Ajax’s fall from grace in both domestic and European competition has taken another grim turn, with Remko Pasveer claiming the club still hasn’t recovered from the loss of Jordan Henderson. The goalkeeper has claimed that the ex-Liverpool captain’s leadership “held everything together” and his departure to Brentford has left a void the Dutch giants can’t seem to fill.

Ajax spiralling

Ajax’s Champions League campaign went from bad to worse after suffering a humiliating 5-1 defeat against Chelsea. The result has piled further pressure on head coach John Heitinga, who is already facing a furious fanbase following earlier losses to Olympique Marseille and Inter Milan. With the Dutch giants languishing in fourth place in the Eredivisie, nine points behind leaders Feyenoord, frustration over the team’s lack of direction has reached breaking point.

In the aftermath of the Stamford Bridge rout, veteran goalkeeper Pasveer acknowledged supporters’ anger and admitted the team has been far from its best. He described the defeat as “unfortunate,” pointing to a red card and two conceded penalties that derailed any hope of a comeback. When pressed to explain Ajax’s ongoing struggles, the 41-year-old didn’t hesitate to single out the impact of Henderson’s departure.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportA leadership void

“We’re playing a little differently, and in Jordan Henderson, we’ve lost a clear leader,” Pasveer told reporters after the Chelsea defeat.

“He held everything together, and you definitely miss that. Because a player like that is important for a team with so many young players. You do miss a bit more direction now.”

Pasveer’s words echo the sentiment among Ajax fans, many of whom believe the club has failed to replace Henderson’s influence both on and off the pitch. However, Ajax chief Alex Kroes has defended the decision to allow the England international to leave the club for Brentford, stating that Ajax were undergoing a major restructuring aimed at cutting costs after missing out on the Eredivisie title.

“It’s very simple. We made an agreement with Jordan when he was able to leave in January,” Kroes explained. “He gave his all to help us reach the Champions League, and then had until July 14 to leave on a free transfer. That was a good agreement for both sides.

“At the beginning of July, there was still nothing, so I called his agent and pointed out the approaching date. He informed me that Jordan would very likely leave, but he didn’t yet know which club. In the end, it was Brentford.

“I understand people have different opinions about that. But they don’t know the details, and we don’t have to share them."

Henderson returns to England

Henderson’s stint at Ajax may have been brief, but it left a significant impression on the club. The former Liverpool captain joined the Dutch giants in January 2024 from Al-Ettifaq on a free transfer, immediately becoming club captain and injecting a sense of professionalism and leadership into a youthful dressing room. Over 57 appearances, he scored once and provided nine assists, helping Ajax stabilise their form and qualify for the Champions League last season.

The relationship came to an end just 18 months later. In July 2025, Henderson and Ajax mutually agreed to terminate his contract so that he could pursue a move to Brentford. Since then, the former Liverpool captain has played a major part with the Bees under Keith Andrews. He has featured in eight Premier League matches, starting in seven of those, and has contributed two assists so far.

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next?

Ajax’s path to recovery will depend heavily on how quickly they can regain composure and rediscover a sense of identity. Heitinga faces mounting pressure to steady the ship, with the board expected to evaluate his position if results fail to improve in the coming weeks. For now, their Champions League campaign hangs by a thread, and qualification for the knockout rounds looks increasingly unlikely. As for Henderson, his career in England has regained momentum, with the midfielder thriving at Brentford and drawing praise for his professionalism and work ethic.

