Tag Futebol

Neymar has revealed why he was "sad and very upset" despite his goalscoring display in Santos' crucial 3-1 win over Sport Recife. The build-up to the game had been dominated by whether or not the 33-year-old would play amid an issue with his knee. The former Barcelona star bagged a goal and an assist but after the match, he took a swipe at the media.

Neymar to the rescue for Santos

Despite a knee issue keeping him out of Santos' 1-1 draw with Internacional earlier this week, Neymar played through the pain in his side's vital victory on Friday night. The former Paris Saint-Germain ace, who has reportedly been advised to undergo an arthroscopy in order to repair a tear in the meniscus region of his left knee, received a standing ovation from his home fans as the Brazilian giants earned an important three points. The result took them up to 15th in the table, giving them a two-point cushion above the relegation zone, although 17th-placed Vitoria and 18th-positioned Fortaleza have a game in hand. While many celebrated the victory, Neymar was not best pleased.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'It was a joint decision'

The former Al-Hilal man appeared to take aim at how his injury has been reported in the press. The forward made it clear that he made the decision to play for Santos after being advised by the club's doctors, rather than defying them. 

"To be honest, it's not okay! People need to know that doctors and I know. These are the people who have to know what happened to make the right decisions. We will never harm my career, we will try to do the best for me. That's what I have to say. People invent many things. I'm sad! Very upset," he said in an interview with Sportv. "I am a human being and no being deserves to listen to the nonsense I heard. You, who report things, have to be very careful. It is very harmful to the mind of a player, who is a human being. I'm happy for today's game. For the goal, for Santos' victory. Seek the three points. About these decisions (to play or not), they are internal. I didn't go over the doctors, it was a joint decision. I was the one who had to take it."

Neymar optimistic about his injury

Neymar, who has had an injury-hit second stint at boyhood team Santos, was optimistic about his conditioning going into the final games of the season. It did not seem like he would sit out the rest of the campaign, with the veteran very much determined to keep Santos in the Brazilian top-flight. 

He added: "Physically I've been doing well, I'm feeling better and better, obviously with this injury now it's sad, it's annoying, but it's nothing that will stop me from doing something, that's why I keep playing. Now it's time to think about Santos and where Santos deserves to be, which is Serie A, and then we'll see what they do. We have been facing a very big difficulty in the fight against relegation, obviously we didn't want that, but now we depend on us. Obviously we know that goal difference is important, that's why I was always demanding the team to try to score goals, respecting the Sport team, but we really wanted this victory, we wanted a bigger balance, because we know that in the end it will be important. Now we have to keep going from here for the better."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Neymar's Santos?

Santos' final two games of the Brasileiro Serie A season involve a trip to 19th-placed Juventude, who are set to be relegated, on Wednesday, before hosting third-placed Cruzeiro four days later. 

When asked if he would be on the field in Santos' next match, Neymar replied: "Absolutely."

Indeed, Santos manager Juan Pablo previously said on the Brazilian icon: "He's a player we need for all three rounds, and he'll help us. He's our leader on the field. He'll be there."

Are Celtic poised to appoint a new manager?

According to widespread reports, Celtic have been given permission to speak to Columbus Crew manager Wilfried Nancy, talks that have taken place over the weekend.

The Frenchman has won both MLS Cup and Leagues Cup in charge of the Black and Gold, very much now the front-runner to take over the reins from Martin O’Neill.

Should Nancy swap Ohio for Glasgow, he would have a big job on his hands to put together a cohesive team, considering the Celts’ current injury crisis and poorly constructed squad.

So, which player is in danger of becoming the new Luis Palma following an underwhelming start to their career in hoops?

Why Luis Palma failed at Celtic

Few players have made such a bright start to their Celtic career only to disappear into oblivion quite as quickly as Palma.

After arriving from Aris Thessaloniki in August 2023, the Honduran made an electrifying start to his time in Glasgow.

He scored four goals in his first eight Premiership appearances, bagging ten goals across his first season all told, including netting against both Atlético Madrid and Feyenoord in home Champions League matches, as well as heartbreakingly seeing a last-gasp winner against Lazio disallowed by VAR too.

