Paul Pogba claimed he was "touched" following his return to football more than two years after his last professional appearance. The Frenchman moved to Monaco over the summer after his worldwide ban following a failed drugs test in 2023 expired. Pogba was initially banned for four years for the offence, which was reduced to 18 months last October, meaning he has been eligible to play since March.

AFPPogba hadn't played competitively since September 2023

As a result of the ban, Pogba and former side Juventus agreed to mutually terminate his contract last November and it wasn't until June this year that the 2018 World Cup winner signed for a new club, penning a two-year deal with French side Monaco. In the time since, Pogba has been building up his fitness and at long last made his Monaco debut on Saturday night in a 4-1 loss to Rennes.

Goals form Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, Mahdi Kamara, Breel Embolo and Ludovic Blas saw Rennes go into the final knockings of the weekend's game at the Roazhon Park with a four-goal lead. Mika Biereth bagged a late consolation for Monaco, who were reduced to 10 men midway through the second half after Denis Zakaria received his marching orders, but the moment of the night came in the 85th minute as Pogba replaced Mamadou Coulibaly.

The moment marked Pogba's first appearance since September 2023 in Juventus' 2-0 win over Empoli, and the midfielder admits he was "touched" by the reception he received from the home support.

AdvertisementMidfielder sends his thanks to those who supported him

Speaking in the mixed zone after the 4-1 loss, Pogba said: "I was disappointed to lose this match. It's Paul Pogba's return, but I play for Monaco, and I don't like losing. I was really happy on one hand, but on the other, I was disappointed with the result and what we did on the pitch. The reception? It touched me. Seeing the crowd stand up and applaud, I wasn't expecting that. A big thank you to the fans who personally supported me."

Pogba, who was in tears when he signed his Monaco contract earlier this year, had been expected to return to action earlier in the season but suffered a setback during the October international break having pulled up with a thigh injury to delay his first outing for Sebastien Pocognoli's side.

"There were a lot of emotions. I was happy, but there's a bit of sadness with the result. We've come a long way. Today was a step to take. I did it and I'm happy about that," Pogba added on Saturday night.

"The rest, we're a bit gutted to have lost. I feel good, there's been a lot of work. I still need time to be fit and play 90 minutes. But it will come with time. We're training for it. We're going to try to help the team as much as possible. It felt strange at first to get back on the plane with the group. I've settled back in well. We have a very good group. We're getting back into the right routine."

AFPPogba's return sends 'positive vibes to French football'

Monaco boss Pocognoli was insistent that Pogba's return to action is a good thing for French football, saying on Saturday: "I'm happy for him, even if the circumstances are a bit unfortunate. He came on at 4-0, with 10 men against 11. It was planned that he would come on today, regardless of the scenario, because he had put everything in place. It will do him good, it will do the team good. Apart from our defeat, it sends positive vibes to French football."

"We are all happy, even the Rennes supporters who are not Monaco fans. I hope he can bring us his experience," Monaco team-mate Lamine Camara added.

Pogba's first appearance in over two years also resonated well with the Rennes squad, as Mahdi Camara said at full time: "Everyone knows Paul Pogba, he's a legend of French football. "It's great to see him on a Ligue 1 pitch. We've already seen… seen how he plays, you can see he's already at a good level. As spectators, we can't wait to see him at his best. It's fantastic. He tried to put a sombrero on me!"

Former Monaco man Embolo, who scored Rennes' third, added: "Paul deserves it, he's a truly great player, a truly great man." And on the reception from the fans, the Swiss striker commented: "Well done to our fans. He deserved it, I'm very happy for him, I hope he'll bring good things to his team."

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Pogba's home debut could come against Ligue 1 powerhouse

Monaco will look to build upon an indifferent start to their Champions League campaign when they face Pafos on Wednesday night. While unbeaten in three in European competition, the French side have won just the once in the Champions League this season as they claimed a 1-0 victory at Bodo/Glimt earlier this month having opened up the league phase with a 4-1 defeat to Club Brugge before back-to-back draws with Premier League pair Manchester City and Tottenham.

