Only 10.1 overs were possible on Thursday evening before the game was called off
Sreshth Shah08-May-2025The Punjab Kings (PBKS) vs Delhi Capitals (DC) match in IPL 2025 in Dharamsala has been called off after 10.1 overs.”The Punjab Kings v Delhi Capitals match (Match#58) in Tata IPL was forced to be abandoned due to a significant technical failure at the HPCA stadium in Dharamsala,” an official statement from the IPL said. “Due to a power outage in the area, one of the light towers at the HPCA stadium malfunctioned. BCCI regrets the inconvenience caused to the in-stadium attendees.”In the 10.1 overs possible, PBKS openers Priyansh Arya (70) and Prabhsimran Singh (50*) dominated proceedings, stitching up a 122-run opening stand off 61 balls.Arya fell in the first ball of the 11th over, top-edging a T Natarajan slower-ball bouncer onto his helmet, which popped up for a simple catch. The players then left the field due to a floodlight failure at the stadium. Around 9.40pm IST, the match was called off.Before the abandonment, Arya and Prabhsimran took down Mitchell Starc and Dushmantha Chameera in the powerplay as PBKS raced away to 50 for no loss in four overs.After the powerplay, the pair took down Kuldeep Yadav as well, smashing him for two sixes and two fours. Arya reached his third fifty-plus score of the season in the seventh over off just 25 balls. Prabhsimran reached his own fifty in the tenth and in the process became the first uncapped batter to hit four half-centuries in a row in the IPL.PBKS next play Mumbai Indians (MI) on May 11, a game that was shifted from Dharamsala to Ahmedabad. DC will play Gujarat Titans (GT) in Delhi on the same day.
Pep Guardiola has delivered an injury update on Rodri after seeing the Spaniard forced out of Manchester City’s Premier League clash with Brentford. The Ballon d’Or winner has been handled with care this season, but he limped away from the clash in west London and is facing another spell on the sidelines – although the man himself remains upbeat.
ACL injury has seen Rodri's game time limited
City saw Rodri suffer knee ligament damage in September 2024, with that issue ruling him out of 53 games for club and country. After 236 days out of action, the Spain international returned to the field late in the 2024-25 campaign. He went on to represent Guardiola’s side at the FIFA Club World, but suffered another fitness setback there.
Rodri has made just 15 appearances since the start of last season, with a serious ACL problem meaning that his game time must be limited. Guardiola had hoped that a key part of his plans was over the worst of his injury issues, but keeping the 29-year-old fit is proving to be difficult.
AdvertisementGettyGuardiola update on Rodri's latest injury
Guardiola told Sky Sports of Rodri after facing questions about why the Golden Ball winner was withdrawn an hour into City’s 2-2 Champions League draw with Monaco: “I was right, no? You asked me why I don't play him 90 minutes all the time. The journalists always ask me why I substitute him. This is why we tried to be gentle and play [him] for 60-65 minutes.”
Guardiola added when asked about the nature of Rodri’s latest setback: "It's muscular. Of course I don't want to lose him [at all] because he is such an important player. We tried to take care of him, but it is what it is.”
Return date: When Rodri hopes to play again
Rodri hobbled out of City’s 1-0 victory over Brentford inside the opening 20 minutes. He was forced to take a seat on the turf early in the first half after it became clear that he was in no position to continue. He looked crestfallen when inviting medical staff onto the pitch. Rodri was able to walk off unaided, but was in some discomfort after clutching at the back of his leg. The fact that further knee problems appear to have been avoided does offer a crumb of comfort to Rodri and City.
The man himself told when asked why he had been forced to leave the action and when he could be seen again: “I'm good. I felt a little bit in the hamstring but it seems like it's not that much. The important thing was the victory. I stretched the leg a little bit, a bit like in the Euros final. I stretched a little bit but it's part of the process.
“I don't feel that I feel tired muscle wise, I feel fresh but the most important thing is it's not that big. It's part of the process. The good thing about this is you get out, you don't let the muscle stretch now. The good thing is the break so it will be even better in this sense to recover these days and hopefully I can be in the next game.”
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Getty ImagesRodri crucial to Guardiola's plans at Man City
Rodri will not link up with the Spain squad for their 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria. He will remain in Manchester for treatment, with City set to return to action against Everton on October 18.
Guardiola has previously said of getting Rodri back up to full speed: “Rodri is an outstanding player, everyone knows it, maybe he struggled to understand it's not about six months or 12, the World Cup will be the best Rodri and next season will be the best Rodri, this year is how to handle it. One year he has been out. The body changes, the rhythm changes, it's a question of time, if he's healthy he will be back.”
