100 T20Is and counting for Virat Kohli, making him the second cricketer to complete the treble
ESPNcricinfo stats team, Mathew Varghese, illustration by Kshiraja K28-Aug-2022ESPNcricinfo LtdNote: Stats updated till the end of the India-Pakistan Asia Cup game on August 28.
England rejoice, Pakistan ponder ‘what if’ – reactions after the hosts’ stunning chase in Manchester
ESPNcricinfo staff09-Aug-2020
You absolute beauties! Outstanding win and brilliant team effort!! Great start to the series. @englandcricket #ENGvPAK
— James Taylor (@jamestaylor20) August 8, 2020
A rare rare 4 th innings chase. Well done England.#ENGvsPAK
— Ashwin (@ashwinravi99) August 8, 2020
What a win for @englandcricket. Test match cricket at its wonderful, gripping, inimitable best.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) August 8, 2020
Test Cricket, even in the bubble is still great theater. You can't undervalue the character with which England achieved that win, from 117-5. Im sure back stronger nezt week. Stay "Woakes" everyone.
— Ian bishop (@irbishi) August 8, 2020
England & Pakistan are the best 2 teams to follow in World cricket … Never ever quite know what to expect … but it makes them both very exciting to watch … #TestCricket #OnOn
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) August 8, 2020
What Pak missed today,England had in abundance. Self-belief, character, skill and match winners like Buttler & Woakes. Top effort to bounce back from conceding a 107-run lead in the 1st innings & being 117/5 battling last under pressure. You've got to love test cricket!#ENGvsPAK
— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) August 8, 2020
How good is test cricket…Patience,Pressure and Partnerships with bat and ball wins it…..#TestCricket
— Mickey Arthur (@Mickeyarthurcr1) August 8, 2020
Chris Woakes and Jos Buttler revived England’s stumbling chase, with both scoring fifties in the win.
Absolute quality @josbuttler and @chriswoakes
— Eoin Morgan (@Eoin16) August 8, 2020
@chriswoakes experience of 10+ first class, showing its true value today. The foundation for every great cricketer
— Herschelle Gibbs (@hershybru) August 8, 2020
As @ShaneWarne said, @josbuttler has ticker, bottle and character, let’s leave it at that!! What a win, test match cricket at its best!!! pic.twitter.com/vZ5ODQaFSe
— Neil Fairbrother (@Harv366) August 8, 2020
Here's my TMS scoresheet of the stand between Buttler (purple) and Woakes (light blue)… brilliant attack, followed by ruthless accumulation. One of England's finest Test partnerships, I would say. pic.twitter.com/98RGiF87ro
— Andy Zaltzman (@ZaltzCricket) August 8, 2020
Pakistan’s former players lamented the missed opportunity of going 1-0 up in the three-Test series.
#ENGvsPAK
— Mohammad Yousaf (@yousaf1788) August 8, 2020
Congratulations England on a memorable win! Brilliant batting by Buttler and Woakes. Pakistan had the game in the grip, unfortunate that the game slipped away. Such opportunities can not be wasted, pitch was very suitable for our bowling attack.
