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India cruised to the highest score of the tournament

Andrew Fidel Fernando26-Sep-2025

Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson added the second fifty partnership of the innings•AFP/Getty Images

Abhishek Sharma hit 61 off 31, Tilak Varma struck 49 not out off 34, and India cruised to the highest score of the tournament, posting 202 for 5 without ever looking like they were breaking a serious sweat.Sri Lanka too, made no serious errors. In fact they caught well – Maheesh Theekshana and Dushmantha Chameera taking outstanding catches off their own bowling – while the groundfielding was in good shape. None of their bowlers leaked more than 15 runs in an over, and the frontline bowlers all completed their quota.And yet, India kept finding the boundary, first through Abhishek, before Varma and Sanju Samson set themselves up in the middle overs to hit 66 runs off 42 balls together. Wickets fell too, but such are India’s riches, and so in control were they of this innings, that dismissals did not lead to major hits to the scoring rate.Sri Lanka’s bowlers did pose threats. In fact, five bowlers took wickets. But none took more than one, and not a single bowler of the six used went at less than six an over. Whatever Sri Lanka threw at India, the India batters negotiated with measured aggression.

West Ham have reportedly held discussions over signing a Brazil international duo who’ve both impressed in front of goal this year, with Nuno Espírito Santo badly in need of a new focal point up front.

The club’s January transfer window plans are becoming increasingly focused on three key priorities — a defender, midfielder and forward (Sky Sports).

The urgency for a striker stems largely from the ongoing issues surrounding Niclas Fullkrug’s persistent injury problems, which have severely limited his availability and impact for the Hammers since his move last year.

Fullkrug was brought in with high hopes as a reliable goal-scoring option to lead the line, but his torrid injury record has prevented him from consistently delivering those expected contributions.

Time and again, injuries have sidelined Fullkrug, and this inconsistency has left West Ham very short of choices upfront.

Callum Marshall, while tipped for a promising career, is too inexperienced to lead the Irons’ forward line, while it is believed that Nuno privately doesn’t rate summer signing Callum Wilson.

This has resulted in Nuno experimenting with Lucas Paqueta as West Ham’s false nine in their last two Premier League matches — which both ended in defeat.

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

The lack of a dependable number nine is a major concern for Nuno as he looks to avoid a dreaded drop back down to the Championship, which is now a serious possibility.

In the last fortnight alone, David Sullivan, Karren Brady and the Hammers board have been linked with a host of intriguing options.

Real Madrid sensation Endrick is apparently a top target for West Ham, but they’ll have to move quickly as Ligue 1 giants Lyon have already made a formal approach with the player himself keen.

Journalist Alan Nixon has said that West Ham have already worked on a loan deal for Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney as well, with the Irons also holding discussions over Gonzalo Garcia (Graeme Bailey).

West Ham "offered" Brazil duo Pedro and Kaio Jorge

Now, according to Hammers News and journalist Graeme Bailey, you can add Brazilian strikers Pedro and Kaio Jorge to West Ham’s list of potential targets this winter.

Pedro, who’s scored 15 goals for Flamengo during this 2025 season, once plied his trade for Fiorentina in Europe but has spent the majority of his career in South America — where he’s earned six caps for the national team.

Jorge’s scored a seismic 20 goals for Cruzeiro this year, and the 23-year-old ex-Juventus sensation is still yet to reach his prime.

Jorge only has one senior appearance for Brazil so far, but considering his stellar 2025 campaign, Carlo Ancelotti will certainly be keeping a keen eye on the striker ahead of next year’s World Cup.

Bailey reports that West Ham have held discussions with agents about signing Pedro and Jorge, with Nuno’s side “offered” the duo by representatives.

That is as far as it’s gone, but there is reason to believe shopping in the Brazilian Serie A market could prove fruitful.

Jorge carries a market value of just £15 million according to Transfermarkt, while Pedro’s value comes in at around £17.5 million — making them pretty affordable options.

