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Benjamin Cremaschi helped to deliver a fourth straight win for Inter Miami during Lionel Messi’s absence, with the Herons now looking to “go again”.

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• All-time great away on Copa America duty
• Herons have fared admirably without him
• Big test against FC Cincinnati is next up

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is currently away on international duty with Argentina at the 2024 Copa America, leaving his team-mates in Florida to cope without him. They have been doing an impressive job, with maximum points collected from four 2-1 victories.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The latest of those came against Charlotte, as Tata Martino’s side headed out on the road. It appeared at one stage as though Inter Miami would have to settle for a share of the spoils, as Patrick Agyemang cancelled out Robert Taylor’s opener, but USMNT hopeful Cremaschi snatched a dramatic 86th-minute winner.

• WHAT CREMASCHI SAID

  Cremaschi, who is only 19 years of age, is among those being charged with the task of providing creativity and goal threat while Messi is otherwise engaged. He is revelling in that challenge and has posted on social media after making a match-altering contribution in North Carolina: “Another one on the road! Let’s go again on Saturday.”

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Inter Miami’s next fixture promises to be their toughest yet – especially with Messi unavailable. They are due to face FC Cincinnati – their closest challenges in the MLS Eastern Conference – when heading to Ohio. Messi could be back for a home date with Toronto, but should definitely return to contention – fitness permitting – for a clash with the Chicago Fire at Chase Stadium on July 20.

Mike Dodds will be aiming to pick up his first win back in the interim Sunderland hot-seat this weekend, the Black Cats masses intrigued to see how the stand-in coach does with putting together a side to face off against Swansea City at home.

A number of players who found themselves on the periphery under Michael Beale might well be buoyed on to impress now under fresh leadership, with the unpopular 43-year-old boss now nowhere to be seen at the Stadium of Light after being given his marching orders.

There could well even be one individual who now regrets leaving Sunderland in the transfer window just gone off the back of Beale's exit, with the dynamic attacking midfielder in question loving life under Dodds previously when he was last in temporary charge after Tony Mowbray's dismissal.

Alex Pritchard's record under Michael Beale

Alex Pritchard never really set the world alight under the short-lived tenure of the ex-Rangers manager, resulting in the 30-year-old midfielder leaving the Stadium of the Light in the manner he did.

The ex-Huddersfield Town man would manage just one full 90 minutes under Beale, surprisingly coming in his last appearance for the Black Cats before reconnecting with old Sunderland face Mowbray at Birmingham City.

That final display from the current Blues creator in Wearside was a lively one in truth – Pritchard winning seven ground duels and notching up two key passes despite Sunderland losing 1-0 – but he would still only muster up one goal and zero assists with Beale at the helm.

Pushing for a move away resulted in Pritchard handing in a transfer request, a glaring sign that many of the Sunderland camp were unhappy with the recently sacked Beale long before his axing.

Pritchard's story with the Black Cats might well have been very different if Dodds had stuck around in the managerial dug-out instead of Sunderland swooping in for Beale, with the 5 foot 7 attacker playing out of his skin in a mini purple patch under the interim boss this campaign.

Alex Pritchard's record under Mike Dodds

Under Dodds, Pritchard would be a different beast altogether to the one who never kicked into gear under Beale.

Pritchard picked up three of his five assists for the season under the temporary Black Cats figure, astoundingly helping himself to two of those from just one impactful 28-minute substitute cameo against West Bromwich Albion late last year.

Dodds was starting to allow the frozen-out midfielder to strut his stuff again, reaching the same heights that once saw football journalist Josh Bunting describe the entertaining 30-year-old as "outstanding" in a Black Cats shirt.

With Dodds potentially willing to experiment with his starting lineup whilst he finds his bearings again in the dug-out, Pritchard could look back on his swift exit from the Stadium of Light as a premature move away now.

