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Serie A outfit Fiorentina are set to part ways with Italian head coach Stefano Pioli after their defeat to Lecce. The Viola are currently navigating profiles who could be potential replacements for Pioli and are assessing the financial impact of removing their head coach.

• What led to Fiorentina's decision?

  Medon Berisha scored the only goal of the match in the 23rd minute as Fiorentina went down to Lecce in the Serie A. This was their third loss in the last five games, and apart from Lecce, they also faced defeat at the hands of Inter and Milan, while securing a 2-2 draw against 10-man Bologna. The latest defeat is believed to be the root cause behind the potential sacking of Pioli, who joined the club this summer after a stint in Asia with Cristiano Ronaldo's Al Nassr. Notably, the Viola, after 10 games in the domestic league, are yet to register a victory, losing six games and drawing the other four. Despite possessing players like Edin Dzeko and Italy international Moise Kean up front, they have struggled for goals.

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  Fiorentina board exploring options

  According to a report by TuttoMercatoWeb, the administrators are currently working on settling the financial aspect of the deal, which will be paid as compensation to Pioli. The former Al Nassr supremo was signed on a three-year contract with a salary of over €3 million net per season. The decision-makers, technical director Roberto Goretti and general manager Alessandro Ferrari, are looking for new options, with Paolo Vanoli emerging as a top candidate to take over the reins. However, Fiorentina might also make a shocking move by appointing the youth coach Daniele Galloppa as an interim solution. 

• Is Pioli ready to step down?

  A twist in the tale, or the most recent development, is that Pioli had a long call with the Fiorentina board. At the same time, he has communicated his decision not to step down. According to Football Italia, the coach is ready to make adjustments in his existing contract; however, he is not ready to  resign. He has been in charge of Fiorentina for 114 days, managing them in 14 matches. While he has won four games, the fact that his side are yet to record a victory in Serie A has left trigger fingers in the boardroom rather itchy. 

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  What comes next for Fiorentina?

  Whether Pioli would be forcefully sacked in the upcoming days is a matter for the future. Fiorentina now have two important fixtures before the November international break commences. On Thursday, they will face German side Mainz in the Conference League, and three days later, they will lock horns with bottom-placed Genoa in a vital clash. The positive so far about Pioli is that his side has won both their Conference League games, and successive wins against Mainz and Genoa might offer him a cooling period before club football resumes in late November, where they'll have to face Juventus and Atalanta in the league and AEK Athens in the continental competition. If they record two wins this week, it would mark the first time that Pioli has managed the side to successive victories. 

Hale End. It’s not quite La Masia but Arsenal’s academy system has very quickly become revered across the country.

While the Gunners have always had a habit of producing top young players, in the last decade it’s taken on a particular level of prominence.

From Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe to Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman, the conveyor belt of talent has consistently provided Mikel Arteta with some of the finest young talents in the country.

For Nwaneri and Dowman, the goal will be to follow in the footsteps of their predecessors and there is every chance they will.

The generational academy duo have become the two youngest players in Premier League history and the world is their oyster. They look ready to dominate English football for years to come.

While Nwaneri looks special, Dowman looks next level. He’s burst onto the scene at an almighty rate of knots and aged just 15, is already impacting Premier League games. It’s echoes of Lamine Yamal’s rise at Barcelona.

While Arsenal will hope they have another Yamal or Saka on their hands, expectations must be tempered, just as they had to be when the latter burst onto the scene under Unai Emery.

What happened when Saka burst onto the scene at Arsenal

Arsenal supporters don’t have much to thank Emery for but he was the manager who spotted Saka and gave him his first-team debut.

The date was 29th November 2018. The competition was the Europa League. The opposition were Vorskla Poltava. Saka appeared from the bench in a 3-0 win aged 17 years, two months and 24 hours. The rest, as they say, is history.

Just a few weeks later, Saka made his first start for Arsenal in a 1-0 Europa League victory over Qarabag. Then, in the New Year, he made his Premier League debut in a 4-1 win over Fulham on 19th January 2019.