— Shahid Afridi (@SAfridiOfficial) August 8, 2020
Find out which player has moved to what team
ESPNcricinfo staff13-Nov-2025Sanju Samson: Traded to Chennai Super Kings from Rajasthan Royals in exchange of Ravindra Jadeja and Sam CurranShardul Thakur: Traded to Mumbai Indians from Lucknow Super Giants for INR 2 croreSherfane Rutherford: Traded to Mumbai Indians from Gujarat Titans for INR 2.6 croreArjun Tendulkar: Traded to Lucknow Super Giants from Mumbai Indians for INR 30 lakhMohammed Shami: Traded to Lucknow Super Giants from Sunrisers Hyderabad for INR 10 croreMayank Markande: Traded to Mumbai Indians from Kolkata Knight Riders for INR 30 lakhNitish Rana: Traded to Delhi Capitals from Rajasthan Royals for INR 4.2 croreDonovan Ferreira: Traded to Rajasthan Royals from Delhi Capitals for INR 1 crore
The ACB withdrew its team from the tri-series after an alleged cross-border attack
Danyal Rasool18-Oct-2025
Zimbabwe will fill in for Afghanistan in the tri-series in Pakistan next month•Zimbabwe Cricket
Zimbabwe have replaced Afghanistan in Pakistan’s upcoming triangular T20I series at home next month. The series, which will be played from November 17 to 29 in Lahore and Rawalpindi, will also feature Sri Lanka.Earlier today, the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) announced its withdrawal from the tri-series following the death of three local cricketers in what it alleged was a cross-border attack in the Urgun district of the country.In a post on X, the ACB claimed that several lives had been lost in the attack, including three local cricketers who had been returning home after playing a “friendly” match in Sharana, the capital of Paktika province. “The ACB considers this a great loss for Afghanistan’s sports community, its athletes, and the cricketing family,” it said in a statement.Describing the incident as “tragic”, the ACB said “as a gesture of respect to the victims” it had “decided to withdraw from participating in the upcoming Tri-Nation T20I Series.” The ICC and the BCCI joined the ACB in mourning the loss of life of the cricketers.Related
ICC, BCCI express 'solidarity' with Afghanistan after withdrawal from Pakistan tri-series
The PCB has not made any official comment on the situation following Afghanistan’s statement, but told ESPNcricinfo the tri-series would go ahead as scheduled, with Afghanistan replaced by another side. In the statement announcing Zimbabwe’s participation, the PCB merely said it had been notified earlier of “Afghanistan’s inability” to participate in the tri-series.The series will begin with Zimbabwe taking on hosts Pakistan in Rawalpindi before playing against Sri Lanka at the same venue two days later. All remaining games will be played at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.
The role of a central defender has changed over time, with those at the very top now not just world-class in the air and in a tackle, but also brilliant in possession with the ball at their feet.
The new generation of centre-backs are crucial to their team’s build-up play and, in some cases, pass more than most midfielders, but who is the best in the world at the back at this moment in time?
Ranking factors
To help rank the centre-backs in order, we have considered the following criteria:
Current form – how well a player has been performing Importance to their teams – how influential they are to their team Role – how unique their skillset is Reputation – what others are saying about them 15 Willian Pacho PSG and Ecuador
Willian Pacho has gone from strength to strength after joining PSG from Frankfurt in 2024 and now appears to be a regular at the Parc des Princes.
The Ecuador international is still only 23 years of age and has been described as the ‘wall nobody saw coming’ next to Marquinhos.
The €40m fee PSG paid for Pacho is now looking like a smart piece of business, with the player’s market value already increasing to €65m.
Champions League
2025
Ligue 1
2025
UEFA Super Cup
2025
French Cup
2025
French Super Cup
2025
Belgian Pro League
2023
Belgian Cup
2023
Belgian Super Cup
2023
Copa Sudamericana
2019
Ecuadorian Serie A
2021
14 Antonio Rudiger Real Madrid and Germany
Antonio Rudiger has gone from strength to strength after joining Real Madrid from Chelsea back in 2022, so much so that he was linked with a return to Stamford Bridge.
Over the last 18 months, Rudiger has been praised by Carlo Ancelotti and Mesut Ozil, who have said the German “is playing at his best” and in his “prime”.
However, he has missed the majority of the 2025/26 season so far with a hamstring injury which has dropped him down the rankings.
La Liga
2024
Champions League
2021, 2024
Europa League
2019
FA Cup
2018
Copa del Rey
2023
FIFA Club World Cup
2022, 2023
UEFA Super Cup
2021, 2022, 2024
FIFA Intercontinental Cup
2024
Spanish Super Cup
2024
Confederations Cup
2017
13 Eder Militao Real Madrid and Brazil
Dropping down the list due to serious injuries in recent years is Real Madrid’s Eder Militao. The Brazilian was dubbed the “best in the world” at the back by Carlo Ancelotti in 2023 and has won multiple honours at the Bernabeu since 2019.
At the age of 27, Militao should still have plenty of high-level years ahead of him and will be looking to remain fit over the coming seasons.
Champions League
2022, 2024
La Liga
2020, 2022, 2024
Copa America
2019
Copa del Rey
2023
FIFA Club World Cup
2023
UEFA Super Cup
2022, 2024
FIFA Intercontinental Cup
2024
Spanish Super Cup
2020, 2022, 2024
12 Dayot Upamecano Bayern Munich and France
Transformed into Bayern Munich’s Mr. Reliable under Vincent Kompany has been Dayot Upamecano, who has partnered Kim Min-jae at the Allianz Arena.
