تحدث البلجيكي تيبو كورتوا، حارس مرمى الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ريال مدريد عن إصابته والخسارة أمام ليفربول وتحقيق حلمه باللعب مع الفريق الملكي.
كما تطرق الحارس الدولي البلجيكي للحديث عن تعادل ريال مدريد الأخير أمام رايو فاليكانو سلبيًا في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات الدوري الإسباني.
وقال كورتوا في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “آس” الإسبانية: “الضجيج في الخارج دائمًا أعلى، هناك دائمًا انتقادات لمجرد التعادل، اللعب على ملعب رايو دائمًا ما يكون صعبًا، علينا أن نتحسن، أمامنا شهر صعب وعلينا الفوز على إلتشي أولًا”.
وأضاف عن خسارة ليفربول: “في الشوط الأول، شعرت بأننا سيطرنا على الملعب بشكل كبير، وكانت العديد من فرصهم عبارة عن تسديدات بعيدة المدى أو تشتيتات سيئة، لم أضطر لبذل جهد كبير، أما في الشوط الثاني واجهنا صعوبة في خلق المزيد من الخطورة، كانوا أفضل منا”.
اقرأ أيضًا | كورتوا عن سخرية لامين يامال من ريال مدريد: هذا ما سأفعله معه إذا قابلته في مطعم
وعن إصابته: “كانت مجرد ضربة خفيفة وسأتمكن من اللعب نهاية هذا الأسبوع، أتعامل مع الأمر تدريجيًا، لا أريد أن تُبقيني الإصابة بعيدًا عن الملاعب لفترة أطول ولهذا السبب أنا مندهش من الضجة التي أحدثتها في بلجيكا”.
واستطرد: “لم أتراجع، أريد الاستمتاع باللعب مع منتخبي قدر الإمكان، لو كانت هناك مباريات في الدوري نهاية الأسبوع الماضي، لما لعبت”.
وبشأن كاسياس: “هو قديس يُمثل الكثير لريال مدريد ومنتخب إسبانيا، مجرد سماع اسمك شرف كبير ولكي يتم ذكرك كواحد من أفضل اللاعبين، عليك أن تُحقق البطولات”.
وأتم: “يتذكر الناس نهائي ليفربول وليس أي مباراة أخرى، ربما لم يشاهد البعض إيكر يلعب ولهذا السبب اختاروني، عندما كنت في الثامنة من عمري، حلمتُ باللعب لريال مدريد، والآن أذهب إلى التدريبات سعيدًا كل يوم، لأن هذا هو المكان الذي أشعر فيه بأقصى درجات السعادة”.
O São Paulo apresenta nesta segunda-feira (22) Luiz Gustavo e Erick, reforços da equipe para a temporada 2024. Confira no vídeo acima a apresentação dos jogadores.
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➡️ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! São Paulo
O volante de 36 anos, que disputou a Copa do Mundo de 2014 pela Seleção Brasileira, estava livre no mercado após deixar o Al-Nassr, da Arábia Saudita. Experiente, o jogador acumula passagens por Hoffenheim, Bayern de Munique e Wolfsburg, na Alemanha, além de Olympique de Marselha (FRA) e Fenerbahçe (TUR).
Erick, por sua vez, foi a primeira contratação do Tricolor para a temporada. O atacante de 26, que defendeu o Ceará em 2023, assinou contrato válido por três anos.