Compton, Muyeye notch half-centuries as Lancashire toil after inserting visitors at Blackpool

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay 22-Jun-2025

Ben Compton heaves leg side during his half-century•Luke Adams

James Anderson’s first day as Lancashire’s interim skipper was spoiled by Ben Compton and the rain as Kent dominated the first day of the Rothesay County Championship match at BlackpoolHaving lost the toss, the visitors were 213 for 3 when heavy showers caused play to be abandoned shortly after the scheduled tea interval. At that point, Compton was 86 not out and his 126-run stand with Tawanda Muyeye, who made 63, had been the centrepiece of the day. Anderson, on the other hand, might have been regretting his decision to insert Kent on what looks a true pitch.Even in the first few overs of the day, the signs were not propitious for Lancashire. Opening in place of Zak Crawley, Jaydn Denly batted with pleasant ease to put on 55 with Compton in exactly an hour before he top-edged a sweep off the spinner, Chris Green, and was well caught at deep square leg by Mitchell Stanley for 34.Daniel Bell-Drummond then made 13 before he edged George Balderson behind, where Matty Hurst took a good catch standing up to the stumps. However, Compton and Muyeye took their side safely to lunch, when Kent were probably reasonably content to be 105 for 2 after 33 overs.Rain then prevented play for 90 minutes but Compton reached his half-century only four overs after the restart when he drove Anderson through mid-on for two. The Kent opener had faced 100 balls and had hit six fours to reach a landmark that also prompted a marked acceleration in the run rate.Compton and Muyeye extended their third-wicket partnership to a hundred in only 19.5 overs although Lancashire had only themselves to blame for dropping Compton on 54, Jennings putting down a straightforward slip catch off Green. Batting in a most enterprising fashion, Muyeye reached his own fifty off 66 balls and made light of the cloudy conditions that should have aided Anderson’s seam attack.But Lancashire got the breakthrough they needed in the penultimate over before tea, when Muyeye, having made 63, sought to hit Balderson down the ground but only skied the ball to cover, where Stanley took his second catch of the day.That ended Muyeye’s 126-run stand with Compton and as things turned out, the wicket fell ten balls before rain forced the players off a couple of deliveries before the scheduled tea interval. Umpires David Millns and Sue Redfern abandoned play at 5.20om with Compton 14 runs short of his fourth first-class century of the season and Jack Leaning unbeaten on 4.Balderson was the most successful Lancashire bowler with 2 for 37. Anderson bowled nine wicketless overs for 36 runs.Lancashire came into this match between the bottom two sides in Division Two four points ahead of their opponents and as the only first-class county yet to record a Championship win this season. If the weather forecast is anything like accurate, they will have done well to change that situation come Wednesday evening.

Manchester City are known for their spending power following their 2008 takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group and have won everything under Pep Guardiola.

Jack Grealish is the club’s biggest ever addition at a cost of £100m, whereas star striker Erling Haaland looks a bargain at just over £50m.

Related Man City's most expensive signings of all time

The Citizens have spent a lot of money over the years.

Posts ByBarney Lane Jan 28, 2025

However, those at the Etihad Stadium have also brought in some big fees for some star players in recent years, with Cole Palmer’s move to Chelsea one that City arguably regret.

Here is a list of Man City’s most expensive departures of all time, with a detailed look at the top 10.

Man City’s most expensive sales of all time

Rank

Player

Fee

Sold to

Year

1

Julian Alvarez

£64.4m

Atletico Madrid

2024

2

Raheem Sterling

£47.5m

Chelsea

2022

3

Ferran Torres

£46.7m

Barcelona

2021

4

Gabriel Jesus

£45m

Arsenal

2022

5

Leroy Sane

£44.7m

Bayern Munich

2020

6

Cole Palmer

£42.5m

Chelsea

2023

7

Danilo

£34.1m

Juventus

2019

=8

Oleksandr Zinchenko

£30m

Arsenal

2022

=8

Riyad Mahrez

£30m

Al-Hilal

2023

=10

Kelechi Iheanacho

£25m

Leicester

2017

=10

Yan Couto

£25m

Borussia Dortmund

2025

12

Alvaro Negredo

£23.8m

Valencia

2014

13

Aymeric Laporte

£23.6m

Al-Nassr

2023

14

James McAtee

£22m

Nottingham Forest

2025

15

Joao Cancelo

£21.2m

Al-Hilal

2001

16

Shaun Wright-Phillips

£21m

Chelsea

2005

17

Taylor Harwood-Bellis

£20m

Southampton

2024

=18

Mario Balotelli

£19m

AC Milan

2013

=18

James Trafford

£19m

Burnley

2023

20

Robinho

£18m

AC Milan

2010

10 Kelechi Iheanacho £25m to Leicester, 2017

Eight years before full-back Yan Couto, Man City sold forward Kelechi Iheanacho for a fee of £25m.

