Category Uncategorized

Experienced defender Liam Cooper is set to leave Leeds United this summer, according to a journalist in the Middle East. The 31-year-old has been at Elland Road since 2014, but looks set to finally bid farewell to the Yorkshire club.

Where is Liam Cooper going?

Cooper is set to end his nine-year stay at Leeds this summer, with an agreement reached on personal terms with Saudi Arabian club Al-Qadisiyah, according to journalist Abu Faisal, via MOT Leeds News.

The defender is set to leave after an impressive nine years, which featured a promotion back to the Premier League in the 2019/20 season, before the Yorkshire club ultimately suffered relegation back down to the Championship at the end of the previous campaign.

Now back in England's second tier, it looks as though Leeds will have to earn promotion at the first time of asking without the experience of Cooper in their side.

The veteran defender has agreed to join Al-Qadisiyah after the club finished 11th in the Saudi First Division – Saudi Arabia's second tier – last season, and has the job of taking them far closer to promotion.

Cooper will, of course, join up with Premier League legend Robbie Fowler if he completes the move this summer. The former Leeds and Liverpool forward has taken up the managerial role at the club.

How can Leeds replace Liam Cooper?

Replacing Cooper's experience won't be easy, but when it comes to the work done on the pitch, the defender only made 18 league appearances for the Yorkshire club last season, so his impact in the side could certainly be replicated by others.

Read the latest Leeds transfer news HERE…

Karl Robinson believed that Cooper looked ready and willing to take Leeds back to the Premier League recently, telling TalkSport, via Leeds Live: “I tell you what, you’ve got Luke Ayling, you’ve got Liam Cooper, you’ve got Stuart Dallas, Patrick Bamford, just really good lads who have obviously been promoted with them, felt the pain of the relegation.

“At the end of the game against Tottenham, Liam Cooper’s stood up and everyone was down and a little bit struggling with what’s just happened and he actually said a few words.

“And I thought to myself, do you know what, there’s a proper man, someone who literally said, ‘If you don’t want to be here next year, don’t come back.’

“I sort of looked at him and you could see there was a steeliness in his eyes that he was so determined to drag Leeds United back to the Premier League.”

Perhaps summing up the Scotland international's leadership qualities more than anything, Robinson's quotes make it clear that Leeds will miss Cooper's presence in the dressing room.

On the pitch, it could come down to young players to step up and make their mark, particularly Charlie Cresswell.

The 20-year-old spent last season on loan in the Championship at Millwall, so already carries plenty of experience in England's second division. After missing out on a play-off place with the London club on the final day of last season, too, Cresswell will be keen to make up for that failure by securing promotion at Elland Road in the coming campaign.

Suzie Bates pulls one away for a four•Nathan Stirk / Stringer

Suzie Bates hit a sensational unbeaten 119 as champions Southern Vipers thumped Loughborough Lightning by 46 runs in Derby to make it two wins from two in defence of their Kia Super League title.The 29-year-old New Zealand captain hit 15 fours and four sixes as Lightning paid a heavy price for Australian star Ellyse Perry’s dropped catch when she was on 39.For good measure, Bates took three wickets with her medium pace and held a brilliant catch on the boundary as Lightning were bowled out for 134.The innings is among the highest in women’s Twenty20 cricket at the highest level. Australian Meg Lanning’s 126 against Pakistan in 2014 is the highest individual score in international T20s, while the biggest so far in Australia’s Women’s Big Bash is Sophie Devine’s 103 not out for Strikers Women against Hurricanes Women.Perry put Bates down off her own bowling, throwing out her right arm in her follow-through as the ball was driven back down the pitch but failing to hold on to the chance.It was a sharp opportunity but Perry was furious with herself for letting it slip.And how Bates made Perry and her team-mates suffer as Vipers amassed 180 for 2 from their 20 overs, the biggest total so far in the Kia Super League, which is in its second season.Bates raced to 53 off just 30 balls as Vipers broke the KSL’s Powerplay record at 63 without loss, Bates launching sixes big enough to clear even the deeper boundary marker in position for the men’s game in the NatWest T20 Blast that followed.It was not until the 10th over that Lightning made a breakthrough as Hayley Matthews holed out to Elyse Villani at long-on and the only other moment of celebration for the home side came when Thea Brookes ran out Georgia Adams with a direct hit from extra cover.But there was no stopping Bates, who passed Dane van Niekerk’s 91 for Loughborough Lightning last year as the fledgling competition’s highest individual score.It came during a Perry over which saw Adams caught off a full toss that was ruled a no-ball for height. Soon after hitting her 15th four, Bates completed her century off 63 deliveries with a push into the offside off Kristen Beams before celebrating with her fourth six.Lightning’s reply began disastrously as Villani, their key top-order batter, was run out at the non-striker’s end off just the fourth ball as left-arm seamer Tash Farrant deflected a drive by Amy Jones into the stumps.Villani, who missed Lightning’s opening match with a shoulder injury, was gone for 1 and when Perry was run out for 6 the home side’s position already looked irretrievable at 25 for 3, with only skipper Georgia Elwiss, Derbyshire’s Sarah Glenn and Thea Brookes offering anything of substance in reply.Beaten in both their opening matches, Lightning – semi-finalists last year – face a tough task to qualify for finals day this year. To rub salt in their wounds, allrounder Paige Scholfield has been ruled out for the remainder of the tournament after breaking a thumb in the defeat by Western Storm last Saturday.