And Pogba may make his first appearance at the Stade Louis II next weekend when Monaco host defending Ligue 1 and European champions PSG. Luis Enrique's side reclaimed top spot in France's top tier on Saturday night as they eased to a 3-0 win over Le Havre having briefly dropped to second as rivals Marseille tore Nice to shreds on Friday night.

Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson has confirmed that Issa Kabore suffered a serious hamstring injury while on international duty with Burkina Faso. Kabore will now spend time with parent club Manchester City to have treatment, and Wrexham have been informed of how long they can realistically expect him to be out.

• Injury blow for Championship new boys

  The injury came during Burkina Faso’s friendly with Benin, which the Les Etalons won 3-0 and the update on Kabore represents a massive blow for Parkinson, who has selected the wing-back in each of Wrexham's last ten matches. Kabore has played a key role in Wrexham's impressive start to their first season in the Championship since 1982. Parkinson will be cursing his luck after Burkina Faso arranged two friendlies after failing to qualify for the World Cup in controversial circumstances. 

  The West African nation's hopes of playing in the USA, Canada and Mexico ended following Eritrea's withdrawal, which meant points and goals from games against the bottom-placed team in each qualifying group were voided to ensure fairness. But this cost Burkina Faso six points from their wins over Djibouti, while Nigeria only forfeited two from their draws with Zimbabwe. Nigeria ultimately advanced to the playoffs on a better goal difference after both teams finished with 15 points.

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  Parkinson: 'We'll get him back'

  Parkinson said: "It is really unfortunate for Issa. He's obviously playing well and it looks like it is going to be at least a six-week injury. When I got the call over the break that Issa was injured, obviously it wasn't the best call to take from (physio) Kevin Mulholland. But it's always that risk when players are travelling long distances and playing, they can get an injury, and I'm sure there are other teams who will have lost players through this international break."

  The Wrexham boss added: "Issa's been a great character to have with us and we'll get him back. It will be a combination of treatment from Manchester City, because he lives close to the training ground, and with us as well. Obviously, the Africa Cup of Nations is coming up as well. I've watched a couple of games and Issa seems to be one of the important players, but obviously he's got to be fit and that's going to be touch and go."

• Premier League ambitions for Red Dragons

  While there is still a long way to go this season, another 31 matches over the next six months, Wrexham's senior management team remain clear in their number one target: securing Premier League football. And this week CEO Michael Williamson explained why co-owners and Hollywood superstars Ryan Reynolds, Rob Mac and the rest of the club's board are already planning for life in the top flight.

  Williamson said: "I felt if we were in that kind of position in the table, that if we gave ourselves a chance to make a run for a play-off spot and then ultimately if we were in the play-offs, with the momentum we have and the mentality that this group has and the mentality that our supporters have, I know we haven't done historically well in play-offs but I felt that this was one of those situations where I wouldn't put anything by us. 

  "The objective was to be competitive and to show that we could go toe-to-toe with any club in the Championship and so far this season, that's what you've seen. In fact, I'd argue that you could see us with several more points if you look at some of the matches where we've had leads that we've given it up for a draw or even starting from the very first one at Southampton where we gave up a goal in the 89th and the 95th minute to lose three points or even one point there. 

  "I think we could definitely be higher in the table than we are today but the important part is that we've shown that it doesn't matter which club we're playing against in this league, we can go to toe-to-toe with anyone and come out ahead of it. From my perspective now, how do we build on and off the pitch to prepare ourselves for when that time comes that we do arrive to the Premier League? It's ultimately our objective, I think everyone is clear of that by now."

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• Growing club with a big "heart"

  Reynolds has recently praised his club’s "heart" following the impressive 1-0 win over Charlton Athletic. Josh Windass’ penalty extended the Red Dragons' unbeaten run to five matches and lifted them to 13th in the Championship, with 21 points from 15 matches, just four points off the play-off spots.

Brendan Doggett is in the “prime of his career” and has been backed by his South Australia coach Ryan Harris to be able to step into Test cricket during the Ashes if needed.Doggett was part of the Australia Test squad last season, having first been called up back in 2018 for a series against Pakistan in the UAE, and was a traveling reserve for the World Test Championship final against South Africa.He had been due to tour the West Indies before being withdrawn because of a hip injury but is on track to start the season for the double defending champions although from there will have his workload managed in conjunction with the Australia set-up.Related

• 'Haven't achieved much at all' – Harris' message as South Australia defend twin titles

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• Who's in the Ashes mix if Cummins and co run aground?

