get through a “pretty brutal” fixture list.”We’ve got quite a broad talent pool – some guys that have done really well in the winter on the Lions programme, and plenty of guys knocking on the door, so we may have the opportunity to provide quite a few guys with some international exposure as and when we get to it,” Bobat said.”I get quite excited by that. If it means we’re going to provide international exposure to a new group of players, which we may have to, then I think that’s great. It’s probably common knowledge that we may have to explore things like playing concurrent squads, and that means our depth will get challenged, but I see that as an opportunity.”England’s fast-bowling depth will come under particular strain. Seamers will return to individualised training sessions at county grounds within the next two weeks to allow them as much lead-in time as possible before the planned start of the West Indies series, but with back-to-back Tests likely and players starting from a low base, rotation will be an inevitable feature of the summer.”For some of our fast bowlers, we know we want to get loads through their bodies and their bones need hardening again,” Bobat said. “It’s important to remember what we’re preparing for: we’re preparing for Test cricket, and a schedule that will involve back-to-back Tests. It’s a pretty brutal schedule: it’s not just preparing them to play one Test or a one-day game. It’s incumbent on us to make sure we give the players the best chance of making sure their bodies are in the right place to deal with that tough schedule.”While England have used as many as eight frontline seamers in Test cricket in the last 12 months, there are complications. Both Mark Wood and Jofra Archer were undergoing rehabilitation programmes following injuries when the UK went into lockdown, while Stuart Broad and James Anderson have suggested that returning from the training they are currently doing to international cricket may be harder for them given their age.England’s fast-bowling stocks will be tested this summer•Getty Images

That means opportunities for the three seamers handed pace-bowling development contracts by the ECB in January – Olly Stone, Saqib Mahmood and Craig Overton – may be forthcoming, while Ollie Robinson and Brydon Carse, who impressed on the Lions’ tour of Australia, will come into the conversation.The week before the UK went into lockdown, Bobat and Raphael Brandon, the ECB’s head of science and medicine, held meetings with the three seamers’ counties to discuss the outlines of programmes for the season ahead, and while those plans have been thrown off, all three will be considered for squads this year.ALSO READ: Pace-bowling development contracts for Mahmood, Stone, Overton“We know that we want variety in our pace attack, and across that variety we then want depth. It’s as simple as that,” Bobat said. “You can look at those three guys and know that they might have the capability to perform slightly different roles, and they represent depth beneath the guys who are currently in the England team.”The biggest attraction is simply that we think they are three high-quality bowlers. They’re at different stages: Craig has had experience of actually bowling some volume, [so] his needs are going to be different to Olly who’s returning from a couple of injury setbacks. We’re trying to make sure that they get the right amount of cricket to develop skills – as well as their bodies – moving forward.”I don’t think anyone is going to turn down a battery of 90mph fast bowlers, but that one attribute hasn’t been the key driver. If you add those three guys to the many fast bowlers we used this winter, it strengthens our depth. We want to get to our competitive series, like the [2021-22] Ashes as an example, with as many options to pick from as possible.”The ECB had been due to appoint a bowling coach in the early months of this season, but the recruitment process has been paused on account of the pandemic. Instead, England will continue to use short-term consultant coaches, with Richard Dawson, Jon Lewis and Jeetan Patel among those likely to be involved. Patel, Shane Bond and Darren Gough were among those used last winter, with players giving positive feedback about their experience working with them.”We deliberately didn’t rush into [appointments] over the winter in a number of coaching roles that I’d have been looking to fill,” Bobat said. “In the short term, we might use consultants. We’ve got an array of high-quality coaches within the game, and particularly if we’re losing cricket and guys are itching to get involved, it would be good to be able to lean on our county workforce if we need to.”

Wilfried Zaha is reportedly set to end his Galatasaray nightmare, with a shock move to France in the works.

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• Zaha to end Turkish sojourn
• Lyon in talks to sign winger
• Loan deal in the works

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to the 31-year-old winger is on the brink of securing a season-long loan move to French club Lyon. While the agreement between Galatasaray and Lyon is not yet finalised, negotiations are said to be in advanced stages, with both clubs optimistic about closing the deal soon.

