Former Paris Saint-Germain star Rafinha has explained why the era of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe in the French capital never worked. The trio played together at PSG for two years from 2021, when Messi joined the club from Barcelona on a free transfer, and lasted until 2023 when both the Argentine and Neymar left for Inter Miami and Al-Hilal respectively.

• Star trio of Messi, Mbappe and Neymar never clicked for PSG

  PSG chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi grabbed the limelight in August 2021 when he did the unthinkable by signing Messi from Barcelona. The Argentine, who spent close to two decades at the Catalan club, finally left  to sign for the Ligue 1 giants. There he linked up with the likes of Mbappe and Neymar to form the most glamorous attacking trio in European football at that time. Al-Khelaifi also brought in Achraf Hakimi and Sergio Ramos to bolster his backline.

  The star-studded side, however, did not click as they won only the Ligue 1 title in their first season and repeated the feat in their second campaign, along with winning the French Super Cup, but they never delivered the Champions League – the trophy the club was desperate to win at the time.

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• AFP
  

  Rafinha explains why famous era never worked

  Speaking on the , ex-PSG and Brazil midfielder said: "During pre-season, in the first training session where everyone was present, I said, 'This can’t possibly work'. Let’s start with the goalkeeper: Keylor Navas or Donnarumma. Whoever doesn’t play will be furious. There will be arguments, discussions with the coach. 

  "In defence: Marquinhos, the starter, no one will replace him, Kimpembe, PSG idol, and Sergio Ramos. The three best full-backs for each. In attack, Di María, Mbappe, Neymar, and Messi. Who do you take off? Di María, for his weight within the team, and even then, he’s not a player you can take off. It can’t work.

  "For a coach, it’s impossible. They were the best team in the world in terms of players, names, but at the same time, difficult to manage. I wasn’t playing, so I was watching."

• Messi was unhappy in Paris

  A source close to L’Equipe recently claimed that Messi was unhappy in the two seasons he spent at PSG and even felt that the club protected French star Mbappe more than any player in the squad. The source was quoted as saying: "He didn’t have one good moment in Paris. He couldn’t go out. He found himself in the middle of the Neymar-Mbappe rivalry. He even felt that the club protected the Frenchman and didn’t even honour his World Cup title. In Barcelona, he was a god. He was used to taking his kids to school, the sun…it was a lot of things combined."

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• AFP
  

  PSG finally went on to win the UCL

  After Neymar and Messi exited the club in the summer of 2023, Mbappe remained there for one more year before walking out as a free agent to complete his dream transfer to Real Madrid. The next season, PSG won the treble. including the elusive Champions League title under the leadership of Luis Enrique. Ousmane Dembele was the star of the team as his performances earned him his first-ever Ballon d'Or.

Many Tottenham Hotspur fans would have expected a victory against Bodo Glimt last night, but it wasn’t to be, as they walked away with a 2-2 draw in Norway.

Such a result could have been a lot worse for Thomas Frank, with the Lilywhites trailing by two goals heading into the final 24 minutes of the European contest.

An own goal and a Micky van de Ven effort saved the side from a shock defeat, with numerous players failing to impress in their second Champions League outing of 2025/26.

Numerous players fell way below the levels expected of the Premier League side, with Richarlison, the club’s centre forward for the clash, only registering a total of 10 touches in 90 minutes.

There’s no denying that one former player would have been perfect for their clash last night, with the Lilywhites massively lacking his presence within the final third.

Why Harry Kane would’ve got Spurs out of trouble on Tuesday

Harry Kane is a player who remains close to the hearts of the Spurs fanbase, given his time in North London, where he netted a total of 280 goals during his decade-long spell at the club.

Such a tally is the highest in the club’s history, but they’ve been without his services over the last couple of years after he joined Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023.

In 2025/26, with the Club World Cup included, the 32-year-old has been nothing short of phenomenal, scoring 20 times and registering four assists – subsequently having the creative nous to produce the goods at key moments.

He’s registered 12 goal contributions in his last five matches across all competitions, further highlighting his ability to cause carnage within the attacking department.

To highlight his creative ability, he’s registered three more combined goals and assists than the Lilywhites first-team have managed in the same time period – with Frank certainly wishing he was able to call upon the Englishman.

