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Lancashire have confirmed Steven Croft as their new head coach after a successful period in the interim role.Croft stepped up after the departure of Dale Benkenstein in May. Lancashire did not win a game during the first half of the County Championship season, but rallied to finish fifth in Division Two, as well as reaching T20 Blast Finals Day.”It means so much to have the honour of being named head coach of this great club,” Croft said. “Lancashire has been a huge part of my life – from joining the academy as a young player, to captaining the team, and now stepping into this role off the field.”I’m incredibly proud of how the lads responded last season, and I’m excited for what’s ahead. We have a talented, driven squad who are passionate about representing the Red Rose and I believe there is much more to come.”My focus now is on building on the second half of last season’s progress, helping each player improve, and bring success back to the club for our members and supporters at Emirates Old Trafford.”Croft, 41, was part of the team when Lancashire last won the Championship in 2011. He retired in 2023 after playing more than 600 times for the club.Mark Chilton, Lancashire’s director of cricket performance, said: “We are thrilled that Steven has accepted the role permanently after making such a strong impression this summer.”Taking over during a challenging period in May, Steven displayed outstanding leadership throughout this summer. His passion for Lancashire Cricket, knowledge and understanding of the game, and ability to connect with players made him the outstanding candidate.”He will take a hands-on role in the leading of day-to-day coaching of the first team and will be supported by a restructured cricket department – including assistant coach Will Porterfield – with further appointments to follow.”

The pitch in Mirpur continues to frazzle the batters, who have to find a way even though they know spinners will call the shots

Mohammad Isam20-Oct-2025

Big picture – tackling spin top of teams’ agendaHow to bat on this Mirpur pitch is a question that might be baffling both Bangladesh and West Indies ahead of the second ODI, to be played on Tuesday. The Bangladesh batters spent a long time in the middle, visualising, the day before the game, all standing in a circle, with head coach Phil Simmons providing the sermon. West Indies have suggested that they picked up a clue or two by watching their opponents in the first ODI, which produced just 340 runs in 88.4 overs.What’s for certain is that Bangladesh will double down on their spin-to-win strategy after they added Nasum Ahmed to the ODI squad. The left-armer picked up five wickets in three T20Is against Afghanistan recently, a tally bettered only by Rashid Khan in that series. He will complement Tanvir Islam, Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Rishad Hossain, who took a six-wicket haul this weekend.Related

'I stuck to my process' – Rishad makes light work of dark pitch

Bangladesh, however, are looking for improvement in the batting. They put up a modest 207 in the first ODI, with Towhid Hridoy the only half-century-maker. Newcomer Mahidul Islam also made an important contribution (46 off 76). But, overall, Bangladesh batted slowly. They are yet to get out of the habit of playing too many dot balls and finding too few boundaries.West Indies will also look for batting improvement after getting bowled out for 133. Brandon King and Alick Athanaze went after the spinners in the first game but both of them fell to Rishad, and that was followed by a collapse. There was not much resistance from even the likes of Shai Hope and Roston Chase, the only batters in the line-up to have previous experience of playing ODIs in Bangladesh.The bowlers therefore will once again have to keep West Indies in the contest. Jayden Seales took three wickets while Khary Pierre, playing his first ODI in five years, bowled well for just one wicket. But Chase and Gudakesh Motie have to get among the wickets, especially in these conditions.Form guideBangladesh WLLLL
West Indies LWWLLRishad Hossain picked up six wickets in the first ODI•AFP/Getty Images

