Connect with us

Sports

3 Best and Worst Players on the Pitch

Published

on


Enzo Maresca’s Chelsea swept five-time European champions Barcelona aside in a 3-0 victory at Stamford Bridge. There have been several epic Champions League battles between these two sides in years gone by, and Tuesday night’s clash was no different.

The hosts had the ball in the back of the net twice inside the opening 25 minutes, only to see both efforts ruled out. Enzo Fernandez was judged to have been offside for his second effort after already having one chalked off for a Wesley Fofana handball.

Chelsea were finally one goal to the good as Marc Cucurella popped up on the right-hand side of the Barcelona box, and his low cross was clumsily put into his own net by Jules Kounde.

After yet another ruled-out effort, this time from Andrey Santos, the Blues put the Spanish giants to the sword with goals from Estevao and Liam Delap. Ronald Araujo had made life even more difficult for his team, after picking up two sloppy yellow cards in the first half.

With the Premier League side dominating La Liga opposition, three players stood out while another trio had nightmares. It’s fairly easy to guess which team each were lining up on.

Chelsea Trio Stun Barcelona

1. Estevao

Estevao and Reece James

One man who is getting used to praise coming his way in recent months is Brazilian wonderkid Estevao. The electric winger was unrelenting as he put the Barcelona backline to the sword time and time again.

His efforts didn’t go unnoticed, either, as fans quickly swarmed to X (formerly Twitter) to express their joy at witnessing the 18-year-old do his thing. One user waxed lyrical:

“Every game you watch Estevao and there’s something new to admire. Hasn’t had the chance to take on his FB 1v1 often, but has found a way to sparkle with his passing. Found that throughball for Neto, a nice switch for Garnacho in the box. Prodigious.”

Another added a simple yet strong message. They said: “Estevao you are the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”

2. Marc Cucurella

MixCollage-25-Nov-2025-09-02-PM-1764

Roberto Martinez wasn’t the only one impressed with how Cucurella handled the daunting task of facing compatriot Lamine Yamal. Lots would have gone into the game expecting the latter to be the bigger attacking threat as one of world football’s best young players.

However, the left-back constantly played on the front foot and left his Spanish international teammate looking anonymous throughout the match. He was instrumental in the opening goal and Araujo’s red card, too.

One user posted on X: “CUCURELLA IS LETTING LAMINE YAMAL KNOW THAT HE IS NOT GOING TO BE MESSED WITH TODAY!” Another then added: “Cucurella is having some game. Gets an assist, keeping Yamal quiet and now just got Araujo sent off. My left back man.”

An extremely bold claim was made that Cucurella is now the best player in his position in the world. It’s hard to argue, as one user said: “APPRECIATION POST FOR THE BEST LEFT BACK IN THE WORLD, MARC CUCURELLA!” Another echoed those sentiments: Marc Cucurella is the best left back in the world, and he has been for a while.”

3. Enzo Fernandez

Enzo Fernandez vs Barcelona

The man who had the ball in the back of the net twice, but ended the game without getting his name on the scoresheet, is up next. Fernandez set the tempo in the middle of the park, with his attacking runs into the penalty area causing chaos for the opposition.

He’s really stepped up his performances and is looking a lot more like the £100m+ player they signed from Benfica almost three years ago. Tuesday’s clash was no different as the Argentine showed composure in possession and channelled his aggression off it perfectly.

Three Barcelona Stars Struggle in West London

1. Jules Kounde

Jules Kounde

Barcelona had a night to forget all round. In reality, none of the travelling players put in a performance they’ll want to remember any time soon. However, three men stood out as the worst on the pitch.

Firstly, the man who gave the home side the lead before half-time. Jules Kounde couldn’t cope with the attacking energy on display and didn’t cover himself in glory with his bizarre own goal.

Fans quickly vented their frustrations online, with one blaming Hansi Flick for playing Kounde and one of his teammates – who we’ll get to – in the first place: “At some point you have to blame Flick for playing Kounde & Araujo… there were so many other options to start.”

Another scathing assessment saw the France international labelled ‘useless’ along with another of the Barca players: “Kounde can’t get you out of a press, Ferran scams us with useless goals. He is utterly useless like his goals.”

2. Ronald Araujo

Ronald Araujo

The game was over when Araujo tripped Cucurella and picked up a red card in yet another big Champions League game. Flashbacks to the Paris Saint-Germain debacle two years ago will have been in supporters’ minds, as they showed their anger.

One fan was left in disbelief that he was witnessing history repeat itself: “Genuinely can’t believe it’s happened again. So, so stupid. Both yellows. One for complaining,” and another added to that: “Araujo and letting his team down in the Champions League. A never-ending story!”

