Dodger Stadium will officially host the baseball competition of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, 's Thuc Nhi Nguyen reported on Tuesday.
This isn't the first time Olympic baseball will be played at the iconic Dodger Stadium—the ballpark was used in 1984 when baseball was part of the demonstration games during the Los Angeles Olympics. Team USA won a silver medal that year. Baseball didn't become an official Olympic sport until 1992, and it's been played six times total in the Games.
Baseball was not played in the 2024 Paris Olympics, and it was last played during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Team USA won another silver medal that year, falling to Japan.
"America’s favorite pastime will capture the world’s attention when baseball makes its Olympic return in Dodger Stadium in Downtown Los Angeles, one of the world’s most iconic stadiums,” LA28 said in a statement. “It has hosted countless record-breaking games, including 11 World Series, the most recent being in 2024, and will continue to break records in 2028."
The 2028 Summer Olympics will begin on July 14, 2028.
Last week, Detroit Tigers assistant GM Sam Menzin suddenly resigned with the team six games into the 2025 MLB campaign. On Monday, Brittany Ghiroli and Cody Stavenhagen of reported Menzin left the organization following an investigation into alleged workplace misconduct.
Per , two female Tigers employes accused Menzin of sending "unsolicited lewd photos," dating back as far as 2017. The team then launched an investigation, and upon its completion Menzin chose to resign before he could be terminated.
"Upon being made aware of the allegations as to Sam Menzin’s conduct, the club promptly completed an investigation," the franchise said in a statement released to Ghiroli and Stavenhagen. "Before the club could terminate Mr. Menzin, he resigned. This type of behavior is contrary to our standards and has absolutely no place within our organization. We have a positive and safe culture for our colleagues and will continue to emphasize respect, inclusion, and professionalism."
Menzin told on Friday that he was seeking a career change and moving to New York to handle "family issues."
Menzin had been with the Tigers for 13 years prior to his resignation. He first joined the organization as a baseball operations intern and was promoted to assistant general manager in 2021.
Tottenham Hotspur have endured a topsy-turvy spell over the last couple of years, with Ange Postecoglou’s reign one that was as turbulent to say the least.
The Aussie achieved a fifth-placed Premier League finish in the 2023/24 campaign, but he was ultimately unable to replicate such levels in his final year in North London.
He could only guide the Lilywhites to a 17th-placed finish last time around, subsequently losing 22 games in the process – the most of any side who haven’t been relegated from England’s top-flight.
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou
However, the 60-year-old did win the Europa League last campaign, ending the club’s 17-year wait for a trophy, but it wasn’t enough to keep him in the role in North London.
He was subsequently sacked in the summer, with Thomas Frank taking the reins as a result, with the Dane potentially wanting to offload numerous of the Aussie’s additions in the upcoming window.
The players who could leave Spurs in the January window
During Postecoglou’s tenure at Spurs, he made numerous high-profile additions, with Dominic Solanke arriving in a club-record £65m transfer from Bournemouth in 2024.
Such excitement was generated given the nature of the transfer fee, but ultimately, his move to North London has been a failure, with injuries massively halting his progress of late.
The 28-year-old has only featured for a total of 31 league minutes in 2025/26, with Frank often unable to call upon the Englishman when needed during the early months of his tenure.
As a result, the manager may look to move the centre forward on in January, according to recent reports, which could allow for added investment in a new striker to bolster the attacking department.
He could also be joined in departing the club by numerous other players, with Manor Solomon a player who is seemingly edging closer to the exit door.
Like Solanke, the Israeli international joined under Ange’s guidance, but he’s also struggled to make the impact he would’ve envisaged upon his switch to North London.
yago-santiago-manor-solomon-tottenham-opinion
He’s only made six senior appearances for the Lilywhites, even being sent on various loan spells – with the 26-year-old currently spending the year on loan at Spanish side Villarreal.
However, his tally of five combined goals and assists in just six games could lead to a permanent exit, which could bring his two and a half year spell at the club to an end.