Suryakumar Yadav, India’s T20I captain, has been told to refrain from making comments that could be construed as political following an ICC hearing conducted by match referee Richie Richardson on Thursday in Dubai. It’s not yet clear if Suryakumar faces any other sanctions.An official hearing was necessary because the Pakistan team management had filed a complaint alleging that Suryakumar made political remarks following India’s Asia Cup group-stage win over Pakistan on September 14, which the PCB’s top brass had pointed out at a press conference in Lahore last week.Related
Suryakumar found guilty of breaching code of conduct; verdict on Rauf and Farhan awaited
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BCCI lodges complaint with ICC against Farhan and Rauf
ESPNcricinfo understands Suryakumar’s use of the term “Operation Sindoor” – a term coined by the Indian government during the military skirmish between the two countries that followed the Pahalgam terror attacks in April – was one of the PCB’s points of objection.Suryakumar had used the term at the post-match press conference following that September 14 match, while dedicating the win to the victims of the terror attacks as well as India’s armed forces.That match also caused another controversy, with Pakistan lodging a “formal protest” against match referee Andy Pycroft because he had “requested the captains not to shake hands during the toss”. At the time, the PCB had demanded Pycroft to be taken off the roster for their matches, which the ICC rejected.That incident threatened to snowball into something bigger when Pakistan didn’t arrive on time for their match against UAE. They eventually relented after Pycroft apologised for the “miscommunication” over the handshake incident.Meanwhile, India’s complaint to the ICC over gestures made by Sahibzada Farhan and Haris Rauf during their Super Fours clash will be heard on Friday since Pakistan were involved in a match on Thursday evening against Bangladesh.The gestures were made on the field during a tense game where the two sets of players exchanged words multiple times.At a press conference ahead of Pakistan’s match against Sri Lanka on Tuesday, Farhan had been asked about his machine-gun celebration after reaching his half-century against India. “That celebration was just a moment at that time,” he had said. “I do not do a lot of celebrations after scoring fifty. But, it suddenly came to my mind that let’s do a celebration today. I did that. I don’t know how people will take it. I don’t care about that.”
Tottenham are reportedly determined to give Thomas Frank time to succeed at the club despite their 4-1 thumping away to rivals Arsenal. Spurs have lost three of their last five Premier League games and have dropped to ninth in the table following their wretched performance at Emirates Stadium. But the Dane's future at the club is not under threat for now.
Frank apologises for Tottenham drubbing
Head coach Frank admitted he felt confident going into the north London derby but Arsenal dismissed Tottenham with apparent ease, with Spurs mustering an Expected Goals tally of just 0.07 and a paltry three shots on goal. After the loss on Sunday, the former Brentford manager, who joined Spurs on a three-year deal over the summer, apologised to the travelling fans.
He told Sky Sports: "I think it is extremely painful. I won't talk away from that. It was a bad performance. It was completely the opposite of what the intention was when we came here. We can only apologise to the fans for the performance. I think no matter if both teams wanted to play shirt, they got more out of that and we couldn't get out. When the team went long, we didn't win enough duels. That is exemplified by the 2-0 goal and the 3-0 goal, where a player went through two or three players. Bad performance and we lost. I have seen a lot of character and fight in this team but we didn't win enough duels. We can call that whatever we want but we didn't win enough."
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTottenham to stick with Frank
According to The Telegraph, Tottenham want to give Frank enough time to get things right but there are concerns he is making life hard for himself by chopping and changing too much. The report adds that Spurs believe Frank's numerous rotations have contributed to their inconsistency and creativity problems. Some players are keen for Frank to focus more on his team's strengths, rather than the opposition's, but it is unclear how widespread that feeling is. The club's owners, the Lewis family, are targeting long-term success under the Dane, which suggests that no short-term decisions are being considered. Incidentally, Frank took the number of changes he has made to his starting XI to 29 for the Premier League so far – the third-most in the league after Wolves (39) and Chelsea (31).
Tottenham tactics go awry
Frank also said that he tried to deploy the same tactics Tottenham used in their agonising UEFA Super Cup loss to Paris Saint-Germain in August, but what he got was an "extremely bad" performance.
He added: "That's an extremely hard defeat to take. We are all emotional and frustrated and need to look at it with calm heads. I was very confident going into the game that we could be competitive and we weren't, which was disappointing. We tried to do something different that was very successful against PSG. Today it wasn't and I always take responsibility for my decisions and then when it doesn't go the way we want it to go, that's on me. We changed it at half-time but I am 1000% sure that no matter what formation you play if you don't win enough duels or are aggressive enough, it doesn't matter what formation you play."
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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Spurs?
The games don't get any easier for Tottenham as after the loss to table-topping Arsenal, they travel to defending Champions League holders PSG in Europe's elite competition on Wednesday. And one area Frank is eager to fix is their toothless attack.
He said: "That [lack of creativity] has been an ongoing theme that we are working hard to improve. It doesn't look good today or against Chelsea. We need to keep working on it. There were a lot of things in this game we need to do better. We are four months into it and they are further in their journey as a team and that was very obvious today. Of course there will be noise. We played against our biggest rivals and we lost badly. But we keep noise out and we focus. I know this tam is very competitive. I know this team is competitive and we showed that against Man City and PSG. Of course it looks bad today and it was not good enough."