A livid fan even went as far as saying the defender needs to be sold after the nightmare in west London: “Araújo needs the Ter Stegen treatment and get booted out of the club.”

3. Ferran Torres

Ferran Torres

Things could’ve gone so differently had Ferran Torres put the away team into the lead early on. Having found himself through on goal, the Spaniard put the ball wide of Robert Sanchez’s post.

None of the Barcelona attackers can come away with any credit, but Torres wasn’t able to get involved at all after his early sitter. Supporters have had enough of the misfiring 25-year-old. One said: “Club loves employing mediocrity. Expecting to get a win while going into a mouth-watering Champions League fixture with Ferran Torres as your left-winger.”

That sums it up, really. There was nowhere near enough quality in attack, with Torres being one of the biggest culprits.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sports

Man City Get Green Light to Sign Anderson After Man Utd Call

Published

on

By


It has looked, for some time, like a straight shootout between the two Manchester clubs for Elliot Anderson’s signature in the summer transfer window.

But Manchester United‘s transfer dealings so far – with the window not actually open for another two weeks yet – may point to their rivals City getting a free run at the Nottingham Forest midfielder after all.

It seems highly unlikely that we will hear anything with regard to the 23-year-old’s future for another month, with the midfielder enjoying a short break before meeting up with his England teammates for the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico next week.

Manchester City take lead in Anderson transfer race

Elliot Anderson waves to the Nottingham Forest fans
Elliot Anderson waves to the Nottingham Forest fans

There had been a growing feeling that City were the frontrunners to sign Anderson, with the bookmakers having them at 4/11 to sign him, with United at 4/1.

City have long been confident of getting a deal over the line, but GIVEMESPORT have always reported that Anderson was United’s number one priority in the transfer window this summer.

United are in the market for two new central midfielders, with Casemiro leaving the club and the Red Devils open to selling Manuel Ugarte, but it now does not look like Anderson will be one of them.

United have reached an agreement with Atalanta to sign Brazilian midfielder Ederson this summer in a deal worth just under £39million. He will be midfielder number one joining and there are strong reports that Sandro Tonali could be the second.

Manchester United interest in Carlos Baleba has cooled, but while it looked like United had been put off by the price tag for Tonali and the lack of value in the deal, they could now get a transfer over the line.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano claimed last week that United delegates jetting out to Italy for talks over the Ederson deal would have met up with Tonali’s representatives too to discuss terms.

Manchester United could sign Tonali and Fernandes

West Ham United's Mateus Fernandes celebrates scoring vs Sunderland

A separate report from Italy last week claimed that United were actually close to an agreement to sign the ‘elite’ Tonali, with another saying new permanent manager Michael Carrick instructed club chiefs to sign the Italian international ahead of Ederson as part of their major midfield rebuild.

There are also links with Mateus Fernandes, who could now be available on a cut-price deal following West Ham’s relegation to the Championship.

GIVEMESPORT reported on suggestions that Manchester United had pulled out of a move to sign Anderson earlier this week and it may now be coming true, with rivals City getting the green light to conclude a £100m deal with Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis.


Manchester United manager Michael Carrick looks on after Premier League win against Nottingham Forest


Alongside Anderson: Man Utd ‘Dream’ of Signing ‘Best Striker in the World’ This Summer

Man Utd’s dream attacking addition has emerged.

Continue Reading

Sports

Vitinha Critical of Arsenal’s Style of Play After PSG’s Champions League Win

Published

on

By


Vitinha’s comments about Arsenal are being widely shared following Paris Saint-Germain’s victory in the Champions League final on Saturday afternoon.

PSG came from a goal down at the Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary, to retain their title.

Ousmane Dembele’s second half penalty cancelled out Kai Havertz’s early opener. PSG then held their nerve in the penalty shootout to lift the Champions League trophy for the second consecutive season.

Vitinha played the full game and was named Player of the Match for his all-action display in the middle of the pitch. After the match, he spoke his mind about Arsenal’s style of play.

Vitinha Speaks Out About Arsenal’s Time Wasting

Vitinha

Following the match, Joao Neves criticised Arsenal’s style of play, saying that ‘PSG were the only team that wanted to play.’

His partner in crime in the middle of midfield, Vitinha, also spoke out about Arsenal’s style of play, claiming that they ‘waste a lot of time.’

He told TNT Sports: “You have to be patient when you’re up against a team like that. We knew it was going to happen, but even more so after Arsenal’s goal, since you really have to be patient.