Bayern sporting director Christoph Freund has said in 2025 that the Frenchman “has become a leader” who “plays strongly and consistently at a high level.” At the age of 26, Upamecano appears to be entering his prime.
Nations League
2021
Bundesliga
2022, 2023, 2025
Austrian Bundesliga
2016, 2017
Austrian Cup
2016, 2017
German Super Cup
2021, 2022
11 Josko Gvardiol Man City and Croatia
Josko Gvardiol stars as a centre-back and sometimes as a left-back for Man City and Croatia.
Used as a centre-back in the Nations League for his country, Gvardiol turned out centrally under Pep Guardiola in the latter stages of the 2024/25 season, with City winning five out of six Premier League games with the 23-year-old at the heart of the defence.
Premier League
2024
HNL
2020, 2021
FIFA Club World Cup
2024
UEFA Super Cup
2023
DFB-Pokal
2021, 2022
Community Shield
2024
Croatian Cup
2021
Croatian Super Cup
2019
10 Alessandro Buongiorno Napoli and Italy
At the top of his game with a career-high €45m Transfermarkt valuation is Napoli and Italy’s Alessandro Buongiorno.
The 25-year-old is “extraordinary in one-on-one situations” and has been key for Napoli under Antonio Conte, winning the Serie A title in 24/25. Should his rapid rise continue, Buongiorno could climb up this list in years to come.
9 Dean Huijsen Real Madrid and Spain
One of the most in-demand defenders of the 2025 summer transfer window was Dean Huijsen, with Real Madrid winning the race to sign the Spaniard from AFC Bournemouth.
Wanted all across Europe, Huijsen starred in the Premier League after leaving Juventus and Tiago Pinto even said he “will be the best central defender in the world in two years”.
Coppa Italia
2024
8 Marquinhos PSG and Brazil
Paris Saint-Germain icon Marquinhos has been leading a new generation of stars at the Parc des Princes under Luis Enrique and has still remained at an extremely high level himself.
Now 31, Marquinhos continues to be a regular in a young PSG side and even became the first player in the club’s history to start 100 matches for PSG in the Champions League.
Ligue 1
2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Copa America
2019
Champions League
2025
Coupe de France
2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2024
Coupe de la Ligue
2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020
French Super Cup
2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025
Copa Libertadores
2012
7 Ruben Dias Man City and Portugal
Ruben Dias is coming up to five years as a Man City player and continues to be a regular under Pep Guardiola, with Transfermarkt having the Portugal starvalued at €65m.
Rated as good as Virgil van Dijk by Jamie Carragher 12 months ago, Dias’ displays have dipped slightly at the Etihad in 2024/25, however, there is no denying his quality.
Premier League
2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Nations League
2019
Champions League
2023
FA Cup
2023
League Cup
2021
UEFA Super Cup
2023
Community Shield
2024
FIFA Club World Cup
2024
Liga Portugal
2019
Portuguese Super Cup
2020
6 Marc Guehi Crystal Palace and England
Marc Guehi is becoming one of the most in-demand centre-backs in world football after his move to Liverpool from Crystal Palace collapsed in the summer of 2025.
Now a regular for England and starring at Selhurst Park, Guehi is on course to become a free agent in 2026 and is being linked with the biggest clubs in Europe.
It shows just how good Guehi has been under Oliver Glasner, lifting the FA Cup and Community Shield with Palace in 2025.
FA Cup
2025
Community Shield
2025
West Ham chiefs have now been told exactly what they need to complete a deal for AC Milan striker Santiago Gimenez in January, with Nuno Espírito Santo’s side in the market for another centre-forward as Niclas Füllkrug packs his bags.
The Hammers are stepping up their pursuit of a number nine ahead of the winter transfer window, with Fullkrug set to depart as the injury-ridden German international seeks a new chapter (Fabrizio Romano).
Fullkrug, according to multiple reliable media sources, is exploring options to leave, with talks already happening, after having struggled with injuries and a lack of overall form since his move from Borussia Dortmund last year. His impending departure has intensified the need for attacking reinforcements, with Nuno apparently keen to bolster his forward options following a difficult start to the campaign.
The East London club have “already” begun scouring the market for potential targets (Fabrizio Romano), and West Ham are reportedly keeping an eye on Man United striker Joshua Zirkzee as a potential reinforcement, among others.