In the spotlight – Rishad Hossain and Brandon KingRishad Hossain coming to Bangladesh’s rescue both with the bat and the ball in the first ODI is exactly what is expected of him. Six wickets and a quick 26 would be too much to ask of him every day, but a legspinner has to provide breakthroughs where other bowlers fail. Another bag of wickets could bring the ODI series to a favourable end for his team.Brandon King was one of the few West Indies batters to show a positive mindset in the first ODI. He struck boundaries with ease until Rishad had him caught behind for 44 off 60. As long as King was at the crease, West Indies had hope. He added 51 runs for the opening stand with Athanaze, who also attacked the Bangladesh spinners while the ball was new. King, though, carried on for a bit more. The problem was King getting out after getting set, something he can’t afford to do.Team news – WI lose Shamar, Blades to injuriesBangladesh usually rotate their fast bowlers every game so Hasan Mahmud or Tanzim Hasan Sakib are likely call-ups.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Soumya Sarkar, 2 Saif Hassan, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Towhid Hridoy, 5 Mahidul Islam, 6 Mehidy Hasan Miraz (capt), 7 Nurul Hasan (wk), 8 Rishad Hossain, 9 Tanzim Hasan Sakib, 10 Tanvir Islam, 11 Mustafizur RahmanA day out from the game, West Indies appeared likely to trust the same batters to do better on this difficult Dhaka pitch. Can they cope with the injury-enforced absences of Shamar Joseph and Jediah Blades? Akeal Hosein and Ramon Simmonds have been added to the squad as their replacements for the remaining two ODIs.West Indies (probable): 1 Brandon King, 2 Alick Athanaze, 3 Keacy Carty, 4 Shai Hope (capt, wk), 5 Sherfane Rutherford, 6 Roston Chase, 7 Gudakesh Motie, 8 Justin Greaves, 9 Romario Shepherd, 10 Khary Pierre, 11 Jayden SealesKhary Pierre came away with figures of 10-2-19-1 on Saturday•AFP/Getty Images

Pitch and conditions – complexion of the pitch in focusThere is unlikely to be much change in the pitch, which looked unusually dark, for the second ODI. There is dry weather in the forecast.Stats and trivia – Pierre returns after five years Tanvir Islam bowled his most expensive over in international cricket in the first ODI, when he conceded 18 runs. Bangladesh used just seven (of 39) overs of pace in the first ODI, only the fifth occasion they have bowled seven or fewer overs in a match that they won. Khary Pierre returned to the West Indies playing XI after missing 73 ODIs since January 2020. Quotes”It is a lot of pressure if you don’t do well on these kind of surfaces. I just try to keep it simple and stick to my plans. I think once you put the ball in the right areas and do not go wicket-hunting, I think it will be the best suitable for the wicket. You can leak runs if you try to go wicket-hunting.”

Unsurprisingly, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were recently named as the world’s two highest-paid footballers by Forbes, and the two legendary forwards have amassed mind-boggling net worths across their careers.

Ronaldo recently became the first current player to achieve billionaire status, having earned £1.04bn through wages, endorsements, investments and sponsorship deals, while Messi has managed to amass a stunning €598m (£527m), given long-term deals with Adidas, Apple, and Konami.

Such numbers are perhaps to be expected, given that the former La Liga stars, who are widely regarded as the two best players of all-time, have won a combined 13 Ballon d’Ors between them, but a player who had a more modest career, at least in comparison, has managed to make over double their combined net worth.

Ex-Man Utd star Louis Saha's net worth revealed

As reported by Manchester Evening News, Louis Saha has managed to build up a whopping £4.3bn fortune since retiring from football following a brief spell with Lazio back in 2013, accumulating his wealth after founding his sports company AxisStars.

The platform, which connects athletes and entertainers with trusted companies, was founded not long after Saha called time on his career, and it has clearly been hugely successful, given the vast riches the former Manchester United star has been able to amass.

Although the Frenchman did not reach the dizzy heights of the likes of Ronaldo and Messi, he also had a career to be proud of, scoring 84 Premier League goals across spells with Fulham, Man United, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Everton and Sunderland.

The 20-time France international was also named among Everton’s greatest strikers in the Premier League era, courtesy of scoring 34 goals in 115 matches across all competitions for the Toffees.