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  Throughout the summer, Zaha attracted attention from several clubs, including his former side Crystal Palace and Leicester City. Leicester had been working on a loan deal, while Palace also explored the possibility of re-signing their former star. However, the financial and tax-related hurdles associated with a return to the UK ultimately deterred Zaha from making a comeback to the English top flight.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Zaha’s time at Galatasaray has been far from ideal. After joining the Turkish giants on a free transfer last summer following the expiration of his contract with Crystal Palace, the winger has struggled to secure a regular spot in the team, starting just 13 Super Lig games last season. This limited game time has fuelled his desire to seek opportunities elsewhere, leading to the current discussions with Lyon.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ZAHA?

  Lyon finished sixth in Ligue 1 last season, earning a spot in the Europa League, but they have started the new campaign on a shaky note with league defeats to Rennes and Monaco. Lyon fans will hope that Zaha can hit the ground running and inspire the team back to winning ways.

Chelsea have shown plenty of resilience following their recent 5-0 drubbing against Arsenal, securing a comeback draw against Aston Villa before defeating rivals Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 to bolster their European credentials.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side now occupy eighth spot in the Premier League table, just three points behind Manchester United with three matches to go.

The fact they are still in contention for a European berth considering they are going through a major injury crisis is impressive and there is no doubt that, with a fully functional team, Chelsea would be sitting a lot higher in the table.

There could be a high turnaround of players this summer as the Argentinian manager looks to move a few players on in order to comply with financial fair play regulations, which could see several players being sold.

A few areas of his team might need to be strengthened, however, and it appears Pochettino is targeting a player who is currently playing in the Premier League…

Chelsea transfer news

According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, it looks as though Chelsea have an eye on Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo ahead of the summer transfer window.

“Understand Chelsea as well as Newcastle are among clubs informed on conditions of the deal to sign Tosin Adarabioyo as free agent,” said Romano on X.

“Several clubs are asking for conditions of potential free signing, but no formal proposal made. Tosin will take his time to decide his future.”

The towering defender could be a decent acquisition for the Blues, especially considering he will cost them nothing in the way of a transfer fee, with just a matter of months left on his existing deal.

The Stamford Bridge side will lose Thiago Silva at the end of the season as the Brazilian bids farewell to the club upon the expiration of his contract, hence the need to strengthen their defensive ranks.

Thiago Silva’s Chelsea statistics

The Brazilian arrived in London in 2020 on a free transfer having spent eight seasons at Paris Saint-Germain, winning everything that was on offer in the French capital, domestically anyway.

The Champions League title had alluded him during his spells in France and with AC Milan in Italy, but nobody expected his triumph in Europe’s premier club competition to come during a spell with Chelsea.

He featured eight times in the competition as Chelsea defeated Manchester City in the final, while making 151 appearances overall for the club at the time of writing. This is made even more impressive considering he will be 40 in September.

Despite their relatively poor season, Silva is currently highest-ranked defender in the squad with regard to his overall Sofascore rating (7.05), while he even ranks first for accurate passes per game (71.5), second for accurate long balls per game (3.3) and first for clearances per game (4.5), proving he can still perform at the highest level during his Indian summer.

Pass success rate

95%

Total duels won per game

3

Possession lost per game

4.4

Tackles per game

1

Clearances per game

4.5

There is no doubt he will be missed, but it gives Pochettino the licence to get his massive wages off the bill and bring in someone younger with a chance of selling them on for a profit in a few years.

Step forward Adarabioyo.

Tosin Adarabioyo’s statistics this season for Fulham

Previously on the books at Manchester City, the 26-year-old managed to feature just eight times for the senior side before leaving to join Fulham in 2020 on a permanent deal after loan spells with West Bromwich Albion and Blackburn Rovers.

At the time of writing, the Englishman has played 132 games for the Cottagers and scored five times in that spell, emerging as a key player as the club have firmly established themselves in the top flight.

Like Silva, Adarabioyo’s strength lies in passing, as he currently ranks third among his teammates for accurate passes per game in the Premier League (51.3) while also ranking second for accurate long passes per game (3.6), indicating that his distribution is excellent in comparison to the rest of the squad.

The 6 foot 5 titan is also solid in one-on-one situations and in the air. Not only has he won 53% of his ground duels contested per game this season, but the centre-back has won 2.9 aerial duels per match – a success rate of 67% – demonstrating how good he is in the air.