However, last season, Palma very much found himself no longer in Brendan Rodgers’ plan, seeing a miserly 267 minutes of action before being loaned out to Olympiacos for the second half of the campaign.

After scoring just one goal in 12 appearances for the Greek giants, he joined Lech Poznań on loan this summer, and is seemingly loving life in Poland.

To date, Palma has scored six goals for the Railwayman, on target against both Rapid Wien and Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League, producing this rather iconic celebration after netting against Widzew Łódź during a 2-1 Ekstraklasa victory at Stadion Poznań in September.

Lech, who have won two of the last four Polish titles, have a €4m (around £3.5m) option to buy Palma at the end of the season, but this would shatter their current transfer record of €2.3m, paid to sign Yannick Agnero from Halmstad earlier this year.

Nevertheless, after a promising start to his Celtic career, Palma appears to have no future at Parkhead, but who could become the latest exciting attacking signing to depart as quickly as they arrived?

Celtic's next Luis Palma

Having left themselves woefully short in attacking areas, Celtic rather went on a trolley dash towards the end of the transfer window.

Benjamin Nygren, who joined back in June, has looked excellent so far, while both Sebastian Tounekti and Kelechi Iheanacho have shown promising signs, but the same cannot be said of Michel-Ange Balikwisha.

The winger had been on Celtic’s radar for a long time, his move to Glasgow delayed by 12 months due to injury, belatedly arriving from Royal Antwerp for a reported fee of £5m.

However, so far, the 24-year-old has not justified that price tag, as the table below documents.

Minutes

317

22nd

Appearances

12

14th

Goals

0

16th

Assists

2

5th

Big chances created

1

15th

Key passes per 90

0.4

13th

As the table highlights, Balikwisha has made very little impact so far, yet to score for the Celts, while registering two assists, these coming against Motherwell and Partick Thistle.

Of his 12 appearances, only two have come from the start, included in the lineup for his first two Premiership matches against Rangers and Kilmarnock, thereby not starting a game since 14 September.

Upon his arrival, then-manager Rodgers labelled him a “really talented, exciting player” who “loves to attack and can play both sides”, while scout António Mango was also impressed by his form at Antwerp, describing him as a “terrific talent”, albeit Celtic supporters have seen very little of this to date.

As well as changing clubs recently, Balikwisha has made a big decision regarding his international future, switching his allegiance from Belgium to DR Congo, a request approved by FIFA earlier this month.

He was thereby included in Sébastien Desabre’s squad for the first time ahead of this month’s fixtures, an unused substitute as the Leopards beat Cameroon 1-0 in their World Cup play-off semi-final on Thursday night.

This means, alongside Tounekti of Tunisia, Balikwisha is set to be absent for Celtic during the Africa Cup of Nations, meaning he has seven matches in which to kick-start his career at Parkhead before that tournament commences in Morocco.

However, should Nancy arrive, this may be bad news considering that, across all 136 matches in charge of Columbus Crew, the Frenchman always deployed a 3-4-2-1 formation, a shape that does not contain any wingers, which is exactly what Balikwisha was signed to be.

Thus, similar to Palma, there is clearly a talented player in there, albeit the early signs are, despite a sizable transfer fee, Balikwisha is not going to fulfil his potential at Celtic.

Ange 2.0: Celtic board 'very keen' to interview 48 y/o McKenna alternative

Celtic should appoint an “immensely respected” manager not Kieran McKenna because he would be able to replicate Ange Postecoglou’s success in Glasgow

ByBen Gray Nov 13, 2025

Ahead of the start of the second half of the baseball season, the Pittsburgh Pirates are set to trade veteran infielder Adam Frazier to the Kansas City Royals, according to a report from Robert Murray of

In return, the Pirates are receiving 28-year-old middle infielder Cam Devanney, who has been playing for Triple-A Omaha in Kansas City's organization. It's a one-for-one trade.

The 33-year-old Frazier was in his second stint with the Pirates, after beginning his career in Pittsburgh. He is batting .255 this season with three home runs, 21 RBI and seven stolen bases in 235 at-bats. Frazier, of course, played for the Royals a season ago, so it's a reunion between Kansas City and the longtime infielder.