Regardless of who features in the lineups from now on, Sunderland fans will just want the side's dented pride to be restored somewhat with a push back up to the playoff spots not out of the question if everything goes smoothly for Dodds.

Arsenal could now have a fresh opportunity to sign Mykhailo Mudryk after eventually missing out on the forward to Chelsea in 2023.

Arsenal's serious chase for Muydrk explained

The north Londoners were in hot pursuit of Mudryk in January last year, with reliable news outlets like The Guardian even claiming Mudryk wanted to join and were in serious transfer talks.

Arsenal make out-of-window bid to sign World Cup ace ahead of Barcelona

Xavi’s side face competition from the Gunners.

By
Emilio Galantini

Feb 28, 2024

Negotiations with Shakhtar Donetsk were both lengthy and complicated, with London rivals Chelsea also chasing a multi-million-pound deal for the 23-year-old. While Arsenal had been in discussions for a while, their west capital rivals eventually beat them to Mudryk's signing by "offering a package with the type of appealing and achievable bonus payments that Shakhtar were demanding" (Charles Watts).

"Before Chelsea arrived in Turkey, we almost agreed with Arsenal that there was no chance to close (the deal)," said Shakhtar executive Sergei Palkin to The Athletic at the time.

"When they proposed the final offer of €70million plus €30million (in add-ons), we sat down and started to talk internally about how it will be fulfilled in terms of the payments, the fixed part and the bonus issues. We realised we will not close this deal (with Arsenal). I said to Edu that I did my best but it was not possible.

"When Chelsea arrived, they just called and said, ‘OK, we know you negotiated with Arsenal, we know you are close with some kind of figures. We want to meet’. I said, ‘OK, let’s meet’. I told Muydrk, ‘If I do not sell you in winter, we will definitely sell you in the summer’. I said, ‘Maybe you will cost even more in summertime’. We were ready to accept different scenarios. We would not be rushed."

Eventually, after hijacking Arsenal's deal for Mudryk, the Blues confirmed his signing for a Ukrainian-record £88.5 million.

However, fast-forward to now, and his stay at Stamford Bridge hasn't exactly been the stuff of legend just yet. This season, he's bagged three goals and two assists with the vast majority of his appearances coming off the bench. A far cry from how he burst on to the scene at Shakhtar, there are even reports that Chelsea could consider selling Mudryk already.

Arsenal emerging as main candidates for Mudryk

In a fresh twist, it appears as if Mikel Arteta could give the £100,000-per-week forward another chance to make an Emirates Stadium move.

Indeed, as per reports out of Spain, Chelsea's stance is they're contemplating a definitive sale or to loan the player out so he can rediscover his best form. In a surprise update, Arsenal are named as one of the "emerging" main candidates to sign Mudryk this summer.

It is unclear now as to where he would fit into the side, but the player's form at Shakhtar could be a clear indicator that Arsenal would land a pretty exciting player who could thrive under the right development.

Bruno Fernandes will have been left “angry” by Cristiano Ronaldo favouritism, says Wes Brown, but CR7 has “earned” the right not to be substituted.

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• Evergreen frontman started every game
• Failed to break goal duck at Euro 2024
• All-time great remains a talismanic figure

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Questions were asked of Portugal’s handling of their talismanic captain throughout a Euro 2024 campaign that was ended by France at the quarter-final stage. Despite now being 39 years of age, Ronaldo started every game for his country in what will be a last European Championship appearance.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Roberto Martinez seemingly bowed to the demands of his enigmatic skipper, despite seeing the five-time Ballon d’Or winner fail to break his goal duck through five outings – with one penalty being missed and several wayward free-kicks fired a long way off target.

• WHAT BROWN SAID

  Ronaldo was only replaced once, in a final group sage clash with Georgia, and former Manchester United defender Brown has told the podcast of how current Red Devils star Fernandes will have responded to being hauled off before his misfiring team-mate: “He would have been angry. He came off in the 75th minute [against France] and he was actually getting on the ball trying to create. You’re going to be frustrated. But if anything, Ronaldo has earned that. I know it is tough but he has 100% earned the right to stay on the pitch, because he can still get you a goal.”