If you’re trying to identify the reason for Pakistan crashing out of their home Champions Trophy, look no further than this one: personnel. Specifically, the inexperience of that personnel. This was the main thrust of white-ball head coach Aaqib Javed’s post-mortem.Pakistan have one more match to play, of course, against Bangladesh, who are also already out of contention for the semi-finals. That match in Rawalpindi on Thursday is also under serious threat from rain, and perhaps a sodden outfield, with this having been a wet week in the city.Aaqib spoke at length about the various permutations and combinations in selection that could have improved the team’s output this tournament. But, clearly still hurting from the loss to India on Sunday, he made the point that India’s XI had a far greater body of work on their resume than Pakistan’s.Related
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“When Pakistan and India are playing, it’s not only cricket – it’s more than that. You need a lot of experience,” Aaqib said. “This Indian team was the most experienced – they have almost 1500 games together. And Pakistan is on the bottom, with less than 400 games together. If you look at players like Babar Azam, [he] is the only one who has played more than 100 games. Then there’s Mohammad Rizwan [88 ODIs] and then Shaheen Afridi [64 ODIs].”The rest of them have less than 30 matches. Tayyab Tahir has played like eight games. Imam-ul-Haq [73 ODIs] was coming back in the team. The main thing is, when nothing works, and when you are talking about more than a game, then the experience counts. There is no doubt.”Part of this lack of experience was also down to having lost Fakhar Zaman, one of their most aggressive batters and one of the stars of the 2017 Champions Trophy triumph, in the first game of the tournament. They were also without Saim Ayub, who had hit 235 runs and taken two wickets in Pakistan’s 3-0 ODI series in South Africa in December. Ayub had been ruled out of this tournament with an ankle injury.”Similarly, we had to bring in Khushdil Shah because Saim was unfit. The reason is that in one-day cricket, you cannot go with five bowlers. You have to make a combination of seven batsmen and four bowlers.1:31
Urooj Mumtaz: Rizwan chewed up too many dot deliveries
“When Saim was there, he used to bat at the top and he used to bowl five to seven overs. When he was not there – we saw that if you do a little research – even with the terrific performances that Khushdil Shah has given in one-and-a-half years of cricket, his wickets… there’s no comparison. It was not even a close case or anything. But our job in the selection committee was to give the best replacement option.”In the absence of these players, it was down to the big five: Babar, Rizwan, Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah and Afridi to step up, Aaqib said. But match-winning performances from these players never came.The five of them have come under particular fire in Pakistan since the team’s exit.”A common person who doesn’t play and is not part of the team management wants reasons and the names of people because of whom this team is losing,” Aaqib said. “As far as Babar, Rizwan, Shaheen, Naseem and Haris are concerned, our plan was to make the best possible XI or XV. There is no doubt that Shaheen, Naseem and Haris are excellent bowlers. If you compare them with the bowling attack of any team, they are one of the best fast-bowling options.”And if you look at Babar – apart from him, what other options do you have? We always say that if the team loses, change the team. This is the most inexperienced team already.”
Liverpool still have their perfect start to the season thanks to 16-year-old Rio Ngumoha, who saved the day late in the game on Monday night at St James’ Park.
The former Chelsea academy star scored his first top-flight goal to rescue all three points for Arne Slot’s side, who were being held 2-2 by ten-man Newcastle United.
It was another game where one of their new signings, Hugo Ektike, got on the scoresheet. He has now bagged in all three competitive games for the Reds, and has made a flying start. The same cannot be said for Florian Wirtz, however, who has not hit the ground running.
Stats via Sofascore
Liverpool are still active in the transfer market and will surely hope that any more signings can make a better start than Wirtz.
Liverpool’s next summer focus
It is unclear how much money is at Slot’s disposal after spending big on the likes of Wirtz and Ekitike. One man who is continuously linked is Marc Guehi, with the club said to be in talks over a deal to sign the Crystal Palace skipper.
Transfer Focus
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Of course, the overarching saga of the summer transfer window has been to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle. Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the Merseysiders are “ready to bid again” to sign the Sweden international.
Newcastle are standing firm, and whilst the player still dreams of a move from the North East to the North West, it will not come cheap at all.
It has been reported by The Telegraph that Eddie Howe’s side will demand as much as £150m for their centre-forward.
Why signing Isak could be bad news for Wirtz
There is little doubt that bringing Isak to Anfield would be the cherry on top of the cake for Liverpool this summer. Described as a “machine” in front of goal by Romano, he certainly knows where the back of the net is.
In the 2024/25 campaign, Newcastle striker Isak showed why Jamie Carragher said last December he is the “best striker in the Premier League”.
He bagged 23 top-flight goals in just 34 appearances, including this thunderbolt against Liverpool, and the winner against the Reds in the Carabao Cup final.
The stats showcase why Isak, who earns £120k-per-week at St James’ Park, is held in such high regard.
For example, he averaged 0.75 goals and 0.46 goals per shot on target each game last season, which ranked him in the top 3% and 12% of Premier League strikers, respectively.
Isak key stats vs. PL strikers 24/25
Stat (per 90)
Number
PL rank
Goals
0.75
97th
Shots on target
1.34
83rd
Goals per shot on target
0.46
88th
Goal-creating actions
0.46
88th
Expected goals
0.66xG
94th
Stats from FBref
Well, Isak’s arrival could certainly rock the boat and become bad news for their marquee summer signing, Wirtz.
It has not been the fast start many might have expected for the German, with Alan Shearer claiming the Reds are “finding it difficult to get him into the game” at the moment.
This is not to say the former Bayer Leverkusen star is a bad footballer.
After all, he did score and assist 31 goals last season for the German side, and grabbed an assist on his Liverpool debut in the Community Shield against Crystal Palace.
However, with Wirtz struggling, the potential arrival of Isak could prompt a tactical shift from Slot. The Dutchman may drop the German attacker and play both Isak and Ekitike up front together, as a pair.
In fact, this is something Liverpool’s boss mentioned in an interview earlier this month. He explained that he sees Ekitike as someone who can “play together with another No. 9”, hinting to Liverpool fans that the Frenchman could work up front with Isak.
Ekitike excels at being able to drop deep, link up play and create chances. This season, he has already created four in two Premier League games. It is easy to imagine him linking up with a finisher as deadly as Isak.