The Spurs player who may now need to leave
The lowly Premier League finish last season highlights the job Frank has had on his hands since taking over, but the Dane has been unable to fully fix the problems at Spurs.
His side currently sit in fifth place in the Premier League 2025/26, even sitting 10th in the Champions League table, but the underlying problems are still evident.
The Lilywhites have only won one game on home soil in England’s top-flight to date, with such a record placing them second bottom for home form in the division.
However, away from home, the club appear unstoppable, with Frank’s men winning four and drawing one of their five league outings – subsequently boasting the best record in the league.
Other problems are also evident within the first-team squad, with Brennan Johnson a player who has seen his form take a nose-dive over the last couple of months.
The Welshman joined in a £47.5m transfer from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2023, with many supporters raising eyebrows at the nature of the fee.
Last season was by far and away his best of his career in North London, as the 24-year-old ended 2024/25 on a total of 18 goals across all competitions – the highest of any player in the squad.
However, Mohammed Kudus’ arrival has pushed the Welsh international down the pecking order and highlighted his struggles which were masked by his goalscoring tally last year.
Johnson has only started five times in the league to date, only scoring on two occasions, with his last effort in England’s top-flight coming way back in August.
His underlying figures further suggest he’s underperforming this year, with Frank desperately needing to sell the £100k-per-week star in the upcoming window.
Johnson has only completed 0.5 dribbles per 90 at a success rate of just 42%, which has led to criticism from the supporters over his lack of talent at getting past his opponents.
Brennan Johnson – PL stats (25/26)
Statistics (per 90)
Tally
Games played
11
Games started
5
Goals scored
2
Dribbles completed
0.5
Dribble success rate
42%
Shots on target
0.3
Shot on target accuracy
30%
Big chances missed
2
Stats via FotMob
In front of goal, he’s been just as terrible, only achieving a total of 0.3 shots on target per 90, at an accuracy rate of just 30% – with the winger unable to match his goalscoring heights from last year.
In the view of talkSPORT’s Simon Jordan, he’s a “work in progress” and a “speedboat without a brain”.
Given Kudus’ arrival and Johnson’s lack of impact, it would be a surprise to no one if the club decided to cash in on his services to avoid losing a small fortune on their investment.
It’s clear both parties need a fresh start in the months ahead, which could allow the club to invest needed funds in other areas to help them rise up the Premier League table in the second half of the season.
Spurs have another Kane in the making but he's likely to leave like Parrott
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O Botafogo visita o Audax Rio neste sábado (24), pela décima rodada do Campeonato Carioca. A bola rola a partir das 16h (de Brasília), no Estádio Nilton Santos, com transmissão da Band, do Bandsports e do Canal GOAT.
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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte
✅FICHA TÉCNICA Audax Rio x Botafogo 10ª rodada do Campeonato Carioca
Data e horário: sábado, 24 de fevereiro de 2024, às 18h (de Brasília) Local: Estádio Nilton Santos, no Rio de Janeiro (RJ) Onde assistir: Band, do Bandsports e Canal GOAT
⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES
AUDAX RIO Anderson Max; Ramon, Igor Silva, João Victor e Paulo Victor; Miticov, Romarinho e Bruno Paulo; Acácio, Fabinho Polhão e Edilson. Técnico: Luciano Quadros.
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BOTAFOGO Gatito Fernandez; Mateo Ponte, Bastos, Alexander Barboza e Hugo; Danilo Barbosa, Marlon Freitas, Tchê Tchê, Eduardo e Savarino; Júnior Santos e Tiquinho Soares. Técnico: Fabio Mathias (interino).