During that time, the former striker scored what was the fastest goal in FA Cup final history at the time, until the record was broken by ex-Man City star Ilkay Gundogan, who found the back of the net after just 11 seconds in the 2023 final against United.

However, what the 47-year-old has gone on to achieve post-football is arguably even more impressive, having amassed a higher net worth than the vast majority of former players, albeit his riches still pale in comparison to that of Leicester City flop Faiq Bolkiah.

That said, rather than being born into wealth, Saha is well-known to come from a working-class background, with his mother a nurse and his father an aircraft mechanic, meaning money was tight growing up, which makes the former Everton man’s unbelievable success even more impressive.

Celebrity Traitors star Joe Marler stunned by footballers' wages Celebrity Traitors star Joe Marler stunned by footballers' wages

Marler was more surprised than at Jonathan Ross’ traitor reveal.

ByBen Goodwin Nov 3, 2025

Martin O’Neill marked his Celtic homecoming with a comprehensive win at Parkhead, and there has been a claim on the chances of him landing the Hoops job on a permanent basis.

O’Neill Celtic return begins with 4-0 win over Falkirk

The 73-year-old former Hoops manager was installed along with ex-Celtic player Shaun Maloney as the interim management team following the stunning resignation of Brendan Rodgers on Monday night.

Irish striker Johnny Kenny scored twice in the first half before goals after the break from midfielder Benjamin Nygren and wide-man Sebastian Tounekti took the Hoops to within six points of William Hill Premiership leaders Hearts, who drew 2-2 at St Mirren. O’Neill, who was Hoops boss between 2000 and 2005, said:

O’Neill joked about being nervous before the game. He added: “Well, first of all, I jokingly said – maybe true – I have not been as nervous since I sat my 11-plus but, again, I think I passed that when I was 48.

“But honestly, really concerned about the game, naturally. Concerned about the usual thing about letting myself down, which is I’ve done so many times it’s untrue, and letting other people down here at the football club.

“Just coming in a bit of a whirlwind and to play in the manner which we did when I thought was great and obviously most important thing was winning the game. Naturally, I couldn’t be more pleased. I thought the players did really brilliantly.”

Games

266

Wins

200

Draws

26

Losses

40

Trophies

7

Players used

56

Next up for O’Neill and Maloney is Sunday’s League Cup semi-final against rivals Rangers, who are also showing early promising signs under new manager Danny Rohl.

Chances of Celtic making Martin O’Neill permanent manager

Talking to Sky Sports, Tino Callaghan from the Celtic Exchange said that conversations could be had over O’Neill staying on as permanent Celtic manager if the Hoops defeat Rangers on Sunday.

However, Callaghan also added his personal opinion, believing those at Parkhead need to ‘go in a different direction’.

A number of managers have been linked with the permanent job, such as Club Brugge’s Nicky Hayen, Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna and Wales’ Craig Bellamy.

How Nicky Haven feels about taking Celtic manager job

O’Neill looks set to be in the dugout at Hampden Park, and if Callaghan’s claim is correct, another positive result may see Celtic chiefs take note and explore the idea of keeping the Irishman on.

David Raya has credited former Manchester United defender Gabriel Heinze for Arsenal’s remarkable defensive form this season. The Argentine joined Mikel Arteta’s backroom staff in the summer and is said to have brought intensity and resilience to the Gunners’ back line, who have now kept seven consecutive clean sheets and sit six points clear at the top of the Premier League table.

• Arsenal's spectacular defensive record this season

  Arsenal extended their winning run to 12 games in all competitions after beating Burnley 2-0 at Turf Moor on Saturday. The result marked yet another clean sheet for Raya, who has now recorded 10 shutouts in 13 matches across competitions. Arteta’s side have conceded just three goals all season.