Real Madrid have issued an apology after they showed the wrong player in a tribute to Portuguese striker Diogo Jota and brother Andre Silva. The Spanish giants made the mistake during the Ordinary General Assembly of Representative Members as they wished to remember the duo, who both tragically lost their lives in a car accident over the summer.
Getty Images Sport
Video showed Elche striker Andre Silva alongside Jota
The 28-year-old striker and brother Andre Silva were killed in a single car collision in July in an incident that shocked the footballing world to its core. A number of teams have paid tribute to both players in the months since, while Liverpool fans chant his name in the 20th minute of games.
Real Madrid had sought to pay their own tribute to the pair over the weekend but were forced into an apology as they inadvertently showed the wrong player a video. Alongside Jota wasn't his brother, but rather former RB Leipzig striker, and current Elche player, Andre Silva.
Incidentally, Real Madrid face Elche at the Martinez Valero in La Liga on Sunday, with Silva expected to start for Eder Sarabia's side. The Spanish powerhouse have since come out and apologised for showing the wrong player, and expressed their "regret" over the incident.
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Real Madrid apologise to Elche and Silva
In a statement on their official X account, Real Madrid posted: "Real Madrid C.F. apologises to Elche C.F. and its player André da Silva for having mistakenly included his image in the obituary of an institutional video instead of that of André Silva, the brother of Diogo Jota, the Liverpool player. We regret this incident."
During his speech following the video, Real Madrid President, Florentino Perez, also issued an apology of his own for the oversight.
After an impressive start to the season, Elche currently find themselves in the midst of a five-game winless run following a 1-1 home draw with Real Sociedad prior to the international break. However, Elche have caught the eye in front of their own fans, and are unbeaten at the Martinez Valero, winning three and drawing three of six matches.
Likewise, Real Madrid are looking to return to winning ways having failed to win their last away competitive matches, having followed up a 1-0 Champions League defeat at Liverpool with a 0-0 draw at Rayo Vallecano earlier this month. Sunday's game at Elche is the third of six successive away matches for Xabi Alonso's men after the Bernabeu was used for the NFL game between the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Commanders earlier this month.
Los Blancos head into Sunday's game in second having been leapfrogged in the La Liga table by defending champions Barcelona. The Blaugrana returned to Spotify Camp Nou for the first time in over 900 days on Saturday and marked the occasion with a 4-0 win over Athletic Club.
Getty Images Sport
Liverpool star paid tribute to Jota after Scotland success
Real Madrid's gaffe comes just days after Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson paid an emotional tribute to Jota. The Scotland international was celebrating Scotland's World Cup qualifying win over Denmark as the Tartan Army booked their spot at the 2026 competition with a 4-2 win over Denmark.
"I've hid it well, but today I've been in bits. I know the age I'm at, this could be my last chance to go to the World Cup," Robertson said. "I couldn't get my mate Diogo Jota out of my head today. We spoke so much about going to the World Cup because he missed the last one with Portugal and I did with Scotland. I know he'll be smiling over me today.
"I'm so glad it's ended up this way. This group of boys, this group of staff – it's the best group I've been involved in. The manager's speech before the game was unbelievable. He went through the big moments we've had. Qualifying for the Euros – he couldn't quite remember – we were in Wunderbar. He said 'let's make it another one'.
"We were quite emotional. To do it for him, the staff and all our families, it'll go down as one of the greatest nights of my life. That just sums up this squad. Never say die. We just keep going right to the end and one of the craziest games. We put the country through it, but I'm sure it's worth it. We're going to the World Cup."
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When do Real Madrid play at the Bernabeu again?
Real Madrid, meanwhile, follow up today's game at Elche with trips to Olympiacos, Girona and Athletic Club as they continue their run of away games.
Los Blancos will finally return to the Bernabeu for the welcome of Celta Vigo on December 7, and follow that up with a huge Champions League home tie with Manchester City.
As far as Arne Slot’s Liverpool are concerned, there hasn’t been much to write home about this season.
It’s been difficult, for a great number of reasons, and the Reds have slumped to five defeats from six matches in the Premier League. They say it’s too early to make such calls at this stage of the campaign, but Liverpool simply cannot be considered as title contenders unless something significant shifts in the coming weeks and months.
Physicality and control. Two central tenets of any Premier League midfield worth their salt, and especially so for Liverpool. However, Slot’s side have lacked both in equally concerning measure for much of the term so far.
And with that in mind, we can’t help but recall the days of Gini Wijnaldum in the middle of the park, for the Dutchman is very much missed right now.
