Kagiso Rabada said he had spoken to South Africa team-mates about the suspension and was open to going in further detail if needed

Andrew Fidel Fernando31-May-2025Kagiso Rabada had admitted to testing positive for recreational drug use and served a one-month ban as punishment, and now he has to return to the highest levels of cricket, where he has to face further consequences. He must clear the air – if that is required – with national team-mates, endure whatever the opposition decides to throw at him, and face down various media as he prepares for South Africa’s World Test Championship (WTC) final.All of these were assignments he was taking seriously, Rabada said in his first media interaction since the incident, as he left for London. “I think I owe it to them [to talk about what happened] – they’re my team-mates,” Rabada said of speaking to the squad about his suspension. “We’ve come from so far, you know, and to my closest people I owe it to them.”Look, this is not an ideal situation. I don’t need too many pats on the back here. I’m going to be joining with them again. I’ve already spoken to them and I guess we can do so in more detail when we get together for an extended amount of time.”Related

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SA hope Rabada puts ban behind him as WTC final beckons

Rabada serves suspension for recreational drug use

Rabada had flown home from IPL 2025 late in March for supposed “personal reasons”, before the facts of his misdemeanours were rolled out following his testing positive for a drug that was either cannabis, cocaine, heroin or ecstasy, as per the code of the South African Institute of Drug-Free Sport. He returned to India to play two further games for Gujarat Titans (GT) following the end of his suspension.Rabada did not disclose in public the circumstance that led to him taking the banned substance, but he had tested positive in January, during the SA20 league.”It led me to a bit of introspection about myself, and I took some time away from the game,” he said. “I think the biggest thing I took away from it is having gratitude for playing the game that we love. I’m just glad to be playing again… the process was handled really well.”Rabada admitting to the offence is understood to have led to him being handed a more lenient punishment.6:18

Was it right to term Rabada’s absence due to doping ban as ‘personal reasons’?

“The decision to come back early [from the IPL] was brilliant, and that’s a decision that I made,” Rabada said. “I could have tried to contest it and whatnot, but coming home was the best option, and I was in good hands. All the parties that were involved made the whole process smooth.”I think, as a player, and a man, people will have their different opinions. I can live with that.”Though he had issued a statement in which he’d apologised to fans, he said he was looking forward to just playing cricket for South Africa again.”As you would have seen in my statement there are some people who would have been disappointed. And to those people I’m deeply sorry,” Rabada said. “The people closest to me are the ones I felt I let down.”But life moves on. I’ll never be ‘Mr-I-Apologise’ too much. But I’ll never condone that action.”

The PSL is likely to resume later this week with the PCB aiming to hold the remaining games in Pakistan. The league, which was postponed due to increasing cross-border tensions with India, has eight games left and the PCB, as well as several franchises, is eager to conclude the season as early as possible.The PSL held meetings with the franchises on Monday to discuss specific dates and venues. The most pressing issue is the availability of overseas players, with ESPNcricinfo understanding a significant number are unlikely to return. The asymmetry of player availability may also impact squads, with some franchises more confident about overseas players rejoining than others.To mitigate that, the PCB is also believed to be considering a replacement draft to make up the numbers. While the quality of players available for such a draft is a concern – the most in-demand players were already with the PSL or the IPL – it is likely to be a necessary step to fill the gaps. The logistics around production will also need to be sorted, with the contracts for broadcasting teams ending on 18 May, the date for the final before the league had to be suspended.Several stakeholders at the franchises ESPNcricinfo spoke to said that bringing foreign players back for the remainder of the season had been made difficult by the decisions compelled upon the PCB from the sheer volatility of the period leading to the league’s suspension. As tensions between India and Pakistan escalated, the PSL at one point went through three different options within 24 hours.The PCB initially considered moving the tournament to Karachi after the security situation around the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium became untenable, before announcing early on Friday morning that it would be held in the UAE. Later that day, though, with the IPL also suspended by this point, it was announced the PSL was being suspended indefinitely – a decision ultimately made on the advice of the Pakistan Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif.During this time, PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi held a meeting with the overseas players. One franchise member told ESPNcricinfo the players were “in no frame of mind” to play at this point, with emotions running high. It was decided that evening to airlift the players to the UAE that night from an airbase.The conclusion of PSL 2025 will mark the end of the ten-year leases for the six franchises, with the contracts up for renewal and renegotiation. The current owners have right of first refusal, with several indicating a preference to purchase teams in perpetuity rather than operate on rolling long-term contracts.The PSL spilling into the last ten days of May is also expected to impact Bangladesh’s tour of Pakistan. Bangladesh were due to arrive on May 21 and play five T20Is starting on May 25, with the first two in Faisalabad and the remaining three in Lahore. The BCB said it was in “active and ongoing discussions” about the tour.