Arsenal have reportedly been offered encouragement in the race to sign Paris Saint-Germain contract rebel, Kylian Mbappe, according to the latest reports.

What is the latest on Mbappe to Arsenal?

As per the Independent's Miguel Delaney, it is believed that a move to the Emirates would be the Frenchman's 'preference' if he was to seal a switch to the Premier League, with the 24-year-old facing an uncertain future at the Parc des Princes with just under a year left to run on his existing deal.

The report adds that the World Cup winner has been left impressed by the progress that Mikel Arteta's side have made of late and would be keen to try and deliver the league title for the north Londoners, albeit with any deal at present seemingly out of the club's price range – with the 5 foot 10 ace valued at around €200m (£171m).

As per the report, the Ligue 1 giants are keen to sell the forward this summer if he does not agree to a contract extension over the next few weeks, albeit with current frontrunners, Real Madrid likely to wait to try and sign the fleet-footed speedster on a free transfer next summer.

This comes amid a prior piece from Football Transfers which also suggested that Arteta and co could look to make a move of their own in 2024, having been debating whether to contact the player's representatives.

Will Mbappe join Arsenal?

It does appear unlikely that the £1.2m-per-week marksman will be arriving at the Emirates this summer, although there does appear to be lingering hope that a deal could be on the cards in 12 months' time, due to Mbappe's interest in joining the club.

If such a move was to come to fruition it would undoubtedly be a sensational piece of business for the Gunners, with the 70-cap international simply something of a "phenomenon", according to teammate, Neymar.

The one-time Monaco man notably boasts a staggering haul of 212 goals and 90 assists in just 260 games for his current side despite his relative youth, having also already plundered 40 goals at senior international level.

While the sparkling talent has typically operated through the middle in a central role in recent times, he could also provide a possible upgrade on Gabriel Martinelli on the left flank, having been utilised in that wide berth throughout his career to date.

Although Martinelli has done little wrong of late – scoring 15 goals and registering five assists in the Premier League last term – the Brazilian ace can simply not match Mbappe's brilliance, with the latter man having scored 29 goals and laid on six assists in Ligue 1 in 2022/23.

The PSG wizard also appears to have a greater knack for being able to beat his man as he ranks in the top 3% among his peers in Europe's top five leagues for successful take-ons at an average of 2.36 per 90, while the current Arsenal man averages just 1.97 in that regard, further showcasing the difference in quality between the pair.

Equally, Mbappe's ability to bring others into play in the forward line is also to be credited, with the Paris native ranking in the top 5% for progressive passes as a marker of his creative prowess at an average of 4.15 per 90, while Martinelli averages just 3.04 per 90 for that same metric.

For all the 22-year-old's fine work under Arteta of late, the promising talent would simply have to get used to a watching brief if Mbappe was to be snapped up any time soon, with that signing likely to be an undoubted upgrade as far as the Gunners are concerned.

Arsenal "might look at" Torino centre-back Perr Schurrs "as a backup option for their defence", claims transfer insider Dean Jones.

Arsenal transfer news – what's the latest on Perr Schurrs?

It looks to be a busy summer for Arsenal this year, with a deal for Jurrien Timber looking more likely as time goes on and the club now all but set to land West Ham United's Declan Rice.

The newest name added to the North London side's ever-growing shopping list is Netherlands U21 international, Schurrs.

In an article for GIVEMESPORT last week, Dean Jones confirmed that at one point, the Gunners had, in fact, 'scouted him' and that if plans for some of their other targets don't work out, Schurrs 'is a left-field name to look out for.'