Whilst signing the Swedish star would be a huge move for the Reds, it may impact Wirtz’s game time, after what has been a disappointing start to his career on Merseyside. For Slot and Liverpool, having such a wealth of attacking options can surely only be a good thing.
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Liverpool’s need for a new defender was accentuated during a charged victory at St. James’ Park.
India opener KL Rahul fell to a debatable DRS decision before lunch on the first day of the first Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Perth, with Sanjay Manjrekar saying such an “important decision” should have been made with more visual evidence.Rahul, batting on 26, had been given not out by on-field umpire Richard Kettleborough, after the bowler Mitchell Starc and the other Australian players appealed for an edge to wicketkeeper Alex Carey. Australia went for the review and Snicko showed a spike as the ball passed the bat, with KL Rahul indicating the bat hit the pad. Third umpire Richard Illingworth asked Kettleborough to reverse his decision as Rahul walked off shaking his head following a 74-ball effort. The wicket left India on 47 for 4 after choosing to bat.Manjrekar said it was a “poor supply of technology” and that the TV umpire shouldn’t have asked the on-field umpire to overturn the decision if it was inconclusive.”First of all, disappointed with what was provided to the TV umpire,” Manjrekar said on . “He should have got more evidence. Based on just a couple of angles, I don’t think such an important decision in the match should have been made. My point is, with the naked eye there’s only one certainty and that’s the pad being hit by the bat. It’s the only visual certainty we’ve got that with the naked eye. For everything else, you needed the aid of technology, which is Snicko.”So ideally, if there was bat, as an edge to the ball, there should have been an earlier spike because clearly two events there, and the umpire obviously heard one noise. The visual certainty was bat hitting the pad. If that was the spike, then there wasn’t an outside edge. If we were shown two spikes, then you could say the first one was the bat. So it was a poor supply of technology to TV umpire, and he should have said he can’t nail it.”Manjrekar also called the moment a “travesty” considering India’s position in the match.”If there weren’t two spikes, they should have gone with the visual evidence which was bat hitting the pad. I think it was poor all around, and I don’t blame the on-field umpire. You got to feel for KL Rahul, the amount of hard work that’s been put opening the innings. And such a big moment personally for him when you look at his career and for India too. Travesty in a way.”
Former international umpire Simon Taufel was of the view that the ball did graze Rahul’s outside edge but the bat may also have hit the pad, which may have caused a bit of a confusion.”Umpires are looking for conclusive evidence. There were a few gremlins at the start of that review, being the first Test where he didn’t get some camera angles he was asking for,” Taufel said on the broadcast. “Richard Illingworth had a tough job there, but this camera angle is probably the best one for me, it shows that the ball does graze the outside edge. In my view the ball does graze the outside edge which has caused the scuff marks, but then the bat goes on to hit the pad. So I think from a batter’s perspective, they are looking to see that evidence on the big screens as the decision is made. I think that’s exactly why KL Rahul has a question mark on his mind and Richard Kettleborough as well. I imagine there will be an interesting discussion in the umpires room in the lunch break.”
Not quite vindication just yet, but certainly relief. That was the tone Pakistan captain Shan Masood tried to strike after Pakistan had skittled England out for 144 in Multan. It gave them their first home win in four years, and on a personal note, Masood his first Test win as captain.”This was a very important win for Pakistan cricket,” he said. “The recent results were unacceptable. There is relief. This is a long process and journey. It won’t be fixed overnight. It’s been three years and 10 months since we last won a Test at home. That’s not acceptable for Pakistan cricket. We pride ourselves on how well we play this game and how we see ourselves as a team. For us to get a result and hopefully start something here in our own conditions is exciting. Going through that adverse situation for years and still getting a result: that’s the character you want from your players, staff and cricket board. Everyone’s responded well after the [first Test] loss which is very heartening.”Following an innings defeat that intensified focus on Masood’s captaincy and a seemingly endless losing streak, the newly established selection committee overhauled Pakistan’s template overnight. Fast bowlers Shaheen Afridi and Naseem Shah were dispatched from the squad, and Zahid Mahmood, Sajid Khan and Noman Ali were brought in from the cold – none of them having played any first-class cricket since January. The same pitch as the first Test was recycled and reused.Masood, though, said Pakistan had not changed their line of thinking on the one subject that really mattered. “I said that in defeat, and I’ll say it in victory: 20 wickets is non-negotiable in Test matches,” he said. “Conditions in the 4th innings are only batting-friendly about 10% of the time. We have to understand our conditions and think first about what combinations get us 20 wickets. We need big first innings with the bat and then the bowlers to back us up to give us a lead. The lead took the third-innings pressure off us, and the 75-run lead helped us because where we scored 220-odd [that] resulted in a nearly 300-run target.”Sajid Khan and Noman Ali took all of the 20 wickets in the Test•Getty Images
Masood acknowledged the central gamble at the heart of Pakistan’s winning tactic this week though. Perhaps the most important act of the game was the flip of the coin before the first ball was bowled. Ben Stokes called tails, as he always does, and when the coin pointed the other way, the gambit had paid off.The rest was taken care of by two of the spinners they brought in, with Sajid and Noman splitting all 20 wickets between them – the first time two players have been responsible for all opposition wickets since 1972, and just the second time in Pakistan’s history. In the second innings, no other bowler even turned their arm over as England were wrapped up in 33.3 overs.”Today, we were solely focused on how to take eight wickets,” Masood said. “Since I’ve come in, we’ve had no issue taking risks. We’ve tried to play cricket that brings results, and we’ve lost a lot of matches doing that, too. When the selection committee came in, all of us had one concern: to take 20 wickets. We’d only taken 20 wickets once in my tenure. We looked at conditions and realised playing on a used surface and giving spinners an advantage [could work]. We thought why not try something different.”You’ll have to give credit to Noman and Sajid, the way they came back. It looked like two seasoned campaigners were bowling for Pakistan. These risks need to be taken to try and take 20 wickets, no matter what kind of pitch we do it on.”It’s been a familiar refrain for Masood this series, one where the result has justified the somewhat extreme methods Pakistan adopted. This is, as he pointed out, just the second time in seven Test matches under his captaincy that Pakistan have managed to take 20 wickets. He said Pakistan would be guided by the most efficient route from hereon, no matter how.It is a subtle departure from the message of belligerent positivity that Masood has preached for the best part of his stint, but at some point, idealism had to be abandoned at the altar of pragmatism. It leaves the question of what Pakistan do in Rawalpindi, a surface that has never been amenable to prodigious turn. And though Masood did say Pakistan would need to understand conditions at each specific venue, there was little attempt to conceal what Pakistan really wanted from the pitch for the third Test.”I would [like it to spin]. I don’t know if I’ve seen it turn in Rawalpindi, so that’s an issue. We’re hoping the sun can play its part and the wicket can be on the drier side. But it remains to be seen. We’ll go there on [Sunday] and have a look. The groundsmen are already there and working on a Test match pitch. We’ll try to create a good Test wicket where both teams can pick up 20 wickets.”