The defender has also showcased his abilities going forward over the previous 365 days. When compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, Adarabioyo ranks in the top 7% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 (1.55) and for assists per 90 (0.96) while also ranking in the top 16% for non-penalty goals per 90 (0.09), certainly suggesting that he would be a wise investment for Pochettino to pick up, especially on a free transfer.

He isn’t the big name signing that many of the supporters will expect, but this strategy has failed to really pay off in the past as the club have failed to win a trophy since 2021.

Boehly plots £47m Chelsea bid for teen star who's as exciting as Paez

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ByDan Emery May 4, 2024

Hailed by former manager Tony Mowbray for being “immense” and “magnificent” after scoring his first goal for Blackburn Rovers during his loan spell there a few years ago, his form has hardly wavered since.

Chelsea surely won't be able to continue splashing millions of pounds on players, especially if they fail to secure European football. While the club has plenty of exciting youth players in the squad, some experience is required in order for them to secure a top-four finish once again.

Luring Adarabioyo to the Blues could allow Pochettino to save some transfer funds for players in other areas, while his experience in the top flight will be a welcome boost to the club.

Their final four games are against West Ham United, Nottingham Forest, Brighton, and Bournemouth. With the confidence gained from defeating Spurs, there is no reason to say why the club cannot secure at least ten points from 12 across this run.

Achieving that will put them in the best possible position to return to Europe next season, and it will give Pochettino a massive boost heading into the summer.

Pakistan bowling coach opens up about the senior pacers’ decision to quit Test cricket

Umar Farooq06-Apr-2020

The way Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz “ditched” the Pakistan Test set-up, retiring from the format to focus on white-ball cricket, ahead of the matches against Australia last year left bowling coach Waqar Younis hurt but not holding a grudge.”Just before the Australia series, they ditched us and we had the only choice to pick youngsters,” Younis told presspersons during a video conference arranged by the PCB. “We were the new management and decided to go on with taking in the younger lot and groom them. Misbah [-ul-Haq, the head coach and chief selector] spoke about this earlier about having a policy about players deciding what and what not to play.”We cannot control players’ choice on what they want to play, but then there should be a mechanism so we all are on board. It never should be like players leaving last moment and not keeping anyone in the loop or giving enough time for back up.”ALSO READ: Pakistan’s domestic players set to lose if English season cancelledAmir, 27, gave up Tests in July in order to manage his workload and extend his white-ball career for Pakistan as well as in T20 leagues around the world, while 34-year-old Riaz followed suit in September, taking an “indefinite break” from red-ball cricket.Coming into the squad as bowling coach after two stints as head coach, Waqar was forced to work with an inexperienced bowling line up – bar the out-of-form Yasir Shah – in Australia. Imran Khan, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi did pace duty in the first Test in Brisbane, while Mohammad Abbas and Muhammad Musa replacing Khan and Shah in the second Test in Adelaide, both of which Australia won by an innings.”It’s not like I am saying we could have won in Australia but we could have done better than what we have done,” Younis said. “But now we have a bench and we are building it up and expanding it so that we cannot face any problem going forward. I know and you know that there are so many leagues around the world and these boys want to play it. It is just four overs and take money and they remain in their comfort as well, which sometimes damages the country.”It’s not like we have lost a lot, but yes they left us at the wrong time. But anyway, we don’t have any grudge against them. I still feel they have a lot to contribute in white-ball cricket and they should carry on playing for Pakistan. But we have got a lot of fast bowlers now. From PSL, we have seen so much potential. There is big talent out there and each one is skilful and they all have a role going forward somewhere in the near future. It’s not like they will start doing wonders at once. These young boys need to be blended with the experienced guys. You cannot buy experience overnight – it comes with age – and I am sure these young boys have the knack and each one has the aptitude to serve Pakistan for at least eight to ten years.”Wahab Riaz and Mohammad Amir have quit Tests to focus on white-ball cricket•IDI via Getty Images