• Cummins may 'take a few risks' to be able to play Ashes

The depth of Australia’s pace bowling has been brought firmly into view with Pat Cummins’ back injury, and while Scott Boland will be the next in line for a spot in the startling XI, Doggett is likely only one more injury away from a debut.”He’s had a really good winter,” Harris told ESPNcricinfo. “He came back from the World Test Championship with a couple of niggles [but] he had good time to let them heal.”He had a really good programme that he was following and he was diligent. We didn’t take him to Darwin in our pre-season camp and let him just get himself right down here.”We’ve got a couple of trial games [this week] which he’ll bowl some good overs in. But what I’ve seen in training, he’s up and about. He’s ready to go. He’s bowling fast and he’s moving the ball, which is good. He’ll definitely start for us.”Doggett’s elevation to the Test squad last season came on the back of a career-best 6 for 15 against India A in Mackay. He capped his summer with a career-best match haul of 11 wickets in the Sheffield Shield final, where South Australia secured the title with victory over Queensland, to finish with 44 first-class wickets at 20.56 which followed 32 wickets at 21.90 the previous season.”He’s definitely ready [for Test cricket],” Harris said. “[With] his mind, I think, and the confidence he has now in his game. He was a bit mixed [up] probably a couple of years ago where he was trying to swing it and he wasn’t trying to swing it, but he’s worked it all out.”He knows what he needs to do. He knows when he has step it up and bowl quick and knows he can control his pace. He’s in the prime of his career now. There’s no doubt that if Brendan gets a call, I have absolute full confidence in that he can go in and do a good job in that team.”There will be a balancing act for the selectors in the lead-up to the Ashes in ensuring the fast bowlers in the mix have enough work to be ready while avoiding pushing them too far.It is expected that Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood will combine the ODIs against India with potentially one Sheffield Shield game for New South Wales before the first Test, while Boland is expected to play at least two four-day games for Victoria. Lance Morris, who would have been in the frame, has been ruled out for 12 months after undergoing back surgery.Brendan Doggett will likely be around Australia’s Ashes squads•Getty Images

Cameron Green has been left out of the T20I tour of New Zealand so that he can play for Western Australia in the first round of the Sheffield Shield, which could mark his return to bowling following the surgery he had a year ago.Speaking earlier this week, Cummins said he was confident in the fast-bowling reverses Australia had heading into the summer.”We feel really well placed,” he said. “A lot of planning goes in. It’s not just a month before, it’s 12 months out. Someone like Jhye Richardson, hopefully he will be available for some of the summer. There’s [Michael] Neser. Brendan Doggett was part of squads last year. Sean Abbott. So I’m really confident in our depth.”Obviously there is a bit of Shield cricket and white-ball cricket before that to make sure everyone is up and raring to go.”Those who are involved in the one-day leg of the Australia A tour of India or the T20I tour to New Zealand will miss the opening round of Sheffield Shield matches which start on October 4. The men’s domestic season starts on September 16 with the 50-over Dean Jones Trophy.