They’re also both represented by Bertolucci Sports, an agency that’s helped Brazilian talents like Gabriel Magalhaes, Bruno Guimaraes and Matheus Cunha seal moves to the Premier League in recent years.

Mikel Arteta has been left completely blown away by a “silky” forward, with the manager now personally requesting Arsenal sign him in the January transfer window.

Arteta keen on new forward amid injury woes

Yet again, the Gunners have been plagued by injuries this season, with the likes of Noni Madueke, Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Viktor Gyokeres all spending time on the sidelines already.

With Gyokeres only recently returning from a muscle injury, Mikel Merino was given the nod at striker against Chelsea on Sunday, and the Spaniard repaid Arteta for his faith in him, scoring the equalising goal in the 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge.

Arteta certainly isn’t short on top-quality attacking options, having spent big during the summer, but the sheer number of injuries he has already been forced to contend with may be a concern for the manager, who will be determined for nothing to derail his side’s Premier League title push.

As such, the manager has personally requested the signing of Villarreal forward Alberto Moleiro for the January transfer window, according to a report from Spain, which states the 43-year-old has been left completely blown away by his performances since moving to Villarreal.

A number of Europe’s top clubs have set their sights on Moleiro, but the Gunners are now the side most determined to get a deal done, with Arteta of the belief he would be a perfect fit for his system.

Arteta values the forward’s versatility, and a deal could be relatively affordable, with the Spanish club setting an asking price of over €30m (£26m).

"Silky" Moleiro tearing it up in La Liga

The Spaniard has already matched his La Liga goal tally from the 2024-25 campaign, having found the back of the net six times in 14 outings this season, while also providing two assists.

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He could be missing until after the new year.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 29, 2025

Lauded as “silky” by scout Jacek Kulig, the Villarreal star is also capable of playing on both wings and through attacking midfield, making him a versatile option for Arteta, although scout Ben Mattinson has suggested he could flourish in a slightly deeper midfield role.

Arsenal are looking to compete on all fronts this season, with a Premier League and Champions League double potentially on the cards, considering they are currently top of both.

As such, it would be a savvy move to bring in some additional strength in depth during the January window, and Moleiro’s versatility, coupled with the low asking price, means he could be the ideal addition to the squad.

Sixers were well placed on 92 for 2 before a game-changing over saw three wickets fall

AAP13-Nov-2025

Hayley Silver-Holmes produced a game changing triple-wicket over•Getty Images

Hobart Hurricanes openers Lizelle Lee and Danni Wyatt-Hodge destroyed the Sydney Sixers bowling attack with a record stand in a dominant six-wicket WBBL win.Earlier, three wickets in over and career-best figures by Hurricanes fast bowler Hayley Silver-Holmes rocked her former side in a deserved player of the match display.Related

Wareham stars again as Melbourne Renegades make it two from two

Mooney masterclass sets up easy win for Scorchers

The opening stand of 95 between Lee and Wyatt-Hodge rollicked along at more than 10 runs per over and allowed Hurricanes to coast to victory at North Sydney Oval on Thursday.Sixers had made 152 for 9 but Hurricanes were never troubled in the chase and won with 19 balls remaining to stay undefeated.Lee slammed the bowlers to all parts of the ground. She showcased all her skills and combined power and touch in equal measure to score her 12th WBBL half-century to go with her five hundreds.Wyatt-Hodge, fresh from a brilliant 90 in her last match, dominated on the offside where she placed the ball to perfection.  The England star also lofted two sixes over the leg side that went through the hands of Sixers fielders.The pair’s opening stand was the highest in Hurricanes history.After being sent in, Sixers were 2 for 92 after 12 overs and appeared set for a 170-plus total before Silver-Holmes took three wickets in one over.She had the dangerous Ash Gardner out pulling a delivery that hurried on. Next ball Silver-Holmes knocked over Amelia Kerr with an off-cutter. Another off-cutter to Alyssa Healy went through the gate to cap a tremendous over.The 22-year-old didn’t play last year’s WBBL series due to an elbow injury that required surgery.”I’ve had a really bad few years with injuries but I think the big thing for me was getting as fit as I could,” Silver-Holmes said. “That makes it that much easier to do what I do.”She was humble about her decisive over that turned the match. “When things are happening, they are happening. That’s T20 cricket,” Silver-Holmes said. “It was all a bit of a blur but I’m super pumped to get the win.”Healy, playing her first WBBL match of the season after recovering from a hand injury, used the pace off the pitch to perfection in her cameo and in combination with Ellyse Perry had looked in control.Perry smoked six boundaries, with her shots through the cover region sublime, before Heather Graham cleaned up her stumps. Graham, fifth on the all-time WBBL wicket list, bowled with guile. Her seamers moved both ways and challenged the strong Sixers top order.

