football
Four Nations Football Tournament 2021: Bangladesh to Face Seychelles in their opening match
The Sri Lanka Football Federation is hosting a four nations football tournament 2021, which will begin on November 8 (Monday). The national men's football team of Bangladesh will feature in the competition. The 23-member Bangladeshi team has already arrived in Sri Lanka to compete in the tournament. This will be Portuguese coach Mario Lemos' first assignment as head coach. All eyes will be on him during the competition to see how his team performs. Let's take a look at the teams that will participate and the tournament schedule.
Who will compete in the 2021 Four Nations Football Competition?
Bangladesh, Seychelles, Maldives, and host Sri Lanka are the four teams competing in the championship. According to the most recent FIFA rankings, Maldives have the highest (156) FIFA ranking among the teams. Bangladesh are ranked 187th, followed by Seychelles (199) and Sri Lanka (204).
Also read: Bangladesh Football team leaves Dhaka for Sri Lanka
The Maldives performed well in the 2021 SAFF Championship. They came in the third position in the group, narrowly missing out on qualifying for the finals. Sri Lanka's greatest performance in the tournament came in a 0-0 draw against India. The Sri Lankan national team finished last in the standings. Bangladesh began their SAFF Championship campaign with a victory, but their momentum halted in the last two games. On the other hand, Seychelles is a member of the African Football Confederation (CAF).
The Bangladesh Football Federation has chosen Mario Lemos as head coach following their failure in the South Football Championship. He is the current head coach of Abahani Ltd and is familiar with the Bangladesh players. BFF is hopeful that Mario's appointment will help Bangladesh win a multi-national contest and improve their current rankings.
Read Sepp Blatter, Platini indicted for fraud in Switzerland
Tournament Format and Fixtures
There will be only one group in the four-nation football competition 2021. In other words, each of the four teams will compete against the other. The top two teams in the points standings will advance to the championship match on November 17th (Wednesday). All of the games will be staged at Colombo's Racecourse Ground.
Bangladesh will play Seychelles in their opening match of the competition, which will begin on November 8 at 4.30 p.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time). Bangladesh's prospects in the tournament will be defined by how well they do in the first match.
Read Atalanta vs. Man Utd: Magnificent Cristiano Ronaldo saves Manchester United once again
Complete tournament schedule
Complete tournament schedule
Date
Matches
Time (Bangladesh Standard Time)
08/11/2021
Bangladesh vs. Seychelles
4.30 pm
08/11/2021
Sri Lanka vs. Maldives
9.30 pm
11/11/2021
Bangladesh vs. Maldives
4.30 pm
11/11/2021
Sri Lanka vs. Seychelles
9.30 pm
14/11/2021
Sri Lanka vs. Bangladesh
4.30 pm
14/11/2021
Seychelles vs. Maldives
9.30 pm
17/11/2021
Final
7.30 pm
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2021_Four_Nations_Football_Tournament_(Sri_Lanka)
Read Bangladesh Football team leaves Dhaka for Sri Lanka
Bangladesh Squad
Ashraful Islam Rana (GK), Anisur Rahman Zico (GK), Shahidul Alam Sohel (GK), Yeasin Arafat (DF), Rahmat Mia (DF), Topu Barman (DF), Rezaul Karim (DF), Riyadul Hasan Rafi (DF), Tutul Hossain Badsha (DF), Yeasin Khan (DF), Sushanto Tripura (DF), Jamal Bhuyan (MF, Captain), Atiqur Rahman Fahad (MF), Mohammad Ridoy (MF), Rakib Hossain (MF), Obidur Rahman Nawbab (MF), Sumon Reza (FW), Mahbubur Rahman Sufil (FW), Jewel Rana (FW), Mohammad Ibrahim (FW), Saad Uddin (FW), Mehedi Hasan Royal (FW), Foysal Ahmed Fahim (FW)
Bottom Line
Bangladesh does have a good chance of winning the tournament since they are the tournament's second-best team as per FIFA rankings. The majority of the players competed in the just-finished SAFF Football Championship 2021 and have excellent chemistry between them. Mario Lemos has to unite his group in order to achieve the best performance on the field.
Bangladesh's strongest opponent in this competition will be the Maldives, who have the highest ranking and are stronger than the other teams. However, Bangladesh have a realistic chance to win the four nations football competition 2021 if they can show consistency from the start.