However, Edu and Co. will want to get a move on if they're serious about landing the former Ajax man, as they aren't the only ones monitoring his situation.

According to Simon Jones of the Daily Mail, the 6 foot 3 titan has a few other suitors interested in his services, including Newcastle United, Napoli and Crystal Palace.

The price touted for the 23-year-old is €40-50m (£34-43m) according to Italian publication Tuttosport, which considering the North London club's other spending plans this summer, might just prove to be a bridge too far.

What has Dean Jones said about Perr Schurrs to Arsenal?

Jones quickly highlighted that Arsenal's interest in the player was primarily as a potential backup option for their new defence.

Speaking to Football FanCast, he said: "He was talked to me most recently as the type of player that Arsenal might look at as a backup option for their defence if they needed a new centreback."

Would Perr Schurrs be a good signing for Arsenal?

The defender, who played with Jurrien Timber at Ajax, has been hailed as a "mountain".

Hailed as a "great Dutch talent" by former Arsenal star Marc Overmars, Schurrs would make a great backup signing for Arsenal – but not at the price reported.

He had a strong season for Turin's second team last year, averaging a decent match rating of 6.67 across his 30 Serie A games, even picking up a couple of assists along the way, per WhoScored.

His underlying numbers are also respectable, if not outstanding.

According to FBref, the player averages 1.97 tackles, 1.08 interceptions, 1.08 blocks and 3.95 clearances, all per 90.

However, the Gunners already have a defensive unit packed with stars, and with the potential addition of fellow Dutchman Timber in the coming weeks, dropping another £34-43m on a player that might not start and hasn't got outstanding numbers to back him up might not be the best use of money.

That said, if Overmars rates him as highly as he appears to, there might just be something there for Mikel Arteta to work with.

Newcastle United are believed to be chasing Juventus winger Federico Chiesa after qualifying for the Champions League and now boasting an allure to rival any on the European stage.

What's the latest on Federico Chiesa to Newcastle?

That's according to Italian newspaper Tuttosport (via Sport Witness), revealing that Aston Villa have now joined the race for the Italy international, who has spent the 22/23 campaign reintegrating into competitive action following a long-term injury.

The report continues to state that the interest of Magpies' sporting director Dan Ashworth for the winger dates prior to that of AC Milan midfielder Sandro Tonali, who is expected to join the ranks at St. James's Park on a €70m (£60m) deal, as per Fabrizio Romano.

While a variety of valuations have entered circulation for the touted star, the Old Lady are believed to have transfer-listed the 25-year-old for €60m (£51m) after financial difficulties resulting in a detrimental ten-point deduction have left the Serie A side scrambling to recuperate what they can.

How good is Federico Chiesa?

Before suffering a horrendous ACL injury in January 2022, Chiesa was riding the crest of a wave and had been instrumental in his nation's triumph in the European Championships the previous summer, earning an average Sofascore rating of 7.05 after scoring two goals, completing 80% of his passes and averaging 2.4 shots per match.

An "exciting" footballer, as per Dean Jones, he has also scored 18 goals and supplied 14 assists across the season-and-a-half before the bitter setback, and while the 41-cap gem has impressed in the closing weeks of the recently-concluded term – registering four direct contributions from his final five league matches – he will be desperate to rekindle his former free-flowing form.

And he could do just that on Tyneside, slotting into a thriving outfit that can offer the Champions League football that has been taken from chastened Juve, and perhaps offer a clean slate from which he can return to prominence on the right flank of Eddie Howe's system.

A veritable "wizard", as the £153k-per-week ace has been called by Liverpool insider DaveOCKOP, Chiesa could be Howe's answer to Bukayo Saka, with the Arsenal prodigy's performances over the duration of the 22/23 Premier League season a defining factor behind Arsenal's – ultimately unsuccessful, albeit impressive – title challenge against Manchester City.

Saka, who has been dubbed "the best right winger in the world" by GOAL correspondent Charles Watts, scored 14 goals and laid off 11 assists in the Premier League last season, having also scored seven goals for England since last summer.

The discussed pair are listed as comparable players via FBref. Chiesa ranks among the top 4% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 15% for progressive carries, the top 16% for successful take-ons and the top 13% for tackles per 90.

Saka, comparatively, ranks among the top 21% for goals, the top 23% for assists, the top 10% for progressive carries, the top 5% for touches in the attacking box and the top 28% for tackles per 90.

