Deportrio – Jack McConnell Becomes Permanent Signing Deportrio, who are managed by The Rest Is Football trio of Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, and Big Meeks, and are the favourites to win the competition according to the best online betting sites, were one of the first teams to make a signing in the first-ever Baller League UK transfer window.  Deportrio moved up to second place last week and, in an attempt to bolster their ranks, signed Jack McConnell, who was one of the team’s wildcards, to a permanent contract until the end of the season. McConnell scored a thumping left-footed drive from almost half court in week four, which is now a Goal of the Season contender.  SDS FC – Sharky Brings In Premier League Talent  The second transfer of the window came from seventh-placed SDS FC, who made a big call to release John Jancewicz to bring in former Tottenham Hotspur Under-23 and Sunderland striker Kazaiah Sterling for the remainder of the season.  The tension between SDS FC boss Sharky and Yanited manager Angry Ginge has grown in recent weeks and a fiery encounter was expected when the two faced off in game three of gameday seven. And boy, was it a heated game.  Inside the first five seconds of the match, referee Mark Clattenburg handed a two-minute suspension to PK Humble, but the contest exploded into a full-on brawl in the final knockings when Medy Elito tackled an SDS player and left him in the stands.  M7 FC – Arjun Jung Ruled Out For Season Sidemen’s Simon Minter’s (“Miniminter”) M7 were involved in arguably the pick of the matches of gameday seven, going up against John Terry’s 26ers. It was a back-and-forth affair between two well-matched sides, and after a crucial game-changer, both teams were forced to settle for a share of the spoils.  Minter made one key move during the transfer window, signing former wildcard Zaid Al-Hussaini to a permanent contract until the end of the season in place of Arjun Jung, who sustained an injury in the opening week and has not featured since. Jung will join Miniminter and Emmanuel Marfo on the sidelines as a coach for the rest of the campaign.  Yanited – Angry Ginge With Another Controversial Move Angry Ginge has created divided opinions over the first half of the Baller League UK season. Some can’t get enough of his quick wit and willingness to wind up opponents, while others feel he is living in a movie and needs to tone it down. Whichever side of the fence you stand on, one thing is for sure: he brings entertainment to the league every week!  During the transfer window, Yanited were the only team to opt for a player trade, completing a deal with MVPs Alisha Lehmann and Maya Jama to swap Daniel Wood for Esteban Salgado. However, after completing the deal, Angry Ginge made a shocking move to release Salgado to sign free agent Mauro Vilhete for the rest of the campaign.  Yanited and ...

Balogun to Leave Ibrox Stadium This Summer? Leon Balogun seems increasingly likely to depart Rangers this summer, with his current contract with the club set to expire at the end of the 2024-25 season. With three games left in the Scottish Premiership, the Gers are set for another second-placed finish, currently 17 points behind champions Celtic.  Rangers have endured a difficult campaign, which saw them part ways with Belgian tactician Philippe Clement in mid-February, with former Ger and Scotland international Barry Ferguson brought in as his successor.  However, given the gap between the Glasgow giants this season, Rangers are expected to make several more changes in the offseason, and veteran defender Leon Balogun could be one of the players set to make way for new blood to be brought in.  The 36-year-old centre-back has had a mixed season for the Gers, featuring in 24 matches across all competitions and helping them take a point in the Old Firm Derby over the weekend, despite starting as massive outsiders according to all the best online betting sites. However, the Nigerian international is now in the final two months of his contract at the Ibrox, and his future, by his own admission, is unclear. After suffering elimination in the Europa League quarter-final to Athletic Bilbao, Balogun revealed that the club had not discussed a new deal with him but also expressed his desire to remain in Glasgow:  “I’ve wanted that for ten years, to be a Rangers player since I stepped into the building. Everyone knows how much I love this club; I embrace everything it stands for. I’ve really taken it to heart, so if I can stay for another season, I’ll be glad.” Balogun sustained a cheek fracture in the defeat at San Mames Barria in the Europa League quarter-final, which many expected would keep him sidelined for the remainder of the season, but he only ended up missing one match – an away trip to St. Mirren on April 26.  Players Who Could Leave Rangers This Season With the summer transfer window closing in, the rumour mill has been red-hot with claims of potential incomings and outgoings at the Ibrox, with as many as six players potentially set to depart the club at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.  In addition to Balogun, Romanian international Ianis Hagi will be a free agent in the coming months. Reports in recent weeks suggest that the club were keen to retain his services, but he had turned down a new contract extension.  Former Manchester United player Tom Lawrence is another whose future is looking increasingly likely to lie away from Glasgow. He has featured primarily as a substitute for the Gers this season and is believed to be on the radar of Turkish Super League outfit Besiktas. Neraysho Kasanwirjo arrived on a season-long loan from Feyenoord at the start of the campaign, but sustained a season-ending injury after just 12 appearances and has returned to the Netherlands to undergo rehabilitation.  Finally, Rangers brought ...