There has now been a major injury update on West Ham United star Crysencio Summerville ahead of the Premier League fixture against Liverpool this Sunday.

West Ham had to make do without the winger for the trip to AFC Bournemouth at the weekend, with Nuno’s side taking a point at the Vitality Stadium, although they will be frustrated they were unable to take more from the game.

The Hammers raced into a 2-0 lead against the Cherries, courtesy of a Callum Wilson brace before half-time, but Bournemouth fought back to earn a point, with Marcus Tavernier and Enes Unal getting on the scoresheet.

With Leeds United falling to a 2-1 defeat at home against Aston Villa, the Irons remain outside the relegation zone on goal difference, but they will need all the help they can get in the coming weeks, as there are some tricky fixtures on the horizon.

West Ham United’s upcoming fixtures	Date
Liverpool (h)	November 30th
Manchester United (a)	December 4th
Brighton & Hove Albion (a)	December 7th
Aston Villa (h)	December 14th
Manchester City (a)	December 20th

Injury update on West Ham's Crysencio Summerville ahead of Liverpool

As reported by The Standard, Nuno has now been handed a boost heading into this weekend’s fixture against Liverpool, with Summerville expected to return to training this week, having seemingly made strides towards recovering from a calf strain.

The 24-year-old is set to be in contention for the game against Arne Slot’s side, which will be welcome news for West Ham, given that Niclas Fullkrug is out due to a thigh issue, and they are keen not to overuse Wilson, despite the striker bagging a brace last time out.

Former Leeds United U23 manager Andrew Taylor has waxed lyrical about the Dutchman in the past, saying: “Everything going forward he’s fantastic at, but he doesn’t just stop there, he does the defensive work as well, he works really hard.”

Since moving to the London Stadium, however, the Rotterdam-born winger’s progress has been hampered by a number of injuries, having spent large parts of the 2024-25 campaign on the sidelines due to a hamstring issue.

That said, the former Leeds man has exhibited some promising signs this season, having already registered two assists in the Premier League, albeit both came in the 3-0 win at Nottingham Forest at the end of August.

Summerville still retains the backing of Nuno, however, who said last month: “I think he can be really important. Against Brentford, he started really well and, in terms of distance, in terms of work rate, it was a good 90 minutes for him.

“So we expect, as time goes by, to elevate his fitness, because to produce all of the actions he has to be on his top level.

The West Ham boss will be hoping for a similar performance this weekend, with his side taking on Liverpool at a good time, given that they have lost six of their last seven Premier League games.

West Ham could bring in academy star if Crysencio Summerville isn't fit in time for Liverpool

Forget Guilherme: Nuno can fix Summerville blow with West Ham academy star

Nuno might already have the perfect solution to West Ham’s Summerville problem.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 25, 2025

Manuel Neuer's behaviour on and off the pitch has shown he's a true leader after former Southampton and Tottenham midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg revealed the Germany legend's impressive conduct during his time at Bayern Munich. Hojbjerg, now playing for Ligue 1 side Marseille, made only a handful of appearances during his four years with the Bavarian giants, but the club’s iconic goalkeeper made a huge impact on him.