  The Gunners’ defensive discipline has been central to their early-season dominance, combining organisation with aggression to suffocate opposition attacks. Arsenal’s victory over Burnley also strengthened their grip on top spot in the Premier League, keeping them six points clear of Manchester City and seven points ahead of defending champions Liverpool. Heinze’s arrival as assistant coach in the summer has reportedly added an edge to their defensive training sessions, with players embracing his high-intensity methods.

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• AFP
  

  Raya praises Heinze for defensive solidity

  Raya heaped praise on Heinze for instilling a fighting spirit throughout the team, crediting the Argentine’s influence on Arsenal’s clean sheet record. "He’s a guy, he’s a coach, where he wants us to fight – a lot of intensity," said Raya after Saturday’s win. "To win games, you have to defend very well, especially in this league. This is the toughest league in the world.

  "You have to be very, very, very solid to be able to win games. Normally, the games are won by one goal. So, it’s really, really important to keep that asset from us, from everyone. Not just the back line, just every single player. So, it’s a lot of credit to him as well."

  Raya also reminded his team-mates to stay grounded despite their excellent start. "We have to think game by game," he continued. "We have to think it’s very early in the season. We’ve played 10 [league] games in the season, so it’s a lot of football to be played.

  "We are only just starting in November, so obviously it’s nice to be there [at the top of the league] and to have those points. But we have to focus on ourselves, focus game by game and in the present.

  "It’s incredible, not just the defence, I think it’s a collective achievement, if you want to put it that way. It starts from the striker, finishing with the goalkeeper. So, it’s just incredible to have that work rate from everyone, trying to shut teams down and not concede that many chances, not concede anything. And that’s just credit to everyone. So, it’s incredible to have that achievement."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Heinze: A former Red Devil becomes a Gunner

  Heinze, a former Manchester United defender, joined Arsenal’s coaching team in the summer and has made a noticeable impact. The Argentine played for the Red Devils between 2004 and 2007 after joining from Paris Saint-Germain, making 83 appearances in all competitions and scoring four goals before moving to Real Madrid. Known for his fierce style and leadership, Heinze’s influence appears to have translated seamlessly into coaching under Arteta, who he played with at PSG.

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• Arsenal fighting for first PL title in over two decades

  Arsenal’s next assignment comes in the Champions League, where they travel to face Slavia Prague looking to maintain their flawless start in that competition. A win would not only secure qualification from the league stage but further reinforce their growing reputation as Europe’s most in-form team. Domestically, the Gunners will then prepare for a testing run of November fixtures that includes meetings with London rivals Tottenham and Chelsea, as they continue their pursuit of a first league title in over two decades.

  For Raya, the goal will be to maintain his Golden Glove momentum, while Heinze’s challenge will be to ensure the team’s defensive structure remains consistent through the winter schedule.

Leeds United have always gained great pride from allowing their homegrown starlets eventual minutes in the first team.

Kalvin Phillips would become a household name in the Premier League after making his Elland Road breakthrough, with Archie Gray also going on to be a £30m purchase by Tottenham Hotspur after he exploded into life in the senior picture at the Whites.

With Daniel Farke also recently stating that the development of youth is one of the “cornerstones” of the club’s ongoing philosophy, it wouldn’t be a great shock to see a new Phillips or Gray emerge in the very near future.

Amazingly, another member of the Gray family in Harry Gray, is already making considerable strides to break into the men’s set-up.

Harry Gray's rise at Leeds

With the young pair also having Leeds royalty deeply ingrained into their family tree in the form of great uncle Eddie Gray, it appears as if Elland Road is just woven into their DNA.

Before anyone gets too carried away, the 16-year-old striker has only made one fleeting cameo in Farke’s first-team to date, but his future does look very rosy in West Yorkshire, with his early goalscoring form in the Premier League 2 this season only adding to his immense hype.

From just four games this campaign in all competitions, Gray has helped himself to a blistering four strikes, with his weighty goal tally for both the U18s and U21s now standing at a very impressive 15 goals from 22 outings.