Arsenal’s Premier League title charge continued on Saturday afternoon, with the Gunners breezing to a comfortable 2-0 win over a struggling West Ham United side at the Emirates.

For all the difference in form and momentum between the two teams, the hosts may well have feared yet another slip up against the Hammers, with even Graham Potter having overseen a win over the north Londoners for the visitors last season.

Thankfully, there was to be no repeat performance this time around, with goals from Declan Rice – haunting his former side yet again – and England colleague Bukayo Saka proving enough on a serene day for Mikel Arteta and co.

That Three Lions pairing remain central to everything good about the Gunners, although there is a new contender quietly emerging to be the club’s most consistent performer.

How Saka & Rice stole the show vs West Ham

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Arteta chuckled at the memory of deploying a teenage Saka at left-back all those years ago, with Saturday having marked the Hale End graduate’s 200th Premier League appearance for the club.

The younger Saka was bright and exciting even at full-back, although the present-day version is a different proposition altogether. There’s just no stopping him when he’s at his best.

Having netted in fine fashion against Olympiakos in midweek, the 24-year-old got in on the act again after converting from the penalty spot to wrap up all three points, with the wideman stepping up to the plate ahead of summer signing Viktor Gyokeres.

That second-half strike had come following Rice’s fine effort before the break, with the marauding midfielder firing home on the rebound against his previous employers for his 17th goal for the club on his 113th outing. Remarkably, he only scored 15 times in 245 games for the Irons.

It wasn’t just that goal which was impressive about the Englishman’s performance either, with Rice also coming close to picking out that man Gyokeres, following a trademark surging run down the left.

Minutes played

90

79

Touches

49

81

Pass accuracy

78%

92%

Goals

1

1

Assists

0

0

Key passes

2

3

Duels won

5/13

2/3

Successful dribbles

0/3

2/3

That was one of three key passes that he provided in all, as per Sofascore, ahead of Saka’s own tally of two, with the compatriots once again showcasing their importance to this quality outfit.

Arsenal's contender for player of the season

Injury has hampered Saka’s impact thus far in 2025/26, while Saturday’s strike marked Rice’s first of the campaign, having been unable to replicate the heights of that night against Real Madrid last season.

Neither man has quite been at their brilliant best in the early weeks of the season, although one man who has put in stellar performance after stellar performance is Jurrien Timber, with the Dutchman simply a monster at right-back once again.

The man who earned the penalty which allowed Saka to convert on his milestone outing, the former Ajax defender was a constant outlet down that right flank, racking up 72 touches in total, while providing one key pass as he looked to impact proceedings in the final third.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Also involved in the build-up to Ricardo Calafiori’s strike in first-half added time, having combined nicely with Saka inside the area, Timber represents the perfect all-rounder, having long surplanted Ben White in that right-back role.

Adept in attack but also a warrior defensively, the Netherlands international again gave short shrift to the West Ham forward line, winning eight of his contested duels, including making six tackles.

A key cog in an Arsenal backline that simply loves to defend first and foremost, it is no surprise that the Gunners are now reportedly looking to extend his contract, having already secured William Saliba’s future this week.