England fast bowler delivers knockout blow in final spell for thrilling 20-run win
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay18-Sep-2025
Josh Tongue bowled with heart and stamina for five wickets•PA Photos/Getty Images
Josh Tongue, bowling with great pace and huge stamina to take five for 100, bowled Nottinghamshire to a highly dramatic 20-run victory against Surrey at the Kia Oval – the win that could bring Notts their first championship title since 2010.Surrey, needing 315 in the fourth innings of a great contest, were bowled out for 294 after a final day of continually fluctuating fortunes and packed with incident, and it was Tongue who grabbed the last three wickets to haul his side over the line despite a defiant 33 at the end by Tom Lawes.Lawes, with just last man Dan Worrall for company, managed a few boundaries but then – attempting to beat a spread field again – holed out to Ben Slater on the deep extra cover rope to kick-start joyful Notts celebrations.Dan Lawrence made 50, and featured in a brave 51-run stand with Tom Curran that rocked Notts back on their heels as the runs needed came down to 75, but it was the visitors who held their nerve.Liam Patterson-White, the slow left-arrmer brought on for what became the game’s sole over of spin, had Curran stumped with his fourth ball for a 33-ball 33 and then Dillon Pennington removed Lawrence to leave the stage to Tongue.The big England Test fast bowler ended a bright eighth-wicket stand between Lawes and Gus Atkinson by having the latter caught at first slip for 11. And then, four balls later, sheer pace forced Matt Fisher to chop down into his own stumps to go for a duck. Even then, however, with 34 more runs required, Lawes and Worrall chipped away until Tongue delivered the coup de grace.It was compelling viewing, a great advert for Rothesay County Championship cricket. With their win, Notts moved 15 points ahead of Surrey at the top of Division One, although a subsequent one-point deduction for a slow over-rate by the match referee has increased their requirement in next week’s final round of matches.Dillon Pennington claimed the wicket of Dan Lawrence lbw•PA Photos/Getty Images
Next week Notts will need a maximum of 11 points, but possibly less, to make sure of the title when they host Warwickshire at Trent Bridge. Surrey, still aiming for a fourth successive championship but now very much depending on Warwickshire to do them a favour, visit Hampshire.Notts had seemed favourites when Surrey resumed on 66 for no wicket, chasing a distant victory target in a match dominated by two high-class pace attacks.Ollie Pope, riding his luck early on, gave Surrey renewed hope with 41 after the early loss of both openers and there were only another 122 runs required when they lost their fifth wicket six overs after lunch.The Lawrence-Curran stand then made Surrey favourites themselves at 240 for five, but both falling in the space of six balls proved crucial.Surrey had scored 97 runs in the morning session, for the loss of four wickets, leaving the match still tantalisingly poised at lunch – although the dismissals of Ben Foakes and Pope in quick succession did seem to have tilted matters in Notts’ favour again.Rory Burns, on 41 overnight, fell in the fourth over for 45 as he attempted to whip a straight ball from Tongue – bowling from around the wicket – wide of mid-on and was palpably leg-before when he missed it.Dom Sibley began the day on 18 but added just seven runs before getting in a tangle against a ball from Brett Hutton that he clearly thought might nip back into him, and edged to second slip.Pope had by then already endured a fraught start to his innings. On two he threw his bat at a widish outswinger from Hutton and was lucky not to edge it, and then Tongue flashed a vicious delivery that bounced and left him past his defences.On four, Pope nicked Tongue through a vacant third slip for a streaky boundary but soon England’s vice-captain was also producing some quality strokes – including a beautiful on-driven four off Tongue and then an extra cover drive against Hutton which brought up Surrey’s 100.Pope then had to dive full-length into the crease at the bowler’s end to avoid being run out by Haseeb Hameed’s direct hit from mid on, before being beaten on 26 by a corker from James.Yet he and Foakes, with a series of sharp singles and the odd boundary, put on 42 in good time to give Surrey some forward momentum as the morning session moved into its second hour.Back came Notts, though, as Tongue had Foakes (18) well-held as he fell forward by Patterson-White at first slip and then, in the next over, James picked up Pope’s prized scalp thanks to a fine catch diving to his right by Freddie McCann at second slip.Ryan Patel, badly dropped by keeper Kyle Verreynne off Tongue on one, failed to cash in and miscued horribly to mid on to go for six when trying to pull James to wide midwicket.That left Surrey 193 for five but in strode Curran to help Lawrence launch their thrilling counter-attack. Tongue, striving for another breakthough, still beat the bat on occasions but also proved expensive.Pennington, too, felt the force of the Surrey sixth-wicket pair’s strokeplay with 17 being plundered from the 54th over of the innings as Curran hit two legside fours and Lawrence another before finishing the over with a flowing drive for three to extra cover.Their half-century partnership arrived in just eight overs but Curran’s sparkling cameo ended one run later when he yorked himself giving Patterson-White the charge and Verreynne completed the stumping.Lawrence then departed in the next over, leg-before to Pennington as he shuffled across his stumps, and at 246 for seven it was Notts again who looked as if they had the upper hand. They did, but only just.
Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl has just over a month to go until he will have the opportunity to make his first signing since arriving at Ibrox to replace Russell Martin.
The German tactician came through the door well after the summer transfer window had been and gone, after sporting director Kevin Thelwell provided Martin with a host of signings.
Rangers, as shown in the graphic above, had a high turnover of players in and out of Ibrox after they failed to win any trophies in the 2024/25 campaign, under Philippe Clement or Barry Ferguson.
Unfortunately, though, Martin was unable to get a tune out of the squad after those changes in the summer and was eventually sacked last month after a run of five wins in 17 games.
With Rohl now in the building, the former Sheffield Wednesday head coach will have time to assess those summer signings and decide where he wants the club to strengthen the squad when the January transfer window opens.
One of those Martin and Thelwell signings whom the manager may deem needs to be replaced in the winter is experienced central midfielder Joe Rothwell.
Why Rangers need to replace Joe Rothwell already
Rangers swooped to sign the 30-year-old midfielder from Premier League side Bournemouth on a permanent deal during the summer window for Martin, who had worked with him on loan at Southampton in the 2023/24 campaign.
Unfortunately, the English lightweight has flopped at Ibrox, on current evidence, and is yet to play a single minute of action in the Scottish Premiership since Rohl came through the door.
He was ill and unavailable for selection against Dundee last time out, but the midfield flop was an unused substitute in the wins over Kilmarnock and Hibernian in the manager’s first two matches in the dugout.
This means that Rangers have now won one of the eight league matches he has played in and won all three of the games that he has not featured in so far this season.
25/26 Premiership
Rothwell
Percentile rank vs CMs
Tackles
7
Bottom 29%
Interceptions
8
Top 29%
Duels won
16
Bottom 27%
Duel success rate
47%
Bottom 37%
Aerial duels won
4
Bottom 29%
Possession won in the final third
1
Bottom 18%
Ball recoveries
22
Bottom 40%
Stats via FotMob
As you can see in the table above, Rothwell has struggled off the ball throughout the Premiership campaign, ranking poorly among his positional peers in the majority of the key defensive metrics, aside from interceptions.
On top of his defensive woes, the Englishman has no goals and one assist in eight appearances in the league, per Sofascore, which shows that he has not offered outstanding quality on the ball to make up for his defensive deficiencies.
This is why Rohl may already be considering replacing Rothwell in the January transfer window, and why the midfielder has been an unused substitute in the last two league games that he has been available for.
Rangers eyeing move for Premiership midfielder
The Scottish Premiership giants may be able to replace the former Bournemouth and Southampton flop amid reported interest in a star who plays in his position.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
According to TEAMtalk, Rangers are one of the clubs exploring the possibility of a deal to snap up Kilmarnock central midfielder David Watson in the January transfer window.
The report claims that the Light Blues are in talks over a possible move for the Scotland U21 international, whose contract is due to expire at the end of the season.
It reveals that Rohl is a big fan of the midfield starlet and wants to add him to his squad in the winter market, with the Gers looking to seal a cut-price deal due to his contract situation.
However, TEAMtalk adds that Hearts, Aberdeen, and unnamed clubs in the English Championship are also keen on signing the £1.5m-rated Kilmarnock star, which means that there is plenty of competition for his signature.