West Ham’s results in the Premier League so far
Sunderland 3-0 West Ham
West Ham 1-5 Chelsea
Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham
West Ham 0-3 Tottenham
West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace
Everton 1-1 West Ham
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
West Ham 0-2 Brentford
Leeds 2-1 West Ham
West Ham 3-1 Newcastle
West Ham 3-2 Burnley
West Ham have been linked with Palmeiras striker Vitor Roque and explored a loan move for Real Madrid’s Endrick, before Lyon swooped in to take command in the race for his signature as the Ligue 1 giants press ahead with a deal.
Additionally, Gimenez has emerged as a target for West Ham too.
The Mexico international, who scored for fun in the Eredivisie and even once commanded an £88 million price tag, hasn’t managed to carry on that form at the San Siro since making his eventual £28 million move to Milan earlier this year.
Gimenez has managed just seven goals in 30 total appearances for the Rossoneri, and Milan chiefs may now green-light a mid-season departure for the 24-year-old, who had previously starred under Arne Slot at Feyenoord.
The North American racked up 26 goals in 41 appearances in Slot’s final season at Feyenoord, and finished the previous campaign as their top scorer whilst firing them to the title that year.
Interestingly, Milan are believed to be interested in Fullkrug as a replacement for Gimenez, with the prospect of a swap deal even touted in the press very recently.
West Ham told Santiago Gimenez deal conditions as Fullkrug swap deal mooted
While the possibility of a swap deal or even part-exchange is apparently there, a report by Calciomercato has detailed exactly what David Sullivan needs to do to make a deal happen.
According to their information, West Ham’s hopes of securing Gimenez in January hinge on meeting strict conditions set by the Italian giants.
Milan will only consider selling for a permanent transfer fee of at least £22 million, and crucially, the deal must come from a club that Gimenez himself approves. The Italian outlet emphasizes that without these two conditions being met, any discussions remain purely hypothetical.
The situation presents both an opportunity and a challenge for Nuno’s side. However, that being said, there is reason to believe that Gimenez would be a major upgrade on Fullkrug.
The eight-year age difference between the two strikers means that West Ham would certainly benefit from a swap for the long-term, and unlike Fullkrug, Gimenez enjoyed 20-plus goal seasons in the build up to his Milan move.
Gimenez’s “sensational” form at Feyenoord attracted interest from elite Premier League sides, including Arsenal, and West Ham could now have a chance to help him rediscover his goalscoring touch in England.
Milan’s willingness to sell means a deal is there to be done, so Gimenez could genuinely be one of Nuno’s better options.
Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes took home the first of what could be many more league awards in his career Monday, winning NL Rookie of the Year after a historic first season in the MLB.
Skenes made his Pirates debut in early May but quickly took the big leagues by storm, routinely spinning triple-digit heat as he pitched to the brilliant tune of a 1.96 ERA with 170 strikeouts in 133 innings and earned an All-Star nod. He joins Jason Bay (2004) as the only two Rookie of the Year winners in Pirates franchise history.
The 22-year-old star was all smiles as he accepted the prestigious award alongside girlfriend Livvy Dunne in a special on-air moment. During the Zoom ceremony on MLB Network, Skenes was asked what he loved most about pitching in the MLB, and he had an intriguing answer for his fans.
“I think the coolest part is seeing lineups multiple times,” Skenes said. “And figuring out how to get them out different ways. I faced the Cubs four times this year, I faced the Reds three times, and I thought it was a huge deal in college, two years ago now, when I faced Arkansas twice in one year. So I’m growing up quick on that end.”
Skenes could be in line to take home another of the league’s top honors, the NL Cy Young Award, which will be announced Wednesday.
MatériaMais Notícias
O Palmeiras volta a virar a chave para o Brasileirão 2023 e, neste domingo (1), encara o Red Bull Bragantino em Bragança Paulista, em jogo válido pela 25ª rodada do campeonato.
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Precisando voltar a vencer para tentar seguir na luta pelo título, Abel Ferreira deve poupar todos os titulares para o duelo diante do Massa Bruta e a partida se tornará uma ótima oportunidade para crias da base ganharem alguns minutos.
+ A sua carreira no futebol pode começar hoje. Garanta a sua vaga no curso Gestor de Futebol e capacite-se!