At first, Saka appeared on the left wing but made a seamless transition across both flanks. It was from the right side that he scored his first senior goal.

While he should have scored in that game against Qarabag, firing at the goalkeeper from a matter of yards out, he did finally find the net nearly a year later.

The Europa League was a fine competition for Saka to develop in and it was on the continental stage that he scored in Arsenal colours for the first time, bagging in a 3-0 win over Frankfurt.

While the England international has now found a home on the right wing, much of the embryonic stages of his career played out at left back or left wing-back.

Indeed, he has played at left-back 21 times in his club career. During Arteta’s first match in charge of the club in December 2019, Saka was fielded in that position. He even made his England debut in that area of the pitch.

It’s rather remarkable, therefore, that he is now one of the best wingers in world football. Arsenal journalist Charles Watts even went as far as to say that the club’s number 7 was “the best right winger in the world” in 2023.

Now, in 2025, Saka has very much lived up to that billing, winning England’s Player of the Year on a couple of occasions and proving he is the man for the big occasion for club and country. He stepped up and scored at a vital moment at the Euros in 2024, netting against Switzerland and bagging inside the Bernabeu last season.

So in 2025, seven years after Arsenal’s best player burst onto the scene, where is the next Saka coming from?

Arsenal's next Saka has emerged from Hale End

Be it luck, be it the hard work of those behind the scenes at academy level, Hale End has had enormous success in recent years at producing players ready to be integrated into the first team.

Last term, Nwaneri featured on 37 occasions for the Arsenal senior side, scoring nine goals and supplying two assists. For a 17-year-old, it was a remarkable campaign.

However, the teenager is not the academy darling anymore. Dowman is the shiny new toy and he’s making his own impact.

While yet to score at senior level, the 15-year-old has showcased why he is rated so highly. He won a penalty against Newcastle in pre-season and won another spot-kick against Leeds in the 5-0 win at the beginning of the season. He did so by using his dazzling dribbling ability. Few in the game have as good close control of the ball as Dowman.

Yet, while both will naturally draw comparisons to Saka – being left-footed and playing off the right – it’s Myles Lewis-Skelly’s rise that evokes the strongest comparisons to his international colleague.

While many onlookers spent much of last season waxing lyrical about Nwaneri, it was actually Lewis-Skelly who enjoyed the brightest rise, quickly overtaking his good mate and becoming one of the first names on the teamsheet.

But, like Saka, he has emerged on the scene out of position and in the same role too.

Lewis-Skelly is a midfielder by trade and that is where the Gunners envisage his future. Yet, his development so far has been best served at left-back.

Standing in for an injured Riccardo Calafiori last term, the 18-year-old enjoyed a standout season, eventually being nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Season award.

While ill-discipline cost the youngster at times, being sent off on two occasions, he was particularly vital during the club’s run to the Champions League semi-finals.

Speaking on TNT during Arsenal’s win against Real Madrid in the Spanish capital, Premier League great Rio Ferdinand said: “I’m sorry, is Lewis-Skelly really 18? His date of birth is right, isn’t it? He looks so calm and so cool in and out of possession. Before the game he was on a call, just talking and chilling. He is special.”

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So, like Saka, he broke through at left-back despite it not being his natural position, and he’s got the composed, mature personality that his fellow Hale Ender possesses.

The problem for Lewis-Skelly, as Thomas Tuchel recently outlined, is his game time.

Last season was a special one for the teen, one that saw him also earn his first England caps. He even scored on his international debut. He’s an unbelievable talent, alright.

Yet, Arsenal’s squad is now stacked. Calafiori is fit again and the academy graduate is still awaiting his first Premier League start of the campaign.

Quizzed on whether Lewis-Skelly would be in next summer’s World Cup squad if he doesn’t play regularly, the Three Lions boss said: “Maybe it becomes a problem for him, yeah. To just be a good citizen in camp will not be enough over the course of a year.

“You have to perform at club level on a regular basis. In the last camp he got the credit, that I was convinced we have to take care of him and nominate him because we accelerated his career. It was our responsibility after we called him last season.”