Why Gini Wijnaldum left Liverpool
Wijnaldum has plied his trade away from Anfield for four years now, and it’s perhaps fair to say that Liverpool have not replaced his profile in the years since. The 35-year-old was very distinctive in his style for the Reds.
Liverpool signed Wijnaldum from Newcastle United in 2016 after their relegation from the Premier League. Wijnaldum was among the standout Magpies that year.
He was an attacking midfielder and had put four past Norwich City early in the campaign, a bright flicker in a dark year on Tyneside. However, Jurgen Klopp fashioned the Dutchman into an industrious, press-resistent central midfielder, part of an energetic centre that charged Liverpool’s glittering success of the past decade.
Though Wijnaldum didn’t score often for the Merseysiders, he came up trumps on a few occasions, alright, and scribed his name into the record books when bagging a brace off the bench on that night against Barcelona.
So cool and composed and calm on the ball, Gini was the metronome in the middle. To think that he played in advanced roles with consistency during his days with Newcastle and PSV Eindhoven before that is a marker of Klopp’s tactical brain, successfully reshaping into something that produced fewer show-stopping moments but contributed more greatly to the Liverpool project.
Liverpool miss him, for sure, but there’s a member of Slot’s squad who is beginning to show signs of the Netherlands man’s former qualities.
Liverpool's new version of Wijnaldum
Slot’s own ‘version’ of Wijnaldum might not be stylistically the same, but he’s playing a versatile and yet singular role for the Anfield side this season.
Enter Dominik Szoboszlai, the shining light of Liverpool’s dreary campaign so far.
The Hungarian has been hailed by reporter Lewis Steele as being Liverpool’s “player of the season” so far. Admittedly, the bar isn’t high, but Szoboszlai ranks highly across the whole of Europe in regard to individual efforts, having matured into a leader as well as a tireless source of energy and a technically proficient technician.
To say that he’s come on leaps and bounds would be quite the understatement, and this with Liverpool struggling to muster any kind of form.
Klopp oversaw the £60m signing of RB Leipzig’s talented playmaker in 2023, beating Newcastle to his signature. Szoboszlai has ebbed and flowed in a Liverpool shirt, criticised at times for his lack of end product. At the end of Klopp’s reign, Szoboszlai fell out to the fringes, starting only one of the final six Premier League fixtures of the term, and was hooked at half-time during a miserable home defeat to Crystal Palace before that.
Dominik Szoboszlai under Arne Slot (Prem)
Stats (* per game)
24/25
25/26
Matches (starts)
36 (29)
11 (11)
Goals
6
1
Assists
6
1
Touches*
46.1
82.6
Accurate passes*
29.6 (86%)
52.1 (87%)
Key passes*
1.6
1.5
Dribble (success)*
0.6 (55%)
0.8 (60%)
Recoveries*
3.7
6.1
Tackles + interceptions*
1.4
2.7
Clearances*
0.4
2.5
Duels (won)*
2.8 (43%)
4.2 (51%)
Data via Sofascore
Since Slot has taken to the dugout, Szoboszlai’s role has changed some, and that has become crystal clear this season, for he has never been more involved, never more entrusted with a starring role in the side, hailed as a “proper leader” and Liverpool’s star man by content creator Jonathan Morley.
Szoboszlai is a player whose skill and tenacity out of possession, his intelligence and vision and ability to do the right thing at the right time, make him a unique and priceless part of a system. Wijnaldum-esque, perhaps.
Gini was, after all, lauded as being “irreplaceable” for Liverpool by correspondent Richard Jolly. He wasn’t a vocal leader on the field, but the former Netherlands international provided a calming presence, redefined once he settled in on Merseyside and then became a central part of one of the glittering outfits of their age.
Jurgen Klopp and Gini Wijnaldum
Liverpool may not be at the races this season, but there’s a long road still ahead, and with Szoboszlai shaping into an all-action midfielder of the highest class, Slot’s own version of Wijnaldum, there will be hope that the rest of these talented players can recover their levels and match Szoboszlai’s commitment and desire.
His free-kick against Arsenal, sealing victory against Mikel Arteta’s title challengers toward the start of the season, his Man of the Match performances on a number of occasions already, Szoboszlai is the real deal, alright, and when Liverpool do return to form, he might just reach even loftier levels under Slot’s wing.