Garcia, Naves, Vanderlan, Luís Guilherme, Jhon Jhon e Endrick podem ganhar vaga no time titular alviverde, que busca voltar a balançar as redes após dois jogos sem gols.
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O provável Palmeiras para encarar o Bragantino neste domingo é: Lomba, Garcia, Naves, Luan e Vanderlan; Fabinho, Richard Ríos e Jhon Jhon; Luís Guilherme, Breno Lopes e Endrick
A bola rola para Red Bull Bragantino e Palmeiras neste domingo, a partir das 18h30 (horário de Brasília), com transmissão apenasdoPremiereFC.
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BragantinoPalmeiras
West Ham United and manager Nuno Espírito Santo are being handed the chance to solve their Niclas Füllkrug problem, as an agent pushes one of his attacking clients towards the London Stadium.
West Ham dealt Fullkrug injury blow as striker problems worsen
Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann confirmed that Fullkrug has suffered a thigh injury when asked why the striker wasn’t called up to face Luxembourg and Wales.
Kicker have since reported that the 32-year-old faces “several weeks” on the sidelines as a result, dealing a major blow to Nuno, who now has just Callum Wilson and youngster Callum Marshall to call upon over the next few games.
Brentford (home)
October 20
Leeds United (away)
October 24
Newcastle United (home)
November 2
Burnley (home)
November 8
West Ham will now have to rely on the inexperience of Marshall or pray that Wilson maintains his own fitness, with the latter also very prone to injury himself.
Fullkrug’s latest injury heaps pressure on West Ham’s creative players, like Lucas Paqueta, Crysencio Summerville and Jarrod Bowen, to compensate for the absence of a focal point up front.
The ex-Borussia Dortmund man was forced to sit out 28 games for West Ham and Germany combined last season as a result of achilles tendon problems and a hamstring injury.
Questions have understandably been asked about the club’s decision to fork out £27 million for an injury-prone striker past his prime, with Nuno and West Ham’s recruitment team now tasked to pick up the pieces.
West Ham’s main objective for the winter window is to sign a striker, according to reports, and this will come as music to the ears of Hammers supporters as their side are tipped to battle against relegation.
January could be vital when it comes to rescuing Nuno from his centre-forward conundrum. Man United striker Josh Zirkzee is already being linked with a move to West Ham, as the East Londoners scramble to assess realistic moves for available number nines mid-season.
There is also the free agent market to consider as an emergency solution, with ex-Watford and Nottingham Forest striker Emmanuel Dennis apparently emerging as an option.
Agent pushing Emmanuel Dennis towards West Ham
The 27-year-old terminated his Forest deal by mutual consent in August and has been readily available for hire ever since, with The Athletic reporting all the way back in 2022 that West Ham held talks over signing Dennis for ex-boss David Moyes.
Now, as per Hammers News, the Nigerian is being offered out to West Ham again.
It is believed that an agent is actively pushing Dennis towards West Ham, but as things stand, the club aren’t really biting.
Despite a stellar 21/22 at Watford, where he bagged 10 goals and six assists in 33 Premier League appearances, the Nigerian really hasn’t done much since then.
He actually plied his trade at Forest and during Nuno’s tenure, but scored just two league goals in his debut season before being shipped out on loan to Istanbul Basaksehir, Watford and Blackburn Rovers until he was released.
Once called a “beast” by members of the media, Dennis hasn’t made a significant impact for quite some time, and signing the attacker hardly seems like an adept solution to West Ham’s striker crisis, even if it would be at zero cost.
He did enjoy a brief purple during his second spell at Watford, with former interim boss Tom Cleverley hailing Dennis’ “explosive” style after he scored three times in five starts back at Vicarage Road in 2024, but he managed just one goal thereafter.
Celtic lost another star player during the summer transfer window when they sold electric forward Nicolas Kuhn to Serie A side Como for a fee of £16.5m.
The German attacker ended the 2024/25 campaign with a return of 21 goals and 15 assists in 51 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish Premiership champions, per Transfermarkt.
Kuhn provided a huge threat at the top end of the pitch down the right flank because he had the quality to cause the opposition problems as both a scorer and a creator of goals, domestically and in Europe.
The Hoops did not sign a natural right winger to replace the German, though, and Hyun-jun Yang and James Forrest have combined for no goals or assists in nine combined appearances in the Premiership this season, per WhoScored.