أثنى قائد فريق ليفربول، فيرجيل فان دايك، على أحد زملائه في النادي، حيث يرى إنه في قمة مستواه في الوقت الحالي، وهو الأمر الذي يساعد بكل تأكيد كتيبة آرني سلوت.
وحقق ليفربول فوزًا على إيفرتون، ظهر يوم السبت، في الجولة الخامسة من الدوري الإنجليزي بهدفين لهدف.
وتمكن ريان جرافنبيرخ من تسجيل هدف ليفربول الأول بعد أسيست رائع من النجم المصري محمد صلاح، قبل أن يصنع الهولندي الهدف الثاني لـ هوجو إيكتيكي.
اقرأ أيضًا.. جماهير ليفربول تختار أفضل لاعب في مباراة إيفرتون بـ الدوري الإنجليزي
وقال فان دايك في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “إندبندنت” الإنجليزية، عن جرافنبيرخ: “ليس هذا الموسم فحسب، بل كان يلعب بمثل تلك الطريقة منذ اللحظة التي بدأ فيها الموسم الماضي، إنه أمر لا يُصدق، إنه مهم للغاية للطريقة التي نلعب بها”.
وأضاف: “ترى مقدار المرات التي أحاول فيها البحث عنه، هذا يفيده، أنا والفريق، إنه في حالة لا تصدق، عليه أن يستمر، إنه لا يزال شابًا، سيكون مستوى التوقع دائمًا هناك، وهذا ما يجب أن يحاول الوصول إليه كل ثلاثة أو أربعة أيام، إنه تحدٍ رائع”.
وواصل: “إنه مزيج من كل شيء، الحصول على الثقة والتقدم والتحسن كلاعب ولعب المباريات على أعلى مستوى ومعرفة دوره في الفريق، أنا مسرور جدًا له لأنه يبذل الكثير من العمل الشاق لفعل ما يفعله”.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot proved everyone wrong when he successfully replaced Jurgen Klopp at Anfield one year ago and guided the Reds to the Premier League title.
The 2025/26 campaign will present new challenges, with all at Liverpool, both as a club and a city, mourning the tragic passing of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva, but Anfield have proved time and time again their ability to come together and embrace the support of their fanbase, and vice versa.
Sporting director Richard Hughes is currently faced with an imminent approach from Barcelona for versatile forward Luis Diaz, 28, having rejected the La Liga champions’ advances last month.
Luis Diaz
But La Blaugrana have not been deterred, and having missed out on top target Nico Williams after the winger signed a new contract with Athletic Bilbao, efforts have been redoubled, Diaz moving ahead of Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford on the list.
With Diaz having spent so much of the recent campaign filling in as Liverpool’s central striker, his sale would call for a new centre-forward, as has been a Reds priority for several months.
Especially with Darwin Nunez in the process of signing for Napoli.
The latest on Darwin Nunez to Napoli
Nunez joined Liverpool in 2022, arriving from SL Benfica in a deal billed as a club record at £85m. However, the Uruguayan’s struggles in England have seen a series of clauses left hanging, with the actual fee coming in at £71m.
Liverpool's Darwin Nunez
He has obvious qualities: Nunez is tenacious, a maverick and, on occasion, jaw-droppingly ambitious in the final third. However, the 25-year-old has only scored 25 Premier League goals across his three terms, with just seven goals across all competitions coming last season under Slot’s wing.
Moreover, Slot remarked earlier in 2025 that he “can’t accept” the Uruguayan’s work rate, typically a staple, after a string of disappointing appearances.
Napoli, thus, projected confidence when sauntering over to make their move, but negotiations have since left a gap between the respective clubs’ valuation of the striker.
Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez
A fee is still to be agreed, but if and when this does happen – Nunez also has admirers in the Saudi Pro League – a replacement will be needed.
Liverpool in the race for new centre-forward
According to Portuguese outlet A Bola, Liverpool and Manchester United have registered their interest in Almeria striker Luis Suarez this summer.