Cricket around the world has come to an indefinite halt because of the COVID-19 pandemic and players have been reduced to trying to stay fit at home. For Younis, it’s a difficult time but an opportunity for the players to utilise their time well. When asked if he was worried about the lengthy layoff, Younis said, “It depends how lengthy this will go on… if it’s a shorter one with another one or two months and things start to get normal then it won’t hurt.”But still we have given them [players] a structure to follow whatever they can do being at home. Especially the things which can keep them geared up and motivated. Everyone around the world is in the same boat and problems are nearly the same for all of us. So, to be honest, I am not worried at the moment. We just finished PSL and boys had been on the run since the Australia tour until last month. So it’s just a couple of weeks so far and nobody will forget the basics of the game. But I will probably start to get worried after Ramzan and Eid [April-May], and if it goes further then that’s where I am afraid things will start to go out of hands not for us but for the entire [cricketing] world.”Some of the top players have set up home gyms, and the PCB has given them diet and training plans, while also asking the players to watch their videos and stay in touch with coaches.”This is the time we can still utilise for good reasons,” Younis said. “These days cricket doesn’t have gaps in between so this is the time a player can use to spend time with family and recharge his body. There are times when you want to go far away from playing cricket and need a break so just take it that way and relax. I love watching the boys challenging each other on social media on fitness and having a good time. Of course, it is not the same [when you have a longer break]; you have to be in your groove when it is a time.”You can’t have that until or unless you go out on the ground. If you don’t work on your skill set, it is definitely going to impede your growth and you will go on the back foot. In fact, everyone will have an impact. Not only players but coaches will also face the challenge, but I am very much hopeful that this all will end up soon and things once again will start marching towards normalcy.”

Tottenham are gearing up for what will be a crucial summer transfer window ahead of Ange Postecoglou's second full season in charge.

Spurs exits which could happen before next campaign

Postecoglou and the Spurs recruitment team have real decisions to make on who to offload, as they also look to fund the club's transfer activity.

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The Lilywhites have a host of players currently away on loan, including the likes of Joe Rodon, Djed Spence, Tanguy Ndombele, Japhet Tanganga and Sergio Reguilon – all of whom are seniors with very uncertain futures.

Closer to home, midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is a very likely departure after starting just six of his 31 league appearances this season. The Denmark international's contract expires in 2025 as well, meaning Spurs will want to strike while the iron is hot and sell for a reasonable transfer fee.

Bryan Gil and Giovani Lo Celso are other firm candidates for the Tottenham exit door, as both men have seriously struggled for league minutes under Postecoglou – featuring among the least out of their senior crop this season.

Gil is attracting serious interest from Feyenoord, with reports from the Netherlands indicating that they've already made an out-of-window proposal to sign the Spaniard, though it is unclear what the nature of this proposed offer is. Now, Football Insider have shared an update on Spurs' potential outgoings.

Ndombele will never play for Tottenham again with five-man exodus possible

They write that Ndombele is certain to never play for Tottenham again, despite his contract not expiring until 2025. The £63 million club-record signing is out on loan at Galatasaray, but he won't be given another chance by Postecoglou when he returns.

Alongside Ndombele, four other senior players are facing the exit door, with Reguilon, Gil, Rodon and Lo Celso forming the other contingent of men who look likely to leave this summer.

It's a sorry end to Ndombele's Spurs career in particular, as a lack of application has let raw talent go to waste.

"I tell you now, he is one of the toughest I have played against," said Arsenal star Declan Rice in 2022.

“He is top. Just a street footballer on the pitch. He takes the ball anywhere, little flicks and tricks. Like he doesn’t care. He does everything so confidently.

"With players like that, you just have to let them play. Give them the freedom to go out and do whatever they want. When we played against Lyon in the Europa League, he was incredible. He’s a top player.”

Manchester City star Kyle Walker is "disappointed" after he was axed by new England boss Lee Carsley for the upcoming Nations League fixtures.

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Walker has 90 international capsLeft out by Carsley in favour of Livramento & LewisVows to win his place back with The Three LionsWHAT HAPPENED?

Carsley, stepping into the England manager's role after Southgate’s departure, named his first England squad last week. The selection marked a fresh start for the national team, with several notable changes made under Carsley’s management. One of the most significant absentees from the squad was the experienced Walker, a player who had been a key figure during Southgate’s tenure, including England’s recent Euro 2024 campaign.

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Carsley introduced four newcomers to the team: Angel Gomes, Tino Livramento, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Noni Madueke. Livramento and Trent Alexander-Arnold, alongside Walker’s Manchester City teammate Rico Lewis, will compete for the right-back position as the 34-year-old defender faces an uphill task in making a comeback into the international fold.

WHAT WALKER SAID

Although crestfallen, Walker admitted that Carsley’s decision to leave him out of the squad for these upcoming matches is justified, given his current lack of playing time for Manchester City this season.