  Brown added: “There is a lot of respect in that team for Ronaldo. There was one free kick that was not even of his side, but he took it anyway because he wants to score. I do think it comes to a stage and the lads will think ‘he’s not going to take him off, there’s no chance, this is going to be his last Euros’. He is still that guy who can get you a goal. I don’t think there is anyone else in that team who has been scoring outright. Yes, he wasn’t playing particularly well, but I don’t think the manager wanted that responsibility and the press that comes with it to take him off, that definitely would have come into it a little bit.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Ronaldo was left in tears after seeing his spot-kick saved in a last-16 tie with Slovenia, before going on to score in a successful shootout, and Brown went on to say of the emotion that can spill out of the all-time great: “He missed a couple when I was with him at Man United in important games, so he has been there and done it. It’s all about, will he step up again, but as any striker will tell you, it is your job. You want to take the penalty regardless of what happens. He would have been a little big disappointed that he missed that one, but he did get through anyway, it’s the personality of the player. Regardless, he will want to score, he will want to take it, even if there are some you might miss.”

Whilst most of the focus is on the potential incomings at Arsenal this summer, reports suggest that a forgotten man will now be part of the departures at The Emirates in the coming months.

Arsenal transfer news

As the Gunners race towards potential Premier League glory, Mikel Arteta could be set to make some ruthless decisions on the transfer front with links to a clinical striker already stealing the headlines. Among those headlines have been Ivan Toney and Viktor Gyokeres, with the former returning from suspension in fine form and the latter standing tall as one of Europe's best strikers this season.

Before they welcome fresh faces, however, the North London giants may need to make some room and sanction a number of departures. The likes of Thomas Partey and Aaron Ramsdale have been linked with moves away in the last year or so and could now be among those to be shown the door this summer. Ramsdale certainly didn't help his case in his most recent Arsenal outing, of course, making a mistake in a 2-1 victory over Brentford.

The shot-stopper and Partey aren't the only ones who could leave The Emirates this summer either, it seems. According to Dean Jones for GiveMeSport, Arsenal "will sell" Kieran Tierney this summer in a deal worth at least £20m. The left-back has been on loan at Real Sociedad this season after losing his place in Arteta's starting XI to Oleksandr Zinchenko in the last campaign.

10/10 Arsenal star has been even better than Havertz since Dubai trip

Arsenal have been on fire since their mid-season trip to sunny Dubai.

By
Matt Dawson

Mar 10, 2024

Now, it seems as though the Gunners are ready to part ways with the former Celtic left-back, who takes up a reported £110k a week at the club. At £20m minimum, however, it remains to be seen where Tierney's future lies.

"Warrior" Tierney needs a fresh start

Whether it's been injuries or the arrival of Zinchenko, things just haven't worked out for Tierney at Arsenal, and now he may need a fresh start away from North London. Even at Real Sociedad, the Scot's injury problems haven't gone away, limiting him to just 13 appearances in La Liga this season in a frustrating campaign. The fact is, wherever his future lies, Tierney must fight to remain injury-free if he is to return to his best.

There may well be many disappointed fans of Tierney regarding the fact that things haven't worked out, and that includes Premier League legend Ashley Cole, who once said via The Metro:

"I think he would have liked to see more game time, he’s had a few injuries that hampered his season. When he’s in the team, they are a different team, he’s willing to defend, he’s that kind of leader and warrior they need in this team.

"There were those questions marks over him and his ability to come from Scottish football and adapt to the Premier League. But I think he’s adapted very well. He’s got those leadership qualities which are needed along with the younger players in there. When he doesn’t play they miss him on he left. For me, he can defend which is a plus."