The Nigerian scored 21 goals in 64 games at the Etihad, however, in search of regular game time, signed for the Foxes where he would make more than 230 appearances.

He won the FA Cup for Leicester, whereas City were happy with the money after bringing the forward through their academy.

9 Riyad Mahrez £30m to Al-Hilal, 2023

After winning the treble with Man City in 2022/23, winger Riyad Mahrez swapped Manchester for Saudi Arabia.

Mahrez was 32 years of age when Al-Hilal came calling, with City recouping half of the £60m they paid Leicester for the right-winger in 2018.

8 Oleksandr Zinchenko £30m to Arsenal, 2022

Full-back Oleksandr Zinchenko played more than 125 games for Man City after joining in 2016 from FC Ufa.

Zinchenko cost just £1.8m, so would go on to make a huge profit when selling the Ukrainian to Arsenal. It proved to be a wise call, with the left-back struggling to make the same impact at the Emirates.

7 Danilo £34.1m to Juventus, 2019

Brazilian full-back Danilo arrived from Real Madrid in Guardiola’s first season and would make 60 appearances for Man City.

He left for Juventus in 2019 after winning back-to-back Premier League titles, two EFL Cup trophies and an FA Cup, with City making profit in the process.

6 Cole Palmer £42.5m to Chelsea, 2023

A sale that Man City look set to regret for a long time is academy graduate Cole Palmer.

When Man City accepted Chelsea’s £42.5m offer for the attacking midfielder in 2023, it appeared as if it was a wise decision and one that would help with FFP.

However, Palmer has gone from strength to strength at Stamford Bridge and is now seen as one of the best creative attackers in world football.

5 Leroy Sane £44.7m to Bayern, 2020

Arriving at the Etihad in 2016 for an initial £37m, Leroy Sane made a big impact on the wing for Man City, with his lightning speed terrifying full-backs in the Premier League.

The German won two league titles with City and returned to his native country with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich four years later, with the Blues making money on the attacker.

4 Gabriel Jesus £45m to Arsenal, 2022

Like Zinchenko, Gabriel Jesus also made the move from Man City to Arsenal in 2022, and the Brazilian cost the Gunners more at £45m.

Jesus scored 95 goals in 236 games for City, winning four Premier League titles. He cost the Blues around £27m, meaning those at the Etihad made a tidy profit despite selling to a rival.

3 Ferran Torres £46.7m to Barcelona, 2021

Ferran Torres’ stay in Manchester was short and sweet, and much of his 18-month stay at the Etihad was during the pandemic and played behind closed doors, so City fans never really got to see the forward up close.

The Spaniard did catch the eye in England, so much so that Barcelona were willing to pay £46.7m for his services at the end of 2021.

2 Raheem Sterling £47.5m to Chelsea, 2022

Raheem Sterling spent seven years as a Man City player and won four Premier League titles at the Etihad, going down as a club legend.

The winger cost City just under £50m from Liverpool in 2015, so recouping the majority of that fee when Chelsea came in was seen as a shrewd piece of business.

1 Julian Alvarez £64.4m to Atletico Madrid, 2024

Top of the list as Man City’s most expensive sale of all time is forward Julian Alvarez, who played second fiddle to Haaland for large parts of his Etihad career.

The Argentine did win the World Cup while at City and impressed when given the chance under Guardiola.

However, those at the Etihad couldn’t turn down an initial £64.4m offer from Atletico Madrid, and that could rise to £81.5m with add ons.