We do have to remember that the Arsenal gem is still only 18. Even if he doesn’t make it to the World Cup next year, his time will no doubt come.

However, like Saka, it may not come at left-back. Arsenal’s sparkling number 7, the club’s poster boy, eventually made it on the right flank. He’s captained the club, he’s played 200 times in the Premier League, contributing 55 goals and 51 assists.

As club insider Hand of Arsenal once revealed, however, there is a belief that Lewis-Skelly could well be a “future captain” too, and he must now channel his inner Saka to get there.

A change of position to midfield will come at some point and it’s when that happens that he’ll get to really push on and explode. Just you wait.

He's just like Saka: Arsenal now have the "biggest talent in England"

The sensational gem could become as good as Saka at Arsenal.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Oct 10, 2025

Hansi Flick refused to abandon Barcelona’s attacking principles despite a chaotic 3-3 draw with Club Brugge in the Champions League. The German coach insisted his side’s issues stem from lapses in intensity and not tactics after the Catalans came from behind three times to salvage a point on another frustrating European night.

• Barcelona's defensive woes resurface in six-goal thriller

  Barcelona’s Champions League campaign hit another roadblock as they were held to a 3-3 draw by Club Brugge in Belgium. It is their ninth consecutive game without a clean sheet, making it the club’s worst defensive run since 2013 when they conceded in 13 straight matches.

  Flick’s men found themselves chasing the game all night, with the hosts exploiting Barca’s high defensive line to score three times, each time forcing the visitors to claw back. While the comeback spirit was commendable, the fragility without the ball was impossible to ignore. 

  The result leaves Barcelona with seven points from four group-stage matches, still well-positioned but increasingly vulnerable. After the match, Flick cut a frustrated figure, hinting at stern words for his squad while brushing off suggestions that his tactical model was to blame.

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  Flick stands firm on his 'philosophy' despite Brugge setback

  Speaking to after the draw, Flick made it clear that while his team’s lack of intensity was unacceptable, he will not compromise on his footballing principles.

  "We can defend in the final third, but we'll stick to our philosophy because we can do better," the German said. "When you lack intensity, you have no chance, especially in the Champions League. Club Brugge played very well, as I expected, and I told the players that. Last year's 1-0 goal would have been two meters offside. But we want to play our game. A 3-3 draw isn't the best result for us, but the positive aspect of the match is that we managed to come back after they took the lead three times. We do need to talk about this, though."

  He elaborated further on Barca’s problems in key areas of the pitch: “It’s not just about defending in the back line, but also in midfield. We have to be alert when they create chances in one or two touches. It’s not easy, not easy at all. We did create several chances, but the truth is they played very well. They were very aggressive, obviously in a positive way.”

  The 60-year-old admitted his side struggled to impose their usual pressing game, a recurring issue in recent weeks. “The truth is that we haven't been able to press the ball effectively; we've lost many duels, especially in midfield, which was crucial against such fast players. For us, it's about intensity when we don't have the ball. Above all, we need to be alert when they create chances with just one or two touches. I'm sure we'll improve on that.”

• Injuries, fatigue and focus – Flick defends his model

  The ex-Bayern boss was firm in his response to critics calling for tactical changes, stressing that Barcelona’s problems lie in execution, not ideology.

  "This is always about the team, he said. "We did well last Sunday, but today, only a few times. We have to work on this. We're the same team. We know it's not our best moment, but I'm going to look at it positively and think that after the break, when Joan Garcia, Raphinha, and Pedri return, and Olmo and Lewandowski are at a different level, we'll improve."

  When asked if it was time to rethink the system, Flick replied with conviction: "I'm not going to repeat myself. The solution isn't to change. We are Barca. Our football is about being active, playing with intensity. With and without the ball. We have to work on this. And when everyone returns from injury, we'll see how it goes."

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  Focus turns to Celta Vigo amid growing pressure

  Barcelona’s draw in Brugge leaves them 11th in the overall Champions League standings, still in contention but struggling for consistency. Flick now faces the challenge of regrouping a weary squad ahead of Sunday’s La Liga trip to Celta Vigo, with the Catalans sitting second, five points behind leaders Real Madrid.