Branded the “real deal” by analyst Ben Mattinson, it does only feel like a matter of time now before the teenage sensation is leading the line for Farke’s men, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin potentially pushed all the way for a starting spot very soon by the England U17 international.

However, he isn’t the only hotly-tipped youngster at this moment in time in the U21 picture.

Leeds could even be brewing their next Phillips when looking at this very promising midfield talent who just signed his first-ever professional contract at his boyhood employers.

Leeds' next Phillips

While his career path has hit many a bump since exiting Leeds in 2022, with just 31 Manchester City appearances coming his way in three years, it goes without saying that he is the standard that many of the new rising crop at Thorp Arch still try to hit.

Indeed, under Marcelo Bielsa’s transformative guidance, Phillips would turn into an extremely hot midfield commodity, with a senior Three Lions call-up even falling into the 29-year-old’s lap, before moving on to the Etihad for a substantial £40m.

While Ollie Pickles is way off hitting those heights at the moment, he will hope – sometime down the line – that he can experience these same amazing highs, having just penned his first-ever professional contract at Elland Road that runs until 2028.

The 17-year-old hotshot warranted that deal coming into play, too, with Pickles even donning the captain’s armband for the U21s last time out to show off similar leadership skills to those of Phillips in the main team.

The similarities don’t just end there, however, with Pickles also showing off a similar eye for a goal and an assist to that of the former Bielsa favourite, with a standout five-goal contributions tallied up from the central midfield position from just ten outings.

Arguably, his added adaptability to slot into a right-wing or left-wing spot if needed also stands him in good stead to replicate Gray’s sharp rise, with the Spurs number 14’s malleable nature turning him into a constant regular under Farke.

Still, with previous interest in his services coming from the likes of Gray’s new employers, it could be that Pickles goes on to be another major sale for Leeds in the midfield department, like Phillips.

Before anything more concrete pops up over Pickles leaving, however, the teenager will have to prove himself in the senior side, with chances potentially handed to him in the near future.

Danny Murphy says Leeds "will" go down and names Farke's "biggest problem"

The talkSPORT pundit has revealed why he thinks the Whites will go down, despite the victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers.

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By
Dominic Lund

Sep 23, 2025

Peshawar Zalmi fall short by 23 runs despite Babar Azam’s 94 in a match where 451 runs were scored

Danyal Rasool17-May-2025

There were fireworks during the innings break to celebrate the resumption of PSL 2025, but the pyrotechnics in each innings pushed that somewhat into the background. A high-scoring thriller of a contest saw Karachi Kings seal qualification to the playoffs, edging out Peshawar Zalmi in a game where 237 played 214. While batting seemed almost insouciantly straightforward – as it often is in Rawalpindi in T20 cricket – David Warner’s 50-ball 86 had just enough support from his team-mates to outshine Babar Azam’s 49-ball 94.The first ball of the contest was a false dawn, when Luke Wood produced a ripping inswinger to clean up Ben McDermott. Warner and James Vince picked up where they had left off in the earlier part of this tournament as they flayed the Zalmi bowling. Wood, who bowled three powerplay overs to register 1 for 14, found none of his team-mates able to maintain the pressure from the other end; the other three overs in the first six went for 43.An eight-run seventh over suggested Zalmi would come back into the game, but once more, it was misdirection. Ali Raza and Ahmed Daniyal copped further punishment before Saim Ayub and Hussain Talat bore the brunt of Warner’s onslaught. While Wood returned to produce another brilliant over, breaking the partnership by dismissing Vince, his 2 for 19 stood in sharp contrast to the carnage around him.It was about to get decisively worse as Zalmi lost their discipline completely in the final two overs. Raza, who endured a horror day, bowled a no-ball in the penultimate over, one that was littered with inaccurate bowling and decorated by six after six. Khushdil Shah and Mohammad Nabi smashed four of them before two fours and as many sixes in Daniyal’s final over saw 52 runs come off the final two. Khushdil smashed an unbeaten 43 off 15, Raza and Daniyal combined to concede 126 in eight overs.Babar Azam scored 94 off 49 balls•PCB