Fans protested against VAR by throwing fishcakes and smoke bombs onto the pitch which forced the match officials to abandon Rosenborg's game.

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• Fans unleashed bitter protest against VAR
• Four stoppages inside the first half-hour
• Rosenborg and Lillestrom's match was abandoned

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The first half-hour of the match saw no fewer than four distinct protests against VAR, with both sets of fans expressing their frustrations. The protests involved throwing tennis balls, flares, and even fishcakes onto the pitch, significantly disrupting the flow of the game.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Rosenborg's ultras hurled tennis balls onto the pitch which forced the players to exit the field, adhering to the new rules that mandate a temporary stoppage in such situations. The ultras also displayed a banner reading, "We will never give up, VAR will go away," signalling their unyielding stance against the technology. Not long after the initial interruption, Lillestrom fans mirrored the actions of their Rosenborg counterparts. This repeated disruption caused the stadium announcer to warn that any further stoppages would lead to the match being abandoned.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Despite the announcer's warnings, the protests continued unabated. This final act of defiance compelled the officials to abandon the match altogether. Throughout these events, chants of "Hate, hate, f***ing hate VAR" echoed around the stadium, uniting fans from both sides in their disdain for the technology. While the technology aims to bring fairness and accuracy to the game, it has also been a source of frustration for many fans and players alike. And the incident on Sunday underscores the growing discontent among supporters who feel that VAR disrupts the natural flow and excitement of football.

Tottenham Hotspur's best and worst performances of the current Premier League campaign arrived within the space of a week, with the emphatic 4-0 triumph at Aston Villa followed by a dismal 3-0 loss against Fulham at Craven Cottage.

The discordancy on show last weekend seemed to be a startling regression in the usual entertainment provided under Ange Postecoglou's management, especially given that victory would have seen Spurs reclaim a place in the top four.

Thankfully, Aston Villa drew away against West Ham United one day later, with the fourth-placed team now three points ahead having played a game extra.

Postecoglou will have been left puzzled as his squad trundled to a seventh league defeat of the season, but one obvious point of importance was the absence of centre-back Micky van de Ven, who was withdrawn at Villa Park after injuring his hamstring. It's nothing serious, but it was grave enough to leave Tottenham nursing a bruising loss without his presence.

Radu Dragusin was signed from Genoa for £27m in January for this very reason but he flattered to deceive on his first Premier League start, caught out by the in-form Rodrigo Muniz and lacking the requisite composure and ease in his ball-playing.

4/10 Spurs star was even worse than Dragusin vs Fulham

Tottenham missed the chance to move into the top four as they were brushed aside at Craven Cottage.

By
Angus Sinclair

Mar 17, 2024

Still, he's been signed to blend into Postecoglou's system and, aged 21, has the makings of a top-class defender.

Effectively, he's a like-for-like replacement for Eric Dier, and despite his tough start for the Romanian, he's undoubtedly an upgrade on the England international and a sign of progression under new management.

Why Spurs sold Eric Dier

Dier is something of a stalwart down at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but supporters disgruntled with his sale would be few and far between.

Having fallen by the wayside last season – consequently losing his place in the squad under Postecoglou – Dier completed a loan move to German Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich in the winter until the end of the season, with the option to extend for an additional year.

The 29-year-old was out of contract at Tottenham this summer and Bayern have since exercised the option to keep him next term, impressing in the early stage of his Bavarian venture, praised for a flawless start by German publications.

But he didn't work under Postecoglou and was rightly shipped on, incongruous within the fresh tactical set-up. Upon his departure in January, Dier had featured just four times in the Premier League, with his one start arriving purely because Van de Ven and Cristian Romero were both unavailable.

Last season, Dier played a prominent role for a Tottenham team that was fighting to find the fragments of defensive solidity and command under Mauricio Pochettino's management, way back when.