• Hojbjerg struggled to make mark in Munich

  Hojbjerg's time in Munich was an ultimately frustrating period, marked by early promise that gave way to limited opportunities at a star-studded club. Joining from Brondby in 2012, he became the youngest player in Bayern's Bundesliga history when he debuted in 2013. Highly-rated by coach Pep Guardiola, he was seen as a major talent but struggled to break into the midfield rotation. With competition from seasoned players like Xabi Alonso and Bastian Schweinsteiger, Hojbjerg spent time on loan at Augsburg and Schalke to gain first-team experience. He left permanently in 2016 for Southampton, acknowledging that while Bayern was "the best school," he needed regular playing time for his development. He departed having made just 25 senior appearances across all competitions for the German giants. But, looking back at his time with the club, he has singled-out Neuer for special praise. 

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• AFP
  

  'We live in a world where you have to take action'

  Hojbjerg told Bild: "When I was young at Bayern, there was a period when some of the older players… they weren't harsh, but you still had to learn a lot. I remember a training session where we were playing eleven against eleven, and Manuel Neuer was a bit behind me, speaking somewhat bluntly and being quite strict with me. The weekend after I came on as a substitute, he walked past me on the way to the dressing room, put his arm around my shoulder, and said: 'You know what? Everything's great. Well done’. I could feel that it made a difference. And that’s what I took away with me: knowing what it does to people when you show them that you care, but also understanding that we live in a world where you have to take action yourself."

  Hobjerg also spoke briefly on former Germany captain Philipp Lahm, saying: "He was somewhat unusual. He was rarely loud. But he had a special charisma and his behaviour made him a fantastic captain."

• Hojbjerg heaps praise on Mason Greenwood

  The midfielder left Bayern for Southampton and ended up at Tottenham in 2020, before he was loaned to Marseille last season. He joined the French side on a permanent basis in the summer, becoming team-mates with Mason Greenwood. The former Spurs star has revealed what the dressing room thinks about the English forward, who left Manchester United in controversial circumstances.

  Hojbjerg told : "Mason is already showing his stuff with Marseille. He did well. But it's important to keep up the power, the way of working. I don't want to say too much about Mason, because he has so many qualities. I just want him to continue until the end. Starting to talk about a star or the best player, I don't really like that. It's important to stay on the job and for him to continue, because we all know how important he is to us. He's a well-liked guy in the locker room. He has to continue to work well and help the team every week. If he doesn't score, it doesn't matter, but he has to work well for the team and do things seriously every day."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Bavaria legend still going strong

  Bayern have reportedly decided to offer veteran goalkeeper Neuer a contract extension for another year, which would see him remain at the Allianz Arena until June 2027. The 2014 World Cup-winning stopper has reiterated that he wants to take his time before reaching a decision over his future, however, with the club set to hold talks in December.  

  "I'm totally relaxed about it. The most important thing is what we do with our team," Neuer, 39, told reporters. "I already hinted at this, that my well-being will also be important. I'm taking my time and being totally relaxed, at least over the winter. Many factors come into play. It's a question of health, fitness, and motivation. But also, what happens with the club next season. I can't answer that myself because it's still far too early. Then, of course, we can always talk. Everything plays a role."

Vitor Pereira had penned a new contract at Wolverhampton Wanderers back in September.

Yet, as we now enter November, the Portuguese boss is no longer occupying the Molineux hot-seat, with the Old Gold yet to collect a Premier League win this season from ten matches.

It is going to be a huge task for whoever takes on the reins after Pereira to try and turn around Wolves’ miserable season, with a surprise return for Gary O’Neil reportedly once on the cards.

However, despite allegedly entering talks about coming back to the top-flight’s basement club, the ex-Wolves manager pulled out of a shock reunion.