As noted by the Standard’s Simon Collings, who dished out an 8/10 match rating, it was another ‘top performance’ from the £38m man, having now started all six league games since the opening weekend win against Manchester United.

Lauded by podcaster Adam Keys as having “quietly become one of Arsenal’s most important players”, Timber must surely be near the top of the pile when pondering the Gunners’ player of the season so far.

"Sensational" Arsenal star could now help Gyokeres reach Haaland numbers

The Arsenal striker is looking better and better with every passing game.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 3, 2025

West Ham United have approached a title-winning former Tottenham manager to potentially replace the under-fire Graham Potter.

Graham Potter could be axed if West Ham suffer Crystal Palace defeat

According to some reports, amid real fan unrest, chairman David Sullivan is keen to avoid a Julen Lopetegui-esque ‘will they, won’t they’ sack saga with Potter, and will make a quicker decision on whether to part company if poor results continue.

Lopetegui continuously managed to save himself with the odd win this time last season, and delayed the Hammers axe from swinging down on him until January.

9. Sam Allardyce

30.7%

10. Julen Lopetegui

30%

11. Gianfranco Zola

27.8%

12, Graham Potter

27.3%

13. Avram Grant

18.9%

via StatMuse

The same won’t be said for Potter, as it is believed that an unconvincing loss to Crystal Palace today could even seal the 50-year-old’s fate.

This is now backed up by English broadcast giant talkSPORT, who say that an undesired result at the London Stadium this afternoon will “likely spell the end” for Potter.

West Ham officials hold talks with Nuno Espírito Santo

Adding further information on West Ham’s managerial saga, the outlet also shared an update on the club’s links to ex-Tottenham, Al-Ittihad and Wolves boss Nuno Espírito Santo.

After guiding Nottingham Forest back to European football for the first time since 1995, Nuno is a hot commodity, and won plenty of admirers at the City Ground by shoring up their once-leaky defence.

The 51-year-old made Forest a very difficult side to beat with his pragmatic style, and they became far less vulnerable to set plays, which will undoubtedly appeal to Sullivan, Brady and the Hammers board after West Ham’s undoubted struggles in that regard so far.

Nuno was awarded a brand-new contract in June, but a public fallout with Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis sealed a shock, unceremonious exit just three games into the new Premier League season.

talkSPORT reports that West Ham officials have spoken to Nuno about replacing Potter, but it remains to be seen whether the tactician, who won a Saudi league title with Al-Ittihad, would be so eager to jump into such a pressurised role after the heartbreak of his Forest departure.

In terms of whether Nuno is the right man, we believe he is the standout candidate by far if they elect to hand Potter a P45.

Why West Ham should appoint Nuno if they sack Potter

Not only could the coach help to shore up West Ham’s fragile backline, which has conceded more goals than any other Premier League side so far, but Nuno is also famed for being a “very good man-manager”.

His status as a free agent means that West Ham won’t have to pay any compensation fee to employers, either, with Nuno there for the taking.

The same could be said of fellow top contender, Slaven Bilic, but Nuno’s stock is very high right now after his miracle job at Forest last season.

Other reports claim that Nuno is in fact keen to make a swift return to management and his priority is to remain in England, so West Ham could have a golden opportunity here.

فجرت صحيفة سبورت الإسبانية اليوم الأربعاء مفاجأة كبيرة بشأن مصير فينيسيوس جونيور مع نادي ريال مدريد، حيث يمر اللاعب بفترة صعبة على الرغم من الفوز على برشلونة في الكلاسيكو بالدوري الإسباني.

فينيسيوس قدم مباراة رائعة ونجح في مساعدة ريال مدريد في تحقيق الفوز على برشلونة بهدفين مقابل هدف واحد يوم الأحد الماضي ، ضمن قمة الجولة العاشرة من بطولة الدوري الإسباني للدرجة الأولى.

