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It's fair to say that not even Arsenal fans were convinced by the club's decision to pay Chelsea £50 million for Noni Madueke during the summer transfer window – but it's starting to look like a masterstroke, with the winger having produced another stellar performance on the game's grandest stage in Wednesday's Champions League win over Club Brugge.

Just a few weeks after opening his account for the Gunners in the 3-1 defeat of Bayern Munich, Madueke helped himself to a double in a 3-0 victory in Belgium – thus becoming the first player to ever score his first three goals for the north Londoners in the European Cup.

His first effort was a stunner, too, with Madueke showing terrific strength to hold off one challenger and barge past another before rifling a shot into the back of the Brugge net via the underside of the crossbar. The England international's second strike was far more straightforward, as he was completely unmarked and only two yards out when he got his head on the end of a delightful cross from Martin Zubimendi.

Perhaps inspired by what Madueke was producing on the opposite flank, Gabriel Martinelli decided to leave his stamp on the game with a stunning strike of his own after a fortuitous break of the ball on the left wing and, in truth, the visitors could have added even more goals during the closing stages of what proved an ultimately facile win.

GOAL rates all of the Arsenal players on show at the Jan Breydel Stadium as the Gunners made it six wins from six games in this season's Champions League…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

David Raya (7/10):

One second-half save wasn't particularly convincing but the Spaniard will be delighted with his latest shut-out, as he was called into action a lot more than usual.

Ben White (6/10):

Always looking to get forward, particularly in the first half, and also played his part in Arsenal keeping a commendable clean sheet against a dangerous counter-attacking team.

Christian Norgaard (6/10):

With Arsenal shorn of the services of several players, Arteta opted to deploy the Dane as a centre-back in Belgium and while he picked up a booking for a tactical foul, the defensive midfield did well for the most part.

Piero Hincapie (7/10):

A solid showing from the Ecuadorian, who defended well and also twice went close to scoring before being brought off midway through the second half.

Myles Lewis-Skelly (5/10):

Carlos Forbs caused the England international all sorts of problems during the first half but he looked a lot more comfortable after the break.

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Martin Odegaard (6/10):

Very bright early on and nearly scored at one point but the Norwegian was once again quietly efficient rather than overtly influential before his 71st-minute withdrawal.

Martin Zubimendi (8/10):

Another dynamic display from one of Arsenal's best players so far this season. The Basque got through plenty of work in midfield, kept the ball moving and also contributed two assists, the second of which was a cross from the left wing that was just begging to be converted.

Mikel Merino (5/10):

An unusually underwhelming outing from the Spaniard, who surprisingly offered little in attack and was relatively poor in possession. 

Getty Images SportAttack

Noni Madueke (8/10):

Starting ahead of Bukayo Saka, Madueke broke the deadlock with a sensational solo strike that his compatriot would have been proud of – before showing good goalscoring instincts to get on the end of Zubimendi's cross. Those of us who doubted his worth to Arsenal are being made to eat our words!

Viktor Gyokeres (4/10):

A painfully ineffective performance from the expensive Swedish striker, who never looked like scoring and touched the ball just 12 times before being hauled off just after the hour mark.

Gabriel Martinelli (8/10):

An absolute livewire down the left wing, the Brazilian tormented his marker throughout and capped a dynamic display with a stunning right-footed strike into the top corner. Fair to say that Martinelli is back to his best.

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AFPSubs & Manager

Riccardo Calafiori (6/10):

Replaced Hincapie with half an hour to go and slotted seamlessly into the back four.

Gabriel Jesus (6/10):

Made his long-awaited return to action and looked lively, hitting the bar with a thumping late strike. Gyokeres has competition for the central striking berth!

Ethan Nwaneri (6/10):

Brought on with less than 20 minutes to go and saw a couple of good efforts saved in injury time.

Bukayo Saka (5/10):

Part of a double substitution with Nwaneri but didn't make that much of an impact.

Marli Salmon (N/A):

The 16-year-old came on for White in the 81st minute to make his first appearance at senior level.

Mikel Arteta (8/10):

Made excellent use of arguably the strongest squad in Europe, as Arsenal maintained their perfect record in this season's Champions League by sweeping aside a team that had previously held Barcelona to a 3-3 draw.