Szoboszlai has been Liverpool’s standout player this season, and though this has been tempered by the otherwise miserable performances, solace can be found in the knowledge that Slot has unearthed the club’s latest superstar.
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Five days have now passed since 20-year-old Kavan Markwood fell 20 feet onto the field at PNC Park—and it appears his condition continues to improve.
According to a Monday report from AP—which cited Jennifer Phillips, the organizer of a GoFundMe for his recovery—Markwood took his first steps since the injury on Monday.
"Kav took his first steps today! It’s a slow slow process, but seeing him up and moving was a huge win and definitely lifted everyone’s spirits," Phillips wrote. "He still has a long way to go—he’s dealing with a broken neck, clavicle, and back so there are plenty of obstacles ahead."
A GoFundMe benefitting Markwood has raised over $41,000 toward a $45,000 goal.
Markwood, who played college football in the past for Division II Wheeling Jesuit in West Virginia, fell into the outfield during the seventh inning of the Pittsburgh Pirates' 4–3 win over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday. He was transported to Pittsburgh's Allegheny General Hospital and has been treated there in the days since.
The Seattle Mariners lost to the San Francisco Giants on Sunday, but it wasn't due to a lack of effort from outfielder Victor Robles.
In the bottom of the ninth inning the Mariners and Giants were tied, 4-4. With one out and a man on first, Patrick Bailey hit a long, high fly ball to right field that slowly drifted into foul territory as it soared through the air. Underneath it, Robles broke into a dead sprint in a desperate effort to make the catch—and boy, did he ever.
Robles managed to catch the ball, but slammed into the low wall in right field of Oracle Park. He flew over the railing and bent as he hit the net.
Remarkably Robles maintained control of the ball throughout, but was clearly shaken up afterwards. It's a strong catch of the year candidate, even if Robles is definitely going to feel it in the morning.
A truly ludicrous effort. Unfortunately it sort of backfired for the Mariners. Robles being in pain after making the grab allowed Luis Matos to tag up from first base to reach second; he would score on a single in the next at-bat.
Is this to be the end of the second, much shorter Martin O’Neill-era at Celtic?
The interim manager has himself confirmed that Sunday’s clash with Hibernian at Easter Road is likely to be the final match of his return, ahead of Wilfried Nancy’s arrival in Glasgow, having done pretty well, winning five of six fixtures.
On Thursday, O’Neill guided the Hoops to their first European away win in four years, beating Feyenoord 3-1 at De Kuip in the Europa League.
Fair to say, Yang Hyun-jun was a surprise starter in Rotterdam, but he scored the all-important equaliser, firing into a tiny gap between goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther and the post, having been spectacularly set up by Reo Hatate.
Despite this contribution, should Yang be back on the bench in Edinburgh on Sunday, with O’Neill instead starting an attacker reminiscent of one forgotten star.
Latest on Jota's Celtic return
Given everything that has happened since, Brendan Rodgers’ shock resignation, protests against the board, defeat in a Scottish Cup Final on penalties, Champions League elimination and so much more, the excitement that surrounded Jota’s return has been completely forgotten.
During his first stint at the club, the Portuguese winger scored 28 goals in 83 appearances, becoming an undisputed fans’ favourite, before being sold to Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad for £25m, which remains the club’s joint-record outgoing transfer.
After enduring a miserable time in the Middle East, followed by a brief stint at Stade Rennais in Ligue 1, Jota returned home in January, marking his second Celtic debut with this goal against Motherwell at Fir Park.
He would also net against Dundee United, Aberdeen, Hearts and then St Johnstone in the Scottish Cup semi-finals at Hampden on Easter Sunday so, despite clearly lacking some match sharpness, it was just like having the old Jota back, as if he’d never been away.
However, at Tannadice in April, on a day of celebration as the Celts mathematically secured the Premiership title, Jota ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament, so has been on the sidelines since.
Then-manager Rodgers said at the time he expected the winger to be sidelined for six to nine months, and it’s been seven, or 217 days to be exact, so Celtic supporters should be optimistic of seeing their star attacker soon, possibly in time for the visit of Rangers on 3 January.
For now, which player who possesses a similar “x factor” to Jota should O’Neill start in Leith come Sunday lunchtime?
Celtic star Martin O'Neill must start against Hibs
While many of Celtic’s summer signings have underwhelmed or made little impact to date, looking at you Michel-Ange Balikwisha, Shin Yamada and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, the same cannot be said of Sebastian Tounekti.