Chelsea are one of the world’s most active clubs in the transfer market, and they could now be set to beat Liverpool and PSG to the signing of a proven Premier League star.

Chelsea left with problems to juggle amid hectic fixture schedule

Winning the Club World Cup was a momentous moment in recent Chelsea history, and particularly for the club’s finances.

BlueCo took home over £80 million worth of prize money after reigning victorious in the States, and this helped them end last summer’s window as one of England’s biggest spenders.

However, if recent developments are anything to go by, the physical output expended by players over what was a very long 2024/2025 season, with the CWC to blame for this, may have created some frustrating consequences for Enzo Maresca.

Cole Palmer is out for six weeks due to a groin problem, meaning the England international now joins Benoit Badiashile, Liam Delap, Dario Essugo and Levi Colwill as long-term absentees from the line-up.

Offering his honest opinion, former Blues star Pat Nevin believes Chelsea’s pre-season has something to do with the recent absences they are experiencing.

Either way, there will be opportunities for other Chelsea players to stake their claim in light of Palmer’s absence, including Blues loanee Facundo Buonanotte.

Nevertheless, January will be very important, given it offers a chance for Chelsea to strengthen their lighter areas by recruiting top talent.

Chelsea now frontrunners to sign Morgan Rogers

According to CaughtOffside, Chelsea are now the frontrunners to sign Aston Villa midfielder Morgan Rogers, and could beat rivals Liverpool to capture the England international.

Starting off this term with two assists in his opening ten appearances across all competitions, the 23-year-old is valued at around £80 million, and he is also being closely tracked by Paris Saint-Germain.

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Amid a return of 30 goal contributions in 2024/25, Chelsea have identified Rogers as a “key target” moving forward, and they believe internally that he is ‘well-suited to both the intensity of the Premier League and the competitive demands of European football’ present at Stamford Bridge.

Fotmob shows that the Halesowen-born playmaker, previously labelled “excellent” by Thomas Tuchel, has created seven chances and completed seven dribbles in the Premier League this campaign. He is beginning to motor after a slow start to life following a difficult summer where speculation over his future was rife.

Looking to steal a march on their rivals, Chelsea could now be set to tap into his long-term potential by offering a package that reflects his scope to develop into a world-class star.

Troy Deeney has slammed Aston Villa’s “ego” problem and called out one of Unai Emery’s key players after their dry spell of form continued last weekend.

Villa winless after opening five games

Very few fans would’ve predicted Villa to be in the Premier League relegation zone after their first five games, but they’re currently occupying 18th place, after drawing three and losing two, scoring just one goal in the process.

Most recently, the Villans came up short at the Stadium of Light, drawing 1-1, despite Sunderland being reduced to ten men in the first half, with Wilson Isidor cancelling out Matty Cash’s opening goal.

The problems have continued to mount at Villa Park, with it subsequently being confirmed that sporting director Monchi is set to leave, in what could be another major blow for Emery, amid widespread speculation surrounding the manager’s future.

As mentioned, one of Villa’s main issues up to this stage has been the failure to score goals, with Ollie Watkins yet to find the back of the net, and Deeney has now singled the striker out for criticism.

The former Birmingham City man said: “The biggest problem is lack of goals, lack of goals from Ollie at this moment in time.

“At this moment in time, you’re the only striker there, you’re the one they’re looking towards and for the start of the season, you’re not delivering.

The talkSPORT pundit also went on to add: “At the moment in time, he just looks off it, he looks comfortable.”

Aston Villa heading for Benteke repeat over "top talent" & it's not Watkins

Aston Villa face echoes of the past as one of Unai Emery’s crop hints at an exit

By
Will Miller

Sep 22, 2025

Not only is Deeney unimpressed with Watkins’ start to the campaign, but he is also concerned there may be an “ego” problem at Villa, saying: “It’s a weird one. I thought maybe with [Jadon] Sancho and [Harvey] Elliott coming in, there’d be a bit more dynamism to it. But they must not be fit enough as he’s not putting them anywhere near the starting line-up. It’s an ego thing now, a player-driven ego thing.”