However, a reunion could prove to be on the cards in the near future, with rumours linking the talisman with a sensational return to his boyhood club in the not-too-distant future.

Despite his impressive form away from the club, the Dane does have the ability to rely upon one player who showcased his talents massively against Bodo Glimt last night.

The Spurs player who’s emulating Kane under Frank

There’s no denying that the showing of Spurs in Norway yesterday was way below the expectations of the fanbase, with the front line coming under fire for their lack of impact.

As previously mentioned, Richarlison failed to produce any meaningful contributions, after only completing two passes all game and missing one big chance in the process.

Brennan Johnson was another player who struggled to make the desired impact, subsequently failing to complete a single dribble or cross during his hour-long display.

The Welshman has come under fire from the fanbase once again, not for the first time, after previously having to delete his social media accounts following abuse from supporters online.

However, it wasn’t all bad for Frank’s side in Norway, with right-back Pedro Porro managing to impress during the draw – undoubtedly being one of the shining lights in the disappointing showing.

The Spaniard managed to register an assist for Van de Ven’s effort, now holding an impressive record that highlights the creativity he possesses despite his defensive role.

He’s now registered 18 assists since the start of 2023/24, a number which is the highest of any Premier League defender across all competitions in the same time period.

It’s that ability to create goal-scoring opportunities at will that has seen him emulate Kane. Truth be told, the Lilywhites have missed not just the English striker’s goalscoring exploits but also his assist-making.

Indeed, the centre-forward registered 63 assists during his time in north London, with a whopping 17 of those coming in one campaign (2021/22). So good was Kane at playmaking that former teammate Matt Doherty once said: “That period under Antonio [Conte], he had a better passing range than [Kevin] De Bruyne at the time.”

Safe to say, Porro’s creativity is pretty damn good too, and he’s helping to void the creative void left behind by Kane.

However, despite the full-back’s tangible success, his underlying numbers were just as impressive on Tuesday evening, including his ability to register 78 touches during the contest.

Porro also completed 40 passes last night, 13 of which were into the opposition’s third – further showcasing the creative ability he possesses in his locker.

Numbers such as three chances created and 100% dribbles completed also add to his talents in possession, but he still managed to produce impressive figures without the ball, too.

Pedro Porro – stats against Bodo Glimt

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

90

Touches

78

Passes completed

40

Passes into final third

13

Chances created

3

Tackles made

2

Recoveries made

2

Dribbles made

100%

Stats via FotMob

The 26-year-old made two tackles during the draw, whilst also making two recoveries and one interception – arguably being the perfect all-round fullback for Frank’s system.

Questions may be asked about his display, but there’s no taking away from his ability to create chances and get the side out of trouble when they’re void of ideas in attacking areas.

Should he continue his impressive assist record, there’s no reason as to why he can’t be a crucial member of Frank’s squad in the Dane’s hunt for success during his tenure in North London.

Related Fewer touches than Vicario: Frank must drop 3/10 Spurs dud after Bodo Glimt

Tottenham Hotspur managed to rescue a 2-2 draw last night, but some players failed to catch the eye.

Posts 3 ByEthan Lamb Oct 1, 2025

It was a chaotic final few days of the transfer for Newcastle United. The summer window did not go to plan, with the club missing out on key targets and losing Alexander Isak late on, with the striker’s move to Liverpool finally going through after a saga that lasted several months.

Yet, they did manage to strengthen towards the back end of the window. German international striker Nick Woltemade made the move from Bundesliga side Stuttgart. His switch to St James’ Park cost the Magpies a club record fee of £69m, including add-ons.

The German forward was not the only last-minute attacking reinforcement, with Brentford striker Yoane Wissa finally forcing his move to Newcastle through.

Wissa’s move to Newcastle

DR Congo star Wissa finally got his move from West London to the North East on deadline day after forcing the transfer through. Like Isak did at Newcastle, the Brentford attacker did not train and released social media statements to make his desire to join the Magpies clear.

In the end, his move was completed, with the 29-year-old joining Eddie Howe’s side for a fee of £55m, which includes add-ons. Wissa will don the famous number nine shirt, previously worn by the great Alan Shearer.