Frazier hit just .202 last season in Kansas City, which was his only season with the team.

It would be fair to say that, on paper anyway, last week was Arsenal’s toughest so far this season.

Therefore, Mikel Arteta’s side should be pretty happy with seven points from nine in games against Tottenham Hotspur, Bayern Munich and Chelsea.

However, while the North Londoners were exceptional in the first two encounters, they were uncharacteristically poor away to the Blues, and that has understandably taken the shine off somewhat.

Moreover, while there were underwhelming performances across the pitch for Arsenal, one player in particular was really disappointing and currently looks miles off what fans saw last season.

Arsenal's underwhelming starters vs Chelsea

Starting at the back, and while he has arguably been one of Arsenal’s players of the season so far this year, Ricarrdo Calafiori looked way off the pace on Sunday evening.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Expand Collapse

Aside from a well-timed last-man tackle on Estevao in the first ten minutes, the Italian looked far shakier defensively than he has all year, losing two of the three tackles he made and getting a silly yellow card when he lost Reece James.

It wasn’t much better going forward either, as the former Bologna man failed to deliver a single cross for the attackers to get onto, and was understandably hooked at the interval.

Things didn’t go much better for Eberechi Eze, as following his hat-trick last weekend and assist against Bayern, the former Crystal Palace star was utterly ineffective at Stamford Bridge.

In fact, while it sounds harsh, it would be a fair assessment to describe him as anonymous on Sunday, as was Gabriel Martinelli, whose most significant contribution was a shot from outside the penalty area in the first half.

Finally, while they were not terrible, Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie were clear downgrades on the Gunners’ usual partnership.

Moreover, on top of being less defensively solid, it was clear that they were less confident starting together, which massively impacted the team’s build-up.

With all that said, there was another Arsenal star on Sunday who looked way off the pace, and unfortunately has done all season.

The Arsenal star who has taken a step back

Unfortunately for Arteta, the poor performances on Sunday evening were not limited to the starters, as Myles Lewis-Skelly’s cameo off the bench was one to forget.

The Hale Ender was sent on to replace Calafiori after the Italian picked up his silly yellow card, but just nine minutes into the second half, he got one himself.

That moment sort of summarised the teenager’s display, as while there were a few moments of quality, like a run through the middle of the pitch towards the end, he largely struggled.

He offered little going forward and looked less than secure defensively and in possession, so much so that there were more than a few occasions when you could see Rice getting frustrated with him, notably when under no pressure at all, the youngster played the ball straight to a Chelsea player on the left-hand side of the pitch.

Unsurprisingly, the watching press were not hugely impressed with the youngster, with Arsenal writer Charles Watts awarding him just a 5/10 match rating at full-time.

Lewis-Skelly’s game v Chelsea

Minutes

45′

Expected Assists

0.01

Interceptions

1

Ground Duels (Won)

4 (2)

Aerial Duels (Won)

3 (0)

Fouls

1

Key Passes

0

Dribbles

0

Shots

0

All Stats via Sofascore

That might sound harsh, but his statistics justify it; in his 45 minutes, the 19-year-old produced an expected assists figure of just 0.02, lost 50% of his ground duels and 100% of his aerial duels, didn’t play a single key pass or cross and committed one foul.

The worrying thing is that Sunday was not the full-back’s first poor performance of the season, as he also looked the weakest of the club’s starters against Bayern.

With that said, it would be unfair to blame this entirely on the youngster, club insider Hand of Arsenal, dubbed a “future captain,” as he’s just not been given enough game time.

One of the things that allowed him to play as well as he did last year was that Arteta picked him time and time again, in turn building his sharpness and understanding of the team’s rhythm.

Therefore, while it’s true that Lewis-Skelly has taken a step back this season, fans shouldn’t worry too much, as more games on the horizon should give him more opportunities to play and rebuild that sharpness.

Related Arteta must drop 4/10 Arsenal star who lost every single duel vs Chelsea

Arsenal were not at their free-flowing best as they drew with Chelsea.