Zalmi were expected to come back hard, and they did. The early dismissal of Mohammad Haris was followed up by a second-wicket onslaught from Babar and Ayub, Zalmi getting 59 in the powerplay. They were ahead of Kings at that stage, and would remain so right up until the start of the penultimate over, but the suffocating pressure of an ever-increasing asking rate never quite let up. Ayub’s return to form was welcome, Babar’s sensational knock at a strike rate his talent should allow him to replicate more frequently was a delight. However, the death overs’ runs in the first innings always coloured the chase with a sense of heroic failure rather than unlikely glory.The first sign of the wheels coming off was in the form of a breakthrough Abbas Afridi produced, his slower delivery undoing Ayub three runs short of a half-century. It brought Tom Kohler-Cadmore to the crease, whose second-ball six belied the stuttering innings he would eventually produce. The partnership with his captain yielded 62, but Kohler-Cadmore only managed 20 in 15 deliveries, even as Babar was turning on the style from the other end, having raced past Warner’s score, sitting imperiously on 87 off 45.But three wickets fell in the next 11 balls. Mir Hamza snared Kohler-Cadmore before Afridi returned to get rid of Max Bryant. Three balls later, defeat was all but confirmed when Babar desperately scrambled back in a bid to get on strike, and ended up short of his crease, and six runs short of a deserved hundred.Zalmi soldiered on bravely, producing 28 in the final two overs, but Kings had secured victory, and a ticket to the playoffs in Lahore. Zalmi, meanwhile, go into a virtual knockout against Lahore Qalandars on Sunday night.

After they won their first home game of IPL 2025, Kohli felt RCB were finally getting to grips with their batting template at the Chinnaswamy

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Apr-20251:28

Rayudu: ‘This is the exact template RCB would love Kohli to play’

After three consecutive home defeats featuring underwhelming batting displays, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) finally posted a total north of 200 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium to set up a thrilling win over Rajasthan Royals (RR). Virat Kohli, who top-scored with 70, said the batting unit had discussed what they needed to do differently, and on Thursday they were able to apply themselves and find a template that worked.”We’ve had three pretty average games at home and we discussed a few things in the batting unit that we need to get right and I think we applied ourselves well enough today to get that total on the board,” Kohli told the host broadcaster after RCB’s first home win of IPL 2025. “We felt like the pitch wasn’t as flat as the score displayed on the scoreboard.”Unlike in their previous three home games, where they lost at least three wickets in the powerplay trying to take on the bowlers, RCB got through the first six overs against RR with all their wickets intact. And after Phil Salt became the first batter to be dismissed in the seventh over, Kohli and Devdutt Padikkal put on a 95-run stand to set up a grand finish.Related

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“I think the template is simple, you know, one of the guys to kind of bat through and the others to kind of attack around him,” Kohli said. “So I have that responsibility. I know this pitch very well, so does Devdutt. So yeah, that was basically the plan. Let Salty do his thing and then once we have a couple of wickets down, then really capitalise and rebuild and yeah, today it paid off.”On the eve of the match, RCB captain Rajat Patidar had called on the batters to focus on their shot selection, and Kohli underlined the change in approach that helped them on Thursday.”There’s pace and bounce in the first three-four overs with the new ball, especially in the first innings. So I think we were trying to force the shots a bit too much in the last three games.”Today, we kind of let the ball come to us and, you know, really time the ball into the gaps and I think that was the adjustment and the application that I spoke about to assess the pitch and then find our options and then hopefully put enough pressure on the opposition for them to keep giving us boundary balls, which was the case today and we were able to capitalise on those.”Devdutt Padikkal and Virat Kohli put on a 95-run stand•Associated PressRCB posted 205 for 5, a total that RR fell 11 runs short of despite looking comfortable for large parts of their chase. That RCB prevailed was thanks largely to Josh Hazlewood’s excellent spell at the death.”[205] was enough in the end, but at one stage, I thought maybe [we needed] a few more,” Kohli said. “That’s the tricky part right now. We’ve figured out a way to bat now, so [the batters] have more confidence.”So heading into the last three more home games, I think we should be in a better position to try and get those 25-30 extra runs.”Kohli highlighted the importance of the toss in Bengaluru, citing dew as an important factor helping chasing teams. For the fourth home game in a row, Patidar lost the toss on Thursday.”I think the first challenge is to win the toss, to be honest, because the first half and second half … the second half you kind of have a look at the pitch,” Kohli said. “Also, the dew comes in, so it becomes a bit of an advantage. So we’ve been fighting hard to kind of get the total on the board in the first innings. We’ve fallen short by 25-30.”Today, we were able to get past 200, so that always kept us in the game.”

Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos has issued a stark warning to Barcelona despite praising Hansi Flick’s side as "the most attractive in Europe". The former midfielder believes the Blaugrana’s high-risk approach leaves them vulnerable in the Champions League, claiming fatigue and tactical rigidity could cost them deep into games.

A rocky spell for La Liga champions

German legend Kroos has delivered a candid assessment of Barca’s Champions League prospects, saying that while Flick’s men play some of Europe’s most eye-catching football, their rigid system could ultimately be their downfall. Speaking on the podcast, the Real Madrid icon highlighted Barca’s late-game fragility, especially after the 75th minute, when energy levels drop and tactical flexibility becomes crucial. The warning comes as Barcelona attempt to rebound from back-to-back defeats, having gone down 2-1 against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League and 4-1 against Sevilla in La Liga, results that have exposed defensive vulnerabilities in their otherwise fluid attacking setup.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportKroos says Barca take 'too many risks'

Kroos, who faced Barcelona numerous times during his glittering Madrid career, acknowledged Flick’s work in reshaping the Catalan giants but stressed that their “obsession” with maintaining the same style leaves them exposed. 

“Barca have one of the most attractive styles, if not the most attractive, in all of Europe,” Kroos said. “But I think they take too many risks. On a bad day from Pedri, Lamine [Yamal], or Raphinha, any team can hurt them and still win. They can eliminate them from the Champions League. Last year it happened to them against Inter, and this year, whether it's in the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals, or final, at some point they'll come up against an opponent like this who eliminates them. This will happen to them in the Champions League, but not in La Liga, because they're so dominant.”

Flick issued fatigue warning

Kroos went further, identifying fitness and in-game management as major issues that could undermine Flick’s Champions League ambitions. “From the 75th minute onwards, you notice that everyone is more tired and you see that they don’t switch to a different style of closing down spaces,” he explained. “If you’re tired and don’t change your style of play, it becomes very evident how exposed you are.” 

His comments echo those of other pundits, including Thierry Henry, who has previously criticised Flick’s insistence after the PSG clash, on maintaining an ultra-high defensive line even when the team is under pressure late in games, stating: “you cannot play in the Champions League with such a high line, I’m sorry".

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AFPBarca's challenge after double defeat

The back-to-back defeats to PSG in the Champions League and Sevilla in La Liga have reignited debates around the sustainability of Flick’s aggressive tactical model. With key players like Yamal, Gavi, Fermin Lopez and Marc-Andre ter Stegen recovering from injuries, the German manager has had limited flexibility to rotate. Yet, Kroos’ critique suggests a deeper concern, that even with a full squad, Barcelona’s stylistic purity could be their Achilles’ heel against elite European opponents.

Barca will look to bounce back after the international break with a crucial run of fixtures, including a Catalan derby against Girona, followed by a Champions League clash with Olympiacos and a much-anticipated trip to the Santiago Bernabeu to face Real Madrid. 