It paints the picture that while both are supremely creative and expert ball carriers, they aren't afraid of the dirty work either, tracking back to help out their defensive colleagues.

With Chiesa still not back at the peak of his powers, it's a daunting prospect for opposition to imagine just how "potent" – as stated by Rio Ferdinand – he could yet become, and at Newcastle, he could rise to the fore and rival any positional peer on English shores with the calibre of his performances.

Uncapped batting allrounder Thikshila de Silva has been named in Sri Lanka’s squad for the T20 series against South Africa, which starts from January 20. Thikshila is yet to play international cricket in any format; the other new member of the T20 squad is the left-arm wristspinner Lakshan Sandakan, who has played three Tests and an ODI.Legspinner Jeffrey Vandersay, who impressed in the World T20 last year, has been left out in favour of Seekkuge Prasanna, who also offers hitting power. Fast bowler Dushmantha Chameera has been omitted as well, while seamers Isuru Udana and Nuwan Kulasekara have earned recalls. The other major omissions are wicketkeeper-batsman Kusal Perera, and allrounders Thisara Perera (who is currently playing in the Big Bash League) and Dasun Shanaka.

Sri Lanka’s T20 squad

Angelo Mathews (capt), Dinesh Chandimal, Danushka Gunathilaka, Seekkuge Prasanna, Niroshan Dickwella, Suranga Lakmal, Nuwan Pradeep, Isuru Udana, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Asela Gunaratne, Sachith Pathirana, Lakshan Sandakan, Thikshila de Silva, Nuwan Kulasekara

Thikshila, 23, has largely been picked on potential and on his reputation as a clean striker of the ball for Chilaw Marians. In 15 domestic T20 innings so far, he has hit 15 sixes and as many fours, collecting his 218 runs at a strike rate of 144. A left-handed batsman, Thikshila also bowls right-arm seam, and has six T20 wickets and an economy rate of 8.38. Though there has been no domestic T20 cricket in Sri Lanka since last February, he hit a run-a-ball 92 against SSC in the most recent round of the Premier League Tournament, which began on January 6.Though largely considered a long-format bowler, it is perhaps Sandakan’s ability to turn the ball away from the left-handed batsmen that has earned him his selection, with Prasanna already in the squad, along with left-arm spinning allrounder Sachith Pathirana. Sandakan made a promising start to his Test career last year, but only has 16 domestic T20 wickets and an economy rate of 8.74 across 15 appearances.Lakshan Sandakan made a promising start to his Test career last year but has only 16 wickets in 15 domestic T20 games•Associated Press

Kulasekara’s return to the T20 squad was expected, after he had appeared to reclaim some of his old rhythm and inswing in the recent ODI tri-series against Zimbabwe. He had had a long, ineffective run in 2015, and had been dropped from both limited-overs sides. Udana – a T20 specialist with a number of slower balls – Suranga Lakmal, and Nuwan Pradeep make up the remaining frontline seam options.Save for Kusal Perera’s omission, there were no major surprises on the batting front. Danushka Gunathilaka, Kusal Mendis, Dhananjaya de Silva, Asela Gunaratne and Niroshan Dickwella are be among those who will be considered for top-order spots, with captain Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal likely to feature in the XI.Kusal Perera’s omission appears to be largely due to lack of form. In four ODI innings during the Zimbabwe tri-series, he had scores of 21, 4, 7 and 14. He also collected single-figure scores in the first Test against South Africa, and was subsequently dropped from the Test XI.A bout of dengue before Christmas slowed Lasith Malinga’s efforts to regain match fitness, leaving him unavailable for the T20Is and ODIs in South Africa. He will now only attempt to return in time for the three-match T20 series against Australia, scheduled to begin on February 17The first of the three T20s against South Africa is set to be played on January 20 in Centurion.

Aston Villa will know about their chances of bringing Sevilla sporting director Monchi to the club by Monday, according to a fresh update.

Are Villa keen on Monchi?

The Villans are flying as a club at the moment, with everyone seemingly pulling in the right direction and a great period in the club's history potentially on the horizon.

They enjoyed a brilliant 2022/23 season – one that ended in a seventh-place finish in the Premier League and qualification for the UEFA Europa Conference League – but the hope is that this is only the start under Unai Emery.

It could be that a new sporting director is looked at in the summer, in order to aid Emery in the transfer market, and Monchi has been linked with a move to Villa. The 54-year-old is a hugely influential figure in his field, having enjoyed a playing career in the past, and he been in his current role on-and-off since 2000.