Uncapped fast bowler Michael Rae has been called up to New Zealand’s Test squad for the second match against West Indies in Wellington. Rae, 30, earned his maiden New Zealand call-up after Matt Henry (calf) and Nathan Smith (side) suffered injuries during the first Test in Christchurch.Both Henry and Smith are doubtful for the second Test, especially considering the quick turnaround between the first two games. The Wellington Test will begin on December 10, four days after the end of the Christchurch Test. Injuries to Henry and Smith reduced New Zealand’s attack to two frontline seamers and left them shouldering a heavy workload.Rae and Blair Tickner, who was the reserve fast bowler in Christchurch, could be in contention for the XI in Wellington.Rae started the second round of the Plunket Shield for Canterbury and took 3 for 65 in the first innings against Central Districts in Napier before he sat out of the second innings. Fraser Sheat replaced Rae in the second innings as the latter prepares for a potential Test debut.Related

• Henry, Santner, Nathan Smith ruled out of rest of West Indies Test series

• Blundell, Smith, Henry sustain injuries in Christchurch; Jamieson returns to Plunket Shield

At 6 feet 6 inches, Rae could give New Zealand’s attack a point of difference and replicate shifts that his Canterbury team-mate Kyle Jamieson put in for New Zealand in Test cricket. Like Jamieson, Rae is also capable of bowling fuller lengths and swinging the new ball.Along with Jamieson, Henry Shipley and Zak Foulkes, Rae has been part of a tall, funky Canterbury attack.”It’s got to be one of the tallest bowling attacks in the world,” Paul Wiseman, current Black Caps talent manager and former spinner, told ESPNcricinfo last year. “Jamieson at 6’8” and then you also have Michael Rae, who is probably 6’6”, and then the others are about 6’5”. Henners [Matt Henry] is shorter, but he’s a genius. I don’t know if we can get all those guys on the park at the same time but it will be a real test for any batter, I think. They are an exciting group and it would be great to see all of them fit in at the same time.”Rae, with his retro headband, has been a regular in domestic cricket in recent years. He has played 69 first-class matches so far, taking 205 wickets at an average of 33.06, including three five-wicket hauls.He also has some first-class exposure outside of New Zealand, having played five games for Warwickshire in county cricket, claiming 14 wickets at an average of 30.28. Gavin Larsen, the current New Zealand selection manager, has tracked Rae’s progress closely both at New Zealand domestic cricket and Warwickshire. When he was with Otago, he had also worked with current New Zealand coach Rob Walter.Michael Rae, in action, with his retro headband on•Getty Images

New Zealand’s team management will also carefully monitor the progress of Jamieson, who returned to the Plunket Shield for the ongoing round, and tearaway Ben Sears, who is currently playing white-ball club cricket in Melbourne. Sears, who is also prone to injuries, will not be rushed back to red-ball cricket.”I’d say he’s doubtful [for red-ball cricket] given he is going through more of a white-ball stepping stone over in club cricket in Melbourne,” New Zealand bowling coach Jacob Oram said on Friday. “Just to get him some cricket on grass, good facilities, and a good training environment around him, which he’s got over there with a contact we had internally here. Speaking to Ben the other day, I know that he’s feeling really good about his bowling but the Test series will be a bridge too far for sure.”With Tom Blundell sidelined from the Wellington Test, with a hamstring injury, Mitch Hay is poised to make his debut and take over the gloves from captain Tom Latham, who kept wicket across both innings in Christchurch in addition to scoring 145 in New Zealand’s second innings.”It’s been a long shift. I don’t think I’ve done that many amount of overs behind the stumps before,” Latham said on Saturday. “Usually 50 [overs] is about my cap, but obviously not ideal losing Tommy either, but giving to the group as much as you can in a role that I’m used to keeping. So from a familiarity point of view it was fine, just the duration was a little bit more than I’m used to.”In Blundell’s absence, Daryl Mitchell stepped in as a substitute and put in a long fielding shift in the slips though he hadn’t fully recovered from a groin injury. Mitchell Santner, too, was not available for selection in Christchurch because of his own groin injury.