Posts ByMatt Dawson Dec 1, 2025

Napoli have opened initial talks to sign Freiburg’s fast-rising midfielder Johan Manzambi as he is advancing in his standout Bundesliga season. The 20-year-old Swiss talent has emerged as one of the league’s most complete midfielders, attracting interest across Europe. With no release clause and a contract until 2030, Freiburg hold full control, but Napoli are pushing.

• Manzambi wanted: Napoli move early for Freiburg starlet

  Napoli have officially held initial discussions over a potential move for Freiburg midfielder Manzambi, who has become one of the Bundesliga’s most eye-catching breakout performers this season. reports that the Italian giants have positioned themselves strongly in the race, with Manzambi’s rapid rise pushing him toward the summer transfer market spotlight.

  The 20-year-old has become a regular starter under coach Julian Schuster, delivering mature, high-impact displays in central midfield. With two goals and three assists across 15 appearances so far, Manzambi has been central to Freiburg’s attacking sequences, and his profile has naturally drawn the attention of clubs across Europe.

Advertisement

• Freiburg hold firm

  The report describe Napoli’s interest as “the most concrete” so far. The Serie A side reportedly view Manzambi as a key part of their long-term plans and have already opened conversations regarding a potential future deal. However, Freiburg hold all negotiating power with Manzambi is contracted until 2030 and does not have a release clause, meaning only a major offer would force the club to consider a sale.

  Manzambi joined Freiburg’s U19 setup in 2023, earned promotion to the senior team within a year, and has now become one of the Bundesliga’s most intriguing young midfielders, a trajectory that has not gone unnoticed in Naples.

  ’s report indicates that Manzambi has received “numerous transfer offers”, but Napoli have moved fastest and with the clearest intent. Their scouting department has closely monitored his development, especially his ability to operate as advanced midfielder, a versatility that has made him invaluable to Freiburg.

  With Kevin De Bruyne sidelined for months after recent injuries, Napoli see Manzambi as a dynamic midfield presence who can fill multiple roles. In his breakout season, Manzambi has shown an impressive blend of physicality, awareness, and attacking instinct.

• Bundesliga moments drawing attention across Europe

  Manzambi’s rise has unfolded during a turbulent yet compelling season for Freiburg. His header from a corner against Bayern, giving his side a shock 2-0 lead before the champions roared back to win 6-2, was a major highlight. The Swiss midfielder’s early-season form has mirrored Freiburg’s resurgence under Schuster, and he has become a reliable figure despite his age.

  His versatility has allowed him to seamlessly fill defensive, central, and attacking midfield roles, prompting analysts to describe him as one of the Bundesliga’s most complete young midfielders. Napoli scouts are leading at this stage, but more Premier League and Bundesliga clubs are expected to join the conversation as the summer window approaches.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Napoli pursuit continues

  While Napoli are pushing early, Manzambi’s current focus remains with Freiburg, meanwhile, preparing for a decisive run of games in the Bundesliga as they seek European qualification. With the club holding a contract until 2030, they are under no pressure to sell, meaning any bidder must make a substantial offer to test their resolve.

  Napoli plan to advance talks in the coming months, particularly ahead of the summer window, when they aim to strengthen their midfield after key injuries. For now, Manzambi’s performances in Germany will dictate the tempo of negotiations, with every strong display increasing his value and widening interest.

A former England international, who played Premier League football, has reportedly been arrested on suspicion of attempted rape. The suspect, who is said to have represented the Three Lions in the 2010s, was detained when passing through Stansted Airport following an allegation from an ex-partner that is now being investigated by the relevant authorities.

• Suspect apprehended at Stansted Airport

  Police have announced that the player in question has been bailed pending further inquiries. He was apprehended by security when being stopped at Stansted. Border Forces stepped in at passport control.

  reports that the former Premier League performer was wanted by police over a “non-recent allegation of attempted rape reported by a former partner”. He was stopped from boarding a flight with a budget airline on November 30.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  Allegation made by former partner

  A source told The Sun, with efforts being made to avoid causing a scene in a very public place: “He was walking through passport control when he was discreetly pulled aside by Border Force. There was clearly an issue and he was led away.”

  A complaint is said to have been lodged by the player’s ex-partner several weeks ago. Essex Police subsequently opened an investigation. Officers from that constabulary are said to have been alerted to possible movement, allowing them to descend on Stansted Airport and make an arrest.