Read Man Utd vs. Man City: Match Preview, Team News, Lineups
Man Utd vs. Man City: Match Preview, Team News, Lineups
Manchester United will face arch-rival Manchester City in a crucial Premier League encounter on Saturday (November 6) at 6.30 p.m. (Bangladesh Standard Time). This derby match is generating a lot of excitement, as both teams are determined to prove who the best in Manchester is.
United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjær is under pressure to deliver well in big matches, while Pep Guardiola's side will be looking to close the gap on league leader Chelsea. Let's take a look at the match preview of Man Utd vs. Man City.
Probable Team Lineups: Man Utd vs. Man City
Manchester United have a number of injury concerns, notably on the backline that must be addressed. Otherwise, City's superb offensive line will frighten their defense.
Read: Bangladesh Football team leaves Dhaka for Sri Lanka
Victor Lindelof and Raphael Varane will miss the match due to injuries, while Paul Pogba is suspended. Aside from that, all Man United players are available for selection.
Probable Starting XI (Manchester United):
David de Gea (GK); Eric Bailly, Harry Maguire, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Luke Shaw; Scott McTominay, Donny van de Beek, Bruno Fernandes; Marcus Rashford, Edinson Cavani, Cristiano Ronaldo
Like the other side of Manchester, Pep Guardiola's team has a problem in defense. The team's first-choice right-back Kyle Walker is doubtful due to injury. Therefore, they must rearrange their ideal formation.
On the other hand, Manchester City have enough talent in the team to replace him. The central defender Aymeric Laporte is suspended and will miss this match, while Ferran Torres is still recovering from an injury.
Read: Neymar Jr. Philanthropy: Famous Brazilian Footballer's Inspiring Charitable Work
Probable Starting XI (Manchester City):
Ederson Moraes (GK); Rúben Dias, John Stones, João Cancelo, Oleksandr Zinchenko; Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne, İlkay Gündoğan; Jack Grealish, Phil Foden, Gabriel Jesus
Head-to-Head: Manchester United vs. Manchester City
Both teams have faced each other 48 times in the Premier League, with Manchester United dominating the rivalry 24 to 15. United have scored 70 goals against the Citizens in the Premier League, while City have scored 61 goals against them. Man United have 18 clean sheets compared to Man City's ten clean sheets. Manchester City have won seven away (at Old Trafford) league matches (joint-most with Liverpool) against Manchester United.
Both clubs have played each other in a total of 185 matches across all competitions. Manchester United have the most victories with 77. Manchester City have won 55 games, with the remaining 53 games ending in a draw. Wayne Rooney (11 goals), Jose Hayes (10 goals), Francis Lee (10 goals), Sergio Aguero (9), and Bobby Charlton (9) are the top five goal scorers in Manchester derby.
Match Prediction: Man Utd vs. Man City
Manchester City will be favorites in this fixture despite not having won a Premier League match against Manchester United since April 2019. The Red Devils have a chance in this match if they play to their full potential.
Read: Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo: Who made the strongest start with the new clubs?
Pep Guardiola has plenty of offensive options at his disposal. He can choose to go all-in against the home team. The best formation for Man City would be a 4-3-3 with Gabriel Jesus as the lone striker.
On the other hand, Manchester United will be satisfied with a draw. An open play could be expected if Man City scored early in the game. They can use a 4-4-2 system or adapt to a 3-4-1-2 formation to strengthen the defense and midfield. United's key objective would be to contain the City's attacks and fight for at least a single point until the final whistle.
Prediction: Manchester City 2-0 Manchester United
Verdict
Based on the recent form and squad strength, Manchester City are the favourites in the Man Utd vs. Man City fixture. Manchester United haven't been consistent this season albeit winning some close moments thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo's individual brilliance. Particularly, they have struggled against tougher opponents, indicating that this squad isn't strong enough to defeat big teams.
Read: Ballon d'Or 2021: Meet the Nominees
On the other side, the reigning Premier League champion Manchester City are one of the favourites in this season. The Citizens will surely put up a good fight against the Red Devils. Overall, this Manchester derby promises to be a thrilling match.
Bangladesh Football team leaves Dhaka for Sri Lanka
Bangladesh national football team will leave Dhaka for Sri Lanka on Friday morning to participate in the Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksha Trophy Four Nations International Tournament scheduled for November 8-17 .