لكن فينيسيوس أثار الجدل، بعدما دخل في خلاف مع مدرب نادي ريال مدريد، تشابي ألونسو، بسبب استبدال اللاعب خلال الشوط الثاني من مواجهة برشلونة ونزول رودريجو بدلًا منه.

ولم يقم فينيسيوس بمصافحة ألونسو وخرج غاضبًا، حيث التقطت عدسات الكاميرا اللاعب وهو معترض بشدة على تبديله.

وذكرت الصحيفة، أن فينيسيوس يفكر وبشكل جدي في الرحيل عن صفوف نادي ريال مدريد خلال صيف العام المقبل، بسبب ألونسو في المقام الأول.

اقرأ أيضًا .. رسميًا.. الاتحاد الإسباني يصدر قراره النهائي بشأن معاقبة لاعب ريال مدريد

وأضاف المصدر، أن فينيسيوس قد سأم من معاملة ألونسو له وباعتباره ليس النجم الأول في ريال مدريد بالوقت الحالي، وذلك مع تألق كيليان مبابي الكبير.

وأوضح المصدر، أن العلاقة بين فينيسيوس جونيور وألونسو قد تم تدميرها، حيث لا يريد اللاعب الاستمرار مع ريال مدريد طالما كان المدرب الباسكي هو من يدير الميرنجي.

وأردف المصدر، أن فينيسيوس سيريد الرحيل الصيف المقبل، وتبرز عدة وجهات أمامه من بينها الدوري الإنجليزي، لكن ابن الـ25 عامًا يفضل الانتقال إلى باريس سان جيرمان.

وأوضحت سبورت، أن أكثر ما يعجب فينيسيوس في باريس سان جيرمان هو مشروع النادي وكذلك المدرب لويس إنريكي، الذي يجيد التعامل بشكل تام مع النجوم وقد تلقى الإشادة من قبل نيمار وليونيل ميسي كذلك.

Vice-captain brushes off speculation about his place in the side and Jacob Bethell’s return

Vithushan Ehantharajah25-May-20251:10

Stokes on Bashir: ‘Impossible for him to not get even better’

“I’m in the media talking about the media,” said Ollie Pope, rolling his eyes as he broke the fourth wall on the outfield at Trent Bridge, not long after England’s victory over Zimbabwe.The first Test of the summer had a bit of the ouroboros about it, and not because Shoaib Bashir made light work of the tourist’s tail on Saturday to confirm a simple innings victory inside three days.Ben Stokes’ pre-match quotes when asked about the reintroduction of Jacob Bethell after his IPL stint seemed to suggest Pope – and, by association, Zak Crawley – might be at risk when it came to turning 12 into an XI. Stokes bristled at the subsequent coverage, believing he had made it clear he meant Bethell’s return to the was a no-brainer, and went a step further in his post-match briefings, suggesting the misunderstanding was wilful as part of an agenda against Pope.Related

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Stokes blames media 'agenda' for pre-match pressure on Pope

Bashir shows he belongs despite all evidence to the contrary

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Pressure on Pope and Crawley with Bethell in line for role against India

In between, Stokes also spoke to Pope about those circulating comments, though the man himself did the best job of quelling any awkwardness by strumming a breezy 171 to all but cement his usual spot at No. 3 for next month’s India series, having selflessly vacated the position in New Zealand to take the wicketkeeping gloves, allowing Bethell to state such a compelling case.”Whenever I do media now I get asked if I’m reading what’s in the media,” Pope said. “So I try not to read what’s in the media and focus on scoring my runs.”[I’m] just trying to ignore it and try to become a better player. Whenever I’ve stood still, that’s when I’ve not become a better player. It’s trying to block it out, trying not to let it affect me in the Test match week. Every time I go into a series, trying to make sure I’m a better player than I was before, and hopefully cash in when it counts.”It’s all noise to us, we have a tight-knit unit, we will keep chatting amongst ourselves.”He even grasped the nettle on Bethell’s return, with something of a smile: “It’ll be good to have him back in the squad and the selectors can make their decision, and I will try to score my runs.”Ollie Pope notched his eighth Test hundred•Getty Images