• Suspect held in police custody

  The one-time England international will have been held behind bars after being taken to a local police station, as he waited for his solicitor to arrive. Fingerprints, a DNA sample and mugshots have been taken – as is standard procedure in a case of this type.

  It is reported that the suspect was held in custody for “several hours” before being released on bail as inquiries continue. The player at the centre of the investigation is said to have “attended recent public events”, leading to confusion as to why he has only now been arrested when passing through an airport.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  Statement from Essex Police

  An insider for The Sun added on decisive action that was taken over the weekend: “It’s bizarre that he was arrested at the airport when he has been quite visible in public recently.”

  The complainant is said to have been “interviewed by specialist sex crimes officers and offered counselling and support”. A spokesperson for Essex Police has said, with the suspect unable to be named for legal reasons: “A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted rape and has been bailed to a date in late February 2026 while we continue our inquiries.”

South Africa blown away for 72 to go down by 342 runs – the heaviest defeat in men’s ODIs

Matt Roller07-Sep-2025Jacob Bethell cracked the first hundred of his professional career as England thrashed South Africa by a record margin in Southampton. Bethell’s 110 off 82 balls, a timely reminder of his immense talent, was more than South Africa’s batters managed between them as Jofra Archer ran through their top order in a blistering new-ball spell to set up a thumping consolation win.At 21, Bethell became the second-youngest England player to score a men’s ODI hundred and set the platform for a huge total in a 182-run partnership with fellow centurion Joe Root, who hardly broke a sweat. South Africa were never likely to chase 415 even if Temba Bavuma – who strained a calf in the field – had been fit to bat, but after a dramatic collapse it took a last-wicket stand of 15 for them to surpass their lowest-ever ODI score of 69.Archer struck with his second ball, a loosener which Aiden Markram edged behind, but there were no more of those across an opening burst of 4 for 10 in seven overs. He had Ryan Rickelton nicking behind, Matthew Breetzke top-edging while trying to leave one alone, and Tristan Stubbs caught in the slips as he cranked the pace up to 93mph/150kph.

SA fined for slow over rate

South Africa were fined 5% of their match fee for maintaining a slow over rate. They were one over short of the target after time allowances were taken into consideration. As per Article 2.22 of the ICC Code of Conduct, players are fined 5% of their match fee for every over their side fails to bowl in the allotted time.

It was a searing spell which had South Africa’s batters hopping around, with Stubbs and Corbin Bosch both wearing blows on the body. Archer was well backed up by Brydon Carse, who had Wiaan Mulder caught off the top edge and Dewald Brevis edging to third slip, before Adil Rashid mopped up the tail. It could have been even worse but for two dropped catches.Harry Brook, England’s captain, hailed the “ultimate performance” from his side, while Bavuma promised a debrief after “a poor showing” in which things went “terribly wrong” for South Africa. “A display like that doesn’t do us justice,” he said, before sheepishly lifting the series trophy.Bethell’s twin failures in England’s fifth-Test defeat to India at The Oval sparked countless column inches, which highlighted the low volume of cricket that he has played this summer. He acknowledged on Sunday morning that he could have played more, but his 76-ball hundred underlined that he is a special talent whose rapid promotion to this level is deserved.Jofra Archer ripped the heart out of South Africa’s batting•Philip Brown/Getty Images

South Africa had the chance to inflict England’s first home whitewash since 2006 after sealing the series at Lord’s on Thursday but were completely bereft of intensity. They rested Lungi Ngidi and were uncharacteristically sloppy in the field: Breetzke made a hash of a very simple chance off Jamie Smith at cover, but Nandre Burger’s drop of Bethell on 44 at mid-on proved particularly costly.Retaining his spot at No. 4, Bethell took the initiative early in his innings by attacking Keshav Maharaj. He punished the short ball, launched three straight sixes, and reached three figures with a rasping cover drive, celebrating his first senior century in his 141st innings across first-class, List A and T20 cricket by running towards the pavilion with his arms outstretched.Bethell has now made at least 50 in four of his six ODI innings this year, and this hundred confirmed his status both as an automatic pick in England’s white-ball teams and as one of the world’s most exciting young batters. If he can continue his form on a tour to New Zealand in late October, he could yet displace Ollie Pope as England’s No. 3 for the first Ashes Test in Perth.Related