This could be a blessing in disguise in the West Midlands, with O’Neil enduring a tough end to his previous Old Gold spell…

Where things went wrong for O'Neil at Wolves

Going back in for a previous manager to try and turn around a sinking ship very rarely works out.

O’Neil did manage to keep Wolves up during his first campaign in charge during the 2022/23 season, as a depleted Old Gold side that no longer had the likes of Ruben Neves and Raul Jimenez on their books soared to 14th in the league standings.

It’s the woeful start to his second campaign in charge that would likely have not made this an appointment to go down well with the already disgruntled Molineux masses.

Indeed, Wolves only managed to collect a dire two wins from 16 games before he was given his marching orders, having also conceded a calamitous 40 goals along the way.

Games managed

100

Wins

31

Draws

17

Losses

52

Goals scored

135

Goals conceded

178

Points accumulated

110

Therefore, expecting O’Neil to return and be a transformative appointment would have been viewed as far-fetched, with Wolves chairman Jeff Shi even admitting when he got rid of the 42-year-old that he had “cut ties too late.”

Thankfully, Pereira worked out in the short term. But, now, Wolves need another fresh set of ideas to get them out of a similar mess, as a former Old Gold player turned successful manager continues to be linked with the vacancy.

Manager Focus

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

Wolves' outstanding O'Neil alternative

Wolves have been linked with a whole host of different and unique names, with ex-Molineux goal machine Robbie Keane even throwing his hat into the ring.

But, it appears now that current Middlesbrough boss Rob Edwards is high up on the priority list to replace Pereira, with talkSPORT naming Edwards as a ‘strong contender’ to get the job.

It’s noted that former Manchester United boss, Erik ten Hag, is also on their radar, although Edwards is currently ahead of the Dutchman to get the job.

The current Boro boss has a release clause in his contract at the Riverside and could soon make a return to the Premier League.

Immediately, with his previous connections to the club as a player and as a former U21 coach, it could be a good fit.

That’s before you even take into account the admirable job he did at Luton Town, who were rooted towards the foot of the Premier League division throughout the 2023/24 campaign.

Against all the odds, the much-loved Edwards nearly kept Luton afloat in the Premier League, as the Boro boss made the Hatters a stern team to try and break down.

That led to the minnows picking up a 1-1 draw against Liverpool that season, and saw them compete with Arsenal all the way at Kenilworth Road in a 4-3 defeat. Remarkably, that is the last time the Gunners have shipped three goals in any game of football.

Mikel Arteta even commended Edwards for how “difficult” he had made Luton to beat, with Wolves in some dire need of the same grit and application to try and get them out of their horrible hole.

It wasn’t all just attritional performances, though, as Edwards also managed to turn Carlton Morris into an 11-goal hero in the top-flight. That will be music to the ears of a misfiring Jorgen Strand Larsen, who has only one league strike next to his name this season.

But, as can be seen watching the highlight reel above, the imposing Norwegian did manage to fire home 14 goals last campaign, as he attempts to become Edwards’ next focal point, if the ex-Luton manager is handed the reins.

Described as an opportunity that will be “hard for him to say no to” by journalist Graeme Bailey, it will be intriguing to see if Edwards does end up swapping a top-of-the-table position in the EFL for another basement battle in the league above.

With a bit between his teeth now at the Riverside Stadium, it could be time for Edwards to mount a Premier League return, having also previously been lauded as “one of English football’s brightest and best young coaches.”

Doesn’t that sound good, Wolves fans?

Robbie Keane in talks with Wolves as Steven Gerrard gives clarity on future

The Old Gold are looking for a new successor and one of their former players has put their hat in the ring.