“I think the manager is a very, very good manager, but you have to start looking now and saying: Why are the players trying to play inside the pitch? Why is Morgan Rogers not the focal point?”

Watkins needs to start firing after poor start

No one can deny the Villa striker has been a fantastic servant, having picked up 87 goals and 42 assists in 229 matches, but he must start firing sooner rather than later, having once again put in a poor performance against Sunderland.

The England international missed one big chance and touched the ball just 16 times throughout the match, finishing with a SofaScore match rating of just 6.3.

In fairness, the onus isn’t just on the former Brentford man to start improving, with fellow key player Morgan Rogers also failing to register a single goal or an assist this term, while Shay Given has called Emery out for labelling his players “lazy”.

It is a risky tactic for Emery to publicly criticise his players, but he will be hoping for a response from his side when their Europa League campaign gets underway against Bologna on Thursday.

سجل برشلونة الهدف الثالث والتعادل أمام كلوب بروج، بنيران صديقة، خلال المباراة التي تجري حالياً ضمن منافسات الجولة الرابعة من دور المجموعات لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وجاء الهدف في الدقيقة 77 بعد أن قام لامين يامال بعرضية ليحولها مدافع كلوب بروج تزوليس بالخطأ في مرماه.

ويحتل برشلونة المركز الخامس عشر في دوري أبطال أوروبا ب6 نقاط، ويحتل كلوب بروج المركز السادس والعشرين ب3 نقاط.

اقرأ أيضاً.. فيديو | لامين يامال يسجل هدف برشلونة الثاني وفوربس يتقدم لكلوب بروج

وكان برشلونة قد دخل لقاء اليوم بتشكيل مكون من: تشيزني، كوندي، أراوخو، إريك جارسيا، بالدي، مارك كاسادو، فرينكي دي يونج، يامال، فيرمين لوبيز، راشفورد، فيران توريس.

Baseball’s greatest rivalry is renewed on Friday night, as the New York Yankees host the Boston Red Sox as they look to snap their three-game losing streak.

New York (54-35) has dropped to the No. 2 spot in the AL East, and it’s in danger of dropping further if it keeps playing this poorly. The Yankees are just 17th in OPS and 19th in team ERA over the last 19 days, a major step back from where they were earlier in the season.

Boston, on the other hand, is just 5.5 games behind New York, and it comes into this game as one of the best away teams in the league (27-16). 

Can Boston get off to a strong start in this road series? 

Let’s dive into the odds, probable pitchers and my best bet for this rivalry matchup. 

Red Sox vs. Yankees Odds, Run Line and Total

Run Line

Red Sox +1.5 (-175)Yankees -1.5 (+145)

Moneyline

Red Sox: +120Yankees: -142

Total

8.5 (Over -105/Under -115)

Red Sox vs. Yankees Probable PitchersBoston: Tanner Houck (7-6, 2.67 ERA)New York: Nestor Cortes (4-7, 3.51 ERA)Red Sox vs. Yankees How to WatchDate: Friday, July 5Time: 7:05 p.m. ESTVenue: Yankee StadiumHow to watch (TV): NESN, YES NetworkRed Sox record: 47-39Yankees record: 54-35Red Sox vs. Yankees Key Players to WatchBoston Red Sox

Jarren Duran: Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran is having a great season, putting together a .283/.345/.486 slash line with 10 homers, 40 runs batted in and 21 stolen bases. He also leads the AL in triples. A speed demon, Duran had five hits in 12 at-bats in the first series of the season against the Yanks. 

New York Yankees

Aaron Judge: Aaron Judge has been the best hitter in baseball for two months, posting a .314/.433/.702 slash line with an AL-leading 32 home runs. Judge had three hits, a double, a home run and two runs batted in the last time these teams faced off (three-game series). 