The eighth-placed Premier League finish was largely down to the woes in the defensive third, with the 63 goals shipped towering above every outfit bar the relegated trio and newly-promoted sides Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest.

While impressive in the air, winning 70% of his aerial battles, Dier averaged just 0.9 tackles and 1.3 successful ground duels per fixture, as per Sofascore.

Moreover, the 6 foot 2 ace currently ranks among the bottom 44% of central defenders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref, which doesn't align with the playing style Postecoglou is inculcating in his players down in N17.

He wasn't mobile, aggressive or press-resistant enough for the new way of life at Tottenham and entering discussions for a fresh deal would have been an imprudent move.

Sure he's thriving for Bayern Munich and good on him, but this was a move that had to be made, especially considering his high salary and lack of impact.

The numbers behind Eric Dier's Spurs career

Speaking near the start of the 2023/24 campaign, pundit Jamie O'Hara vocalised his opinions on Dier's role in Postecoglou's squad, with his sentiments no doubt shared by many of the Lilywhite faithful.

"I don't think he should be starting for Tottenham. His time is up at Tottenham, if I am honest. I don't think he's good enough to play for Tottenham.

"He has been at the club a long time and he has been a loyal servant. But he just isn't good enough. Tottenham needs to move on. This is the future now."

Wage Burners

Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

The England international signed from Sporting Lisbon for around £4m in 2014 and chalked up 365 appearances for the club before his sale, scoring 13 goals and providing 12 assists, but there's no question that it was time to move on – especially when considering his salary.

Branded a “liability” by writer Mitch Fretton, Dier earned £85k-per-week at Tottenham following his final renewal in 2020, and when considering his £4m fee alongside his total wages, Dier cost the club a ballpark £34m, steadily draining chairman Daniel Levy.

The fact that he was taking home £35k-per-week more than Van de Ven, who's been utterly mesmerising since walking through the Tottenham doors, is astounding.

Sure, the Dutchman is only 22 years old and will undoubtedly be rewarded with a new bumper package at some point, but he is already considered one of the Premier League's best centre-backs after signing from German side Wolfsburg for £43m in August.

The athletic ace also ranks among the top 3% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 1% for successful take-ons, the top 16% for progressive carries and the top 25% for progressive passes per 90.

Ultimately, Dier's time was up at Tottenham and while he must be commended for his commitment and years of service to the club, Postecoglou is building a new era that might just end a long wait for silverware, and it was necessary to ship the Three Lions man on.

Vivianne Miedema has joked about facing up against her partner Beth Mead on the opening day of the season, following her summer transfer to Man City.

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• Miedema left Arsenal as free agent
• Signed for Man City this summer
• Will face her old club on opening day

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Miedema joined City from Arsenal on a three-year deal and, as fate has it, her first professional match in a sky blue shirt will be against her former club. Talking to reporters, she joked about getting the fixture out of the way and facing up against her partner of two years, Beth Mead.

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  Miedema left Arsenal after a hugely successful seven-year spell with the Gunners in which she racked up a whopping 125 goals in 172 appearances, becoming the WSL's all-time leading scorer. It was confirmed in May that the Dutch international would leave the club, and it wasn't long before City snapped her up ahead of the new campaign.

• WHAT MIEDEMA SAID

  In a recent press conference, Miedema said: "I already made a bet with Beth about it, that it was going to happen! It's obviously gonna be a special game for me… it's exciting, and I'm happy to get it out of the way, I think. I hope we can start the season really well then."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MIEDEMA & CITY?

  While men's domestic football returns to England in a matter of days, Miedema and her City team-mates have to wait until September before they can face up to their WSL opponents. Manchester City's first match of the new campaign takes place on September 22, against Arsenal at the Emirates. With Emma Hayes finally out of the picture, City boss Gareth Taylor will be desperate for a first WSL title win.

Manchester United have offloaded a lot of talent over the last couple of seasons, as the club looks to raise transfer funds and clear the already expensive wage bill.