Why Watson would be an upgrade on Rothwell for Rangers
Thelwell could land a huge upgrade on Rothwell for Rohl if he is able to beat the likes of Aberdeen and Hearts to the signing of Watson ahead of the second half of the season.
For a start, the Scotland U21 international is ten years younger than the English flop. He has far more years left ahead of him to develop as a player and offer quality on the pitch for Rangers than Rothwell does.
This also means that there is the potential for his value to grow so that he could be sold on for a profit in the future, like a Hamza Igamane or Calvin Bassey, and that may not be the case with the Bournemouth man, as he is in the latter stages of his career.
In terms of the here and now, Watson could come in as an upgrade on Rothwell from an offensive perspective. The Scottish star has scored three goals in 12 Premiership matches this season, after netting four last term, with the Rangers dud yet to get off the mark at Ibrox.
The Scotland U21 international, who Kilmarnock commentator Andrew Milligan claimed has “no ceiling”, would also come in and offer a huge upgrade on the English flop defensively.
25/26 Premiership
David Watson
Joe Rothwell
Appearances
12
8
Tackles + interceptions per game
3.1
1.9
Clearances per game
0.9
0.1
Duels won per game
6.0
2.0
Ground duel success rate
51%
46%
Fouls won per game
2.3
0.1
Blocks per game
0.5
0.1
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Watson has excelled out of possession in comparison to Rothwell in the 2025/26 campaign, making far more defensive contributions at a more efficient rate.
It is, therefore, easy to understand why Rohl is such a big fan of the Kilmarnock star and why he wants Thelwell to get a deal over the line for him when the January transfer window opens.
Watson’s offensive and defensive statistics suggest that he would arrive at Ibrox as a huge upgrade on Rothwell, who has struggled since his move to the club, and provide the likes of Connor Barron, Nico Raskin, and Mo Diomande with genuine competition for the midfield spots.
Thelwell let Rangers star go for £0, now he'd walk into the XI over Aasgaard
This former Rangers star who was released by Kevin Thelwell would walk into the current team over Thelo Aasgaard.
Since IPL 2023, Shivam Dube has been a casualty of the Impact Player rule that has greatly limited opportunities for allrounders to showcase their dual skills. Over the past three seasons, Dube’s bowling numbers read: 3-0-47-1.In a way, this limitation has been a factor in Dube’s hunger to contribute with the ball, and continue to upgrade his skill sets. To that end, the work he has put in at training, especially with his bowling, has been noticeable.On Wednesday, India didn’t to hand Dube the ball. Suryakumar Yadav did, and Dube picked up three wickets across two overs. There was a seam-up that nipped away to nick off Asif Khan, a nip-backer that trapped Dhruv Parashar, and a slower delivery that had Junaid Siddique slogging to mid-on.Related
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“The captain and the coach told me earlier itself that I will bowl [at the Asia Cup] and that they are confident about me,” Dube said at the press conference after India’s demolition of UAE. “My bowling coach [Morne Morkel] has told me a lot of things. I was preparing for this for a long time, that I will get an opportunity to bowl and when it comes, I’ll be ready. What happened today is because of that preparation.”Dube admitted that while his role with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL has largely been that of a power-hitter, he has used the time away to gather plenty of bowling miles. Even if it doesn’t instantly result in him bowling as many overs as he would like to.”The answer lies in your question itself,” Dube said when asked about the Impact Player rule. “The scheme of an allrounder has been reduced. Because of that, in the IPL, there wasn’t a necessity for me to bowl. But, from my side, I was always prepared. Every match, I was ready to bowl. I was working really hard before the IPL also. I spent two months working on my fitness and bowling.”That effort seems to be paying off. Dube credited Morkel for fine-tuning his action and approach. The two have been in each other’s ears constantly at training. Two days ago, Morkel had even stated the importance of having someone of Dube’s abilities prep in a manner that gives him the confidence to bowl in pressure situations.”At the England series [in January-February], he told me a few things,” Dube said. “He told me to bowl from outside [wider of the crease] and to bowl slower [from a certain angle]. I have been working on that for a long time. He told me a few things about my bowling run-up too. Because of those two-three things, my bowling is getting better. My pace is also improving and I am getting confidence.”Today’s start was very important. As an allrounder, I am always prepared for four overs of bowling. Whenever I get an opportunity to bowl three-four overs, I am ready for it. I will try and do what the team needs.”There aren’t just bowling tweaks that Dube has been working on. Between IPL 2025 and now, he has worked a lot on his batting too, back at home in Mumbai. One of the aspects he identified was working on improving against the short ball bowled at high pace and into his body. The Asia Cup opener was his first competitive outing since the IPL ended in May (barring three middling games at the Mumbai T20 League where he captained ARCS Andheri).1:55
Why did Suryakumar let Siddique bat despite being out?