Red Sox vs. Yankees Prediction and Pick

I can't back the Yankees right now, who have dropped eight of their last 10 games and three in a row against the Cincinnati Reds heading into Friday's matchup with Boston.

Boston won two of the three meetings between these teams earlier this season, and it has Tanner Houck (7-6, 2.67 ERA) on the mound in this game. Even though Houck was lit up for nine hits and eight runs in his last outing, it’s an anomaly when you look at his full body of work.

Houck has a 2.56 Fielding Independent Pitching, allowing more than three earned runs in just two of 18 outings in 2024. 

New York has been a mess as of late, and it’s only 7-11 in Nestor Cortes’ starts – even though he’s pitched well with a 3.51 ERA. 

Until we see the Yankees turn things around, they’re a must fade as a favorite on Friday. 

Former Aston Villa striker and pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor has doubted whether Tottenham manager Thomas Frank can truly rely on one Spurs star this season.

Tottenham battle to 2-1 victory at Leeds United

On a rainy afternoon in Yorkshire, Frank’s side battled to a 2-1 win at Leeds United in the early kick-off, becoming the first team to beat Daniel Farke’s side at Elland Road in the league for over a year.

The match began with Leeds on the front foot, but it was Tottenham who opened the scoring midway through the first half. Mathys Tel broke the deadlock, his shot taking a deflection on its way past the Leeds goalkeeper after being set up by man of the match Mohammed Kudus.

Leeds United 1-2 Tottenham – best players	Match Rating
Mohammed Kudus	8.4
Mathys Tel	7.8
Noah Okafor	7.0
Sean Longstaff	7.0
Jayden Bogle	6.8
via WhoScored

The home side responded well — grabbing an equalizer before the break through Noah Okafor — and supporters would’ve been forgiven for thinking Tottenham may well capitulate.

After half-time, both teams pressed for a winner in a lively contest, but the decisive moment arrived in the 64th minute when Kudus capped off a strong display by cutting inside and firing a low shot that deflected off a Pascal Struijk and into the net.

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Leeds pushed for another equalizer, but Spurs’ defense held firm, and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario made crucial second-half saves.

Before what was a hard-fought contest, where the Leeds faithful were in full voice and Spurs made to work hard for their win, Frank axed struggling striker Richarlison in favour of Tel.

His decision was justly rewarded by the Frenchman’s opening goal, and while Richarlison did replace Tel late in the second half, he once again failed to make an impact when Frank’s side were under the cosh.

Gabriel Agbonlahor says Thomas Frank should be worried about Richarlison

The Brazil international started 2025/2026 in fine form, scoring a brace against Burnley, which included a stunning bicycle kick in what was an early goal of the season contender.

He also notched an assist during Tottenham’s superb 2-0 win away to Man City, but apart from a tap-in against Brighton thereafter, Richarlison has largely struggled to make a serious impact in place of Dominic Solanke.

While Spurs hope that Solanke will return soon after the international break, following the Englishman’s minor ankle surgery, Frank has just Tel and Richarlison to choose from in the number nine role.

Tel’s strike against Leeds this afternoon was perhaps the beginning of the end of Richarlison’s run in the starting eleven, and Agbonlahor said earlier this week that Tottenham cannot rely on the 28-year-old who cost £60 million to sign from Everton in 2022.

The former Toffees star, despite flashes of true brilliance at times, has largely failed to justify his price tag — with Richarlison also suffering lengthy injury lay-offs during Ange Postecoglou’s final campaign in charge.

His contract expires in 2027, and some reports suggest that Richarlison could join Crystal Palace for around £20-25 million next year.

CEO Vinai Venkatesham and the Lilywhites hierarchy have a key decision to make on the attacker’s future, and it will be interesting to see whether suitors could come forward in January.