  Despite the turbulence, Flick remains steadfast in his belief that intensity and discipline not tactical overhauls will lead the Catalan giants back to form. As the German put it: “We are Barca. We don’t back down we get better.”

Major League Baseball's postseason has been especially good on-field product this fall and has proven to be a ratings success at this point. ESPN enjoyed the highest numbers ever for the Wild Card round, averaging 2.823 million viewers, a 25% increase from last year.

That momentum continued through the Division Series portion of programming as baseball posted the best figures since 2017, an 18% bump from 2023.

The presence of two New York teams and one from Los Angeles certainly helps explain the additional eyeballs and the Detroit Tigers-Cleveland Guardians series went a full five games.

Those major market squads surviving into the ALCS and NLCS had Fox and TNT Sports salivating at even more juicy numbers and it certainly looks like they'll be getting those.

Fox reports that Game 1 of the NLCS between the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers was the most-watched Game 1 LCS on any network since 2009. Which is even more impressive considering the fact baseball was going up against .

Every single possible permutation of a potential World Series matchup is attractive so the sky feels like the limit when it comes to baseball doing big business on television this October. This, of course, will do little to stem the pieces about how the sport needs to be saved and can't market itself but that feels like a lost fight anyway.

Baseball is having a much-deserved moment and a lot of people are catching it in real time.

Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has taken a thinly-veiled swipe at Manchester United over their handling of Alejandro Garnacho, pointing the finger of blame at the Old Trafford club over perceived below-par fitness when the Argentina international arrived at Stamford Bridge. Garnacho was exiled into the so-called 'bomb squad' under Ruben Amorim, before his £40 million ($52.6m) move to west London and has taken time to settle in at his new team.

• Turning point for Garnacho in Wolves win

  Garnacho was a star performer as the Blues beat manager-less Wolves 3-0 at Stamford Bridge to move second in the Premier League. The Argentine winger assisted the opening goal by Malo Gusto and the third by Pedro Neto in a dominant second-half display. After a sluggish, goalless first-half, Garnacho delivered a looping cross for Gusto to head home the opener in the 51st minute and then provided a precise low cross for Neto's tap-in, sealing the win. This was the first time Garnacho had recorded two assists in a league game for Chelsea.

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  Blues boss backs summer signing

  Speaking after victory over Wolves the Chelsea boss aimed a dig at United over Garnacho's previous training regime. He said: "Work hard – this has been the main message when he joined us. In terms of quality on the ball we know he is good; to play with us he has to work hard. On the ball he's doing well, but also off the ball he's working hard. He arrived from a club where he was not training 100 per cent so his physical condition was not good. Slowly now he is better. He knows that to play with us he needs to be good on the ball and off the ball otherwise he's not going to play."

• Maresca hails Brazilian starlet

  Chelsea have found promising form in recent weeks, despite the disappointing draw in the Champions League at Qarabag. One positive story from the season so far has been the performances of youngster Estevao. The Brazilian wonderkid officially joined Chelsea in summer 2025 from Palmeiras, finalising the transfer deal that was agreed on in 2024. And he was singled-out for praise by Maresca. 

  He said: "When Estevao came on the energy raised because people love that kind of player, you can see his talent. We are trying to help him to adapt and give him the right minutes. He arrived from Brazil, he needs time to adapt, but he's going to start games for us in the future."

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  Injury woes for Chelsea

  Victory at Stamford Bridge bumped the Blues up the table, but there were injury concerns for boss Maresca. Captain on the day Enzo Fernandez has reported a long-standing injury and there were concerns for Pedro Neto too.

  There’s a packed schedule facing the Blues when domestic football returns after the international break Chelsea are away against Burnley on November 22 before the massive home Champions League clash with Barcelona on November 25 and a crunch derby with title rivals Arsenal at Stamford Bridge concludes the month.

Everton are building something under David Moyes’ wing – again.