"I’m disappointed," Walker acknowledged. "You have to accept it and just try to prove them wrong. With a new manager, you are always expecting a few changes. I'm disappointed because to represent your country is always the highest thing. But I haven't played any minutes this season so you have to take it on the chin. I've not performed at any level since coming back from the (Euro), so I think it's the right call from him."

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DID YOU KNOW?

When explaining his squad selection for the upcoming Nations League fixtures against the Republic of Ireland and Finland, Carsley highlighted Walker’s lack of minutes as a key reason for his omission.

"I wanted to put a mark on the squad," Carsley said. "Kyle hasn’t played this season. City are phasing him in gently and we have to respect that."

Concerns about their families are understood to be the primary reason behind Darren Bravo, Shimron Hetmyer and Keemo Paul declining to be part of the West Indies Test squad for the England tour. Both the prospect of leaving their families for seven weeks and concerns about how quickly they would be able to see them on their return to the Caribbean at the end of July are understood to be key factors in the players’ decisions, with uncertainty around the quarantine requirements that may be imposed by their respective governments.On Wednesday, Cricket West Indies (CWI) announced a 25-man squad including 11 reserves for the three-Test series in England which is scheduled to start in Southampton on July 8 subject to the UK government’s approval. CWI said it “fully accepts and respects” the decision taken by Bravo, Hetmyer and Paul to opt out of the tour and would “certainly not hold it against” them in future selections.Talking to ESPNcricinfo, Johnny Grave, CWI chief executive, said that the board wanted players who were “comfortable” travelling without any “nagging doubts” as otherwise it might impact their performances. Grave said he totally understood the doubts and fears expressed by the three players after speaking with Bravo last Friday and receiving emails from the other two players over the weekend.Grave said Paul, the 22-year-old allrounder, wrote an email to CWI explaining how difficult a decision it was for him to not travel to England. “Keemo Paul is the sole breadwinner in his entire household and wider family,” Grave said. “He was really concerned if something happened to him how his family would cope.WATCH: CPL Life Stories: Keemo Paul on growing up in Saxacalli“He wrote a personal note to us to explain it was with a heavy heart that he had decided not to tour but that he just didn’t feel comfortable going to England. He wrote passionately about how hard a decision it was for him and how much he loves playing for West Indies, but with consultation with his family he doesn’t feel he can leave them and doesn’t want to go on the tour.”According Grave, Hetmyer said that he “didn’t feel comfortable from a safety point of view, leaving his home, leaving his family and heading over to England”. Paul and Hetmyer both come from Guyana, where the number of Covid-19 cases is under 200.As for Bravo, who lives in Trinidad, Grave said he was concerned about the situation in the UK. “Darren Bravo had concerns about his health and any consequences that it may have on his young family. He also mentioned he made his decision with great remorse as it was always a huge honour for him to play for West Indies. So, yes, perfectly valid reasons and the ones that we fully respect. We were never going to force or try to coerce and we didn’t ask them to reconsider.”Bravo, Hetmyer and Paul are centrally-contracted, all-format players. Among the three, only Hetmyer has consistently featured in the Test team since his debut in 2017, but all three have struggled with form in the last year. Last year, Bravo managed just 106 runs at an average of 13.25 which included the two-Test series against India. The selectors dropped him for the one-off Test against Afghanistan with chief selector Roger Harper saying Bravo needed to be “away” from international cricket to find his form back. Hetmyer, too, had a forgettable 2019 in Test cricket, scoring 244 runs at 24.40, while Paul has played three Tests in his career with six wickets to his name.Keemo Paul “wrote passionately” to explain his decision•AFP / Getty Images