Legendary former AC Milan and Netherlands footballer Marco van Basten blasted the officials for disallowing Club Brugge's goal, which would have potentially won them the game against Barcelona in the Champions League on Wednesday. The Dutch icon erupted in anger after the game, claiming that the Belgian heavyweights "were robbed" and insisting that VAR made an incorrect decision.

Club Brugge shock Barcelona in dramatic 3-3 draw

The reigning La Liga champions, who visited Club Brugge at the Jan Breydel Stadium on Wednesday, were shocked by the home side as they managed to hold on to a 3-3 draw which leaves Barcelona in 11th place in the overall Champions League standings.

The hosts raced into a surprise early lead in the sixth minute when talented young striker Nicolo Tresoldi was assisted by in-form 21-year-old Portuguese winger Carlos Forbs. However, the Catalans responded immediately through Ferran Torres, who notched his seven goal of the season thanks to an assist from a Fermin Lopez in red-hot form. 

Forbs, who terrorised the Barca backline all evening, restored Club Brugge's lead less than 10 minutes after Torres' strike, exposing the fragile Barcelona high line once again. The first half finished with the hosts taking a vital lead into the break. 

Barca, unable to get back into the game, were rejuvenated by the substitutions of Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski, the duo having only recently returned from their respective injuries. Two minutes later, Fermin racked up his second assist of the night as Lamine Yamal helped his team equalise for the second time.

Forbs grabbed his second goal of the game to help Brugge take the lead for the third time just under two minutes after Yamal's equaliser, but Brugge couldn't withstand the persistent pressure from Barcelona, who made it 3-3 in the 77th minute following a Christos Szolis own goal.

AdvertisementAFPVan Basten blasts decision to disallow Brugge goal

Club Brugge thought they had managed one of the biggest upsets in recent memory when Romeo Vermant made it 4-3 in stoppage time of the second half. However, after a lengthy VAR review, the goal was ultimately disallowed for an alleged foul by Vermont on Barca goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.

AC Milan and Dutch football legend Van Basten made his thoughts known on Dutch television, claiming that the goal should have counted while erupting in anger. "Club Brugge have been robbed! The goal for 4-3 should have counted. He doesn't foul Szczesny, he doesn't even touch him! It's Szczesny himself who makes it look like a foul, but it wasn't," the three-time Ballon d'Or exclaimed after the full-time whistle.

Hansi Flick unhappy with Barca's lack of intensity

After the game, Flick addressed the media and revealed that he would have a conversation with his players before adding that he was not pleased with his side's performance. It's the first time since 1969 that Club Brugge managed to score thrice against Spanish opposition. 

"We can defend in the final third, but we'll stick to our philosophy because we can do better," the German told . "When you lack intensity, you have no chance, especially in the Champions League. Club Brugge played very well, as I expected, and I told the players that. Last year's 1-0 goal would have been two meters offside. But we want to play our game. A 3-3 draw isn't the best result for us, but the positive aspect of the match is that we managed to come back after they took the lead three times. We do need to talk about this, though."

He elaborated that the defence should have been ably supported by the midfield: “It’s not just about defending in the back line, but also in midfield. We have to be alert when they create chances in one or two touches. It’s not easy, not easy at all. We did create several chances, but the truth is they played very well. They were very aggressive, obviously in a positive way.

“The truth is that we haven't been able to press the ball effectively; we've lost many duels, especially in midfield, which was crucial against such fast players. For us, it's about intensity when we don't have the ball. Above all, we need to be alert when they create chances with just one or two touches. I'm sure we'll improve on that.”

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Getty Images SportBarca need a string of wins to return to form

Barcelona have managed to win just thrice in their last seven games, losing as many games in addition to the 3-3 draw against Brugge. One can argue that Flick's plans have been hampered due to injuries to Raphinha, Pedri and Joan Garcia, but the Blaugrana must return to winning ways this weekend, when they visit Celta Vigo. They have struggled on their trips to Estadio de Balaidos, with Celta proving to be a tricky opponent in recent history.