That bolshiness is nothing new, particularly given how much of Pope’s career recently has been underpinned by external uncertainty as to what his best role may be, and even whether he is in England’s strongest team outright.Right now, the answer to both those questions seems to be No. 3 – where he averages 43.06 – and an unequivocal yes from Stokes. “He’s my vice-captain, and he’s been incredible for me at number three and the team,” Stokes said.Nevertheless, Pope acknowledges the variety of roles undertaken means much of his work behind the scenes has been geared towards being more adaptable. In the last year alone, he has batted at first drop, at No. 6 with the gloves and even captained four Tests.”I’ve been trying to work on my all-round game and everything that will make me successful in Test cricket,” Pope said, accepting his future may well be as a high-calibre utility pick. “I’ve done a lot of different roles. I’ve kept, I’ve captained, batted six, batted three. It’s focusing on my main job at No. 3 and making sure my game is in as good an order as it can be.”That immediate focus will come to the fore against India at Headingley on June 20, the first of 10 huge, legacy-defining Tests, finishing off with the Ashes in Australia. Barring a stunning 196 in Hyderabad at the start of 2024, Pope has a poor record against both of England’s biggest rivals. His average against India, against whom he debuted in 2018, is a lowly 24.60, but almost 10 runs higher than his 15.70 against Australia. He accepts the next engagements are as much a defining period for himself as the team.”Yeah absolutely,” he said, when asked if he had something to prove over the next two series. “But I also feel I am a much better player now than I was [four years ago] when we last played India at home and Australia away.”I completely own that my numbers aren’t good enough against those guys, and I accept that. But I think I am a better player to deal with the competition ahead this summer. Hopefully over the next year I can prove that. I did that a little bit in India last year, but look forward to doing it this summer and winter.”

If Arsenal are going to achieve what they want to achieve this season, their success is seemingly going to be built on a foundation of 2-0 wins.

Mikel Arteta’s team have enjoyed back-to-back victories by that scoreline this week, beating Olympiacos in the Champions League on Wednesday, before downing West Ham on Saturday, with Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka the scorers.

The Hammers did not muster a single shot on target, ending the afternoon with a miserly xG of just 0.49, while the Gunners have now conceded just three goals in ten matches across all competitions; Dominik Szoboszlai, Erling Braut Håland and Nick Woltemade the only men to find the target against them to date.

Thus, Arteta’s team remain watertight at the back, but will be hoping for a little bit more at the other end of the pitch, so will their new centre-forward click into gear, and did they actually sell a home-grown version who has been starring in Europe since departing?

Viktor Gyökeres' mixed start to life at Arsenal

Fair to say, after arriving from Sporting Clube de Portugal for around £62m, Viktor Gyökeres did so with sky-high expectations.

Despite Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus’ array of qualities, Arsenal have not had a truly reliable goalscorer since the departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in January 2022, and Gyökeres’ tally of 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting speaks for itself.

Last month, at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, the Swedish international was awarded the Gerd Müller Trophy, given to the highest-scoring striker in European football, but he doesn’t quite look like a world beater just yet in red and white.

His statistics below underline his mixed start to life in North London.

As the table documents, in nine appearances, Gyökeres does have three goals to his name, but it could be more.

Appearances

9

Minutes

733

Goals

3

Assists

Zero

Shots

18

Shots on target

7

Big chances missed

7

Expected goals

3.94

Chances created

6

Big chances created

Zero

Expected assists

0.5

Touches per 90

27.15

% of touches in box

26%

Average SofaScore rating

6.57

His expected goals figure is almost four, while he has so far missed seven Opta-defined big chances across the Premier League and Champions League.

The numbers also show that the striker is offering almost nothing from a creation point of view, mustering just 27 touches per 90, of which more than a quarter come in the opposition’s penalty area.