Perhaps this piles the pressure onto the experienced attacker, but his numbers from the last few Premier League seasons suggest he is good enough to cope.

He’s bagged 45 Premier League goals so far in his career, reaching double figures the last two seasons and finding the back of the net on 19 occasions in 2024/25, his most prolific campaign.

That being said, the Magpies already have an attacker they can rely on. One who cost less than Wissa did, and is now worth even more than their new number nine.

How Gordon's market value compares to Wissa

There are quite a few highly valued Newcastle players, including the midfield pairing of Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali – the former having reportedly been the subject of a £120m offer from Saudi Arabia.

Yet, there is one name that really sticks out and that is another Howe-signed player, Anthony Gordon. The England international has become a key player at St James’ Park, and in light of Isak’s departure, is arguably their key forward. Statman Dave even said he can be “unplayable” at times.

The former Everton player, who is a graduate of their academy, has played 108 times for the Magpies.

In that time, he’s bagged 22 goals and assisted 23. His best season came in 2023/24, where he scored and assisted 26 Premier League goals in just 35 games.

Some of his numbers from the last two seasons show exactly why Gordon is so important to Newcastle.

For example, in 2023/24, he averaged 1.8 key passes and 1.7 successful dribbles per 90 minutes, and last term, those stats read 1.9 key passes and 1.4 successful dribbles.

Goals and assists

0.6

0.4

Key passes

1.8

1.9

Dribbles completed

1.7

1.4

Tackles and interceptions

1.9

1.5

Expected goal involvements

0.49xGI

0.48xGI

With that in mind, it might not be a surprise to learn that h/e is so highly valued and is worth far more than Wissa. The Merseysider is valued at £56.2m, as per Transfermarkt, over double that of Wissa’s current market value of £27.6m, and more than what they paid for the DR Congo star.

It is worth noting that Gordon also cost less than Wissa, with Newcastle paying just £45m including add-ons. Not only is he worth more than his new teammate’s market value and transfer fee, but he was a cheaper deal.

There is no doubting Gordon’s importance to this Newcastle side. The 24-year-old is a key component of Howe’s outfit, and that is reflected in his current market value, which is so high it’s double that of Wissa’s.

Not Miley: Newcastle have Anderson 2.0 in 19-year-old "star in the making"

Newcastle are still looking for the perfect in-house Elliot Anderson replacement

ByJoe Nuttall Sep 10, 2025

حقق فريق الاتحاد فوزًا صعبًا على منافسه النصر بنتيجة 2-1، في المباراة التي جمعت بينهما ضمن منافسات كأس خادم الحرمين الشريفين.

وأقيمت المباراة بين النصر والاتحاد على أرضية ملعب الأول بارك في إطار لقاءات دور الـ16 من بطولة كأس خادم الحرمين الشريفين.

طالع..الفرق المتأهلة إلى دور ربع نهائي كأس خادم الحرمين الشريفين

وافتتح الاتحاد التسجيل في الدقيقة 15، بعدما استقبل الفرنسي كريم بنزيما، عرضية أرضية متقنة من الجهة اليمنى داخل منطقة الجزاء، قابلها بتسديدة يسارية قوية سكنت شباك الحارس معلنًا عن الهدف الأول.

وجاء هدف التعادل لصالح النصر في الدقيقة 30، بعد عرضية من كريستيانو رونالدو من الجهة اليسرى اصطدمت بمدافع الاتحاد، قبل أن يتابعها أنجيلو جابرييل بتسديدة قوية على يمين الحارس داخل الشباك.

وفي الدقيقة 45+2، نجح حسام عوار في تسجيل هدف التقدم لـ الاتحاد بعد استلام تمريرة بينية مميزة، ليسدد الكرة بباطن القدم على يسار الحارس، معلنًا عن الهدف الثاني لفريقه. أهداف مباراة الاتحاد والنصر في كأس خادم الحرمين الشريفين

أهداف كلاسيكو #أغلى_الكؤوس ⚽️🏆
النصر 1️⃣ – 2️⃣ الاتحاد#النصر_الاتحاد pic.twitter.com/OxWfC8qIgY — رياضة ثمانية (@thmanyahsports) October 28, 2025

وشهدت المباراة طرد لاعب الاتحاد أحمد الجليدان في الدقيقة 49، بعد تدخل عنيف على أيمن يحيى، ليكمل العميد اللقاء بعشرة لاعبين حتى صافرة النهاية.