As Villa look to make what could feel like a major appointment, a key update has emerged to make the current situation a little clearer.

When will Monchi decision be made?

According to ABC Sevilla [via Sport Witness], Sevilla have put a "48-hour deadline" on Monchi when it comes to making a decision over his future, with the La Liga club not wanting matters to "extend beyond Monday."

He has made it clear that he wants a fresh challenge this summer, having helped Sevilla win the Europa League yet again, with the current situation described as "tense", with an "absolute divorce" the most likely outcome in the near future.

Villa's offer to bring in the Spaniard is described as "very strong financially", as they look to clinch what could be a significant piece of business.

Monchi really could be a superb addition at Villa Park, given his vast experience and success as a sporting director, overseeing two different Europa League triumphs at Sevilla. Emery himself has hailed him as "good person and a good professional" in the past, also saying that they had a strong working relationship, suggesting the pair could again thrive alongside one another at Villa.

It is far from a done deal, but if NSWE can get a move over the line, it could well prove to be the latest major positive in an increasingly promising period at the club, potentially enticing top players to Villa Park this summer in the process.

A round-up of the Group B matches from the third round of the 2016-17 Ranji Trophy matches

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Oct-2016

A bonus-point victory increasingly looked a possibility for Karnataka after they ground Delhi on the second day of their Group B fixture at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Resuming on 131 for 3, Karnataka almost batted the entire day to make 414. When the last wicket fell, in what was to be the final ball of the day, they had opened up a lead of 324.Despite five of their batsmen unable to kick on after crossing fifty, their good performance with the ball on the opening day – Delhi were bowled out for 90 after S Aravind’s four-for – meant Karnataka had made enough ground to push for seven points.Karun Nair, the captain, and Kaunain Abbas, playing in just his second first-class match, put together 89 for the fifth wicket after Ishant Sharma struck in the second over of the day when he had nightwatchman Abhimanyu Mithun poking an away-swinger to the wicketkeeper. For close to a session, Delhi’s spinners were rendered ineffective on a surface that had considerably eased out as both batsmen milked singles quite comfortably.Halfway through the second session, Delhi’s bowlers had respite against the run of play when Nair and Abbas fell. Stuart Binny briefly entertained in his 32, before chipping a simple return catch to Vikas Tokas. Karnataka’s batting depth then surfaced, with Shreyas Gopal (46) and CM Gautam adding 77 for the eighth wicket. Karnataka added 47 for the last two wickets, before Varun Sood, the left-arm spinner, picked up the last wicket to finish with 4 for 80. Gautam remained unbeaten on 63.Shahbaz Nadeem’s first five-for this season helped Jharkhand nudge ahead•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Shahbaz Nadeem’s 7 for 74 helped Jharkhand snatch a two-run lead over Rajasthan in Vadodara. That, after Rajasthan, in reply to Jharkhand’s 209, put together 100 for the first wicket, courtesy fifties from Manender Singh and Vineet Saxena. Nadeem scythed through the middle-order with his left-arm spin as Rajasthan lost their last seven wickets for 61. Jharkhand lost Anand Singh early, but Virat Singh’s 35 and Pratyush Singh’s 33 not out helped extend the lead to 75, with eight wickets in hand when stumps were drawn.Jaydev Shah became the first Saurashtra captain to score a double century as Maharashtra’s bowlers, who nearly conceded a lead despite scoring 600-plus against Delhi last week, were run ragged again. Jaydev (217), who has scores of 193, 64 and 0 so far this season, put on 174 for the sixth wicket with Chirag Jani (100 not out), before Saurashtra declared on 657 for 8.There were contributions from Sheldon Jackson (105) and Cheteshwar Pujara too. Pujara, returing to the domestic circuit in a bid to get match ready ahead of the Test series against England, made 93. He was the first man to be dismissed on the day, in what was to be a rare moment of cheer for Maharashtra. They ended on 18 without loss, trailing by 639.No play was possible between Vidarbha and Assam in Trivandrum because of rain and a wet outfield. Vidarbha, who chose to bat, will resume on 254 for 3, with Ganesh Satish (93) and Ravi Jangid (31) at the crease. Sanjay Ramaswamy, the opener, made 83 and shared a 131-run second-wicket stand with Ganesh to consolidate Vidarbha’s innings on the opening day.

Manchester United are believed to be plotting to sign at least one new centre-forward this summer, with Tottenham Hotspur talisman Harry Kane seemingly at the top of the club's list of targets.