Patience is required; Gyökeres is taking time to adapt to his new teammates, who are likewise still adapting to him.

However, did the Gunners sell their own home-grown Gyökeres for just £4m, a player who has been absolutely on fire since leaving?

Arsenal's home-grown Viktor Gyökeres

Back in 2021, Arsenal poached an 18-year-old by the name of Mika Biereth from Fulham, an event that would’ve passed most Gooners by, considering he never made a single first-team appearance for the club.

However, he was prolific in Premier League 2, scoring 11 times in 21 games, subsequently loaned out to RKC Waalwijk and then Motherwell, certainly catching the eye during his very brief spell at Fir Park, bagging six goals in 14 Premiership outings for the Steelmen.

His loan in North Lanarkshire was abruptly cut short, allowing him to move to Sturm Graz, first on loan and then permanently for £4m, really making his name in Austria.

Biereth scored 23 times in just 47 appearances for die Schwoazn, averaging a goal every 156 minutes, helping them win a domestic double, as well as bagging three goals in four outings in the Conference League, before netting against Girona and Lille in the Champions League too. As the forward self-proclaimed in one interview, “like Haaland, all I really care about is scoring goals”. He’s like Gyokeres in that regard too.

Thus, back in January, Monaco moved quickly to sign the now 22-year-old for a reported fee of €15m (around £13m).

This quickly looked like a very shrewd investment because, in Ligue 1 last season, Biereth scored 13 times in just 16 appearances, including bagging hat-tricks against Auxerre, Nantes and Reims, firing les Monégasques to a third-place finish.

As a result of this form, Football Transfers estimate that the Danish international’s current market value is now around £23m, representing a 464% increase on what Arsenal sold him for.

The Gunners did pocket around £1m via a sell-on clause when the striker swapped Sturm Graz for the Principality, but could have earned so much more had they given Biereth a chance.

Admittedly, he has only scored once so far this season, on target during a 5-2 victory over Metz at Stade Louis II last month, so only time will tell if he was just a one-season wonder, or if this is a brief blip.

Nevertheless, given that Gyökeres is yet to be firing on all cylinders, perhaps Biereth would have been a more effective option to spearhead this Arsenal attack.

Not Saka or Rice: 8/10 monster is now looking like Arsenal's best player

Arsenal’s title bid continued with a routine win over West Ham United on Saturday afternoon

1 ByRobbie Walls Oct 4, 2025

Liverpool are “closely monitoring” a Premier League player hailed as “one of the top” players in his position, and he is even quicker than Jeremie Frimpong.

Slot discusses Liverpool's Guehi disappointment

The Reds’ failure to sign Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace on deadline day was a big disappointment, with the Eagles not allowing him to leave at the eleventh hour, despite a deal being agreed.

Now, Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has opened up about the Premier League champions missing out on the England international, admitting it was frustrating for many parties.

“For us it was of course a disappointment, for the player I assume, as well, because he was expecting to come to us. I try to put myself in the player’s shoes, but that can happen with a player from us as well, maybe a player wanted to leave but in the end couldn’t because we couldn’t get a player we wanted, that happens in football many times and the good thing in football is, especially after the international break, everybody comes back, accepts the situation and knows he has to perform well.

“But if a player wants a transfer that he doesn’t get, then you always feel for him. If it’s a player of my team, you talk to him, make sure he gets his energy back and keeps going again, and that is probably what has happened at Palace with Marc Guehi.”

Liverpool eyeing Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven

According to The Boy Hotspur, Liverpool are among the clubs who are “closely monitoring Tottenham centre-back Micky van de Ven, as they eye a move for him in 2026.

The Reds presumably consider him an alternative option to Guehi, with Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich also keen on snapping up the Spurs ace.

Van de Ven is arguably one of the leading centre-backs in the Premier League currently, so the idea of Liverpool signing him is a mouthwatering prospect.