Ed Barnard battles back for Warwickshire but hosts edge opening day at The Oval

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay08-Sep-2025Tom Lawes took three for six in a five-over spell to lead Surrey’s response with the ball as Warwickshire replied with 132 for four after earlier bowling out the county champions for 246 despite fine half-centuries from Ryan Patel, Rory Burns and Ollie Pope.Leading second-placed Nottinghamshire by nine points with three matches to go in the Rothesay County Championship season, Surrey were particularly indebted to Patel’s superb unbeaten 72 from 67 balls after being put in by Warwickshire at the Kia Oval.And Lawes then whipped out Alex Davies, Sam Hain and Zen Malik in quick succession – all leg-before to fast, swinging deliveries – after Dan Worrall had Rob Yates well held at third slip for seven in his third over with the new ball.Davies made 22, Hain a first-ball duck and Malik eight and, at 47 for four, Warwickshire were in some trouble with 21 overs still to be bowled on day one.But Ed Barnard then joined Will Young, who was dropped on 10 at second slip off Matt Fisher, in an unbroken stand of 85 that meant honours were shared fairly evenly at the end of a gripping first day.Barnard reached stumps on 48 not out, with Young unbeaten on 35 and Surrey’s quicks needing to come back strongly on the second morning. Both batted with great spirit to rally their team after Lawes’ triple strike.Hunting a fourth successive championship title, Surrey were initially powered to 104 for one as Pope hit an eye-catching 50 off 55 balls and Burns reached 52.But Warwickshire, who like Surrey fielded a five-man pace attack, hit back either side of lunch to reduce Surrey to 188 for eight before the left-handed Patel counter-attacked in thrilling fashion and was joined by Fisher in a ninth wicket stand of 58.Patel struck 11 fours and a six pulled over wide mid-wicket off Michael Booth, who finished with two for 52 as Warwickshire’s seam quintet shared all ten wickets.Nathan Gilchrist, on his debut for the county as a loanee ahead of a permanent winter move from Kent, claimed three for 51 while Ethan Bamber took two for 47 and Barnard two for 42.Pope’s aggression provided Surrey with crucial early momentum after the loss of Dom Sibley, well held at third slip off Bamber for six in the morning’s third over.Both he and Burns enjoyed their fair share of good fortune against the moving ball but they also deserved the rewards of their positivity in a second wicket stand eventually worth 97 in just 17 overs.Pope, in particular, knocked Warwickshire’s seamers off their stride with the quality of his strokeplay while Burns produced a number of trademark pulls and square cuts to help to keep the scoreboard moving.At one stage, soon after Burns had thick-edged Gilchrist through a puzzlingly vacant third slip position for a boundary to take him to 38, the Surrey pair took six consecutive fours from the final four balls of a Booth over and then the first two deliveries of Gilchrist’s next over.Pope drove Booth straight and through mid off at the start of this sequence – the shots of the morning – and he had only just reached a 54-ball fifty when he fell to his 55th ball, edging Ed Barnard’s medium pace low to first slip on the stroke of noon.Barnard then nipped one back off the seam to have Ben Foakes leg-before for 11 and beat the new batsman Dan Lawrence with his next ball before Surrey reached lunch on 127 for three.Lawrence, on five, was badly dropped by keeper Davies off Bamber, who bowled a testing spell immediately after the interval and removed a disbelieving Burns soon afterwards when the Surrey captain pulled him straight to deep mid wicket where Malik took an excellent catch tumbling forward.Patel’s arrival kick-started the innings again, while Lawrence continued to struggle at the other end. The pair added 34 but Lawrence, having just punched Gilchrist through mid on for four to reach 20, was leg-before to the next ball as he shuffled across his stumps.Jordan Clark square cut his first ball for four but Gilchrist then made it two wickets in three deliveries when a thick edged carve flew to Young’s left at first slip.And Surrey slid to 188 for eight as Gus Atkinson (6) and Lawes, who bagged a fifth ball duck, nicked Ollie Hannon-Dalby and Gilchrist to second and third slip respectively.Fisher’s resistance, however, helped Patel to haul Surrey up well beyond 200 although they fell agonisingly short of a batting bonus point. Fisher, on 18, was pinned leg-before by Booth, who then produced a beauty next ball to hit the top of Worrall’s leg stump and leave Patel out of partners.

خاض النجم المصري عمر مرموش مباراة فريق مانشستر سيتي، مساء يوم الثلاثاء، ضد خصمه فريق باير ليفركوزن، في إطار منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويستضيف ملعب “الاتحاد” مباراة فريقي مانشستر سيتي وباير ليفركوزن، في الجولة الخامسة من دوري أبطال أوروبا، مرحلة الدوري موسم 2025/26، 

وشارك عمر مرموش في مباراة اليوم كأساسي رفقة مانشستر سيتي، قبل استبداله في الدقيقة 65 من عمر اللقاء.

ولم يظهر مرموش في الدقائق الأولى من الشوط الأول، وسط ضغط دفاعي قوي من جانب باير ليفركوزن في منطقة جزائه.

وطالت الكرة على مرموش، في الدقيقة 14 من عمر الشوط الأول، حيث كان في موقف سانح لإمكانية تسجيل هدف، ولكن التمريرة لم تكن متقنة، لتصل الكرة إلى حارس ليفركوزن.