Having shaped the Merseysiders into a force of consistency and resilience over a decade of tireless service, the 63-year-old has been back at the helm throughout 2025, with the summer transfer window packaging exciting new talent into the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

However, with Idrissa Gueye set to leave at the end of his contract next year and Tim Iroegbunam yet to prove he has the minerals for a sustained starting role in Moyes’ system, Moyes may look to strengthen his central fold in 2026.

He does boast one of the most dynamic centre-midfielders in the Premier League, though, with this profile something that proved successful for the Scottish manager all those years ago at Goodison Park.

Moyes' best-ever Everton midfielders

Moyes enforces a principled and organised playing style, and energy and industriousness is at its heart. This was true 20 years ago, and it remains a core element of the make-up now.

But pragmatic though Moyes has been tagged at times, he has always pushed for creativity, an attacking dimension coming from the centre and with the capacity to defend strongly.

Tim Cahill embodied this. Not quite a forward, he scored lots of goals. Not quite a central midfielder, the Australian was combative and aggressive.

No player has ever featured more often in a Moyes side than Leon Osman. Not the flashiest, the versatile Englishman played his entire career on the blue half of Merseyside, save for two early-career loan spells as he was making his way.

Another of Moyes’ mainstays was Mikel Arteta. Look closely and you may trace elements of Moyes’ influence in the Arsenal manager’s drilled and oiled style, merged with the technical genius of Pep Guardiola to shape the Gunners into bona fide contenders at the highest level.

As a player, the 43-year-old was dynamic and intelligent, adding a dimension otherwise unavailable to the Blues team. He is creative on the ball and tenacious against the run of play, once saying he would “go through a brick wall” for Moyes.

Arteta was arguably Moyes’ most trusted lieutenant, the man who helped make it all tick.

Now, the tactician has refashioned his former favourite in the shape of a new Everton star.

Moyes' new version of Arteta

Like Arteta during his Everton prime, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is a versatile midfielder.

The opening months of the 2025/26 campaign have shown the 27-year-old to be a talented and effective midfielder, situated in the centre of the park and tasked with connecting play.

Yet he arrived from Chelsea, for a £28m fee, having played second-fiddle in Enzo Maresca’s team. He was part of last term’s Club World Cup and Conference League-winning squads, but featured only 13 times in the Premier League, starting twice.

But moving to Everton was the perfect thing for a man in the prime of his career. His performances since arriving at the Hill Dickinson prove this, and he is showing too that he can be a “revelation” for multiple clubs, having been hailed as such for his efforts at Leicester by former boss Brendan Rodgers.

Averaging 1.9 key passes and winning 5.3 duels per game this term, as per Sofascore, it’s hard to argue against the success of the signing; Dewsbury-Hall may even be one of the Premier League’s most underrated signings.

Arteta’s clever and imaginative passing was a staple of his game. In this, Dewsbury-Hall could emulate him. Data from FBref shows us that the Englishman ranks among the top 8% of midfielders in the Premier League for passes into the penalty area and the top 8% for progressive passes per 90.

Starting all but one of Everton’s Premier League matches thus far, missing out against Crystal Palace due to suspension, the £90k-per-week talent has shown he has the personality and presence to become Moyes’ next Arteta, instrumental in progressing play and steering Everton away from their pragmatic reputation.

The likes of Jack Grealish and Iliman Ndiaye will more often than not take the headlines, but in Dewsbury-Hall, Moyes has recycled a tried and tested playing style, and it’s already beginning to bear dividends.

Everton's "revelation" could become the biggest loser from Grealish's rise

Jack Grealish’s form at Everton could nudge another star out of Moyes’ best team

By
Will Miller

Oct 16, 2025

In a boost to one of baseball's best bullpens, the Cleveland Guardians have added a veteran pitcher.

The Guardians are signing pitcher Paul Sewald to a one-year contract, they announced Wednesday afternoon—confirming a report from ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Sewald, 34, will reportedly make $7 million this season. Per Passan, his contract contains a mutual option for 2026.