“About my batting, I was thinking of adding some of the shots,” he said of his tailored training. “Yes, I can hit in certain areas. But certain bowlers are there who come on me with the short balls and all. I worked [on that] in the IPL. And even after IPL, I have been working on some extra shots that I can bring to the Indian team. And yes, I was working on my fitness because I knew that if I become fitter, then I can bowl four overs or whatever the team requires.”Dube’s selection in India’s XI against UAE reflected the team management’s emphasis on extending the batting depth till No. 8 – a call that, in turn, makes his ability to deliver with the ball even more crucial. Dube revealed that there had been a lot of learning from the coaches and off Hardik Pandya, who isn’t exactly like-for-like but someone whose experience he’s been more than happy to dip into.”Hardik is someone from whom I always learn,” Dube said. “He is like a brother to me. As a cricketer, he has a lot of experience in international cricket and IPL. So I feel I have a lot to learn from him with regards to both batting and bowling. I have never thought about comparison. I just thought I should get something from him with which I can improve myself.”2:21
Can UAE take away anything from this thrashing?
Asked to talk about the quality of India’s opponents in their opening game, Dube was sympathetic, especially the UAE batters’ inability to handled the quality of India’s spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy.”I can’t say whether they were able to pick or not… I’m not going to say they [UAE batters] are not of the same class,” Dube said. “I will never say that to any opponent because I feel it doesn’t send out a good message. Yes, they [Kuldeep and Varun] are mystery bowlers. Even I am not able to pick them up sometimes [in the nets]. So there is nothing in that.”It was only when Dube was inevitably asked about the next game, against Pakistan, that he chose to be slightly more guarded. “Whether it’s a match with UAE or Pakistan, it’s important for me when I go on the ground and for my team that… our coach has said something that has always been in my heart and mind: that whenever you go on the ground, whenever you represent your country, you have a chance to do something big for the country.”Gautam [Gambhir] sir has always said this. So, keeping that in mind, whether it’s Pakistan or UAE, or whoever I’m playing with in the future, I want to do a miracle on the ground so that I can make my country proud.”
Leeds United are now set to make an imminent bid for Real Madrid star Gonzalo Garcia, following involvement from manager Daniel Farke.
Leeds have been urged to sign a new striker, having failed to score in five of their 11 Premier League matches up to this point, with Clinton Morrison saying: “If Leeds want to survive, they need to bring in an out-and-out goalscorer that’s going to get them the 10 to 15 goals to keep them in the Premier League, which is going to be difficult.
“Because in the Premier League. You’re only as good as your strikers. But I hope Leeds do stay up because it’s going to be difficult.”
Farke would’ve been hoping Dominic Calvert-Lewin could be the man to fire his side to safety, but the centre-forward has recorded an xG of just 2.02 in the Premier League so far this season, with his only goal coming in the 3-1 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers back in September.
With Joel Piroe goalless, Farke is short on top-quality options to rival Lukas Nmecha for a starting spot, and the West Yorkshire outfit are now set to make a move for a new striker ahead of the January transfer window.
Leeds set to make imminent bid for Gonzalo Garcia
According to a report from TEAMtalk, Leeds are now set to make an imminent bid for Real Madrid forward Garcia, with a formal £17m offer ready, and the Spanish club are willing to sanction his departure for a fee in that ballpark.