Players such as James Garner and Anthony Elanga came through the Carrington Academy before both being sold over the last couple of summer transfer windows.

The pair have both excelled after their respective permanent moves to Everton and Nottingham Forest, with the Red Devils potentially regretting letting the duo leave for a combined £24m.

Erik ten Hag's side have been desperate for defensive reinforcements this season, after injuries to the likes of Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane.

United might have been better off keeping a youngster who they sold on the cheap during the summer, with the former Red Devils man in brilliant form so far at his new club.

Teden Mengi's stats at Manchester United

After joining the club at the age of just seven, defender Teden Mengi signed his first professional contract in September 2019, with the youngster having a big future ahead of him at the Theatre of Dreams.

He subsequently made his United first team debut in the Europa League clash against LASK in the 2019/20 campaign, before being loaned out to Derby County to gain valuable game time.

However, a hamstring injury cut his spell short, with the youngster only making nine appearances for Wayne Rooney's side.

Mengi would recover from his injury to join Birmingham City for the 2021/22 Championship season, but a recurrence of his hamstring problem saw his spell in the West Midlands come to an abrupt end, after just ten appearances in all competitions. Despite that, boss Lee Bowyer still found the time to hail his "outstanding" displays.

His two injury-hit campaigns would see him feature for the Red Devils' U21 side in the Premier League 2 for the 2022/23 season, before being permanently sold during last summer's transfer window.

Mengi's sale would bring an end to his 14-year affiliation with United, with the 21-year-old joining newly promoted Luton Town – a move that would allow him to flourish and show glimpses of his potential.

Teden Mengi's market value in 2024

Seven months after he departed Old Trafford, centre-back Mengi has seen his value soar, with the youngster rapidly developing under the guidance of Hatters boss Rob Edwards.

Although he signed for an undisclosed fee, the 21-year-old's market price has risen from £1.7m when he left United to £10.2m as per Transfermarkt – a remarkable increase of over 500% to his highest-ever market value.

His rapid development has seen his value surpass that of striker Anthony Martial, who is now worth just £8.5m, eight years after his seismic £61.5m move from Monaco.

Given his tender age of just 21, the "unbelievable" defender, as dubbed by Statman Scouts, has huge potential to improve with his impressive season at Luton not going unnoticed.

He received an England U21 call-up for the current international break, with Mengi potentially featuring in their next game against Luxembourg tonight.

With the Red Devils' current injury problems at centre-back, they might live to regret selling Mengi when they did with the former United youngster starting to showcase his talents which were once hindered by injury.

Carlo Ancelotti has given an update on who will be Real Madrid's designated penalty taker this season, with Kylian Mbappe in the frame for the role.

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• Ancelotti to decide Real's penalty taker
• Mbappe, Bellingham and Vincius Jr. are in contention
• Los Blancos take on Atalanta in UEFA Super Cup

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Reigning European and Spanish champions Real Madrid will play their first competitive game of the 2024-25 season on Wednesday as they take on Europa League winners Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup at National Stadium in Warsaw, with Mbappe set to make his debut for Los Blancos.

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  Ancelotti is in a dilemma to decide on the club's designated penalty taker for the upcoming campaign and in Wednesday's clash. New signing Kylian Mbappe was the go-to man for spot-kicks at his former club Paris Saint-Germain, while Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Federico Valverde converted penalties successfully for their respective national teams in the recently concluded European Championship and Copa America.

• WHAT CARLO ANCELOTTI SAID

  Speaking at his pre-match press conference, the Italian manager said when asked if Mbappe could take up the role: "He is a penalty taker. Vinicius has taken them well too, Bellingham did it at the Euros, Valverde at the Copa America. I will have to choose tomorrow and I will have to do it between who starts tomorrow's match."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

  After facing the Italian club, Los Blancos will kick off their title defence campaign in La Liga on Sunday as they take on Mallorca.