BySean Markus Clifford Nov 4, 2025

In a late move, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have decided to release Sri Lankan fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana from their squad ahead of IPL 2026. ESPNcricinfo has learned that CSK have been deliberating their future with Pathirana, who they had bought ahead of IPL 2023 and retained before the 2025 mega auction for INR 13 crore.This emerged on Saturday – the IPL retention window closes at 3pm.With his slingy action and ability to find swing consistently at 140-plus clicks, Pathirana announced himself at IPL 2023, when CSK won the title, picking 19 wickets in 12 matches at an economy of 8.01. Then captain MS Dhoni, though, had warned that Pathirana would need to be carefully managed by Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in order for him to have a long career. Dhoni’s words were not far off the mark – Pathirana has struggled with various injuries over the years.Related

• CSK set to release Conway and Ravindra

• RR trade Samson to CSK for Jadeja and Curran

Pathirana, who last played at the Asia Cup this September, had a curtailed IPL 2024 owing to a hamstring injury and then left for home midway into the SA20, where he playes for Joburg Super Kings. In IPL 2025, he was under par, taking 13 wickets in 12 matches at an economy of 10.13.CSK’s head coach Stephen Fleming had said during the season that the franchise was concerned by Pathirana’s drop in impact, which he suspected had to do with the SLC tweaking the bowler’s release point which was causing him troubles.CSK have now decided to release Pathirana with a possibility of buying him back at the auction, which will take place in Abu Dhabi on December 16.CSK had been the only team Pathirana has played for in the IPL, with his overall numbers in the three seasons being 47 wickets in 32 matches at an average of 21.61 and economy of 8.68.CSK are set to be among the few teams to go into the auction with a big purse, having also decided to release a host of players including the New Zealand pair of Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra. They have also traded Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to Rajasthan Royals for Sanju Samson.

Taijul Islam equalled Shakib Al Hasan’s record for the most Test wickets for Bangladesh on a day when a 5.5 magnitude earthquake caused severe tremors in parts of Bangladesh. Play was stopped for three minutes as the players gathered around the pitch, seeing their team-mates empty the dressing rooms.When play resumed shortly afterwards, Taijul reached 246 wickets during his four-wicket haul in Ireland’s first innings, in which they were bowled out for 265 runs. The hosts did not enforce the follow-on and reached 156 for 1 at stumps, leading Ireland by a mammoth 367 runs. Shadman Islam and Mominul Haque were unbeaten on 69 and 19, respectively.Mahmudul Hasan Joy and Shadman added 119 runs for the opening wicket in Bangladesh’s second innings. This was only the second time that the Bangladesh openers had added two century stands in a Test series, the last coming in England in 2010.Related

• Mushfiqur: 'I want to give back for as long as I'm playing for Bangladesh'

• Earthquake stops Bangladesh vs Ireland Test for three minutes on third morning

Legspinner Gavin Hoey broke the partnership when he trapped Mahmudul lbw for 60. He struck six boundaries in his 91-ball knock, although Mahmudul did survive a couple of chances.When the third day began, Ireland were trying to recover from their overnight precarious position of 98 for 5, with Bangladesh having amassed 476 in the first innings. Lorcan Tucker top-scored for the visitors with an unbeaten 75, as he put on two sizable partnerships – 81 runs for the sixth wicket with debutant Stephen Doheny and 74 for the eighth wicket with Jordan Neill.Both batters looked comfortable in the first hour-and-a-half of the morning session, racking up consistent boundaries. Taijul broke the partnership with a beauty when he removed Doheny for 46 with a classic left-arm spinner’s delivery that beat the right-hander on the front foot. Just one ball later, Taijul cleaned up Andy McBrine with a delivery that spun into the left-hander’s offstump, from over the wicket.Despite the two blows, Tucker and Neill dug in. Neill, playing his second Test, struck nine fours in his 49. He, however, fell trying too many things against Ebadat Hossain, getting caught in the covers. The Irish tail caved quickly when Khaled Ahmed had Hoey caught behind for four, before Taijul had Matthew Humphreys caught at point, trying a reverse sweep.

Xabi Alonso has insisted that he's unfazed by reports of friction between him and Vinicius Junior as pressure ramps up on the Real Madrid manager amid the team's three-match winless run. The streak started with a loss at Liverpool in the Champions League, followed by back-to-back draws in La Liga against Rayo Vallecano and Elche, which allowed Barcelona to cut the gap at the top of La Liga to just one point.