The Las Vegas native debuted in MLB at 26 for the New York Mets in 2017. After four tough seasons with the Mets, he found a new lease on life with the Seattle Mariners in 2021—winning 10 games in relief that year with a 3.06 ERA.

In the last three seasons, Sewald has saved 70 games, struck out 195 batters in 164.1 innings, and pitched to a 3.23 ERA.

Cleveland—which went 92–69 last year and made the ALCS—will open its AL Central title defense on March 27 on the road against the Kansas City Royals.

Just a few weeks ago, the mood around West Ham United was as dour as it had been in years, and yet now there is a genuine sense of optimism surrounding the club.

This quite dramatic change in sentiment is, of course, down to Nuno Espírito Santo’s side finally putting in performances worthy of the badge, beating Newcastle United and Burnley 3-1 and 3-2, respectively.

On top of the wins, the fans have also seen Freddie Potts given a genuine chance in the first team, and so far, he’s looking every bit the future star so many thought he’d be.

So, supporters should be seriously excited about another player in the academy who could be the next Potts.

Why West Ham fans should be excited about Potts

Now, the headline from the last couple of gameweeks is, and should be, the fact that West Ham have picked up six points from six.

Chalkboard

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

However, it’s impossible to ignore the side story of Potts finally getting his full first-team debut and then earning a second start in as many games.

The Englishman was utterly impeccable against the Toon. He delivered quintessential all-action central midfield performances and was more than deserving of his Man of the Match award.

He was once again bossing the midfield against the Clarets on Saturday afternoon before going off with what looked like a leg injury, although thankfully it has since been revealed to have only been a dead leg.

Despite being on the pitch for just 62 minutes, the 22-year-old played three key passes, took 56 touches, won 66% of his tackles, made six clearances, won six of nine ground duels and made four recoveries.

It was another showing that demonstrated just why fans are right to be excited about the academy gem.

The Barking-born monster, who, according to one analyst, is blessed with a “supreme confidence and ability to create time and space on the ball”, looks like he could develop into the perfect central midfielder for a Premier League side looking to climb the table.

So it’s good news that the academy may have already produced another prospect who could be Nuno’s next Potts.

West Ham's next Potts

While the first team has been largely disappointing over the last couple of years, the academy has continued to produce exciting prospects for West Ham. One of those talents, and someone who could be the next Potts, is George Earthy.

Now, while the youngster can and has played in several positions across the pitch, he is primarily an attacking midfielder. However, where he plays on the pitch has very little to do with the comparisons to and why he could be another Potts.

Instead, one of the main points of comparison is that, while he hasn’t had many first-team chances, the 21-year-old is viewed as one of the most exciting prospects at the club and has a youth record to prove it.

For example, in 60 appearances for the u18s, totalling 4804 minutes, he scored 25 goals and provided 18 assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.39 games, or every 111.72 minutes.

Then, in 53 appearances for the u21s, totalling 3573 minutes, he scored 17 goals and provided 13 assists, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.76 games, or every 119.1 minutes, and was enough for him to be named Young Hammer of the Year at the end of the 2023/24 season.

With it clear that the “priceless” gem, as dubbed by coach Steve Potts, was too good for academy football, the club sent him on loan to Bristol City last season, where he once again won another young player of the year award.

Now, in addition to being very highly rated from a young age, something else the Havering-born gem shares with the Hammers’ current man of the moment is a love for the club.

Yes, on top of being one of their own, having graduated from the academy, the 21-year-old is a West Ham supporter and even travelled to Prague to watch the side lift the Conference League as a fan.

Ultimately, while they play different roles, Earthy shares a lot in common with Potts, and his impressive record in the academy and with Bristol should see him earn his first competitive start for West Ham sooner rather than later.

AC Milan join Fullkrug race as agent makes damning West Ham admission

The forward has struggled at the London Stadium.

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 10, 2025

Como winger Assane Diao is in line to be called up to the Senegal national team for the Africa Cup of Nations, but Cesc Fabregas wants him to stay at the Serie A side for the time being. The 20-year-old has been limited to just four appearances in the Italian top-flight this season, sparking the coach to claim his involvement at AFCON is "illogical".