وحاول سافينيو تمرير الكرة إلى مرموش، في الدقيقة 21، ولكن الدفاع تدخل وشتت الهجمة ومنع وصول الكرة إلى المصري.

وحاول مرموش تمرير كرة ناحية منطقة جزاء باير ليفركوزن، في الدقيقة 30، ولكن دفاع الفريق الألماني كان صلدًا، حيث تكتل بشكل جيد في منطقته خاصة بعدما تقدم بهدف أول في الدقيقة 23.

ووجه نيكو جونزاليس عرضية قوية ناحية مرموش، في الدقيقة 36، ولكنها جاءت طويلة أكثر من اللازم، لتتحول إلى ضربة مرمى.

واُقتطعت الكرة من عمر مرموش، من جانب دفاع ليفركوزن، في الدقيقة 41، من على حدود منطقة الجزاء، ثم تحصل على خطأ لصالحه بعد التدخل ضده في الدقيقة 42.

وارتكب عمر مرموش خطأً ضد أحد لاعبي ليفركوزن، في الدقيقة 50، ورفض الحكم احتساب خطأ لصالحه في الدقيقة 60.

وقرر المدرب بيب جوارديولا استبدال عمر مرموش، في الدقيقة 65، حيث دفع بزميله النجم إيرلينج هالاند في محاولة لتصحيح الأمور.

According to joint-administrator Kris Wigfield, Sheffield Wednesday are now expecting “concrete” takeover bids “soon” as the Owls push towards a new era.

The numbers of bidders for Sheffield Wednesday are “well into the double figures” but Wigfield urged “patience” in the effort to find a new buyer for the club. Wednesday’s well-established financial issues culminated in them being placed into administration last month, which led to a 12-point deduction and left them rooted to the foot of the Championship.

Related Sheffield Wednesday now targeting two more Man Utd academy stars in Amass repeat

Amass has been a great success.

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A flexible deadline of next Friday has been set for offers for the Owls, four weeks after they went into administration, and Wigfield has been encouraged by the number of suitors for the club.

Any sale can only be completed once a prospective owner has passed the English Football League’s fit and proper persons’ test, and Wigfield insisted finding feasible applicants will take time.

Wigfield took the time to thank fans for their support since arriving at the club, which has helped those at Hillsborough pay their staff and players in time.

Regarding the takeover, a number of parties have reportedly shown proof of funds worth £50m and an American party has even been shown around the club ahead of a potential bid.

Sheffield Wednesday braced for "concrete" takeover bid

With next Friday’s soft deadline in place, the Owls are bracing themselves for a “concrete” takeover bid, which may be on its way imminently ahead of next week’s soft deadline.

Wigfield revealed the news and told fans that he expects bids to arrive as soon as enquiries are thinned down to “serious” buyers. The join-administrator once again reiterated that there has been substaintal interest in buying the club.

He said: “This discussion is to be expected for such a big club and as we quickly approach the end of the EFL’s compulsory marketing deadline it is likely to intensify.

“However, we will hope to see concrete offers made soon as enquiries – which have been well into the double figures from across the globe – are thinned down into serious and viable bidders that can secure the long-term future of Sheffield Wednesday. It is during this period that even more patience will be required.”

Whilst they look destined for relegation on the pitch, things are finally beginning to look up for Sheffield Wednesday in the boardroom as they look to meet next Friday’s takeover deadline.

Sheffield Wednesday takeover latest

With their qualification for the Asia Cup Super Fours not yet guaranteed, the mood in the Pakistan camp on Tuesday evening was markedly different

Shashank Kishore17-Sep-2025

“Great fielders don’t dive,” Hardik Pandya quipped after he plucked a screamer that fielding coach T Dilip had drilled to his left. Behind him was a makeshift goalpost he was meant to protect. Each player got five attempts before the next man stepped up. It was a penalty shootout of sorts pretending to be fielding drill.Things changed quickly after that. Three rockets came his way low and flat and were all dropped; not even dives could help his cause. Dilip read out his score with mock seriousness as Tilak Varma came out to “keep goal”.Soon the chatter switched to Telugu, with Arshdeep Singh turning part-time commentator with his chants of “” (well done) every time Tilak hurled himself around to pull off a save.Related