During the national team’s practice session on Wednesday at Fortis Academy ground in Badda, Bangladesh captain and players assured BFF President Kazi Salauddin of their determination to win the trophy.
Bangladesh team will play the opening match against Seychelles on November 8, the Maldives on November 11 and hosts Sri Lanka on November 14.
Top two teams of the four-nation meet, will play in the final on November 17.
A total 16 players and team officials will fly for the Island nation Friday morning from Dhaka while remaining seven booters of the squad with five officials, were in Uzbekistan for playing the AFC U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers, already reached Sri Lanka Thursday afternoon.
Bangladesh squad: Anisur Rahman Zico, Ashraful Islam Rana, Shahidul Alam Sohel, Tapu Barman, Yeasin Arafat, Rezaul Karim, Riadul Hasan Rafi, Rahmat Ali, Tutul Hossain Badsha, Susanto Tripura, Yeasin Khan, Atiqur Rahman Fahad, Mohammad Ibrahim, Obaidur Rahman Nawab, Saaduddin, Jewel Rana, Jamal Bhuiyan, Rakib Hossain, Mehdi Hasan Royal, Sumon Reza, Mohammad Hridoy, Mahbubur Rahman Sufil and Foysal Ahmed Fahim.
Atalanta vs. Man Utd: Magnificent Cristiano Ronaldo saves Manchester United once again
Manchester United held Atalanta to a 2-2 draw thanks to an injury-time strike from Cristiano Ronaldo. The Red Devils had a little advantage in ball possession, but La Dea created more chances during the match. Manchester United lead the Group F points standings after four matches, followed by Villarreal, who defeated Young Boys 2-0 on the same evening. Atalanta and Young Boys are now third and fourth in this group, respectively. The match report of Atalanta vs. Manchester United is discussed in this article.
Match Report: Atalanta vs. Man Utd
Cristiano Ronaldo has proven to be a savior for Manchester United since making his second start at Old Trafford. He scored twice in the encounter against Atalanta, including a stoppage-time goal to snatch a point away from home. This point did not guarantee a spot in the Round of 16 of the Champions League 2021/2022 season. However, Manchester United remained top of Group F with 7 points as a result of the outcome.
Atalanta pressed hard in the first 30 minutes and equalized in the 12th minute of the game. Atalanta's Duvan Zapata was outstanding on the night. He was a constant danger to Man United's defense. Zapata set up a nice assist for Josip Ilicic, who smashed the ball into the net to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
Read Sepp Blatter, Platini indicted for fraud in Switzerland
Manchester United coach Ole had to adjust his formation because of an injury to defender Raphael Varane. The visitors made a valiant effort to equalize, and courtesy to some excellent teamwork in the injury time before halftime, they were able to do it. Ronaldo hammered the ball into the right corner after receiving a through pass from compatriot Bruno Fernandes.
It didn't take long for Atalanta to regain the advantage. Atalanta seized a 2-1 lead in the match with a goal by Duvan Zapata in the 11th minute of the second half. He raced down the left-wing, breaking past Harry Maguire, and placing the ball into the right corner of the net.
The Manchester United players tried to throw away the lead after that, but they were unable to create a consistent effort in the opposition quarter. Conversely, Atalanta executed a number of counter-attacks and they had better chances than Man United.
Read AFC U-23 Asian Cup: Bangladesh concede 0-3 goal defeat against Saudi Arabia
Then, in the 91st minute, Cristiano Ronaldo slammed a thunderous low volley into the bottom left corner of the net, beating the goalkeeper to tie it up at 2-2. Manchester United did not leave the field empty-handed thanks to Ronaldo's strike.
Match Statistics: Manchester United vs. Atalanta
Manchester United had 53 percent ball possession, while Atalanta had 47 percent, according to the match statistics. The visiting team made 566 passes, while the home team made 504 passes.
Manchester United had a passing accuracy of 82 percent, while Atalanta had an accuracy of 83 percent. Man Utd attempted 13 shots and had four of them hit the target. On the other hand, Atalanta made 10 efforts and had four shots on target.
Read UEFA Champions League 2021/2022: GroupWise Favorites to qualify for Round 16
Atalanta were penalized for 11 fouls but received no cards. On the other hand, Manchester United committed 14 fouls and received one yellow card.