• McCullum: England must 'find ways to deal with' packed schedule

• Conrad calls South Africa's thrashing by England 'embarrassing'

• Jofra Archer: 'There was an ooh or an aah every single over'

• Bethell: 'I've got to be ready to perform in Ashes'

• Jamie Overton replaces Saqib Mahmood in England XI for third ODI

Root played in Bethell’s slipstream, reaching an effortless hundred – his 19th in ODIs, six more than any other England batter – in 95 balls. It was vintage Root: he hit only six boundaries but scored 50 singles, 10 twos and two threes to run South Africa ragged. For the second ODI series in a row, they conceded 400-plus in a dead-rubber after going 2-0 up with a game to spare.England made their best start of the series after being asked to bat first by Bavuma, reaching 59 in the ninth over before Ben Duckett’s international summer ended with a top-edged pull to midwicket. Smith looked in fine touch, racing to his second half-century of the series, before he swung Maharaj straight to long-on for 62 two balls after the drinks break.South African heads dropped during Bethell and Root’s vast stand, and even two quick wickets in the 41st over – Bethell stumped charging Maharaj, and Brook run out for the second time in the series while attempting a casual second – could not slow the scoring rate, as Jos Buttler and Will Jacks ensured a strong finish.Buttler belted 62 not out off 32, launching Maharaj back over his head, scooping Mulder for six and turning a ramp off Burger into a late deflection for four. Jacks’ straight six off Burger doubled as a forewarning for the government’s emergency alarm test, which set off a flurry of phones in the stands; a loft over cover took England past 400 for the seventh time in ODIs.South Africa’s bowling effort was summed up by them conceding 27 extras, including 19 wides, while Burger’s analysis – 0 for 95 off 10 – was the most expensive in their ODI history. Codi Yusuf only narrowly avoided the feat himself in conceding 80 from his 10 wicketless overs of medium pace – the most by a South African debutant in ODIs – then became the second of Rashid’s three victims.

The search for Wolverhampton Wanderers’ new manager goes on.

The Old Gold sacked Vitor Pereira last week after picking up just two points all season, as they look to salvage the campaign and avoid relegation to the Championship.

There have been a few names bandied about when it comes to who could replace Pereira in the hot seat at Molineux.

Former manager Gary O’Neill, who was only sacked last December, came under consideration, but pulled out of the race. There are also suggestions that Erik ten Hag and Michael Carrick are two options for the club.

However, a new contender has emerged in recent hours.

The latest manager to be linked with Wolves

It was clear that Wolves needed to bring in a new manager, with Pereira struggling to get the best out of his squad.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

Expand Collapse

However, his replacement is something they must get spot on, as they look to get their first win of the season.

Well, according to Football FanCast sources, the higher-ups at Molineux have sounded out a move for former Benfica boss Rui Vitoria.

The West Midlands outfit is said to be a job that the 55-year-old would be open to taking over.

Vitoria has not been out of a job long, having managed Panathinaikos most recently, who sacked him in September.

Why Vitoria would be a good appointment for Wolves

It is perhaps a bit of a red flag for Wolves fans that Pereira has struggled in his last three jobs. The Portuguese manager, who hails from just outside of Lisbon, has had three jobs in the last four years.

One of those was as head coach of the Egyptian national team. He coached them in 18 games and was sacked after crashing out of AFCON at the round of 16 stage. The role before that was at Spartak Moscow, where he lasted 26 games, and his latest job at Panathinaikos saw him manage 43 matches.

Yet, the 55-year-old has seen success at previous clubs. Said to favour an attacking 4-3-3 formation, his best spell came as Benfica boss, where he won four major honours. That included back-to-back Portuguese top-flight titles in the 2015/16 and 2016/17 campaigns.

One man who thought highly of Vitoria’s reign was Pep Guardiola, who said his team was “worthy of Arrigo Sacchi,” the legendary former AC Milan manager.