“It’s difficult because you see the clock ticking away, it’s a final, you want to win and they waste a lot of time on everything: throw-ins, goal kicks, everything. And it’s very difficult because if you fall into that trap… you lose your cool.

“So, a lot of patience, two very compact lines, sometimes with six at the back, and it’s difficult because you want to make a decisive pass, you want to break that down, and you can’t because that’s exactly what they want, so you have to go wide, make runs without the ball.

“And that’s what the coach talked about at halftime, and I also think there was a little more space in the second half, and we took advantage of that very well, we got the penalty, and after that, the game was ours.”

He added: “We expected it, we really did. We knew it would turn out this way, especially after Arsenal scored so early. Like I said, we had the patience, waited for the right moment, and had other chances that could have sealed the game. I think we’re the deserved winners.

“Arsenal is a very good team, very competitive and tough, but based on what we did today and throughout the Champions League, we deserve to win.”

Luis Enrique: PSG Deserved to Win

PSG players celebrate winning the 2025/26 Champions League

PSG manager Luis Enrique was complimentary of his opponents but thinks his side deserved to win the match. He told TNT Sports:

”The match started the best way for them, they scored in a lucky action, and after that it was a pleasure for them as they know how to defend, so it was very tough.

”We are used to attacking in that way with a lot of players behind the ball. We deserved to draw the match, and in the end we’re happy to win the trophy.”

On how he felt during the shoot-out, Enrique continued: ”I’ve tried to just enjoy it, because you need luck to win on penalties, but I thought we showed great quality in terms of our penalty kicks as well as from the goalkeeper.

”It’s amazing. I think we deserved [to win]. I think today both teams deserved to win, but the way we’ve played the whole season I think we deserved to win the Champions League. We are very lucky and very happy and we’ll try to be there next season. Why not?”

Continue Reading

Sports

Original El Grande Americano Unmasked as Chad Gable in Mask vs Mask Match

Published

on

By


Arguably the most heated storyline in all of modern-day professional wrestling came to a head on Saturday night as ‘The Real’ El Grande Americano defeated ‘The Original’ El Grande Americano in a ‘Mask vs Mask’ match.

The two Superstars have been feuding for months, with many of their battles taking place on WWE Monday Night Raw. However, it is in Mexico where the rivalry has really captured the imagination of fans.

What started out as a parody character on weekly television transformed into a culturally significant figure via the WWE-owned AAA promotion in Mexico.

The El Grande Americano Character Explored

Initially designed as a gimmick to antagonise WWE’s luchadors on Raw, El Grande Americano was positioned as an obnoxious heel who many felt was mocking American culture.

Determined to push the character, WWE gave him a number of high profile wins, including a victory over Rey Fenix at WrestleMania 41. El Grande Americano then began to appear in AAA where he was pushed as one of the promotion’s top stars.

When the man under the mask got injured in the summer of 2025, though, WWE decided they didn’t want to lose the character from television. As a result, they took the unusual step of recasting the Superstar.

The mask was handed to Ludvig Kaiser, who looked absolutely nothing like the first El Grande Americano. Fans were immediately it on the ‘secret’, but when Kaiser started using the character to geniunely promote Mexican culture, the people took him to their hearts.

As a result, ‘The Real’ El Grande Americano became the most popular Superstar in all of AAA, something that didn’t sit well with the original man under the mask.

Ever since ‘The Original’ El Grande Americano returned at this year’s Royal Rumble, the duo have been on a collision course, with a ‘Mask vs Mask’ match always being the logical conclusion to their feud.

El Grande Americano with mask

The match was briefly threatened by Kaiser’s recent arrest, but the German-born Superstar was able to get clearance to return to Mexico in order to perform.

‘The Original’ El Grande Americano Unmasked

The high-stakes contest headlined the first night of the AAA Noche de los Grandes special at Arena Monterrey in Mexico. A rabid crowd was in attendance to witness the culmination of the El Grande Americano civil war.

After a heated No Disqualification match, it was Kaiser’s ‘Real’ El Grande Americano who got his hand raised, meaning it was time for ‘The Original’ to unmask.

In what had always been an open secret, the originator of the El Grande Americano character was revealed to be Chad Gable. However, the seriousness with which the crowd and Gable himself treated the moment made it truly special.

Gable had his family by his side as he unmasked, with the crowd immediately chanting his name as soon as his face was visible. The former US Olympian looked highly emotional as he spoke to the fans in Spanish to confirm his true idenitity.

Handing his mask to his opponent, Gable declared:

“I will always be the original El Grande Americano, but, from now on, you are the ONLY El Grande Americano!”

Although he has been unmasked, the success of the storyline is likely to see Gable remain a part of AAA.

Continue Reading

Trending