The Dutchman is famed for his lightning speed, hitting a top Premier League top speed of 37.12 km/h in 2024/25, quicker than any Reds player, including new signing Frimpong, who hit 36.34 km/h.

Rio Ferdinand also heaped praise on Van de Ven last year, highlighting his pace.

Their own Bellingham: Liverpool have "one of the best youngsters in Europe"

Liverpool may have found their own Jude Bellingham in 17-year-old star

1

By
Will Miller

Sep 19, 2025

Liverpool fans may be split over whether Van de Ven or Guehi is the best option next year, but signing either of them has to be considered priority business. In fact, if Ibrahima Konate doesn’t sign a new deal, bringing in both would be a great idea.

MatériaMais Notícias

Você sabe quais são as maiores torcidas do Brasil? Frequentemente, institutos de pesquisa realizam levantamentos sobre a quantidade de torcedores de cada time no país. Pesquisas recentes, divulgadas em 2022 e 2023, mostram que Flamengo e Corinthians são os clubes com a maior torcida do país, sendo os únicos com dígitos duplos em ambos os índices.

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+ Confira os jogos e classificação resultados do Brasileirão-23 na tabela do LANCE!

A pesquisa do ano passado, realizada pelo jornal O Globo, junto com o Instituto Ipec, contou com 2 mil entrevistas presenciais, com população de 16 anos ou mais, em 126 municípios de todo o país, entre os dias 1º e 5 de julho de 2022. O índice de confiança é de 95%, enquanto a margem de erro total é de 2 pontos para mais ou para menos.

+ Clique aqui e veja como apostar no Brasileirão

Confira o ranking das maiores torcidas do Brasil (segundo pesquisa Ipec de julho/2022):

1) Flamengo: 21,8%
2) Corinthians: 15,5%
3) São Paulo: 8,2%
4) Palmeiras: 7,4%
5) Vasco: 4,2%
6) Grêmio: 3,2%
7) Cruzeiro: 3,1%
8) Inter: 2,2%
9) Santos: 2,2%
10) Atlético-MG: 2,1%
11) Bahia: 1,7%
12) Botafogo: 1,3%
13) Fortaleza: 1,3%
14) Sport: 1,2%
15) Fluminense: 1,1%
16) Paysandu: 0,9%
17) Ceará: 0,8%
18) Vitória: 0,7%
19) Seleção brasileira: 0,7%
20) Santa Cruz: 0,6%
21) Athletico-PR: 0,5%
22) América-MG: 0,4%
23) Remo: 0,4%
24) Goiás: 0,3%
25) Botafogo-SP: 0,3%
26) Coritiba: 0,3%

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O outro levantamento, divulgado no final de abril deste ano, foi realizadopelo institutoAtlasIntel. Assim como na pesquisa do Ipec, o Flamengo seguiu na liderança do ranking, e o Corinthians vem logo em seguida. São Paulo, Palmeiras e Vasco, respectivamente, fecham as cinco melhores colocações. Ao todo, foram captadas 1.600 respostas em 640 municípios do país, via internet, entre 6 e 20 de abril. A margem de erro também é de 2% para mais ou para menos.

Confira o ranking das maiores torcidas do Brasil (segundo pesquisa AtlasIntel de abril/2023):

1) Flamengo: 21,9%
2) Corinthians: 14,2%
3) São Paulo: 9,9%
4) Palmeiras: 7,7%
5) Vasco: 6,2%
6) Cruzeiro: 6,1%
7) Grêmio: 4,6%
8) Atlético-MG: 4,3%
9) Bahia: 3,6%
10) Internacional: 3,5%
11) Fluminense: 3,4%
12) Santos: 3,1%
13) Botafogo: 2%
14) Sport: 1,9%
15) Athletico-PR: 1,5%
16) Fortaleza: 1,2%
17) Vila Nova-GO: 0,9%
18) Botafogo-SP: 0,6%
19) América-MG: 0,5%
20) CRB: 0,5%
21) Vitória: 0,5%
22) Atlético-GO: 0,4%
23) Goiás: 0,2%
24) ABC: 0,1%
25) Avaí: 0,1%
26) Chapecoense: 0,1%

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Borussia Monchengladbach star Jens Carstop has apologised for his dangerous tackle on Luis Diaz that saw him sent off in the first half of his side's 3-0 defeat to Bayern Munich on Saturday. Carstop admitted his foul looked "really stupid" as he paved the way for another defeat for the Bundesliga bottom-dwellers.