This is not the famed Suarez of old, but his namesake, a 27-year-old Colombian, who has been priced at €25m (£21m) after his prolific campaign in Spain’s second division.
Luis Suarez facing Real Madrid with Almeria.
The one-time Watford prospect is also on Sporting Lisbon’s transfer list as they prepare to sell Viktor Gyokeres to Arsenal, and it’s for this reason that the Liga Portugal’s two-in-a-row champions are felt to have the advantage in the race as things stand.
Why Liverpool want Luis Suarez
Suarez isn’t the youngest number nine on the block, but he’s certainly shown that he knows where the back of the net is, having scored 41 goals and provided 13 assists across 79 fixtures for Almeria.
Almeria's Luis Suarez
And a good haul of that came last term, in the Segunda Division. Indeed, Suarez scored 31 goals across 43 matches in all competitions, albeit with 27 goals arriving in Spain’s second tier.
Although saying that, Suarez’s hat-trick over Sevilla in the Copa del Rey emphasised his natural prolificness, something which could serve Liverpool well over the season to come.
His completeness and physicality could even see him prove to be Liverpool’s own version of Gyokeres, who indeed looks set to sign for Arsenal in a deal worth less than Sporting’s original £68m asking price.
Sporting CP's ViktorGyokereskisses the trophy as he celebrate after winning the Taca de Portugal
Gyokeres is one of the most dangerous goalscorers in Europe, having scored 97 goals across 102 matches in two years with Sporting. His physicality and powerful performances are rare attributes, applied as well as they are, but Liverpool could sign someone similar in Almeria’s frontman, who has been praised for his “crazy” quality by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Sporting have identified the Colombian as the perfect replacement, after all, with Gyokeres also 27 years old.
Suarez has his similarities; he’s prolific, but he’s also a veritable machine when it comes to ball-striking. As you can see below, Suarez is one of the most relentless shooters in the trade, hitting the target more times than Mohamed Salah, behind only Gyokeres and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe.
Suarez played the 2024/25 campaign in Spain’s Segunda division, but he’s an experienced and well-oiled player whose goalscoring ability was well received by an Almeria side who finished the term with the highest goal tally in the division (72).
Though Suarez is, of course, not on Gyokeres’ level, Liverpool could bolster their ranks with a shrewd attacking option this summer, one whose clinical nature has been underscored over the past year.
Matches (starts)
41 (41)
33 (31)
Goals
27
39
Assists
8
7
Shots (on target)*
4.1 (1.6)
4.2 (2.4)
Big chances missed
27
23
Pass completion
74%
73%
Big chances created
10
11
Key passes*
1.4
1.9
Dribbles*
1.2
1.8
Ball recoveries*
2.0
2.3
Duels won*
4.5
5.5
As you can see from the collated statistics above, Suarez’s sucess in duel, partnered with his dribbling ability and natural creativity, provide him with the dynamism and roundedness that aligns with Sweden striker Gyokeres’ own skill set.
The hunt for a player of Hugo Ekitike or Victor Osimhen’s standing continues, but if Liverpool and enrich their ranks with this shrewd signing, Slot will likely find that the price tag is repaid on the pitch.
Slot's own Zubimendi: Liverpool submit bid to sign "incredible" £35m star
Liverpool could sign a new centre-midfielder this summer.
Chelsea’s transfer activity has been leaked consistently over the last few days, with one club director now lifting the lid on a recent phone call as the Blues pursued another deal.
Chelsea targeting new attackers for Maresca after failed deadline deals
Enzo Maresca couldn’t quite get AC Milan keeper Mike Maignan or Borussia Dortmund sensation Jamie Gittens through the door in time for their looming Club World Cup campaign (Sky Sports), with the pre-CWC deadline passing at 7pm on Tuesday.
"One to watch" – Chelsea could now sell popular international for just £17m
The west Londoners have plenty of players to get off the books.
ByEmilio Galantini Jun 12, 2025
Chelsea also didn’t have enough time to strike what is a complex deal for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike, but Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg insists that he is still one to watch, and the west Londoners remain in talks.
In the meantime, it is reported that Chelsea are prioritising a new attacker over the coming weeks, namely a left-winger, versatile attacking midfielder and second striker after Liam Delap (Simon Phillips).
Chelsea also haven’t given up hope of signing Gittens, and he could well be one they revisit later on in the window.
Jamie Gittens
“The hype and briefings of bids being sent and rejected for Gittens yesterday afternoon was just all blown up and also, very delayed,” said journalist Simon Phillips in a recent Substack update.
“Chelsea walked from this way before lunchtime and the biggest offer we sent in was a £45m base fee and £10m add-ons. This was rejected and Chelsea walked. It is likely to come up again because Chelsea do rate Gittens, and it’s likely to still be a genuine pursuit for Chelsea still this summer.”
This is now being echoed by Dortmund sporting director Sebastien Kehl, who lifted the lid on their discussions with Chelsea in an interview with Tage Spiegel this week.
Sebastien Kehl reveals Chelsea phone call over signing Jamie Gittens
The Bundesliga chief shared details behind their negotiations, with Kehl also tipping Chelsea talks for Gittens to reopen.
Borussia Dortmund's Jamie Bynoe-Gittensin action with Lille's Bafode Diakite
“We spoke on the phone, in the end we did not agree, because we have different ideas about the current value of the player,” he said.