Aftermath
Manchester United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjær was under fire coming into this match after a devastating 5-0 loss to Liverpool just a few days ago. Though his team made an unbelievable comeback earlier this week, winning 3-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against Spurs.
However, Man United showed once again on Wednesday (November 2) against Atalanta that they are not a strong enough team to win big games. Instead, they rely heavily on their star player Cristiano Ronaldo, who saved the Red Devils for the third time in the Champions League this season.
Read Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo: Who made the strongest start with the new clubs?
Manchester United's next encounter is on November 23 against Villarreal, while Atalanta will face Young Boys on November 24. The outcome of these two games might determine the group's fate.
Sepp Blatter, Platini indicted for fraud in Switzerland
Former FIFA officials Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini were charged with fraud and other offenses by Swiss prosecutors on Tuesday after a six-year investigation into a controversial $2 million payment.
The 85-year-old Blatter and 66-year-old Platini now face a trial at federal criminal court in Bellinzona. They could be jailed for several years if found guilty, though Swiss cases often take years to reach a conclusion.
"This payment damaged FIFA's assets and unlawfully enriched Platini," Swiss federal prosecutors said in a statement.
The case was opened in September 2015 and ousted Blatter ahead of schedule as FIFA president. It also ended Platini's campaign to succeed his former mentor.
It centers on Platini's written request to FIFA in January 2011 to be paid backdated additional salary for working as a presidential adviser in Blatter's first term, from 1998-2002.
Blatter told FIFA to make the payment within weeks. He was preparing to campaign for re-election in a contest against Mohamed bin Hammam of Qatar, where Platini's influence with European voters was seen as a key factor.
"The evidence gathered by the (attorney general's office) has corroborated that this payment to Platini was made without a legal basis," prosecutors said.
Both Blatter and Platini have long denied wrongdoing and cited a verbal agreement they had made, now more than 20 years ago, for the money to be paid.
Blatter has been charged with fraud, mismanagement, misappropriation of FIFA funds and forgery of a document. Platini has been charged with fraud, misappropriation, forgery and as an accomplice to Blatter's alleged mismanagement.
Fraud and forgery charges can be punished with jail sentences of up to five years.
"I view the proceedings at the federal criminal court with optimism — and hope that, with this, this story will come to an end and all the facts will be worked through cleanly," Blatter said in a statement.
Platini, was not placed under formal investigation until last year, and months later the more serious allegation of fraud was included against both men.
The three-time Ballon d'Or winner, who was captain of his national team when France won the European Championship in 1984, said Tuesday he was "perfectly confident and calm" about the outcome.
"I fully contest these unfounded and unfair accusations," Platini said in a statement.
Platini has long said, and Blatter repeated Tuesday, that he declared the payment and paid taxes on it in Switzerland.
Prosecutors had opened criminal proceedings against Blatter ahead of a police raid at FIFA headquarters in Zurich on the day he and Platini attended a meeting of the soccer body's executive committee.
That came four months after a sweeping U.S. Department of Justice corruption investigation into world soccer was revealed with early-morning arrests of officials from the Americas at luxury hotels in Zurich in May 2015.
In the fallout of those hotel raids, and only days after being elected FIFA president for a fifth time, Blatter announced his plan to resign and call another vote to find a successor.
Platini had long been the expected FIFA heir but his campaign was derailed by the police visit to FIFA's offices even though he was not yet a suspect.
The FIFA ethics committee soon suspended both men for several weeks before banning each for six years.
Platini's ban was later reduced to four years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on appeal, and he was cleared to return to soccer duty in October 2019. He had been linked to seeking a seat on the executive board of FIFPRO, the global group of soccer player unions.
Blatter has been in poor health and a final round of questioning by Swiss investigators was delayed until August.
After undergoing heart surgery last December, Blatter spent a week in an induced coma.
Blatter also faces a separate criminal proceeding related to authorizing a $1 million FIFA payment to Trinidad and Tobago in 2010 into the control of then-FIFA vice president Jack Warner. Two former FIFA officials are also suspects in that investigation.
The Swiss investigations of Blatter, and later Platini, were refocused after prosecutor Thomas Hildbrand joined the case following turmoil in the attorney general's office. The former lead prosecutor, Olivier Thormann, left the federal office in late-2018 after being cleared of a complaint of misconduct in the investigation.