وبهذه النتيجة، تأهل الاتحاد إلى ربع نهائي كأس خادم الحرمين الشريفين، بينما ودّع النصر البطولة من هذا الدور.

Kyle Abbott takes five wickets but 20-year-old lifts hosts to competitive 333

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay09-May-2025Nottinghamshire batting prodigy Freddie McCann gave more evidence of his considerable potential by posting the third century of his fledgling first-class career to defy Hampshire on day one of their Rothesay County Championship clash at Trent Bridge.In only his 13th innings in the Championship so far, the 20-year-old England Lions left-hander made 138 as the current Division One leaders posted a respectable 333 after being asked to bat first on a pitch that offered plenty of encouragement to Hampshire’s seam attack, with no other batter passing 33.South African quick Kyle Abbott took five for 57 and James Fuller three for 56 but Hampshire let themselves down somewhat by dropping five catches.Hampshire openers Mark Stoneman and Fletcha Middleton had two overs to face at the close, including one from former teammate Mohammad Abbas, the Pakistan fast bowler who is making his debut for Nottinghamshire.McCann, a Nottingham-born product of the county’s academy pathway, scored 154 against champions Surrey in only his second match after making his first-class debut last August, adding 130 against Warwickshire before the end of the season.He hit 15 fours and a six and shared partnerships of 78 with Kyle Verreynne, 71 with Lyndon James and 59 with Liam Patterson-White after his side had been 82 for four at lunch.Four wickets in that opening session had represented a decent return for Hampshire’s decision to put Nottinghamshire in, although it took until the last 35 minutes for the rewards to come.Until then, Nottinghamshire’s openers had endured a torrid time on a green-tinged pitch against some testing bowling from Abbott and Fuller in particular. Ben Slater was dropped twice in the slips off Abbott – on one and nine – and needed treatment for a blow on the forearm inflicted by Fuller. Yet somehow he and skipper Haseeb Hameed pair survived 19 overs for 62.The picture changed with a double-wicket maiden from Fuller that began with Slater caught at extra cover by a leaping Nick Gubbins and ended with Nottinghamshire 63 for two after a cracking delivery with bounce and late movement had Hameed caught behind.The last two overs of the session saw Abbott, nought for 14 from seven overs in his first spell, gain the success he was due as Joe Clarke and Jack Haynes were both leg before, beaten past the inside edge playing forward, four wickets having fallen for 20 runs in 48 deliveries.Nottinghamshire recovered to 195 for five at tea, the only wicket to fall in the middle session that of Verreynne (33), who became a third lbw victim for Abbott, trying to work to leg. Yet Hampshire continued to count the cost of sloppy work in the field with James given a life on one when Fuller could not hold on at third slip off Abbott after McCann had survived what looked a hard chance to gully off Fuller on 18.Nonetheless, Nottinghamshire could congratulate themselves for showing resilience. Abbott always looked dangerous, regularly beating the bat, and in the circumstances it was a superb innings by McCann, back in the side in place of England’s Ben Duckett, who is unavailable.Hampshire’s catching did not improve after tea, with James dropped again on 29, Tom Prest failing to take a regulation chance at first slip off Brad Wheal. To add insult to injury, the spilled ball rolled into the fielding helmet stowed behind the stumps, adding five penalty runs to the total.In the event, James could not add heavily to Hampshire’s pain, falling to Liam Dawson on 33, bowled giving himself room to cut.Patterson-White played well until, having also made 33, he made the unwise decision to shoulder arms to Abbott, with the new ball, who completed the 43rd five-wicket haul of his first-class career when Brett Hutton was caught behind.Wheal dismissed Farhan Ahmed, caught at first slip, before McCann finally fell to a catch on the square cover boundary off Fuller.

Oftentimes in football, a team considered out of sorts need to get three points on the board before worrying about the slickness and style of the performance.