The pair met in the Champions League when Guardiola was in charge of Bayern Munich, and although Benfica were knocked out 3-2 on aggregate, Vitoria clearly left a strong impression.

Indeed, his record at Benfica was certainly impressive. He took charge of 183 games for the club and had an excellent win rate of 68%. That saw him lead his side to victory on 125 occasions.

Vitoria record as Benfica manager

Stat

Number

Games

183

Wins

125

Draws

27

Losses

31

Win rate

68%

Goals for

388

Goals against

161

Stats from Transfermarkt

It is easy to draw comparisons between the potential new Wolves boss and one of their best from the FOSUN era, Nuno Espirito Santo.

Now at West Ham United, the ex-Old Gold manager took charge of 199 games at Molineux and was a huge success story.

Nuno was adored by the Wolves faithful. Not only did he guide them back to the Premier League in 2017/18, but he even led them to the Europa League. He certainly brought happier times to Molineux during his time there.

Like Vitoria, the former Wolves manager learnt his craft in his native Portugal. He began at Rio Ave, and then managed FC Porto, with a spell at Valencia in between, before moving to Molineux and starting his dynasty.

Well, via a few more clubs, that is a similar route to what Vitoria will be taking if he gets the job at Molineux. Making a name for themselves in Portugal is something the two managers have in common, and Vitoria will be hoping he can earn the same level of adoration Nuno got at Wolves.

Related The new Nuno Santo: "World-class" manager wants to hold talks with Wolves

Wolverhampton Wanderers could appoint their next Nuno Espirito Santo by hiring this Gary O’Neil upgrade.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Nov 5, 2025

Nottinghamshire head coach favourite to step up, with Adam Voges in talks to join as assistant

Matt Roller10-Nov-2025

Peter Moores is in line to become men’s head coach at Trent Rockets in the Hundred, with Adam Voges in talks to join the franchise as his assistant.Andy Flower had coached Rockets’ men since the Hundred’s first season but left his role to take up a lucrative job offer from London Spirit. Andrew Flintoff and Stephen Fleming were both candidates to take over from him, but ESPNcricinfo has learned that Moores is now the favourite to take charge in 2026, adding to his role as Nottinghamshire’s head coach.Rockets are operating under new ownership, after private equity firms Cain and Ares bought a 49% stake earlier this year. They will run the franchise jointly with host county Notts, who will retain operational control as majority shareholders, and confirmed Chris Read’s appointment as women’s head coach on Thursday.Moores spent this season – in which Rockets were losing finalists – working as one of Flower’s assistants, and recently signed a three-year contract extension with Notts. He has previous experience in franchise cricket with Melbourne Stars and Karachi Kings, and oversaw Notts’ County Championship triumph last season.Related

Voges to step down as Western Australia coach for franchise roles

Trent Rockets confirm Moores appointment

Moores enjoys moment after Notts' march to success

Flower replaces Langer as London Spirit head coach

Northern Superchargers officially renamed Sunrisers Leeds

Voges has not previously worked in the Hundred but has established himself as a highly-rated coach after success with Western Australia and Perth Scorchers. He has a long-standing connection with Nottinghamshire, spending five years as one of their overseas players from 2008-12, and has also worked as an assistant coach for Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL.Three men’s coaches for the Hundred’s 2026 season have been publicly confirmed: Flower (Spirit), Mike Hussey (Welsh Fire) and Shane Bond (Birmingham Phoenix), with Daniel Vettori set to join the newly-renamed Sunrisers Leeds.Justin Langer is a potential contender to take charge at Manchester Originals (soon to become Super Giants) after he left Spirit, with Tom Moody becoming the franchise’s global director of cricket. Simon Katich has coached Originals’ men since inception.Southern Brave are yet to confirm a successor to Adi Birrell, with Delhi Capitals head coach Hemang Badani believed to be a contender for the role, while defending champions Oval Invincibles (who will become MI London shortly) are also on the hunt for a new men’s coach after Moody’s departure.Surrey’s deal with Reliance Industries Limited to become co-owners of the Invincibles franchise is the only outstanding paperwork in the Hundred’s privatisation process. It has still not been officially completed, but an announcement is anticipated shortly.