The visitors didn’t entertain a target of 282 from 57 overs after Hilton Cartwright’s unbeaten 171

Tristan Lavalette09-Mar-2025New South Wales opener Sam Konstas batted maturely on a tricky WACA surface late on day four to fend off Western Australia’s unlikely push for victory as the pivotal Sheffield Shield clash ended in a draw.It means both teams will have to rely on results going their way in the last round to make the final after Queensland leapfrogged them into second-placed with their earlier victory against Tasmania.The WACA has hosted the previous three finals, but South Australia locked up hosting rights with their thrilling victory against Victoria. Three-time champions WA will play fifth-placed Victoria, still mathematically able to qualify for the final, in the last round while NSW travel to Tasmania who have been knocked out.Related

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WA declared their second innings at 346 for 4 early in the second session with Hilton Cartwright finishing unbeaten on a first-class career best score of 171 not out.NSW needed 282 runs off 57 overs for the victory needed to move into second spot, but they did not attempt to chase down the total on a surface that proved particularly difficult for batters against the new ball.Konstas was a steadying presence with 50 off 107 balls before Matthew Gilkes and Ollie Davies held firm in the final hour.All eyes at the start of NSW’s innings were on Konstas and whether he would try to make a play at the total. But he was watchful from the get go much like during his limited time at the crease in the first innings. The fireworks happened at the other end when opener Nic Maddinson fell for a duck on the third ball of the innings after edging left-arm quick Joel Paris to second slip.Konstas was unperturbed and intent on defence, taking until his eighth delivery to register his first run. In a big moment, Kurtis Patterson had a let off on 1 after he was dropped by Paris at gully in a tough chance.Paris and Cameron Gannon produced considerable seam movement, but Konstas was rock solid and only had one scoring shot from his first 23 balls. Lance Morris entered the attack in the 11th over and there was an unknown over how many overs he would bowl. Under a restriction of around 30 overs per game to manage his body, Morris took career best first-class figures of 5 for 26 off 20.3 overs in NSW’s first innings.Morris ended up bowling 12 overs, but he was unable to rediscover his accuracy and control as Konstas played him with relative ease.Batting became easier as Konstas and Patterson, NSW’s first innings top-scorer with 86 off 262 balls, made it through to tea and they knocked the ball around after the resumption.Hilton Cartwright finished unbeaten on a career-best 171•Getty ImagesThe match unexpectedly sparked to life when Paris bowled Patterson with a delivery that crept low. Paris continued to target divots as he troubled left-handed batter Gilkes, while offspinner Corey Rocchiccioli started to menace with sharp bounce.He had Konstas on 38 poking to short-leg, but it was given not out. Konstas reached his half-century and the match again appeared to be fizzling away until he missed a straight Rocchiccioli delivery and was stumped before Josh Philippe was caught at short-leg on his first ball.But Rocchiccioli could not get his hat-trick or produce the necessary heroics as the match petered out to a draw.Earlier, WA resumed their second innings on 209 for 2 with a lead of 144 runs. There was intrigue over how WA would play the situation and when they would eye a declaration. Cartwright and Cameron Bancroft batted cautiously against the new ball with runs hard to come by as the clock started to tick.Bancroft’s 276-ball stonewall ended on 86 after he edged Jack Edwards to first slip. Playing his 100th Shield match, Bancroft trudged off disappointed but satisfied in his return to the field after a horrific on-field collision during a BBL game in early January.Bancroft’s wicket didn’t prompt a change of tactics from WA with batter Sam Fanning struggling with his timing. Emerging left-hander Fanning does tend to either bat in two modes – aggressively or dour – and he was stuck in the latter with just three runs off his first 31 balls faced.But with the ball losing its shine, Fanning eventually got into his groove and runs flowed after lunch. The batters had fun for 30 minutes after the interval with Fanning launching offspinner Chris Green down the ground on several occasions.Cartwright overtook his previous highest score of 170 before he soon walked off the field to a rousing ovation.