It is understood that the auction will be held at the end of November, ahead of the 2026 season

Nagraj Gollapudi08-Oct-2025

The WPL is considered a game changer in women’s cricket•BCCI

The five franchises in the WPL are set for a revamp, with the BCCI deciding to hold a mega auction ahead of the 2026 season. ESPNcricinfo has learned that the franchises have been told informally about the mega auction, which is likely to be held by end of November.The franchises are awaiting confirmation from the WPL on the number of retentions, the auction purse, the retention slabs and how many right-to-match (RTM) card options would be available. Those decisions will be finalised by the WPL committee, but there is no confirmation on when they are likely to meet. The dates for the 2026 edition are yet to be announced, although the BCCI had indicated earlier that the tournament would be held in the January-February window.The five-team WPL, the most lucrative event in women’s cricket, was launched in 2023 with Mumbai Indians emerging as the inaugural champions. Mumbai are the defending champions, while Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) won the title in 2024.It is understood that both Mumbai and RCB, along with Delhi Capitals, losing finalists in all three seasons of the WPL so far, are three teams who were not in favour of the mega auctions. All three franchises, it is learned, reasoned that they have worked hard to build their squads over the past three seasons and asking them to dismantle just when the WPL brand is getting established, could prove to be counter-productive.It is understood, however, that the two other franchises – Gujarat Giants and UP Warriorz – support a mega auction. Both these teams have never made the final and are keen to overhaul their squads and rebuild. One WPL official said that while they understood the reservations of the three franchises against the mega auction, it was important to ensure the tournament had five strong teams, otherwise the imbalance could only harm the brand. The official also pointed out that franchises like RCB have shown in the IPL that they can build their brand identity independent of the players retained, though they agreed the presence of Indian star Virat Kohli was well leveraged by the franchise.Mumbai Indians celebrate with the 2025 WPL trophy•Getty Images

This official pointed out that at the same time, the WPL would ensure that teams would still have the opportunity to retain their core. It is understood while some teams were in favour of being allowed to retain at least six or seven players, the WPL could lean closer to five. What also needs to be worked out as part of the retention formula is how many RTMs each team could exercise at the auction along with the combination of capped and uncapped players.For the IPL mega auction in 2025, each of the 10 franchises were allowed a maximum of six retentions via a combination of retention and RTM. The six would comprise a maximum five capped players (Indian/overseas) and maximum of two uncapped Indian players. The RTM option gives a franchise the chance to buy back a player during the auction by matching the highest bid made for the player by another franchise once the bidding is over. The RTM rule has never been used in WPL auctions.The WPL has been viewed as a gamechanger in women’s cricket, especially because of the monetary benefits for players. In 2023, Viacom 18 bought the WPL broadcast rights for INR 951 crore (USD 116.7 million approx.) for the period 2023 to 2027. The per-match value was worth INR 7.09 core (USD 866,000 approx.). India’s star batter Smrit Mandhana, the first player to be bought at the inaugural WPL auction (2023), remains the most expensive buy at INR 3.2 cr ($415,000 approx.).

South Africa’s offspin-allrounder Prenelan Subrayen’s bowling action has been found to be legal by an independent testing centre. Subrayen, who has one Test and one ODI cap to his name, was reported for a suspect action last month in Australia and has not played since.While Subrayen was never suspended from bowling, South Africa chose to rest him for their remaining matches in Australia and did not name him in their squad for their ongoing series in England. Subrayen was tested in Brisbane on August 26 and an ICC statement confirmed that “the amount of elbow extension for all his deliveries was within the 15-degree level of tolerance permitted under the ICC Illegal Bowling Regulations”.This is the third time Subrayen’s action has come under scrutiny. In December 2012, his action was deemed illegal and he was placed in a Cricket South Africa rehabilitation program. He was cleared to bowl again in January 2013. A year later he was reported during a Champions League T20 tournament in India and then suspended from bowling in November 2015 when all his deliveries were found to exceed the 15-degree limit. After failing a reassessment in January 2016, he was cleared to resume bowling in March that year.Subrayen has been playing in South Africa’s domestic system since 2011 and made his Test debut against Zimbabwe in July. He remains part of South Africa’s plans as they build to the next two white-ball World Cups.