“Jamie definitely makes our team better. We are glad that he is there. We are in a good exchange and see how things are shaping in the future.
“Of course, at some point, if you take a player with it, you also have to sell. I assume that his market value will not fall. We will see to what extent we can keep it until the end of the tournament. There will be talks again.”
Borussia Dortmund'sJamieBynoe-Gittensin action with GNK Dinamo Zagreb's Kevin Theophile-Catherine
Dortmund and Kehl are rumoured to want as much as £55 million for Gittens, which is a steep price considering he played less of a crucial role for them towards the back end of 2024/2025.
Just three of the 20-year-old’s 12 goals last season came in this calendar year, with Gittens also registering zero assists since the turn of 2025.
While Chelsea chiefs are believed to rate him, BlueCo also must not pay over the odds for him either, even if he’s Dortmund’s most sellable asset, and they’re likely to carry on charging top dollar.
Arsenal have been one of the Champions League’s most frequent participants, but have not been able to take home the famous trophy.
The Gunners have come unstuck against Bayern Munich and PSG since returning to the competition after six seasons away, with Mikel Arteta’s side spending years in the relative wilderness of the Europa League (as well as one year out of Europe altogether) before threatening to go all the way in 2024/25.
From repeated last-16 heartache to final… heartbreak, the Gunners have had quite a journey in the Champions League over the years.
So how does Arsenal’s Champions League record shape up? While they had two European Cup campaigns in 1971 and 1991, they have appeared in 21 of the last 27 editions of the UEFA Champions League ahead of their expected entry in 2025/26.
Arsenal's top 25 Champions League moments
Arsenal have enjoyed some of their greatest European nights in the Champions League.
By
Mark Marston
May 15, 2025
Here is a complete Arsenal record in Europe’s premier club competition.
Arsenal’s record in the Champions League
Season
Stage reached
Beaten by
1998/99
Group stage
Dynamo Kyiv, Lens, Panathinaikos
1999/00
Group stage
Barcelona, Fiorentina, AIK
2000/01
Quarter-finals
Valencia
2001/02
Second group stage
Leverkusen, Deportivo, Arsenal
2002/03
Second group stage
Valencia, Ajax, Roma
2003/04
Quarter-finals
Chelsea
2004/05
Round of 16
Bayern Munich
2005/06
Final
Barcelona
2006/07
Round of 16
PSV
2007/08
Quarter-finals
Liverpool
2008/09
Semi-finals
Man Utd
2009/10
Quarter-finals
Barcelona
2010/11
Round of 16
Barcelona
2011/12
Round of 16
Milan
2012/13
Round of 16
Bayern Munich
2013/14
Round of 16
Bayern Munich
2014/15
Round of 16
Monaco
2015/16
Round of 16
Barcelona
2016/17
Round of 16
Bayern Munich
2023/24
Quarter-finals
Bayern Munich
2024/25
Semi-finals
PSG
1998/99
First CL campaign ends in group stage disappointment
Arsenal secured their maiden UEFA Champions League berth after winning the Premier League title in Arsene Wenger’s first full season at the club.
Their first two seasons in the competition were marked by the Gunners playing their home games at Wembley in order to play in front of larger crowds, with the national stadium having almost double the amount of seats as Highbury.
Unfortunately, with only group winners guaranteed a quarter-final place, Arsenal were left to rue some late equalisers as they ended up finishing third on the head-to-head rule.
Arsenal Champions League results 1998/99
Round
Opponent
Result
Goalscorers
Group stage
Lens (a)
D 1-1
Vairelles / Overmars
Group stage
Panathinaikos (h)
W 2-1
Adams, Keown / Mauro
Group stage
Dynamo Kyiv (h)
D 1-1
Bergkamp / Rebrov
Group stage
Dynamo Kyiv (a)
L 1-3
Rebrov, Holovko, Shevchenko / Hughes
Group stage
Lens (h)
L 0-1
Debeve
Group stage
Panathinaikos (a)
W 3-1
Sypniewski / Asanovic (og), Anelka, Boa Morte
1999/00
Fiorentina and Barcelona win at Wembley to eliminate Gunners
Arsenal came up against some world superstars such as Gabriel Batistuta and Rivaldo in the first group stage, and while they were far from embarrassed, they fell short by a point to finish third once again.
They found solace in a run to the UEFA Cup final, where they were beaten on penalties by Galatasaray.
Arsenal Champions League results 1999/00
Round
Opponent
Result
Goalscorers
Group stage
Fiorentina (a)
D 0-0
None
Group stage
AIK (h)
W 3-1
Ljungberg, Henry, Suker / Nordin
Group stage
Barcelona (a)
D 1-1
Luis Enrique / Kanu
Group stage
Barcelona (h)
L 2-4
Bergkamp, Overmars / Rivaldo, Luis Enrique, Figo, Cocu
Group stage
Fiorentina (h)
L 0-1
Batistuta
Group stage
AIK (a)
W 3-2
A. Andersson (2) / Overmars (2), Suker
2000/01
Gunners suffer away goals heartbreak Pt. 1
The 2000/01 campaign was the first time the Gunners made it through the group stage – a feat they repeated for the following 16 years.
It was also the one and only time they made it past the second group stage before it was discontinued in 2003.
Qualifying comfortably from the group as winners, they survived a second group stage including would-be familiar foes Bayern Munich, before falling to Valencia on away goals in the quarter-finals despite Ray Parlour’s first-leg screamer.