• Bayern Munich continue their Bundesliga domination

  Bayern started a second-string backline for their game against Borussia Monchengladbach, with the likes of Sacha Boey, Tom Bischof and Kim Min-jae getting the nod ahead of regulars such as Jonathan Tah and Konrad Laimer. The visitors headed into this fixture as the table-toppers after seven wins in as many league games, while the hosts were hoping for their first win this season to get themselves up and running. 

  It was a pretty drab first half, despite Bayern dominating possession and creating chances at will. Borussia Monchengladbach kept the visitors' in check with valiant defending and had their goalkeeper Moritz Nicolas to thank for helping the team keep a clean sheet in the first half. 

  The second half, though, was a completely different story. Rejuvenated by the introductions of Raphael Guerreiro and young sensation Lennart Karl – who is set to extend his contract on his 18th birthday – the Bavarian giants scored thrice in the space of 17 second half minutes to put the game beyond any doubt. Substitute Guerreiro opened the scoring in the 64th minute before Michael Olise doubled the lead five minutes later. Karl, who became Bayern's youngest goal scorer in the Champions League last week, scored his first-ever goal in the top-flight to put the game to bed with less than 10 minutes in the 90 remaining. 

  Bayern registered 23 shot attempts, of which 13 were on target. On the other hand, their opponents managed just one shot, which came through a Kevin Stoger penalty in the second half. Stoger's effort hit the post. 

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  Castrop red ruins Monchengladbach plan

  Bayern, who have scored as many as 47 goals this season, struggled to break the deadlock for over an hour. Although they were at their clinical best in the second half, they were not at their usual best overall. It can be said that Bayern enjoying a numerical advantage for over 71 minutes of the game played a big role in helping them continue their winning run. 

  In the 18th minute, Castrop made a rash challenge on Luis Diaz, which prompted the referee to show him a yellow card. However, after the intervention of VAR, the decision was overturned and Castrop was shown a direct red card instead, leaving Monchengladbach handicapped with a man down. 

  Speaking to after the game, Castrop said: "The penalty is fine. If you look at the freeze-frame, the scene looks really stupid. Luckily, I didn't hit him that hard. I'm sorry. We had planned to make sure no one would retreat in a one-on-one, but it was unfortunate, of course."

• Kane tamed but Bayern Munich break records

  It was a rare sight to see Harry Kane kept off the scoresheet. The prolific Englishman has been in blistering form this season, scoring 20 goals in just 13 appearances for Bayern Munich. The last time he failed to find the net was on August 30 against Augsburg – though he still registered two assists that day. Since then, Kane had scored in nine consecutive matches, a streak that spanned 56 days.

  Meanwhile, Bayern maintained their spotless streak, making it 13 wins out of 13 since the start of the 2025-26 season. They became only the second team in the history of Europe's big five leagues to start a season with 13 consecutive victories across all competitions, AC Milan doing it first in the 1992-93 season. Three more wins in their next three Bundesliga games, and it will have broken the Bundesliga record for the most successive wins at the start of the season – set by Bayern themselves in the 2015-16 season under Pep Guardiola. 

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  Tough fixtures await Bayern before the next international break

  The Bavarians will be the favourites to book their place in the next round of the DFB-Pokal when they meet Koln in the second round of the domestic cup competition on Wednesday. Then, they will host an in-form Bayer Leverkusen team on Saturday, before visiting Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain at the Parc des Princes three days later.