After a drawn-out negotiation process with Hammarby, Celtic would not do things any other way, the Tunisian international arrived on deadline day for a reported fee of £5.2m, which could turn out to be an excellent piece of business.
The 23-year-old has only scored twice in hoops to date, netting against Partick Thistle at Firhill and Falkirk at home, but has looked generally excellent, with his talent clear to see.
Following his first appearance against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park, then-manager Rodgers heralded his “brilliant debut”, adding “he’s fast, he’s dynamic, and can beat a player… he’s a real Celtic winger.”
Meantime, Anders Lindberg of Fotboll Sthlm stated “he has a little bit of the X Factor”, impressed by the attacker’s “showmanship”.
Well, these all sound like qualities one could use to describe Jota, so let’s assess how the duo compare to one another.
Jota 24/25 vs Tounekti 25/26 stats
Stats
Jota
Tounekti
Minutes
571
567
Goals
4
1
Assists
2
Zero
Shots
14
11
Shots on target
9
3
Big chances missed
1
1
Chances created
12
16
Big chances created
3
Zero
Passes complete
198
243
Forward passes
46
55
Completed take-ons
10
15
Take-on success %
36%
35%
Touches per 90
61.7
67.7
Average rating
7.17
6.89
Note: All stats are Premiership only.
Stats via Squawka and SofaScore
As the table documents, in a near-identical number of minutes, Tounekti’s Premiership statistics this season, when compared to those of Jota earlier in the year, are remarkably similar.
The Portuguese player has been more productive in the final third, scoring more goals, registering more assists and mustering more shots.
However, the Tunisian had created more chances, completed more passes and a greater number of take-ons, with the duo’s dribbling numbers uncannily alike.
Once Jota is back fit, it’ll be frightening for opponents to see these two lining up together.
In the meantime, Tounekti is clearly Celtic’s most dangerous available winger, having proved this far more consistently than Yang, so as O’Neill seeks to sign off with a victory over Hibs, it should be a no-brainer who he starts at Easter Road.
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Aston Villa are now plotting a £18m bid for a “tremendous” defender, who is also being targeted by Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, with Emiliano Martinez a big fan.
Villa keen on strengthening despite resurgent form
Villa have made major improvements over the past month or so, having won six of their last seven matches in the Premier League, which has propelled them to fourth in the table, and Unai Emery has been impressed by his side’s recent performances.
After the 2-1 victory away at Leeds United last time out, the manager said: “The second half (was) better, but overall, 90 minutes, I am so happy how we competed. Even the first half, we didn’t play brilliant, but we were always trying to set our gameplan on the field, and progressively we did it.”
The Villans went 1-0 down at Elland Road, with Martinez receiving criticism for his goalkeeping in the build-up to Lukas Nmecha’s opening goal.
However, a second-half Morgan Rogers brace turned the game on its head, with the goalkeeper’s blushes being spared, and Aston Villa have now joined the race for one of the Argentinian’s international teammates.
That is according to a report from Spain, which states Villa are now plotting a €20m (£18m) opening offer for River Plate defender Lautaro Rivero, having tracked the centre-back for months, and Martinez has provided positive feedback on his compatriot.
The Villans believe the 33-year-old’s personal relationship with the River Plate star could give them the edge in the race for his signature, despite rival interest from Man City and Tottenham.
Although the Argentinian has a €100m (£88m) release clause in his contract, River Plate would be willing to sanction a departure for considerably less, and there is a belief he could make an instant impact at Villa Park.
"Tremendous" Rivero has earned big Premier League move
Hailed as “tremendous” by journalist Juan Patricio Balbi, the 22-year-old may now be ready to test himself in England, having performed very well over the past year, placing in the 93rd percentile for tackles per 90, compared to other centre-backs, courtesy of averaging 2.27.
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ByDominic Lund Nov 19, 2025
Villa are arguably well-stocked at centre-back, with Pau Torres and Ezri Konsa forming a reliable partnership as of late, but Tyrone Mings has been unable to put his injury problems behind him, and is potentially in the latter stages of his career at 32-years-old.
Tyrone Mings’ injury record
Games missed
12/08/23 – 30/10/24
70
Remainder of 2024/25
7
2025-26
17
As such, Emery could do with bringing in a younger centre-back, and having recently received his first cap for Argentina, Rivero could be capable of pushing for a starting spot.