In May, Grave had pointed out that he understood why players who come from smaller Caribbean islands would be nervous about going to England, which was seen as “one of the eyes of the storm” with the official death count due to the virus nearing 40,000. Subsequently, the players grew more confident once they heard of the “robust and safe plan” the ECB had put in place to conduct the tour within a bio-secure environment behind closed doors.ALSO READ: Bio-secure venues can withstand second wave – ElworthyOn June 1, both ECB and CWI medical experts had another call before the tour schedule was made public. On the same day, CWI had a call with the wider pool of players from which the final squad would be picked to update them on the final arrangements. “We gave them all the most up-to-date information on the tour,” Grave said. “All I clarified to them on Monday on the call with Professor Nick Pierce (ECB chief medical officer) and our medical practitioners was: were they happy that they had all the information and did they have any further questions.”I then explained that Roger Harper, CWI lead selector, would contact them regarding whether they were selected or not and that they had until the following day, having slept on it, to confirm their position.”Ultimately, we want a group of players that are comfortable to be there so that they are not worried about these things and therefore they have got a chance to perform at their best. If they have got nagging doubts or worries about their families they are not going to be performing at their best.”It is in everyone’s interest if you are not comfortable to say so and not tour and be certain that it is not going to be held against you. Rather than go, be worried, and ultimately don’t perform or want to come home. So it is a good decision all round. We are still taking a strong Test side to England.”CWI is now waiting for the test results for the squad to come back from Miami, which are expected within the next 48 hours. Anyone who tests positive for the virus will almost certainly not take the charter flight that is set to leave on June 8 from Antigua.

MatériaMais Notícias

Se condizentes barulhos das cornetas soaram mesmo com a vitória sobre o Defensa y Justicia, na última quarta, desta vez, após o massacre sobre o Bahia, na noite passada, o horizonte contém um cenário mais otimista. A atuação coletiva do Flamengo em Salvador foi impecável, equilibrada e de alto nível em todos os setores, que ainda serão “reforçados” para a decisão nas oitavas da Libertadores.

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Contra o Bahia, a estratégia dominante funcionou e não trouxe contrapesos, como espaços deixados atrás na transição defensiva. Em relação a passes trocados, foram 631, com 92.5% de aproveitamento, sendo que a média do time no Brasileiro, de acordo com o Footstats, é de 526 por partida.

AS PERCEPTÍVEIS EVOLUÇÕES
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Na zaga, Léo Pereira e Gustavo Henrique iniciaram como titulares no segundo jogo com Renato Gaúcho. Em ambos, o Flamengo não foi vazado, mas a evolução vista neste domingo foi perceptível. Os dois parecem ter dado um “restart” nesta transição de trabalho, pois esbanjaram confiança, tanto pelo alto, quanto em duelos pelo chão. E foram elogiados por Renato:

– Já havia falado na minha chegada. Eu gosto muito de conversar com o jogador, saber o que está se passando, o que está acontecendo. E acima de tudo tenho passado muita confiança para eles. Mostrado bastantes vídeos, já que não temos tido muito tempo para treinamento. Tenho corrigido eles em alguns aspectos que acho que vinham cometendo algum tipo de erro.

+ATUAÇÕES: Gabigol marca três no baile sobre o Bahia; veja as notas do L!

– É fundamental o chefe passar confiança. Corrigir, como tenho feito, e passar confiança. Eles não chegaram no Flamengo à toa, e sim pela qualidade deles nos clubes. Têm total confiança minha, como o Bruno Viana e o Rodrigo Caio. Nos últimos dois jogos se comportaram bem melhor. Estiveram ainda mais seguros. Não tomamos gols em dois jogos, e isso é importante para toda a equipe, mas principalmente para a dupla de zaga. Isso é fundamental – completou o técnico.

Isla também é outro que merece uma menção individual. Impetuoso no ataque, fez uma de suas melhores partidas pelo Flamengo, lembrando os tempos de Doménec Torrent, quando, por vezes, era a principal arma ofensiva do time. Foi coroado com uma assistência, aliás.

No geral, todos as linhas renderam em alto nível, sem perder intensidade e mobilidade. E Diego e Willian Arão foram essenciais para a fluida articulação no início das jogadas, finalizadas com criatividade nos pés de um inspirado Arrascaeta, principalmente.

REFORÇOS A CAMINHO

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Enquanto corre no mercado para alinhavar novos acordos, o Flamengo deve ter três reforços caseiros para o jogo desta quarta-feira, contra o Defensa y Justicia. Nesta segunda, Rodrigo Caio, Bruno Henrique se juntarão à delegação rubro-negra em Brasília.

Os dois primeiros estão em reta final de tratamento de suas respectivas lesões. Thiago Maia e Piris da Motta, por sua vez, ficam no Rio e serão baixas.

+ Veja a tabela completa da Libertadores

Com esboço de boas perspectivas, o Flamengo receberá o Defensa y Justicia, em Brasília, com público e a vantagem de iniciar com 1-0 no agregado.

* Nota atualizada às 14h