This isn’t the case for Liverpool, whose start to the season has seen them win plenty of matches, but lack any semblance of the control or snap of the previous title-winning campaign under Arne Slot’s wing.

So, against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Saturday evening, the Reds need to bounce back from back-to-back defeats with a strong performance, especially with the Blues’ backline ravaged by injuries and suspensions.

Liverpool avoided any real fitness setbacks across Slot’s first year, but a few issues have crept in over the past few weeks, with Giovanni Leoni out for as long as a year after rupturing his Achilles against Southampton, and Alisson Becker now back for his habitual stay in the infirmary after landing awkwardly during the recent defeat to Galatasaray in the Champions League.

Less severe is the issue that Hugo Ekitike is dealing with after that midweek match, but it’s a concern all the same for Slot, who needs the in-form Frenchman as he looks to build consistency.

The latest on Hugo Ekitike

Since leaving Eintracht Frankfurt this summer and joining Liverpool in a £69m deal, Ekitike has established himself as one of the most dangerous forwards in the Premier League.

Nine games into his Merseyside career, the France star has scored five goals and assisted one. He has only played 582 minutes for the Reds, marking a direct contribution every 97 minutes.

However, the 23-year-old overreached for the ball in Istanbul after the hour mark and left the field with muscular discomfort. Fears that he has suffered significant damage have been allayed, but there is certainly concern over his availability for the weekend.

When Liverpool completed their summer of spending with the addition of Alexander Isak from Newcastle United for a record-breaking £125m fee, it was widely expected that he would be at the top of the pecking order.

Perhaps the Sweden striker still is, but his positional rivals incredible start will certainly have provided Slot with food for thought.

And with Isak, 26, still not quite match fit after his turbulent summer transfer window, Slot might even be inclined to keep the deadly number nine on the bench, instead unleashing another in his place at centre-forward.

Liverpool's left-field Ekitike replacement

Isak scored his first goal for Liverpool during the win over Southampton, and many more euphoric moments are sure to come for the Sweden star, but the Reds do have an alternative pick for this upcoming clash against Chelsea, should Slot choose to utilise them.

That would be Federico Chiesa, who missed out against Galatasaray due to an injury precaution but is raring to go ahead of the weekend. The Italian, 27, is enjoying something of a resurgence in England, having already scored two goals for the club this season in the Premier League, assisting both strikes against Saints too.

Described by journalist Carlo Garganese as one of Italy’s “generational talents” before devastating knee injuries, the versatile forward looks like he’s bouncing back, having sat on the fringe for most of the 2024/25 campaign, arriving last summer for a bargain £12.5m fee.

Given Liverpool’s proclivity for late goals at the moment, Isak might find that another cameo might not be the worst thing in the world, entering the fray with the Reds possibly seeking out a winner.

Chiesa, of course, has proven himself to be something of a menace in the last embers for Liverpool so far this season, but he was immense during the win over Southampton and could apply his energy and creativity and dynamism from the outset, ensuring Liverpool don’t toil their way through the first half of the tie in west London.

Revived and hungry to leave his mark on the English game, Chiesa has been deployed three times off the bench as a striker in the top flight this term, and he scored on the first and last of those appearances.

The £150k-per-week talent played a central role for Juventus across the 2023/24 season, before moving to Liverpool, and FBref record that he complemented his steady goal return with some interesting underlying numbers, ranked among the top 2% of positional peers in Serie A for shot-creating actions and progressive carries per 90.

Given that he has played such limited football this season, albeit more than he was receiving each week across his first year at the club, there’s every reason for Slot to hand his utility weapon a first Premier League starting berth of the year, perhaps knocking Chelsea’s tactical preparations out of kilter while doing so.

Hugo Ekitike

9

5 (1)

Mohamed Salah

9

3 (3)

Federico Chiesa

6

2 (2)

Alexander Isak

5

1 (0)

Cody Gakpo

9

1 (2)

Rio Ngumoha

5

1 (0)

Hailed for having a “finisher’s DNA” by sports editor Danny Gallagher, Chiesa is the perfect alternative option for Liverpool to deploy at the front of their ship.