The M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru could be in danger of losing its Women’s World Cup matches after the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) missed the August 10 deadline set by the BCCI to secure police approvals to host the games at the venue.The Greenfields Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram is being mooted as an alternative.Bengaluru is, for the moment, scheduled to host the tournament opener between India and Sri Lanka on September 30, and matches between England and South Africa (October 3), India and Bangladesh (October 26), the second semi-final on October 30, and possibly the final on November 2.As things stand, the Greenfields Stadium is preparing to host the second season of the Kerala Cricket League (KCL) from August 21 to September 7. However, the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) is believed to have a back-up plan in place, with the KCL being moved to another venue, should they be required as World Cup hosts.Related

• Venkatesh Prasad: 'Want to bring cricket back to Chinnaswamy'

• Maharaja T20 moved from Bengaluru to Mysuru

• Probe panel deems Chinnaswamy 'unsafe' for large-scale events

• Karnataka government holds RCB accountable for Bengaluru stampede

• Deaths and injuries to fans mar RCB's homecoming in Bengaluru

As per the ICC guidelines, a venue has to be handed over to the organisers at least a month prior to the tournament. This means a decision will need to be taken by the BCCI and ICC within a week since Thiruvananthapuram is also likely to be allotted World Cup warm-up fixtures on September 25 and 27.According to the police commissioner’s office, the KSCA hadn’t got clearance for the Chinnaswamy Stadium as of Monday, when the ICC marked the 50-day countdown to the tournament with an event in Mumbai. ESPNcricinfo has contacted KSCA CEO Subhendu Ghosh but has yet to receive a response.The KSCA is currently hosting its T20 competition, the Maharaja Trophy, in Mysore. The tournament also had to also be moved out of the Chinnaswamy Stadium after the KSCA failed to secure police permission despite offering to play the matches behind closed doors.As a final attempt at securing police approvals, the KSCA is believed to be exploring the possibility of conducting World Cup matches with a reduced capacity. It’s unclear whether the BCCI would approve such a proposal considering the Chinnaswamy Stadium is also the venue for the final if Pakistan don’t qualify.The KSCA has been in trouble since June 4, when 11 people died and more than 50 were injured around the premises of the Chinnaswamy Stadium during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s victory parade after winning IPL 2025. In the aftermath of the incident, secretary A Shankar and treasurer ES Jairam resigned citing moral responsibility.Late last month, a committee tasked by the state government to investigate the stampede deemed the Chinnaswamy “unsafe” for large-scale events. The commission “strongly recommended” that large-scale events be relocated to venues that were “better suited” to handle significant crowds.The uncertainty could potentially upset plans of several teams which had hoped to be based in Bengaluru to train at a number of practice venues, including the KSCA facility in Alur on the city’s outskirts, in the lead-up to the tournament.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Santos fez acordo para reverter a punição do Superior Tribunal de Justiça Desportiva (STJD) e não perderá mais o apoio da torcida ou mandos de campo na Vila Belmiro no Brasileirão 2023.

+ Veja tabela do Campeonato Brasileiro-2023 clicando aqui

Antes, o clube havia sofrido punição de dois jogos com portões fechados, em razão de arremessos de objetos ao gramado durante a vitória sobre o Grêmio, no dia 20 de agosto.

+ Acompanhe em tempo real o Brasil na disputa do Pan-Americano

O Peixe, então, entrou com recurso e conquistou efeito suspensivo. Com isso, o STJD suspendeu a pena e ainda avaliaria o recurso santista para redefinir a punição.

Para não acontecer o julgamento e manter a Vila aberta ao público nas partidas, o Santos conseguiu uma transação disciplinar, que é um acordo para reverter a punição inicial em uma multa.

Parte do valor pago ao STJD referente à multa será repassado para instituições de caridade. No entanto, em supostas infrações futuras, o clube pode não conseguir o mesmo acordo por ser considerado reincidente.

+ Camisa 10! Aposte R$100 e ganhe R$400 com Gabigol e o Flamengo contra o Grêmio

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Mesmo assim, por enquanto, o Alvinegro zerou sua pendência com a Justiça Desportiva e terá o reforço da Vila Belmiro na luta contra o rebaixamento no Campeonato Brasileiro.

QUAL FOI O DELITO DO SANTOS NA PARTIDA CONTRA O GRÊMIO?