Arsenal Champions League results 2000/01
Round
Opponent
Result
Goalscorers
Group stage
Sparta Prague (a)
W 1-0
Sylvinho
Group stage
Shakhtar Donetsk (h)
W 3-2
Wiltord, Keown (2) / Bakharev, Vorobey
Group stage
Lazio (h)
W 2-0
Ljungberg (2)
Group stage
Lazio (a)
D 1-1
Pires
Group stage
Sparta Prague
W 4-2
Parlour, Lauren, Dixon, Kanu / Labant, Rosicky
Group stage
Shakhtar Donetsk (a)
L 0-3
Atelkin, Vorobey, Byelik
Second group stage
Spartak Moscow (a)
L 1-4
Marcao (2), Titov, Robson / Sylvinho
Second group stage
Bayern Munich (h)
D 2-2
Henry, Kanu / Tarnat, Scholl
Second group stage
Lyon (a)
W 1-0
Henry
Second group stage
Lyon (h)
D 1-1
Bergkamp / Edmilson
Second group stage
Spartak Moscow (h)
W 1-0
Henry
Second group stage
Bayern Munich (a)
L 0-1
Elber
Quarter-final 1st leg
Valencia (h)
W 2-1
Henry, Parlour / Ayala
Quarter-final 2nd leg
Valencia (a)
L 0-1
Carew
2001/02
Double winners fall short in Europe again
Arsenal won all their home games to squeeze into the second group stage, where although they defeated eventual finalists Bayer Leverkusen, the Gunners were knocked out, with two defeats against then-Spanish giants Deportivo proving crucial.
Wenger’s men continued to impress on the domestic front, with another league and cup double leaving European success as the missing part in the trophy cabinet.
Arsenal Champions League results 2001/02
Round
Opponent
Result
Goalscorers
First group stage
Mallorca (a)
L 0-1
Engonga
First group stage
Schalke (h)
W 3-2
Ljungberg, Henry (2) / Van Hoogdalem, Mpenza
First group stage
Panathinaikos (a)
L 0-1
Karagounis
First group stage
Panathinaikos (h)
W 2-1
Henry (2) / Olisadebe
First group stage
Mallorca (h)
W 3-1
Pires, Bergkamp, Henry / Novo
First group stage
Schalke (a)
L 1-3
Mulder, Vermant, Moller / Wiltord
Second group stage
Deportivo (a)
L 0-2
Makaay, Tristan
Second group stage
Juventus (h)
W 3-1
Ljungberg (2), Henry / Taylor (og)
Second group stage
Bayer Leverkusen (a)
D 1-1
Kirsten / Pires
Second group stage
Bayer Leverkusen (h)
W 4-1
Pires, Henry, Vieira, Bergkamp / Sebescen
Second group stage
Deportivo (h)
L 0-2
Valeron, Naybet
Second group stage
Juventus (a)
L 0-1
Zalayeta
2002/03
Gunners draw four of six second-phase games
Experienced Champions League participants by this point, Arsenal secured a routine second group stage spot after seeing off the likes of Borussia Dortmund and PSV.
While they had their moments in the second group stage – including Thierry Henry’s hat-trick against Roma – failure to convert draws into wins saw Ajax and Valencia pip the Gunners to the two quarter-final berths.
Arsenal Champions League results 2002/03
Round
Opponent
Result
Goalscorers
First group stage
Borussia Dortmund (h)
W 2-0
Bergkamp, Ljungberg
First group stage
PSV (a)
W 4-0
Gilberto, Ljungberg, Henry (2)
First group stage
Auxerre (a)
W 1-0
Gilberto
First group stage
Auxerre (h)
L 1-2
Kanu / Kapo, Fadiga
First group stage
Borussia Dortmund (a)
L 1-2
Rosicky (2) / Henry
First group stage
PSV (h)
D 0-0
None
Second group stage
Roma (a)
W 3-1
Cassano / Henry (3)
Second group stage
Valencia (h)
D 0-0
None
Second group stage
Ajax (h)
D 1-1
Wiltord / De Jong
Second group stage
Ajax (a)
D 0-0
None
Second group stage
Roma (h)
D 1-1
Vieira / Cassano
Second group stage
Valencia (a)
L 1-2
Carew (2) / Henry
2003/04
Wayne Bridge denies Invincibles shot at European glory
Thierry Henry celebrating for Arsenal.
With the second group stage now a thing of the past, Arsenal were arguably at their very best and poised to bring the Champions League to N5 for the first time.
A disastrous start to the group stage was remedied by three successive victories which included their 5-1 demolition of Inter at San Siro, before easing past Celta Vigo in the last 16 and being handed a quarter-final tie with London rivals Chelsea.
Despite a rocking first 45, Arsenal were unable to make their home advantage count as the Blues snatched the tie late on, leaving the Gunners to wonder what might have been as FC Porto went all the way.
Arsenal Champions League results 2003/04
Round
Opponent
Result
Goalscorers
Group stage
Inter (h)
L 0-3
Cruz, Van der Meyde, Martins
Group stage
Lokomotiv Moscow (a)
D 0-0
None
Group stage
Dynamo Kyiv (a)
L 1-2
Shatskikh, Belkevich / Henry
Group stage
Dynamo Kyiv (h)
W 1-0
Cole
Group stage
Inter (a)
W 5-1
Vieri / Henry (2), Ljungberg, Edu, Pires
Group stage
Lokomotiv Moscow
W 2-0
Pires, Ljungberg
Round of 16 1st leg
Celta Vigo (a)
W 3-2
Edu, Jose Ignacio / Edu (2), Pires
Round of 16 2nd leg
Celta Vigo (h)
W 2-0
Henry (2)
Quarter-final 1st leg
Chelsea (a)
D 1-1
Gudjohnsen / Pires
Quarter-final 2nd leg
Chelsea (h)
L 1-2
Reyes / Lampard, Bridge
2004/05
Arsenal fall to Bayern despite second-leg win
Arsenal topped their group despite winning just two of their six matches, though their reward of meeting Bayern Munich in the last 16 (sound familiar?) saw the Gunners endure another early exit.