In fact, Chiesa has registered a goal contribution every 96 minutes at Liverpool, underlining his natural potency. Whether this is sustainable in the longer stretch remains to be seen, but it’s curious to note that this eclipses even Erling Haaland’s record at Manchester City, with the unstoppable Norwegian having scored 135 goals and supplied 22 assists across 154 games in sky blue, equating to a rate of 1.01 contributions per game.

Given that Salah was dropped to the bench against Galatasaray, it goes without saying that Liverpool will start with the Egyptian King on the right flank.

And with Florian Wirtz perhaps being placed down the left channel to bring Dominik Szoboszlai into the midfield, restoring a measure of robustness to Liverpool’s engine room, this could be a move to finally restore Liverpool’s form, with Isak gearing up to enter the fray after a lively opening-half display from the Italian.

Not Isak: Liverpool star is their own version of Arsenal icon Thierry Henry

Liverpool have enjoyed incredible success with this talent in their mix.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 29, 2025

Alisha Lehmann insists she "only drank non-alcoholic beer" when her and her Como team-mates headed to Oktoberfest in Germany. The entire squad were bedecked in traditional Bavarian clothing, and Lehmann was seen downing a huge stein, although she insists the liquid inside it was not liable to leave her tipsy.

Lehmann's wild night out

Lehmann headed with her Como team-mates to Oktoberfest in Munich, ahead of the start of the 2025/26 season. The former Aston Villa and Juventus star now plays for Como and she enjoyed some team bonding at the world-famous beer festival. She was even spotted downing a huge stein of amber liquid, although she has now insisted that it was not an alcoholic beverage. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportLehmann's explanation

Lehmann said at a press conference: "I only drank non-alcoholic beer! But it was really nice. I had never been to Oktoberfest."

Earlier this month, Lehmann's new employers played her former employers, Juventus, and won 1-0. 

She added: “Como will grow again in the coming years. The win against my old club, Juve, was amazing and really did me good. I'll never say anything wrong. I had a good year. I am now a regular starter (editor’s note, three times in the league since the beginning of the exercise), and playing is the main reason why we play football. Como also has a really interesting project in women’s football.”

She added: “I feel good in Como. This is the perfect place for me and, certainly, the most beautiful place I have ever lived. I live right by the lake, and it's absolutely beautiful. I even met a few celebrities, because we go to the same restaurants. But it’s nice here, because everyone respects each other enormously.”

Lehmann's off-pitch fun

Como have allowed Lehmann to head out on multiple extracurricular activities and she even represented Como at Milan Fashion Week. 

Como said in a social media post alongside images of Lehmann and Co modelling new threads: “F.C Como Women steps into Prada World at Milan Fashion Week. After a styling session at Nike’s headquarters, @alexckerr, @alishalehmann7, @ramona__ramirez stepped into the Prada event wearing pieces from our FC Como Women essentials line, our @art_of capsule collection and our 25/26 away jersey. We’d like to thank Prada and Nike for this incredible experience. A moment that highlighted women in football who feel free to express themselves on and off the pitch.”

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Como play Genoa on Saturday in Serie A. While they did beat Juventus, they have lost their other two league fixtures thus far this season, going down 2-1 to Lazio and 1-0 to Sassuolo. They will be out to get three more points on the board, and Lehmann will hope to prove her freshness with a fine performance.

DC had seven different opening combinations and they averaged 19.23 in the season, the lowest among all teams

S Sudarshanan22-May-20253:05

Rapid Fire: What will be DC’s biggest regret this season?

Delhi Capitals (DC) began their IPL 2025 campaign with four wins in a row. They lost just the one match in their first six outings. But the 59-run loss against Mumbai Indians (MI) on Wednesday was their fifth defeat in last six completed matches. That meant they missed out on the last playoffs spot.Hemang Badani, DC head coach, said that one of the reasons they were knocked out was their opening batting pair. Even in their successful run at the start of the season, DC used three opening pairs: Faf du Plessis and Jake Fraser-McGurk, Fraser-McGurk and KL Rahul, and Abishek Porel and Fraser-McGurk. By the time their campaign ended, they had used a further four new opening combinations. DC’s openers averaged 19.23 in the season, the lowest among all teams.”A settled opening pair is only possible when your opening pair gives you a start,” Badani said in Mumbai. “If you don’t get starts, you are bound to make changes to try and fill that gap, fill that void. While other sides have had great powerplay with the bat, we haven’t had those, unfortunately. Opening at the top was a worry for us.”Related