Farke has managed to convince the 49ers the 21-year-old could propel the Whites to Premier League safety, which means the board have now sanctioned a move, but there could be competition from rival Premier League clubs.
Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers are also preparing moves of their own, with Brighton and Sunderland also being named as potential suitors for the Spaniard, who has been unable to force his way into the Real Madrid starting XI this season.
Hailed as “world-class” by journalist Zach Lowy, the youngster has impressed when given the opportunity by Xabi Alonso, finding the back of the net four times in six outings at the Club World Cup, while also grabbing an assist in the Champions League this season.
Unfortunately for the five-time Spain U21 international, however, he is behind some global superstars in the Real Madrid pecking order, with Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo all vying for first-team spots, which means he is at risk of his development being hampered.
As such, Garcia should seek a move in the January transfer window, and he would become an instant cult hero at Elland Road if he were able to fire Leeds to safety…
Leeds looking to fund transfer business by selling "unbelievable" star in January Leeds open to selling £40k-p/w star who Firpo called "unbelievable" this January
The Whites are now willing to cash-in on a first-team star this winter, in order to reinvest the money raised into other areas of the squad.
In a match that will be remembered for years at BC Place, the Vancouver Whitecaps booked their spot in the Western Conference finals with a 2-2 (5-3 on penalties) win over Los Angeles FC. The back-and-forth clash featured a stunning Son Heung-Min equalizer, a nine-man fightback from the hosts, and, fittingly, a penalty shootout that sent the Canadian side through.
Getty Images SportWhat happened
The match looked fairly tight as halftime approached, with both sides appearing destined to head into the break level. Instead, the Whitecaps struck twice in the final five minutes of the first half – and both goals were preventable.
The opener came in the 40th minute, and it was as direct as it gets. Whitecaps goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka launched a long ball over the top to a streaking Emmanuel Sabbi, who raced in behind the LAFC back line and calmly slotted past Hugo Lloris to ignite the sold-out crowd at BC Place. Moments later, the home fans were celebrating again as Mathis Laborda poked home a loose ball from a corner in first-half stoppage time, giving Vancouver a sudden and stunning 2-0 lead.
The visitors weren't dead yet, though. Their star, Son, dragged them right back into it, netting in the 60th minute to set up a tense finish at BC Place. It suddenly became even more tense in the 93rd minute with Whitecaps defender Tristan Blackmon was sent off with a second yellow card. Two minutes later, Son played hero, smashing a shocking last-gasp free kick into the back of the net to send the game into extra time.
In extra time, the Whitecaps were suddenly the team on the back foot as they dealt with Blackmon's dismissal and LAFC's rising momentum. Making matters worse was an injury to Belal Halbouni just minutes after coming on, forcing the Whitecaps down to nine men. LAFC were so close to taking full advantage, too, pressing throughout extra time, including on a sequence that saw the visitors hit the post three times in a matter of seconds. It went to penalties, in the end, as LAFC were unable to find that game-winning goal.
Once there, though, the Whitecaps kept their nerve, taking advantage of missed spotkicks from Son and Marky Delgado to book their place in the Western Conference final against the winner of Monday's semifinal match between San Diego FC and Minnesota United.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportThe MVP
His game will be overshadowed by the goals and all of the chaos that followed, but it shouldn't. That's because Andres Cubas was that good.
The 29-year-old Paraguayan midfielder was monstrous throughout the match, absolutely running the show next to Sebastian Berhalter in the center of the field. He won 11 duels, amassed seven tackles, provided nine clearances, and moved the ball as well as anyone on the field. Cubas was, generally, the best player on that field, as he did a little bit of everything to ensure the Whitecaps continued their season with a statement win.
Getty Images SportThe big loser
Plenty of LAFC players will look at this defeat as a missed chance. Denis Bouanga? He'll just be wondering how the hell this game didn't go his way.