Hildbrand, who is from the same hometown as Blatter, was then brought on to the investigation team with the reputation of having led a previous high-profile case tied to FIFA: the 2001 financial collapse of World Cup marketing agency ISL. Blatter's lawyers failed in court to have Hildbrand removed from the current case.
The attorney general who was overseeing FIFA investigations in Switzerland, Michael Lauber, resigned last year because of misconduct. He was found to have misled an internal investigation into his undeclared meetings with current FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
Infantino was elected to lead FIFA in 2016 after stepping in to be UEFA's emergency election candidate when Platini was suspended and then banned.
AFC U-23 Asian Cup: Bangladesh concede 0-3 goal defeat against Saudi Arabia
Bangladesh U-23 Football team completed their Group D engagement of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup’ 2022 Qualifiers with a frustrating note losing all the three matches to back home empty handed.
In a do or die last match to decide group runners-up, Bangladesh suffered 0-3 goal defeat against Saudi Arabia at the JAR Stadium in Tashkent on Tuesday.
Read: AFC U-23 Asian Cup: Bangladesh to face Saudi Arabia on Tuesday
Captain cum defender Soud Abdullah put Saudi Arabia ahead in the 16th minute (1-0) while medio Ziyad Mubarak doubled the margin in the following minute to lead the first half by 2-0 goal.
Another midfielder Aiman Yahya sealed the fate of the match scoring the 3rd goal in the 70th minute for Saudi Arabia (3-0).
In the day’s battle of two winless teams, Saudi Arabia outplayed Bangladesh to keep their hope alive for the 16-team final round as one of the four best runners up team.
Eleven group champions, four best group runners-up and hosts Uzbekistan will play in the 16-team final round.
Earlier, Kuwait smartly clinched the Group D title to qualify for the final round beating Bangladesh by 1-0 goal and Saudi Arabia by 2-1 goal.
Read:AFC U-23 Asian Cup: Bangladesh suffer 0-6 defeat against Uzbekistan
In the last Saturday, Bangladesh suffered a humiliating 0-6 gaal defeat against hosts Uzbekistan in a Group D international friendly match, results of which not made any impact in the Group D standings as the hosts Uzbekistan have already qualified for the final round as the hosts.
Uzbekistan played to a 2-2 draw with Saudi Arabia in another international friendly match in Tashkent last week.
UEFA Champions League 2021/2022: GroupWise Favorites to qualify for Round 16
The UEFA Champions League 2021/2022 group stage will end in the first week of December. This phase features eight groups and 32 teams. Each group's top two teams will progress to the Round of 16. The first round of the knockout stage will take place in the coming February. Which teams in the group stage have the highest chance of making it to Round 16 in this season's Champions League is discussed in this article. Let's take a look at the latest group phase scenario.
Favorites to advance to the UEFA Champions League 2021-2022 Round of 16
Each team has played three matches so far in the group stage. Let us analyze each group's situation.
Group A
Paris Saint-Germain have earned seven points in three games and they are currently in first place in Group A. They will almost certainly qualify for the Round of 16 if they win their next match on November 3 against RB Leipzig. Manchester City and Club Brugge are battling it out in Group A for second place. They will face off in their next match, with the winner likely finishing in the top two in the points standings.
Verdict: PSG and Manchester City
Read Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo: Who made the strongest start with the new clubs?
Group B
If group B leader Liverpool win at home against Atletico Madrid on November 3, they will qualify for the Round of 16 in this year’s Champions League. If Liverpool advance, the battle for second place will be between Atletico Madrid and Porto. Both teams have four points in the standings.
Verdict: Liverpool and Atletico Madrid
Group C
Dutch team Ajax currently lead Group C with 9 points and they are only one win away from securing a place in the Round of 16. Borussia Dortmund of Germany and Sporting CP of Portugal are both vying for second place. The fate of this group might very well be decided on the last day of group stage fixtures.
Verdict: Ajax and Borussia Dortmund
Read AFC U-23 Asian Cup: Bangladesh suffer 0-6 defeat against Uzbekistan
Group D
Sheriff Tiraspol of Moldova upset Real Madrid with a 2-1 victory at the Santiago Bernabéu. They presently have a 6-point in Group D's point standings. However, the fate of this group will be decided on the final day of the group stage round as Inter Milan, Real Madrid, and Sheriff Tiraspol are all in the Round of 16 race.