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Hesson: We were a bit frenzied at the start with the bat

How Kuldeep and Axar slammed the door shut on Pakistan

Then came Jasprit Bumrah’s turn. As he walked up, he couldn’t resist a wisecrack: “Point again, coach?” he asked looking back at journalists recording his every move. “Reel content coming for you guys!” This was all a nod to the catch he had taken at point to dismiss Saim Ayub off the first legitimate ball in Sunday’s match.The fielding session reflected the mood in the India camp: lively, light-hearted, yet underpinned by an intensity, which was in show again later as they took the nets.The Tuesday evening temperatures may have relented slightly since the start of the Asia Cup, from 40 degrees Celsius to 35-36, but that didn’t mean there was respite for the team, since their training session was lengthened to over four hours on back-to-back days.The batters who hadn’t had a hit in the two matches so far – Sanju Samson, Axar Patel and Hardik – spent extended periods at the nets, before the top order took centre stage, hitting balls long and hard, into the trees and beyond at the ICC Academy in Dubai. To the extent that you wondered if anyone was even keeping track of where the balls were going.2:20

How big is the gulf between India and Pakistan?

Through it all, coach Gautam Gambhir and assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate looked on from behind the nets, watching each batter go through their drill.Rinku Singh, in particular, endured a searching examination, beaten time and again by the pace and bounce of Harshit Rana and Arshdeep. The test grew sterner. Starting off with a short run before gradually cranking up to full tilt, Bumrah showed Rinku no mercy. While anything on the pads was dismissed, Rinku was repeatedly troubled by hard lengths and seam movement. He finally yanked his gloves off, and did bouts of timed sprints to cool off after his batting stint.By the time India’s session wound down, they had gone through an entire range of activities amid banter and fun. It ended with the captain Suryakumar Yadav cutting a birthday cake some members of India’s travelling media had organised, with Kuldeep Yadav and a few members of the support staff joining in.Salman Agha will hope to bounce back after two single-digit scores•AFP/Getty Images

At the adjacent ground, the mood was quite different, with Pakistan avoiding any media personnel gathered around the periphery of the ropes.Coach Mike Hesson did all the talking in the team huddle, before the players dispersed for a game of football, did some catching, and then went into the nets. They may have chosen to train from 8pm to 11pm, possibly to avoid the heat, but that didn’t make it any less punishing.As they began their centre-wicket nets, Hesson monitored Ayub’s back-foot play, watching him keep his shots down – unlike his dismissal against India looking to flay Hardik over point. Ayub, incidentally, has more wickets than balls faced in the Asia Cup so far, and spent considerable time with Hesson in his ear. There were extra drills for Mohammad Haris, while Haris Rauf, seemingly hungry to get a look-in after warming the bench in the first two games, let the ball rip.As the curtains came down on another intense evening at the ICC Academy, India announced a day off on Wednesday. Pakistan had no such luxuries, because they were to face UAE in a must-win game.

MatériaMais Notícias

Segundo lugar no Brasileirão e confirmado na fase de grupos da Libertadores 2024, o Grêmio projeta uma maior arrecadação na próxima temporada. Para encarar estes desafios, agora de proporções continentais, o Tricolor também irá aumentar o investimento em salários de seu elenco.

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Na atual temporada, o clube gaúcho gastou aproximadamente R$12 milhões por mês com seu elenco profissional. Em 2024, a folha salarial deve alcançar R$15 milhões. Investimento justificado pela necessidade de montar um time competitivo para brigar por títulos. No próximo ano, o Tricolor terá pela frente o Gauchão, a Libertadores, a Copa do Brasil e o Campeonato Brasileiro, chegar na fase de mata-mata da competição continental, e se classificar para ela em 2025 são as metas mínimas exigidas. 

Para conseguir atingir o que foi proposto, o Grêmio contará com a premiação da Conmebol pela participação na fase de grupos na Libertadores, mais os aditivos por vitória. Em 2023, o pagamento foi de 3 milhões de dólares (R$15,7 milhões), mais 300 mil dólares (R$1,57 milhão) por vitória. Além disso, o clube também prevê uma redução de despesas com dispensas de atletas, como ocorreu no último ano, quando a diretoria apostou em uma reformulação do elenco. 