When it gets to this point in the season, there's extra spotlight on superstars. Son stepped into it and, in a way, Bouanga did, too. He just lacked that little bit of luck, and that, ultimately, doomed LAFC. Bouanga fired eight shots, hit the post twice and saw a late effort slide right across the goal line. On any other day, he likely would have scored multiple goals. In this one, though, he scored none, and that's a big reason LAFC's season came to an end in heartbreaking fashion. It wasn't because Bouanga wasn't good; it's because he wasn't quite fortunate enough to get the bounce or two that he and LAFC were waiting for.
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Morgan Gibbs-White has lifted the lid on what manager Sean Dyche wanted from Nottingham Forest following their thumping 3-0 win at Liverpool. Murillo fired the visitors in front from a corner after 33 minutes before Nicolas Savona scored shortly after the break. Gibbs-White put some extra gloss on the scoreline in a performance that was full of spirit and endeavour.
Dyche masterminds Liverpool victory
Dyche replaced the sacked Ange Postecoglou at Forest in late October and he has already fired them out of the relegation zone and up the Premier League table. After their 3-1 win over Leeds United earlier this month, they backed up that victory with a superb triumph against Liverpool on Saturday. The scoreline could have been even more one-sided had Igor Jesus not had a goal controversially ruled out for handball but Gibbs-White did not seem to care too much as he praised his team-mates and manager.
He told Premier League Productions: "I didn't expect it but it's happened. I'm out there trying to help the team as much as possible. I thought the boys were brilliant today. Delighted we got the three points but I hope we're out of the relegation zone. We felt comfortable even though we didn't have the ball. We were defensively secure and that's credit to the boys and the manager. Delighted to get another goal but we got a clean sheet and three points at Anfield, which is an incredible thing. They're still a great team with incredible individuals. When you're in a tough patch, we know it's hard to get out of it. We knew we'd have a chance and it was about us being solid and taking our chance when we got it. When Sean Dyche came in, he made it clear the season starts now. He's been putting us to work, but we needed it to compete at the highest level. We've been running, running, running. Any game in the Premier League is difficult. We have to take it game by game."
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Dyche proud of Forest players
Despite having just over 25 per cent possession at Anfield, Forest were deserved winners and, coupled with a strong defensive effort, earned them a hard-fought clean sheet. After the match, former Everton boss Dyche was delighted with how his team acquitted themselves on Merseyside and the timing of their second goal.
He told PLP, "I thought they started really fast after a tough result at Man City. The defensive unit was great. I'm really pleased with that early stage. It's really tough to dominate the ball on a ground like this. I was super pleased with that [second goal]. Half-time when you're 1-0 up at Anfield is a strange thing. I wanted them to do the basics, but we went and scored. We did a very good job of seeing the game through. We want to build that competitive mentality. I always have a team that is competitive. That is a big marker for me. I do remind them that this is another step. The fans can have that one. Timing in football can be everything. Whether it's a player, a manager or a coach. I want to look after this football club, it's important for me to do everything we can."
Liverpool's woes continue
The defending Premier League champions dropped to 11th in the table with this demoralising loss on home turf. This result marked their sixth defeat in their last seven games, something Reds manager Arne Slot could not hide his dismay over.
He told BBC Match of the Day: "Another big disappointment. We started off quite well for the first half an hour. We conceded the 1-0, and we weren't able to play the way we did in the first half hour. I don't know. I heard it wasn't offside, so if it's not offside, there's nothing to debate. We created and were waiting for us to score a goal. The set piece changed everything, and they scored two. If things go well or things go bad, it's my responsibility. We weren't able to create enough. I tried to adjust a few things, but it didn't work out. We were unable to score a goal. You never know in this stadium, if you score a goal, then things can work out."
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Liverpool face busy period
Liverpool don't have long to dwell on this defeat as they host PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday, before travelling to West Ham next Sunday. They then play a further four games in 10 days as the fixtures keep coming.
Slot added: "In a few days, we have to play in the Champions League again and then play three Premier League games in a short space. Keep your head up and work incredibly hard. We are trying every single day. It's always helpful to have experienced and quality players. It's not working out at this moment."