• Injury problems at the root of Fabregas' decision

  Diao moved to Italy in January after spending a season and a half at La Liga side Real Betis and quickly established himself as a crucial member of Fabregas' squad, securing eight goals and an assist in 15 Serie A appearances last season. In April, however, he suffered a broken foot and missed out on their last five Serie A fixtures of the campaign as well as the initial stages of the 2025-26 season. Diao made a comeback in late October, where he played 45 minutes against Parma. The Senegalese winger was slowly reintegrating him back into the lineup, but was called up to the Senegal team this month. Despite having an adductor issue, he participated in two training sessions for the African side, only to get further injured and return to Italy.

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  Fabregas finds Diao's national team call-up illogical

  The 20-year-old has a hamstring injury, which will keep him out for a few games. Although Fabregas has mentioned his probable return date, he does not want the winger to return to the Senegal camp, with his major concern being the player's fitness ahead of the competition's December 21 kick off.  

  "I don't want to send him to the African Cup of Nations? For me it's illogical," he said. "He's been out for seven months, he's played three games, now he's going to the national team, he'll get injured and be out again. Then maybe he'll go back to Senegal. In the player's mind, you have to do things right. For me, it doesn't make sense. They won't care, but we want what's best for the player. He shouldn't go. He went to training camp with Senegal with a minor adductor problem and did two training sessions. Then he got injured and came back here. We'll try to get him back with Inter, but it's more likely that we'll have him back with Roma."

• Fabregas wants to face Torino with 'great attention'

  Como sit eighth in the Serie A table after 11 games, having lost just one match so far. They are up against a Torino side sitting four points and places below them on Monday, and a win would see them leapfrog Juventus into sixth.

  "You always have to approach every match at your best. If you think it's going to be difficult mentally, then it definitely will be," Fabregas said as his side prepare to take on a side on a six-game unbeaten run. "We have to win it with our own game, with what we have to offer. But we need to be more ambitious and get more points than we currently have. We had lots of chances to make it 2-0 against Cremonese, the penalty in Naples, and three or four chances to score in Cagliari. We need to manage it better, without losing our defensive stability. Torino are a team that play 5-3-2, with experienced defenders. [Kristjan] Asllani scored and comes from Inter, he's a great player. You know [Cesare] Casadei, he comes from Chelsea. Che Adams is an international player, [Cyril] Ngonge is a difference-maker for his team, he won the league with Napoli and I really like him. They are a well-organised team, and [Marco] Baroni is a great manager. The atmosphere, the stadium and the fans are also strong. We must go there with great enthusiasm, even if after the international break we must approach the match with great caution."

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  What comes next for Como?

  Como will have three crucial fixtures after the Torino game, which might also shape their objectives for the rest of the campaign. On November 28, they'll welcome Sassuolo, and will later travel to the San Siro to face Inter on December 6. Post that, they'll meet Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma in yet another away game on December 15. 

The Colorado Rockies turned the first triple play of the new MLB season Tuesday. In the top of the second inning, Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson hit a ground ball to third base with runners on first and second.

Rockies third baseman Ryan McMahon fielded the ball near the bag and tagged third. He then fired the ball to Kyle Farmer at second, who cleanly turned it and hit Michael Toglia at first base to beat Wilson and quickly end the inning.

The 5-4-3 triple play marked the fifth triple play in Rockies history and the first since 2015. After the play, McMahon and starting pitcher Germán Márquez slapped their gloves together to celebrate the feat as Colorado improbably got out of an early jam. Farmer smiled with Rockies shortstop Ezequiel Tovar as they ran toward the dugout.

The Rockies' last triple play came on Sept. 1, 2015 against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Athletics haven't hit into a triple play since 2021 when they did so against the New York Yankees according to the AP.

Before Saturday, the last triple play across the MLB occurred on Sept. 24, 2024 when the San Diego Padres turned one in the ninth inning to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers and clinch a playoff berth.