This suggests that Celtic are struggling on the right wing because they did not go out into the market to sign a like-for-like replacement for the left-footed attacker.
Another player the Hoops have yet to fully replace since they sold him for big money is attacking midfielder Matt O’Riley, who joined Brighton & Hove for a fee of more than £25m last year.
Why Matt O'Riley was so valuable for Celtic
The Scottish giants raked in a club-record fee of £25m from the Premier League side when they decided to cash in on the Denmark international. This was because of the value that he provided on the pitch for the Bhoys in the 2023/24 campaign.
Brendan Rodgers arrived at Parkhead in the summer of 2023 to replace Ange Postecoglou in the dugout in Glasgow, and he was key to O’Riley’s impressive progression on the pitch.
The left-footed midfielder scored three goals and provided 12 assists in the Premiership in the 2022/23 campaign under the Australian head coach, which was an impressive return given his creative output.
Rodgers, though, elevated O’Riley to the next level at Parkhead by freeing him up to take on more responsibility as a goalscorer, putting him further up the pitch to break into the box by joining attacks.
Appearances
38
37
Shots on target per game
0.7
1.2
Goals
3
18
Goals per game
0.1
0.5
Big chances created
16
14
Assists
12
13
Assists per game
0.3
0.4
As you can see in the table above, the English-born playmaker scored 15 more goals under Rodgers than he did under Postecoglou in the previous Premiership season.
Per WhoScored, O’Riley led the team in both goals (18) and assists (13) in the Premiership in that season under the Northern Irish head coach, which is why he was so valuable to the squad, as both a scorer and a creator of goals.
These statistics and his importance to Celtic convinced Brighton to splash a fee of more than £25m on him in the summer of 2024, and the Scottish giants are still looking for their next version of the Dane.
Benjamin Nygren has shown flashes of promise in a central midfield role, with three goals and one assist this season, and Arne Engels delivered nine assists in the Premiership and the Champions League combined last season, per Sofascore.
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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
However, Celtic may have their next Matt O’Riley in the making in the form of a player who has been rarely used by Rodgers, so much so that he has played fewer minutes than both Nygren and Engels.
Portugal U21 international Paulo Bernardo has not had too many opportunities to impress in the middle of the park, but has shown potential to develop into an impressive player in the future.
Why Paulo Bernardo could be the next Matt O'Riley for Celtic
Signed on a permanent deal from Benfica in the summer of 2024 after a loan spell in the 2023/24 campaign, the central midfielder has fallen down the pecking order at the start of this season.
Luke McCowan, Callum McGregor, Benjamin Nygren, Arne Engels, and Reo Hatate have all played more minutes than Bernardo in the Premiership, per WhoScored, which shows that the manager rates other players ahead of him in his position at this moment in time.
The Portuguese star has only played 74 minutes in the league. This comes after he started 13 of his 28 outings in the division in the 2024/25 campaign, and showed plenty of signs of real quality at the top end of the pitch.
xG
0.22
Top 7%
xG on target
0.23
Top 8%
Goals
0.14
Top 20%
xA
0.21
Top 11%
Assists
0.21
Top 13%
Chances created
2.20
Top 9%
As you can see in the table above, Bernardo excelled against his positional peers per 90 in a host of key offensive metrics, in both scoring and creating goals.
These statistics suggest that the former Benfica starlet, who was described as “tenacious” by U23 scout Antonio Mango, could provide a big threat at the top end of the pitch from midfield as both a scorer and a creator of goals if given the chance to start week-in-week-out and play more minutes for the Hoops.
His assist, for O’Riley in fact, in the clip above illustrates the kind of quality that Bernardo can provide in the opposition’s box when he is free to push forward and join in with attacks to make things happen in the final third.
The Portuguese whiz is a creative and silky attacking midfielder who has the ability to score and create goals at an impressive rate when allowed to express himself on the pitch, but Rodgers has rarely given him an opportunity to do that.
Celtic’s manager elevated O’Riley to the next level by playing him week-in-week-out and pushing him up the pitch to score goals, and Bernardo has the potential to follow in the Dane’s footsteps.
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But it is now down to Rodgers to provide the 23-year-old star with more chances from the start to allow him to find some consistency in his performances and his end product on the way to being the club’s next O’Riley.