After a 3-1 defeat at a snowy Olympiastadion, Arsenal threatened to stage a remarkable comeback in the second leg, but their 1-0 win was not enough to advance to the quarters.
Arsenal Champions League results 2004/05
Round
Opponent
Result
Goalscorers
Group stage
PSV (h)
W 1-0
Alex (og)
Group stage
Rosenborg (a)
D 1-1
Strand / Ljungberg
Group stage
Panathinaikos (a)
D 2-2
Gonzalez, Olisadebe / Ljungberg, Henry
Group stage
Panathinaikos (h)
D 1-1
Henry / Cygan (og)
Group stage
PSV (a)
D 1-1
Ooijer / Henry
Group stage
Rosenborg
W 5-1
Reyes, Henry, Fabregas, Pires, Van Persie / Hoftun
Round of 16 1st leg
Bayern Munich (a)
L 1-3
Pizarro (2), Salihamidzic / Toure
Round of 16 2nd leg
Bayern Munich (h)
W 1-0
Henry
2005/06
Gunners lose in Paris finale amid historic campaign
Arsenal’s closest call to date came in what was their final European campaign at Highbury. They bowed out in style by easing through the group, and enjoyed a magical night at the Santiago Bernabeu before holding Real Madrid to a goalless draw in north London.
Their penultimate night under the Highbury lights in Europe saw Cesc Fabregas and Thierry Henry see off Juventus before another shutout in Turin, while there was more drama in the semi-final.
Kolo Toure scored Highbury’s last-ever Champions League goal as they took a slender advantage to Spain, where a late Jens Lehmann penalty save secured Arsenal a place in the Champions League final.
The final was also fraught with controversy, with Lehmann’s first-half sending-off leaving the Gunners up against it, though they somehow led at half-time through Sol Campbell’s header.
Barcelona’s equaliser had more of a hint of offside about it, before the 10 men’s luck ran out late on, as Juliano Belletti’s winner broke Arsenal hearts.
Arsenal Champions League results 2005/06
Round
Opponent
Result
Goalscorers
Group stage
FC Thun (h)
W 2-1
Gilberto, Bergkamp / Ferreira
Group stage
Ajax (a)
W 2-1
Rosenberg / Ljungberg, Pires
Group stage
Sparta Prague (a)
W 2-0
Henry (2)
Group stage
Sparta Prague (h)
W 3-0
Henry, Van Persie (2)
Group stage
FC Thun (a)
W 1-0
Pires
Group stage
Ajax (h)
D 0-0
None
Round of 16 1st leg
Real Madrid
W 1-0
Henry
Round of 16 2nd leg
Real Madrid
D 0-0
None
Quarter-final 1st leg
Juventus
W 2-0
Fabregas, Henry
Quarter-final 2nd leg
Juventus
D 0-0
None
Semi-final 1st leg
Villarreal
W 1-0
Toure
Semi-final 2nd leg
Villarreal
D 0-0
None
Final
Barcelona
L 1-2
Campbell
2006/07
PSV’s Alex nets at both ends to send Gunners out
Arsenal’s fourth-place finish the previous year – their lowest under Wenger – saw the Frenchman’s side in the unfamiliar territory of having to enter the qualifying rounds, where they defeated Dinamo Zagreb over two legs.
The Gunners topped their group once more, but their run came to an abrupt end when Alex nodded in a last-gasp equaliser for PSV in the last 16 to defeat Arsenal on aggregate.
Arsenal Champions League results 2006/07
Round
Opponent
Result
Goalscorers
Third qualifying round 1st leg
Dinamo Zagreb (a)
W 3-0
Fabregas (2), Van Persie
Third qualifying round 2nd leg
Dinamo Zagreb (h)
W 2-1
Ljungberg, Flamini / Eduardo
Group stage
Hamburg (a)
W 2-1
Sanogo / Gilberto, Rosicky
Group stage
Porto (h)
W 2-0
Henry, Hleb
Group stage
CSKA Moscow (a)
L 0-1
Carvalho
Group stage
CSKA Moscow (h)
D 0-0
None
Group stage
Hamburg (h)
W 3-1
Van Persie, Eboue, Baptista / Van der Vaart
Group stage
Porto (a)
D 0-0
None
Round of 16 1st leg
PSV (a)
L 0-1
Mendez
Round of 16 2nd leg
PSV (h)
D 1-1
Alex (og) / Alex
2007/08
Contentious penalty sees Arsenal’s San Siro victory count for nothing
This was another campaign that left the Gunners licking their wounds, as Arsenal were minutes away from the semi-finals before a late, debatable penalty call at Anfield put paid to their efforts to see off English opposition in the Champions League.
Arsenal dazzled at times in the group stage, securing their biggest-ever Champions League win in their 7-0 rout against Slavia Prague. They then dispatched holders Milan with a memorable victory at San Siro before meeting Liverpool in the last eight, where the Reds’ European experience showed.