Durante o duelo, dois copos e uma placa de gesso foram lançados ao campo de jogo, segundo relatado pela súmula da arbitragem. Apesar de nenhum dos objetos acertar os presentes no gramado, em uma dessas ocasiões, o líquido do recipiente atingiu o assistente da partida.

Com essa situação, o Santos foi enquadrado no artigo 213 do Código Brasileiro de Justiça Desportiva (CBJD), que fala sobre “deixar de tomar providências capazes de prevenir e reprimir lançamento de objetos no campo ou local da disputa do evento desportivo”.

Is there anything more exciting than the long ball in baseball? 

I may have something – betting on a player to hit a home run, and it actually comes through!

That’s what our team attempts to do every day by picking the best home run prop bets in Major League Baseball, and there are two players that I’m eyeing for Sunday, June 9. 

Can these two American League sluggers close out the weekend strong?

Best MLB Home Run Picks Today, Sunday June 9

• Jose Ramirez to Hit a Home Run (+450)
• Gunnar Henderson to Hit a Home Run (+265)

Jose Ramirez to Hit a Home Run (+450)

Jose Ramirez has a great matchup on Sunday against struggling Miami Marlins lefty Trevor Rogers, who has allowed seven homers on the season, including at least one in six of his last eight starts.

The Cleveland Guardians All-Star is having a great series, homering on Saturday – his second long ball in three games. Can he do it again today?

I love taking Ramirez against any left-handed pitcher, as he’s destroyed them in 2024. The switch hitter is posting an impressive .320/.381/.587 slash line against lefties with five homers in just 75 at bats. 

With 18 home runs already in 2024, I love taking Ramirez in this favorable spot on Sunday. 

Gunnar Henderson to Hit a Home Run (+265)

This home run prop isn’t going to bring the greatest return, but I can’t pass it up in this matchup. 

Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson has Tampa Bay Rays starter Zack Littell in his MLB career, going 4-for-7 with two homers against him. 

Littell allowed 11 hits the last time he played the O’s and Henderson (20 homers on the season) has been red hot as of late, picking up a hit in 10 of his last 11 games.

Henderson – like Ramirez – also homered on Saturday, but I expect him to stay hot against Littell. The Rays starter has allowed at least one long ball in four straight starts.

West Ham boss Nuno Espírito Santo oversaw a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Everton during his debut game in the Hammers dugout, and he’s now being told that there’s another world-class player in his new squad to rival Jarrod Bowen.

West Ham set for change under new boss Nuno Espírito Santo

Chairman David Sullivan followed the advice of fellow boardroom member Karren Brady, who was a big supporter of Nuno, and appointed the Portuguese on a three-year contract immediately after sacking Graham Potter last Saturday.

Potter was a popular figure among senior members of the West Ham squad and had significant backing behind-the-scenes, according to credible reports.

However, a string of poor results, not to mention the club’s second-worst win percentage of the Premier League era behind Avram Grant, forced Sullivan and co to pull the trigger.

9. Sam Allardyce

30.7%

10. Julen Lopetegui

30%

11. Gianfranco Zola

27.8%

12 Graham Potter

26.1%

13. Avram Grant

18.9%

via StatMuse

Nuno wasted no time stepping into Potter’s shoes, with Tottenham’s former boss overseeing first-team training at Rush Green the very same day that Potter was sacked, as he prepared his team for a looming trip to Merseyside.

The tactician noticeably omitted midfielder James Ward-Prowse from his first ever West Ham matchday squad – a player he didn’t fancy at Nottingham Forest either – and it’s since been reported that the 30-year-old is resigned to leaving in January (GiveMeSport).

Ward-Prowse has already been told that he has no future at West Ham under Nuno, with the ex-Al-Ittihad coach wasting no time in stamping his authority on the team amid reports that Sullivan is also ready to back him in January.

There are suggestions that West Ham are prepared to bid up to £43m for AC Milan star Christian Pulisic, though it is highly debatable that the USA international would leave a potential Serie A title challenge midway through the campaign.

In any case, the squad is going to look slightly different under West Ham’s new manager.

That being said, alongside the obviously undroppable Bowen, summer signing El Hadji Malick Diouf is already making quite an impression.