Defending a low total, NZ fought back courtesy Neesham’s spell but Marsh stood tall till the end

Andrew McGlashan04-Oct-2025

Mitchell Marsh led from the front with a magnificent maiden T20I century to carry Australia to a 2-0 series victory over New Zealand after they had suffered a major stumble against James Neesham.At 62 for 1 in the seventh over, Australia were comfortably placed chasing an underwhelming 157 but Neesham claimed four quick wickets to leave the game in the balance. Marsh, though, remained unstoppable to continue his recent surge in form, bringing up his century from 50 balls, joining the group of those with centuries across all formats, in an innings where the next-best score was 14. Sean Abbott showed his calmness and experience by helping get the job done, unbeaten on 13.Australia’s three frontline quicks had all impressed after Marsh followed his usual route of bowling when winning the toss. Josh Hazlewood set the tone and was well backed up by Xavier Bartlett and Abbott as the trio shared seven wickets, while Marcus Stoinis claimed the important figure of Daryl Mitchell with his first ball.This early-season Chappell-Hadlee series was played across just four days in chilly, damp conditions – with the second match mostly lost to the weather – and New Zealand will now prepare to face England in white-ball cricket. Australia, meanwhile, return home to play India in ODIs and T20Is ahead of the Ashes.Marsh’s lone handMarsh joked after the second T20I’s abandonment that he’d never felt such pressure being 1 off 5 balls in a nine-over slog. Today he was 4 off 5 when he got into himself into top gear with consecutive fours and a pulled six off Matt Henry. Then in the final over of the powerplay he took down Ben Sears, starting with a perfect lofted on-drive for six before showing extraordinary power to loft six over cover off the back foot – in all, the over cost 21.Marsh lost Matt Short, flicking Neesham into the deep, but consecutive sixes against Ish Sodhi – the second taking him to a 21-ball fifty – continued Australia’s momentum. Then the wheels threatened to come off. Tim David swung a big outside edge to deep third, Alex Carey was brilliantly caught at deep point by Mark Chapman – who held the catch horizontal to the ground – and Neesham put himself on a hat-trick when Stoinis drove to mid-off.He nearly claimed it, too, as Mitchell Owen got an inside edge into the pads. Owen launched a mighty six over long-on to suggest he might hurry the game to a conclusion but soon skied into the off side. Marsh scored 22 of the 23 added with Bartlett, but 24 were still needed when the seventh wicket fell, although there was never any run-rate pressure.Marsh moved to 97 with his seventh six, muscled over the leg side when he didn’t middle a pull off Neesham, and brought up three figures when a top edge landed safely.Hazlewood’s four in a rowFor the second time in the series, Hazlewood struck in the first over of a match when Devon Conway skewed a catch to mid-off after Tim Seifert had scooped his third ball for six. Three overs later, with New Zealand having made decent progress, he produced a superb delivery which nipped and climbed at Tim Robinson to graze the edge, although the DRS was needed after the on-field umpire didn’t hear the nick.In an attacking move, with the ball nibbling around, Hazlewood was given his four-over spell on the trot by Marsh – the first time he had bowled all his overs straight through in his T20 career. His top-class spell was somewhat dented in his last over when Seifert and Mitchell took a boundary a piece.David’s catch, Stoinis maidenAustralia were poor in the field during the opening match, but they caught safely in this one. Their highlight was David’s terrific effort, running back from mid-on take Chapman’s lofted drive over his shoulder, managing to hold onto the ball as he landed and it left New Zealand three down inside the powerplay.Another notable contribution was Stoinis’ opening over. He started by finding Mitchell’s outside edge with a delivery that moved considerably, and ended up completing a wicket maiden. It was his first maiden in a full T20 match, although earlier this year he completed two maiden ‘sets’ in the Hundred which are categorized among T20 statistics.In the end, Stoinis would end up Australia’s most expensive bowler as his last three overs went for 43 with Neesham taking 16 off him in the space of four balls in the 15th over including two sixes. Neesham and captain Michael Bracewell tried to rebuild from 99 for 5 but in felt like New Zealand were someway short although with the ball, Neesham nearly proved it otherwise. One player stood in their way.