Verdict: Real Madrid and inter Milan
Group E
Bayern Munich remained unbeaten in Group E at the end of matchday 3. If Bayern beat Benfica on Tuesday, they will advance to the Round of 16. Then FC Barcelona and Benfica will fight for a second-place finish in this group. It will most likely be determined who finish second in the points standings when both clubs play at the Camp Nou on November 23rd.
Verdict: Bayern Munich and FC Barcelona
Read Who can replace coach Ronald Koeman at FC Barcelona?
Group F
Manchester United are in first place with six points after three games. Their spot in the Round of 16 is far from certain. Man Utd must fight hard till the end against Villarreal and Atalanta in order to finish top two in the points standings. It will undoubtedly be a fascinating race between them.
Verdict: Manchester United and Villarreal
Group G
Red Bull Salzburg have shocked everyone by grasping the lead in Group G's point standings. They have 7 points after three games. If Salzburg defeat Wolfsburg on November 2, they will qualify for the Round of 16 in this year's Champions League. Therefore, Sevilla, Lille, and Wolfsburg will battle it out for a spot in the first knockout round till the end.
Verdict: Red Bull Salzburg and Sevilla
Read Man United humiliated: Salah hat trick in 5-0 Liverpool rout
Group H
The fight for a spot in the Round of 16 is heating up in Group H. Juventus are presently in first place with 9 points, followed by Chelsea (6 points), and Zenit Saint Petersburg (3 points). If Juventus defeat Zenit on November 2 at home, they will advance to the next round.
Verdict: Juventus and Chelsea
Bottom Line
When looking at the current situation of each group, it is evident that PSG, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, and Juventus are in better positions. If they win their next group stage matches, they will all qualify for the Round of 16 in the UEFA Champions League 2021/2022 season.
The final games in the group stage generally have a lot of twists and turns. There is a strong possibility of several exciting contests in this season's final few fixtures. However, the team with the best overall performance will advance to the first knockout round of Europe's most popular club-level competition.
Read Madrid wins 2-1 at Barcelona in first post-Messi ‘clásico’
Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo: Who made the strongest start with the new clubs?
Following the news that Lionel Messi would be leaving Barcelona after 21 years, all of Europe's big teams contacted his representative to make inquiries about signing him. He ended up signing a three-year contract with PSG. On the other side, Cristiano Ronaldo wanted to leave Juventus for a new challenge after Messi's surprising move to Paris Saint-Germain. He was finally signed by Manchester United in the summer 2021 transfer deadline. Let's take a look at how Messi and Ronaldo have performed so far this season for their respective clubs.
Lionel Messi's Season up to this point for PSG
Lionel Messi picked no. 30 as his PSG jersey number, the same number he wore for FC Barcelona when he made his senior debut in 2004. Messi made his PSG debut on August 29 against Reims in Ligue 1 after an almost three-week wait. He was brought on as a substitute in the second half. Leo made his home debut against Olympic Lyon On September 19, and on September 15, he made his UEFA Champions League debut against Club Brugge.
Read AFC U-23 Asian Cup: Bangladesh suffer 0-6 defeat against Uzbekistan
Messi had to wait a month for PSG to score his first goal. He scored his debut goal against Manchester City at Parc des Princes on September 28. Messi made his customary run into the opposition half, played a one-two with Kylian Mbappe, and then blasted a superb finish to the top left corner. Lionel Messi has appeared in eight matches and scored three goals as of October 31. Mauricio Pochettino is trying to adjust his formation to get the best out of Messi, who has yet to show his true potential with Paris Saint-Germain.
Cristiano Ronaldo's performance in Manchester United
Cristiano Ronaldo has been given the iconic number 7 shirt to wear in his second stint at Manchester United. Ronaldo played his first game of the season against Newcastle United on September 11. He scored a brace in his debut match. Cristiano scored a late winner in a vital UEFA Champions League group stage match against Villarreal on September 29. Manchester United won the contest by 2-1. He also came out as a rescue for the Red Devils in their most recent Champions League match against Atalanta. His 83rd-minute header secured a dramatic 3-2 win over Atalanta.
Read Who can replace coach Ronald Koeman at FC Barcelona?