West Ham told El Hadji Malick Diouf might be the best left-back in the world

The 20-year-old, who joined West Ham in July for around £19 million from Slavia Prague, is already looking like an absolute bargain.

Malick Diouf’s marauding pace down the left-hand side has already wreaked havoc at times, with the Senegal international bursting past two Everton players before putting in a delightful cross in the build up to Bowen’s equaliser at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Monday.

The defender undoubtedly sent a message to Nuno with that moment of sheer quality, and members of the media are convinced that he could be something special.

YouTuber and football content creator ‘CaniSports’ told West Ham they might have the best left-back in world football, while Sky presenter Joe Thomlinson has already called Diouf “one of the finds of the season”.

Elsewhere, presenter Jamie Boyce branded the African a “special” player amidst a tongue-in-cheek verdict that Diouf could be one of the best players to ever wear Claret and Blue.

Meanwhile, journalist Muhammad Butt has already called Diouf “massively superior” to Man United’s Patrick Dorgu, hailing West Ham’s often criticised recruitment team in the process.

It is still very early days, and a lot of these verdicts may be deemed excitable to say the least.

However, what is clear is that Diouf has stood far above West Ham’s newest recruits so far, and Nuno will be hoping that is set to continue.

Manchester United are already looking ahead to the January transfer window and could bid for an “incredible” talent once the market period opens.

Manchester United prepare for Premier League return as Onana departs

The international break is in full swing, and supporters of the Red Devils have been left to reflect on a mixed start to the campaign, resulting in one victory, a solitary draw, and a defeat within their first three Premier League matches.

Ruben Amorim will still be reeling from the effects of a shock EFL Cup exit to Grimsby Town, albeit time moves on, and so does the narrative surrounding Manchester United.

In a surprise turn of developments, Andre Onana is set to join Trabzonspor on loan, something that Fabrizio Romano has added further context to via his platform on social media outlet X.

He stated: “André Onana agrees to join Trabzonspor, here we go! All contracts are now signed on player side, waiting on counter approval from Trabzonspor and travel next week. Deal done on loan from Manchester United as revealed on Saturday, no buy option or loan fee.”

Intriguingly, reports claim that Manchester United could join the race to sign Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi after his failed move to Liverpool during the summer window.

Amorim does appear to be intent on strengthening his defence, but he has an alternative star in his sights that he could look to make inroads to sign once the mid-season market opens for business.

Manchester United set to submit Zeno Debast January bid

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester United are set to submit a January bid for Sporting Lisbon defender Zeno Debast after they’ve been spotted scouting him over the last few weeks. Arsenal are also keen on the Belgium international, though the Portuguese champions are holding out for a fee close to £69 million for his services.

Amorim can revive Mainoo by binning £150k-p/w flop in Man Utd system switch

Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim can revive Kobbie Mainoo by changing his formation.

By
Dan Emery

Sep 7, 2025

However, Manchester United are more likely to come in with an offer around the £34.5 million mark, something that may test the waters, but won’t be enough to tempt him to England.

Anderlecht retain a 15% sell-on clause for Debast, and there may be room for negotiation on that front for the 21-year-old, who is primarily a central defender and has made five appearances this season.

Labelled “incredible” by scout Jacek Kulig, the Halle-born man would be another worthwhile long-term investment in Manchester United’s backline, though it remains to be seen if they can meet Sporting’s demands.

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Nas graças da Fiel e do técnico Vanderlei Luxemburgo, o volante Gabriel Moscardo está próximo de assinar a sua renovação contratual com o Corinthians. No entanto, se isso acontecer, a tendência é que o jogador trancará a faculdade de administração de empresas que começou no início deste ano.

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A promoção de Moscardo ao elenco principal do Timão foi algo que o pegou de surpresa. Aos 17 anos, o garoto estava focado no time sub-20 e tinha sido pouco chamado para completar os treinamentos dos profissionais neste ano. No entanto, ao decidir escalar um time alternativo no último jogo da fase de grupos da Libertadores, o técnico Vanderlei Luxemburgo optou por relacionar o prata da casa. A ideia era observar o atleta em campo, após uma boa primeira impressão nos treinamentos.