Vini Jr's fallout with Alonso

Vinicius Junior has had problems with new manager Alonso over his game time since the start of the season. It all escalated during El Clásico, when the 25-year-old was seen ranting after being taken off by the boss in the second half of the match. He subsequently issued a public apology for his behaviour but raised more eyebrows by neglecting to mention his manager in his statement.

The Selecao star's current contract runs out in 2027 and he has yet to reach an agreement with Madrid to extend his stay. According to , Vinicius Jr. has informed Los Blancos he will not renew his current deal "while his relationship with head coach Alonso remains so strained".

AdvertisementGetty/GOALAlonso unperturbed by mutiny

Addressing Vinicius Jr's supposed mutiny and managing big egos in the Madrid dressing room, Alonso said: "It’s just as important as the footballing philosophy, the tactical and physical work, managing personalities… and it’s a process with different phases that you have to know how to navigate. At Real Madrid, it’s fundamental. I didn’t realise it had been six months, but it’s turning out to be exactly what I expected. A very demanding job with good moments and moments where you need that concentration and connection. We’re in one where we have to show a reaction. I’m enjoying the whole package, everything it entails. I said it on the first day and I’ll say it again."

When asked to comment on the topic of players getting managers sacked, Alonso added: "It’s demanding, but I’m certainly not the first manager to have to deal with these situations. I think a lot about what Carlo [Ancelotti], [Jose] Mourinho, or [Manuel] Pellegrini, the managers I’ve had, would have done in their time. These aren’t new situations; we have to know how to deal with them, we have the necessary standards and self-criticism. We know where we want to go… and putting all of this together, I’m enjoying it. 

"We have to have a lot of respect for the players and the teams and how they prepare. I don’t want to and I’m not going to talk about that. I know what a dressing room is, I know the moments you have to go through, and you have to deal with the external noise. It shouldn’t make us lose focus on what’s important for us. We have to know how to get through these moments; we know the consequences of bad results, but they shouldn’t derail us from the path we want to take."

Does Alonso have Madrid's backing?

Asked if he has got the club's backing in this situation, Alonso said: "I’m guessing it is not the first time you’ve asked that question. We know the moment we’re in, in La Liga and the Champions League. I’m not focused on that, I’m focused on the players, on what we can control, and what happens at Valdebebas.

"Not of support, because it’s not necessary, but we have the usual day-to-day communication with the president, I spoke this morning with him, and I also speak with Jose Angel [Sanchez, general manager] every day or two, the usual."

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Getty ImagesNadal's advice for Vinicius Jr

Die-hard Real Madrid fan and tennis legend Rafael Nadal has sided with Alonso in the tussle, telling: "I think it can be resolved through dialogue, with everyone on the same page. I believe Vini needs to understand who is in charge and respect that authority, and also the club, given what it means to be a Real Madrid player. But I think he's doing his best, and those things that come out of him, which sometimes aren't well-received, can be corrected through dialogue and an awareness that things can be improved. The first person who needs to want to explore that path of improvement has to be him. When I hear him speak in interviews, saying that he wants to improve in every aspect, I think he needs to find strong allies, and I'm convinced that Real Madrid will have the right people, and he will be there to advise him. 

"The basic principle is wanting to do it. And Real Madrid has in Vinicius an asset that they can't devalue and that they have to protect, regardless of any performances that might not be to everyone's liking. As a player, he's a club asset; it's a situation that Real Madrid, being the immense club it is, knows how to manage, and I think they've done it well. The proof is that Vinicius' performance is now better than it was before. Football has a problem that is also a great strength; ultimately, many stories are written every week, and that magnifies things, but footballers are people, and that's how things are resolved, as human beings, by talking, understanding each other, and trying to project an image – one that is truly genuine – of unity, respect, and everyone pulling in the same direction."