Cristiano Ronaldo has now more focus on scoring goals, that’s why he has become a penalty box forward over the last three seasons. Overall, he has scored 7 goals in 10 appearances for Manchester United thus far. Ronaldo is manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's main striker, and so far he has done a good job as no.9.
Way Forward
The football world was shocked when Lionel Messi signed a contract with PSG in the last summer transfer window. However, his performance for Paris Saint-Germain hasn't been up to the mark so far. The diminutive Argentine has struggled to adjust to the new system, and experts think he will require more time to bond with his new teammates.
Read Man United humiliated: Salah hat trick in 5-0 Liverpool rout
On the other hand, the Portuguese superstar Ronaldo has enjoyed a good start with Manchester United. He has already had an impact on the team. The charismatic forward has aided Manchester United in securing a number of dramatic victories. In that perspective, Cristiano Ronaldo has gotten off to a better start with his new club than Lionel Messi.
AFC U-23 Asian Cup: Bangladesh suffer 0-6 defeat against Uzbekistan
Bangladesh suffered a humiliating 0-6 goal defeat against hosts Uzbekistan in a Group D match of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup’2022 Qualifiers held at Pakhtakor Stadium in Tashkent on Saturday.
But the results of the match will not make any impact in the Group D standings as the match was earlier given International Friendly status due to pre qualifications of the hosts Uzbekistan in the final round of the meet.
In the day’s match, captain Khoshimov Ulugbek struck twice in the 12th and 16th minutes while Begimov Eldorbek, Toshtemirov Asliddin, Abbosbek Fayzullaev and Odilov Alisher netted one goal each in the 15th, 26th, 63rd and 87th minutes respectively for the home team.
The FIFA Ranking of Uzbekistan is 103 while Bangladesh’s ranking is 187.
In the day’s other, Kuwait U-23 team beat their Saudi Arabian counterpart at the same venue.
Bangladesh, which conceded 0-1 goal defeat against upper ranked Kuwait in the last match, will face another giant Saudi Arabia on November 2 to decide the fate of the Group D.
Who can replace coach Ronald Koeman at FC Barcelona?
Ronald Koeman came under pressure after losing the El Classico earlier this week. There was a buzz in Spain that the coach will be replaced if he fails to produce against Rayo Vallecano. The rumor came true after failing to win a rather easy La Liga fixture on Wednesday (October 27). Following the defeat, the club stated in an official statement that first-team coach Ronald Koeman has been fired after 14 months in command. Let's take a look at the top candidates for Ronald Koeman's replacement at FC Barcelona.
Ronald Koeman's Potential Successors at FC Barcelona
Barcelona's newly elected president Joan Laporta extended Koeman's contract for another season earlier this summer despite his unimpressive style of play. However, he fell short in terms of decision-making. Under his leadership, Barcelona has only 15 points from ten La Liga games this season. His team also lost twice in the ongoing UEFA Champions League group stage.
The Barcelona board was increasingly frustrated with Koeman's poor managerial performance, and his termination was on the cards after the defeat against arch-rival Real Madrid. Here are a few prospective Koeman replacements.
Read Man United humiliated: Salah hat trick in 5-0 Liverpool rout
Jordi Cruyff
Jordi Cruyff, the son of former Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff, is one of the leading contenders for the position. He is quite knowledgeable about Blaugrana's style. Because his father was the main architect of Barcelona's famed tiki-taka style of play. Jordi understands exactly what Barcelona expect from him.
Jordi has previously held managerial positions with Maccabi Tel Aviv, Shenzen FC, and the Ecuadorian national team. Currently, he is serving as the sports advisor at Barcelona. It will not be a bad choice if the club names Jr. Cruyff as the next Barcelona first-team coach.
Read Madrid wins 2-1 at Barcelona in first post-Messi ‘clásico’
Antonio Conte
Italian coach Antonio Conte is the most well-known name on the market. He resigned as manager after winning Serie A with Inter Milan last season.
Conte has a particular vision and approach to the game. He has the capability to bring out the best in his players and can help Barcelona to regain its glory. One major issue is, Conte's ideology may not be completely aligned with FC Barcelona's. Barcelona might be considering him as an alternative for Koeman if they are unable to convince their other main targets.
Read European soccer leagues oppose FIFA biennial World Cup plan