Despite the occasion being Nuno Espirito Santo’s first game in charge of West Ham United at the London Stadium, the Monday night affair between the Hammers and Brentford had a subdued feeling from the get-go.

Planned protests against Hammers chairman David Sullivan and vice-chairman Karen Brady meant sections of West Ham’s ground were sparsely filled throughout, with the feeling around their home stadium only worsening by the full-time whistle, as a 2-0 defeat kept the East Londoners deep in the Premier League relegation mix.

Nuno is clearly still getting used to all the new players at his disposal, as some surprising alterations were on show for the clash with the Bees. Most notably, Malick Diouf sat on the bench alongside the likes of Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Guido Rodriguez.

Unfortunately, none of those changes worked, with Mathias Jensen’s late strike condemning Nuno’s side to a miserable sixth league defeat of the season already, which also leaves the ex-Nottingham Forest boss still searching for a first win in the Hammers dug-out.

West Ham's biggest underperformers vs Brentford

Truthfully, although it took until the 94th minute for Jensen to seal the win for Keith Andrew’s visitors, Brentford should have had the game tied up long before this last-gasp stunner.

Indeed, the Bees would tally up a mammoth 15 shots just in the first half, as the ropey centre-back duo of Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo were continually caught out by the physical approach of Igor Thiago, with a long ball over the top late into the first half catching Kilman out, before Thiago eventually bundled home the opener.

19-year-old Oliver Scales also noticeably struggled on a surprise start, with just one of his aerial duels being won before being hauled off on the 46th minute mark.

Another intriguing selection decision by Nuno in handing Andy Irving a first Premier League start of the season also fell flat, as the Scotsman gave up possession ten times as an unassured body in central midfield.

Even Jarrod Bowen was quiet to further add to the misery on display, with the usually dependable Hammers captain only managing to tally up a lacklustre xG of 0.08 come the full-time whistle, firing a few chances off target.

He wasn’t the only first team regular who decided to put in a no-show against Brentford, however.

West Ham star has regressed under Nuno

While Graham Potter was deservedly sacked after collecting a dire four defeats from five Premier League games at the start of the season, at least Lucas Paqueta stood out as a bright spark during those tough times.

The Brazilian certainly lived up to his previous “explosive” billing – as he was once labelled by Sky Sports’ Jamie Redknapp – when collecting two goals across this choppy patch of matches, with a kiss of the badge after confidently tucking a penalty away at Forest cementing his reputation as a fan favourite.

However, he hasn’t looked quite so razor-sharp in front of goal since Nuno entered the building, with only a meagre four efforts attempted by the enigmatic Brazilian across his new manager’s first three league games at the helm. That must be particularly worrying considering that he operated as a false 9 in the absence of the injured Niclas Fullkrug on Monday.

In particular, Paqueta’s ongoing regression under his new manager was clear for all to see against Andrew’s away side, as the hot-and-cold number ten failed to be a feared forward presence in the same manner the hard-to-contain Thiago managed to be for the Bees.

Minutes played

90

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Touches

61

Shots

1

Accurate passes

26/42 (63%)

Key passes

0

Accurate crosses

0/2

Possession lost

23x

Successful dribbles

0/1

Total duels won

7/20

Instead, Paqueta was often seen giving up the ball time after time, with possession squandered a costly 23 times. Having amassed three key passes against Arsenal in their last away outing, this was a notable drop-off.

Only winning 35% of his duels, too, on top of only testing the Bees goalkeeper with one shot, Nuno might well be prepared to boldly drop the 28-year-old in games to come, as the already under pressure Hammers boss tries to get a tune out of his demoralised side no matter what.

Branded as a “shocking” mess of a situation post-match by Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher, Nuno will have his work cut out for him to get the sinking ship back on course, with the 51-year-old desperately needing Paqueta to get back to his best, and sharp.

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