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Suryakumar, Santner and Bumrah lead MI into playoffs

Du Plessis: MI's counterpunch cost us in last two overs

Karun Nair was brought in in DC’s fifth match of the season and scored a scintillating 40-ball 89 against MI in Delhi batting at No. 3. That included a stellar takedown of Jasprit Bumrah, whom he hit for 18 in the last over of the powerplay. But in the six games Nair played after that, he had three single-digit scores including two ducks, and a best of only 31. He was also pushed up to open the batting in two of those matches.Similarly, Rahul began the season by batting at No. 4 but was shuffled up and down – from opening spot to No. 3 and back again to No. 4. In bowling coach Munaf Patel’s words, Rahul then “asked for” the opening spot against Gujarat Titans in Delhi, scored an unbeaten 112 and opened again in Mumbai on Wednesday.”You ideally want people to read the game and play. Most players have been around long enough,” Badani said. “Even someone like Karun Nair, even though he’s made a comeback into the IPL after two-three years, he’s a seasoned campaigner. You don’t necessarily have to literally spoon-feed them. With some of the younger boys, you still have to try and make sure that they are given the right information, they are being told and given role clarity.2:13

Aaron: DC have played musical chairs with openers

“But primarily, the guys who’ve been around long enough, you just try and help them with match-ups – who can you take down? What’s an ideal number that we’re looking at in the powerplay? What do you think is a good score in the powerplay on this surface? And how do we go about getting those numbers? That’s primarily the conversation you would have with guys like Faf and KL and Karun and guys who’ve been around long enough. You don’t necessarily teach them how to bat.”On Wednesday, MI scored 27 off Mukesh Kumar’s penultimate over and 21 off Dushmantha Chameera’s last over to set DC 181 to win. It was not a surface that was conducive to strokeplay. Suryakumar Yadav hit three sixes and two fours to finish not out on 73 off 43, while Naman Dhir hit two fours and two sixes in his unbeaten eight-ball 24 in the final two overs of the innings.Badani agreed that that is where DC lost momentum.”Until then, the 18 overs that were bowled by us were consistent, were spot on,” he said. “Our execution wasn’t to our expectation in the end. Those 48 runs in the last two overs were a big difference. [We should] be able to read the game better, be able to understand that the surface was slower. We could have gone to the cutters and wide yorkers. Even if you look to nail yorkers at this level, you would expect bowlers of international level to come and nail those balls. And if you don’t do that, players like Surya who’s been around long enough, will punish you.”Badani also rued DC missing regular captain Axar Patel, who was down with a bad flu for the last few days and did not even travel to the ground. In Axar’s absence, DC played only the two wristspinners in Kuldeep Yadav and Vipraj Nigam. And their batting line-up had only one left-hander – Porel – in the top eight.”Someone like an Axar Patel would have made a massive difference to us,” Badani said. “Left-arm spinners on this surface, somebody of his calibre, also with his left-hand batting, could have also countered [Mitchell] Santner. But as I said, the better side won, and I wish them well.”Looking back at the season, Badani also lamented on the near-misses that cost them the qualification.”For me, [the IPL is] a marathon,” he said. “We had a great sprint to start with, where we had four [wins] at the top. We had five wins in six games and that is a great place to be. Since then, we’ve just struggled and not found that win.”To some extent, we’ve also had games where we genuinely felt that we could have won, and we just didn’t finish those games. Like for instance, even [against] Mumbai at Delhi, we were cantering along and lost the game from there. Even against KKR, we had to get 60 in six [69 off 41 balls] with seven wickets in hand, two set batters [du Plessis and Axar].”If you want to win this competition, if you want to go to the playoffs, you want to ideally finish those games. And if you don’t, then you have no one else to blame but yourself.”DC’s last league game is against Punjab Kings in Jaipur on May 24.