– Estamos chegando com um grupo que deve ter alterações, mas nem tantas quanto este ano, quando praticamente se montou um time novo. Vamos ter uma folha que, pelo orçamento, é de aproximadamente R$2 milhões acima do que temos hoje. Ainda estamos arcando com atletas que emprestamos e pagamos parte do salário e isso consta na nossa folha se formos olhar os números friamente. Mas, isso vai diminuir bastante para o ano que vem. Com isso, conseguiremos chegar a R$14 milhões na nossa folha real do futebol – explicou Fabio Floriani, vice-presidente do Grêmio, em entrevista à Rádio Gaúcha, em novembro.

➡️ Pedro Geromel vai continuar no Grêmio?

A saída de Luis Suárez representa uma perda técnica no time e também de aspectos extracampo como: arrecadação com sócios, marketing e publicidade. Entretanto, abre um espaço para a aplicação destes valores em outras contratações, como de um centroavante para suprir a saída do “Pistolero”.

A busca por um novo camisa 9 é prioridade, e a diretoria gremista insiste por Rogelio Funes Mori, argentino naturalizado mexicano, que está atuando no Monterrey. Contudo, os Rayados recusaram a última oferta do Tricolor. Um goleiro experiente em competições sul-americanas, como Santos (Flamengo) ou Andrada (também do Monterrey), também é uma das urgências que demandará maior investimento, tanto para tirá-los de seus times como em questões salariais.

➡️ Fim da novela? Renato Gaúcho indica permanência no Grêmio para 2024

O primeiro ano da gestão Alberto Guerra foi encerrado com um déficit de R$65 milhões. Ainda houve uma suplementação (acréscimo no orçamento para um caso emergencial) de R$30 milhões, também aprovada pelo Conselho Deliberativo. Este déficit foi justificado pelo fato de o clube não ter alcançado o que imaginava arrecadar com vendas de jogadores e também por ter pagado mais do que o projetado em premiações para jogadores e comissão técnica, já que o clube alcançou o vice-campeonato brasileiro e foi semifinalista na Copa do Brasil.

In the first game of the Tokyo Series, Shohei Ohtani, in his return to his native country of Japan, helped lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to a 4-1 win over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. And Ohtani continues to make his country proud, as he belted a two-run home run in an exhibition game against the Yomiuri Giants on Saturday, then rapped two hits in Tuesday's season-opening victory.

Amidst the Ohtani-mania, a photo of a stunning agricultural mural, which was depicted to honor the Dodgers superstar and his beloved dog Decoy, went viral after it was shown on the Fox broadcast of the Dodgers-Cubs game.

Check out the epic mural.

The roughly 3,000-square-meter mural is made from seven varieties of rice, which were planted by a local volunteer group in his hometown of Oshu, Iwate Prefecture in June of 2024. The mural also features the phrase "Let's play baseball."

It's no surprise that such an impressive tribute is going viral once again.

Rafael Devers is surely not having the start to the season he envisioned.

On opening weekend, Devers was brutal for the Boston Red Sox. In four games against the Texas Rangers, the three-time All-Star designated hitter provided virtually nothing to his team. He didn't improve things in the season's fifth game.

Entering Monday's matchup with the Baltimore Orioles, Devers had six at-bats this season and had registered no hits, one RBI, two walks, and an incredible 12 strikeouts. He also became the first player in MLB history to strike out 10 times in the first three games of a season.

During Monday's matchup, Devers was similarly inept. He opened the game 0-for-3 with three strikeouts, though he did manage a pair of walks. He's now up to 15 strikeouts in 19 at-bats on the season.

It's been brutal to watch. Devers has a lifetime slash line of .278/.344.508, and hit .272 with 28 home runs, 83 RBIs and an OPS of .871 in 2024, so this is a start no one saw coming.

Here's where I tell you that it's early and everyone slumps, but what Devers has done this season has been mind-boggling.

With an 8–5 loss to the Orioles on Monday, the Red Sox have fallen to 1–4 on the season.