What's the latest on Kane to Man United?

According to transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, the Red Devils could look to bring in two new strikers ahead of next season in order to ease their goalscoring woes, with the England captain said to be the standout pick – despite concerns over whether the Old Trafford outfit will be able to prise the 29-year-old from north London.

Writing on Twitter, the journalist stated: "Man Utd exploring signing two centre forwards this summer. Harry Kane is preferred option, but within Old Trafford there is a real feeling that Daniel Levy is not willing to do business."

In his attached piece for 90min, Bailey states that the long-serving Spurs man is United's 'top transfer target' for the summer and is among those who the club would consider as a 'ready-made' option, albeit with the report outlining that the experienced marksman could still command a fee of around £100m despite having just 12 months remaining on his existing deal.

What impact could Kane make at Man United?

It is seemingly evident that Erik ten Hag is in need of a centre-forward upgrade this summer, with the club's attacking woes laid bare by the fact that they have netted just 52 goals in the Premier League this season – 41 goals less than champions, Manchester City.

That gulf has not been aided by the persistent injury woes of Anthony Martial, with the 27-year-old – who has been linked with an exit at the end of the season – having missed 27 games so far this term.

Equally, the January arrival of Wout Weghorst has failed to have the desired effect with the towering Dutchman netting just twice in all competitions so far, with doubts emerging as to whether the loan signing will be snapped up on a permanent contract.

With United likely to be harbouring ambitions of competing with the likes of City for the title next term, the addition of Kane, therefore, could potentially be a "guarantee" of that success, as talkSPORT pundit Jamie O'Hara previously claimed.

While that statement came prior to the Etihad outfit recruiting goalscoring machine Erling Haaland – who fired Pep Guardiola's men to the title with 36 league goals to date – Kane has proven that he could be the only answer to the prolific Norwegian, having scored 28 league goals himself this term.

That stellar individual record has come as part of a struggling Spurs side that have already parted ways with both Antonio Conte and Cristian Stellini this term, with the £200k-per-week ace also now the leading scorer for the Lilywhites, as well as for his country.

Evidently something of a "machine" in front of goal – as per teammate Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Match of the Day, BBC One, 26/12/2022, 23:25) – Kane would certainly provide United with a better chance of ending their now decade-long wait for the title, hence the need for the Red Devils to do all they can to seal the deal.

Referee Artur Soares Dias may have made a big mistake in the Manchester City game last night in the build-up to Kevin De Bruyne’s equaliser.

Why did Man City’s goal not get disallowed vs Real Madrid?

It was a thrilling first-leg encounter at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night as Real Madrid played host to Pep Guardiola and co.

Meeting in the Champions League semi-final, both teams showed flashes of brilliance as the game ended 1-1. Indeed, Vinicius Junior scored a stunner in the first half to fire Madrid into the lead, but City gave their hopes of making the final a massive boost when De Bruyne rifled home an equaliser in the 67th minute of the game.

However, it seems as though that goal should have potentially been disallowed as the ball appeared to have crossed the line shortly before Man City had it in the back of the net.

Indeed, as seen in these images shared on ESPN, it looks as though the ball may have gone out – and so play should have been immediately stopped.

When speaking to the press after the game, Madrid’s manager Carlo Ancelotti seemed furious about the incident as he said: “It was out. It’s not me saying it, the technology does.

“It surprises me. They’re small details, but the referee wasn’t attentive. The players deserved more cards on the pitch, not [me] off the pitch.”

However, it’s since been reasoned that VAR could not actually intervene with this incident as too much time had passed after the incident took place.

Rule expert Christina Unkel explained on CBS Sports: “There’s two points to remember with VAR in the protocol and process on this. Can VAR check for a ball going outside before a goal? The answer is yes. But the most important point here is at what part can VAR become involved?”

“There is no set amount of time before a goal we go back to check. Instead, it’s really predicated by the possession and who has possession of the ball. We can debate, we can have the question to whether the ball left [the field].

The real answer is, this actually would not have been captured in the window and the time frame for when VAR could have gone back to take a look from when De Bruyne scored that goal. Specifically, because there was a turnover in possession.

“Even if this was out, it would not have been reviewed by the VAR leading to the goal.”

And so, while this may not have been an error on behalf of VAR – as Ancelotti suggests – it still doesn’t change the fact that referee Soares Dias and his officials still should have been able to spot the ball going out in the initial passage of play.

With the tie so tight, this mistake could have a huge impact on who makes the Champions League final this year.