+ QUER UM DESCONTÃO??? Renove o seu estoque de CAMISAS DO TIMÃO com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF

Moscardo entrou no segundo tempo da partida contra o Liverpool, do Uruguai, na Neo Química Arena, e logo no primeiro toque na bola iniciou a jogada que resultou no terceiro gol, marcado por Adson, no triunfo por 3 a 0.

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A atuação encantou Luxa, que não teve dúvidas em agregar o volante ao elenco profissional e escalá-lo como titular nos jogos seguintes, contra o Bragantino, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro, e América-MG, na ida das quartas de final da Copa do Brasil, em Belo Horizonte.

Após ser preservado na vitória corintiana sobre o Universitario, do Peru, pela Copa Sul-Americana, assim como todos os outros titulares da equipe alvinegra, ele voltou a jogar e iniciar uma partida no confronto de volta diante do Coelho, neste fim de semana. E novamente agradou o “pofexô” Vanderlei.

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– Gabriel é um volante número um. Tem a característica de jogar como primeiro, com muita qualidade de saída de bola. Eu não sei se ele se encaixaria como segundo. Um metro para frente e para trás muda muito no futebol. Se você passa para segundo, recebe a bola de costas. Primeiro, você consegue desarmar e ficar de frente. Ele tem toda a habilidade e técnica para começar o jogo por dentro. Volante de muita qualidade. Se você olhar o futebol mundial, quem é que tem essa característica dele? É muito importante isso. Ele joga em um nível de competição de alto nível – disse Luxa em entrevista coletiva depois do jogo contra o América.

Moscardo nem imaginava que poderia fazer parte da campanha do Timão na Copa do Brasil. Nas duas fases anteriores, em que o clube do Parque São Jorge também passou nos pênaltis, o jovem foi apenas um espectador. A classificação na terceira fase, contra o Remo, ele acompanhou com a família. Já os duelos diante do Atlético-MG, pelas oitavas de final, foram vistos em locais distintos. Ele viu a vitória atleticana por 2 a 0, em Belo Horizonte, na Suíça, onde estava disputando um torneio com o time de base do Corinthians. Já a volta, em que o Time do Povo reverteu o placar, foi acompanhada por Gabriel na concentração com a equipe da base corintiana.

+ ATUAÇÕES: Cássio salva, e Yuri Alberto busca redenção em classificação do Corinthians

– Nos dois jogos contra o Remo eu estava em casa, com a minha família. Eu nem tinha sido chamado muito para treinar com o profissional este ano, estava com a cabeça no sub-20, Campeonato Paulista. Assisti em casa, torcendo muito. Teve uma situação ruim no primeiro jogo, mas no segundo eu torci muito. No Atlético, eu estava na Suíça, disputando um campeonato com o sub-20, e fiquei sabendo do resultado só depois. Mas no segundo jogo eu estava na concentração assistindo, e foi uma emoção incrível. E nem passava pela minha cabeça que na fase seguinte eu iria jogar as duas partidas como titular. Sensação incrível, essa torcida que está sempre do nosso lado, é uma tarde/noite que eu vou levar para o resto da minha vida – destacou o jovem na zona mista após a classificação na Copa do Brasil.

Gabriel Moscardo tem vínculo com o Corinthians até setembro do próximo ano. Isso significa que ele poderá assinar pré-contrato com qualquer outro time a partir de março de 2024. O Timão tenta não correr riscos e ofereceu um novo acordo, com valorização salarial e aumento na multa rescisória. A validade seria até setembro de 2027. As partes estão muito avançadas no acerto. No entanto, o volante preferiu minimizar o tema.

– Venho me destacando, a torcida pedindo, mas estou preocupado com o meu futebol e as coisas vão acontecer naturalmente. A gente conversou, mas minha cabeça está focada no futebol, porque se eu não corresponder em campo as coisas não vão acontecer. Estou focado em voltar ao trabalho, entrar em campo de novo e corresponder nos treinos – disse o meio-campista.

No momento, como está de férias, Moscardo avalia a continuidade, ou não, da faculdade. Ele mora perto do campus onde estuda no período noturno. Porém, se a renovação for confirmada, a tendência é que o congelamento da matrícula aconteça.

Além do curso de administração, escolhido por ser a mesma profissão que a mãe de Gabriel Moscardo exerce atualmente, o volante também faz curso de inglês.