Stephen Fleming Discusses IPL Auction Error The end to what can only be described as a disastrous Indian Premier League season for the Chennai Super Kings is closing in, and most fans of the five-time champions will likely be feeling a little relieved to close the chapter on the 18th edition of the competition.  It has been a tough slog for CSK, who suffered a fourth straight loss and their ninth defeat in 11 games last weekend, when they came up two runs short in a thrilling chase against the high-flying Royal Challengers Bangalore, which also confirmed our cricket prediction for the match.  The defeat left MS Dhoni and co on just four points with three games to play, and also guaranteed they would not be a part of the knockouts, now 10 points below the current fourth-place team in the standings, Mumbai Indians.  After a very poor start to the season, the Yellow Shirts came under plenty of criticism for their reluctance to rely on youth, to which head coach Stephen Fleming explained that the decision was based on past success and their foundation of experienced campaigners.  Last week, the former New Zealand captain was questioned about the lack of youth in the team again, but this time admitted that the team got it wrong at the IPL mega auction last year, while also acknowledging that it was part of the learning process. He said:  “It is hard to say we got it completely right with the performances that we have had. So we have been looking over that in detail just around our style of play. Also looking at how the game is evolving. Other teams have got better and that is the point of the auction. But we just haven’t been able to get it right.” The biggest issue for CSK this season has been their inability to find consistent performances with the bat, which is something they have done time and again over the years. As it stands, no Super Kings’ batsman currently ranks in the top 20 leading run-scorers in this season’s IPL.  Urvil Patel Drafted To CSK for the Remainder of the Season Owing in part to the criticism received earlier in the season, as well as their downward spiral, Fleming has tried to freshen up his squad as the competition has progressed, most notably bringing in 17-year-old Ayush Mhatre, who has been very impressive since joining the team.  The CSK head coach had another change lined up for last weekend in uncapped Vansh Bedi, but unfortunately, the wicket-keeper batsman sustained a ligament tear in his left ankle and has now been ruled out for the rest of the season.  As a result, Fleming has now called up Urvil Patel for his base price of ₹30 lakh for the remainder of the campaign. The 26-year-old became an overnight sensation after blasting a 28-ball century for Gujarat at the 2024-25 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.  Patel is expected to make his debut for Chennai when they ...

FC Goa Outclass Jamshedpur in Super Cup Final  FC Goa have ended the 2024-25 Indian Super League season in fine style, as they romped to a commanding 3-0 victory over league rivals Jamshedpur FC in the Kalinga Super Cup final in Bhubaneswar on Saturday afternoon.  The Gaurs came into the grand finale as the favourites according to all the best online betting sites, owing to their incredible form in the preceding rounds, having beaten Gokulam Kerala, Punjab FC and ISL Shield and Cup winners Mohun Bagan. Additionally, the Goans were the highest scoring team in the competition, netting eight goals ahead of their showdown with the Red Miners, and they continued their impressive attacking form in the final by adding another three goals to their tally. Monolo Marquez’s side started the game firmly on the front foot and took a lead into the halftime interval after Borja Gonzalez struck the back of the net in the 23rd minute before doubling his tally for the afternoon early in the second period to end the competition as the joint top-scorer with four goals to his name.  Dejan Drazic took the team out of sight in the 72nd minute with their third of the afternoon, and they saw out the win to become the first-ever side to lift the Super Cup title for a second time, having also done so in 2019.  Winning the Indian Super Cup also earns Goa entry into the AFC Champions League Two (ACL2) Playoffs, marking their return to the continental stage for the first time in four years! Despite the rain pouring down at the Kalinga Stadium, the Gaurs’ celebrations continued well into the evening, while Khalid Jamil’s Men of Steel were left to reflect on what could have been, and will now have to wait another year for a chance at the title.  Marquez Signs Off As Goa Head Coach In Style Goa’s Super Cup victory was made all the more special, as it was the final act of head coach Manolo Marquez, who will depart the club in the coming days. Marquez is set to take up the full-time role as India’s national team coach for the foreseeable future.  The outgoing Goa boss led the team to second place in the ISL regular season before a disappointing ISL Cup campaign, where they were eliminated in their first round. Following their Super Cup triumph, he said:  “It has been a great tournament for us. We have a fantastic group of players, and they completely deserve to be the champions. When we arrived here, we knew that we needed to win four games. And we did it.” Marquez also urged the club to keep hold of its players for next season, explaining that the need for continuity is extremely important in Indian football, especially if a team wants to make its mark on the continental stage.  Our football predictions

Virat Kohli Back Atop Leading Run-Scorer Standings After maintaining possession of the coveted Orange cap for almost a full month, Nicholas Pooran has now dropped to seventh place in the leading run-scorer standings after a few poor innings for the Gujarat Titans in recent times, and he has also slipped in the odds to finish atop the pile according to all the best online betting sites.  Over the last few weeks, we have seen the Mumbai Indians surge up the league table, now in second place and one win away from securing a knockout spot. MI have been led by India international Suryakumar Yadav, who has been exceptional in his last few knocks.  On Thursday, Yadav regained the Orange Cap after a brisk 48 runs in 23 balls against the Rajasthan Royals, as MI romped to a 100-run victory. However, he was only able to keep hold of the lead in this category for 24 hours before Sai Sudharsan surpassed him with a 48-run knock against SRH.  The Titans currently have three players, Jos Buttler, Shubman Gill and Sudharsan in the running for the Orange Cap this season. You can see the GT batting trio in action on Tuesday when they take on MI, and our Mumbai Indians vs Gujarat Titans prediction is available to provide all the key stats you will need to know about this match.  Despite Gujarat’s fine batting form in this competition, on Saturday, the Orange Cap changed hands once again, with none other than Virat Kohli climbing to the top of the charts when he notched up 62 runs in 33 deliveries, leading RCB to a thrilling two-run victory over CSK.  King Kohli, who is also the all-time highest run-scorer in the history of the IPL, is now on 505 runs in 11 matches this season, but we are likely to see him dethroned soon, with Sudharsan just one run behind him on 504.  Race For 2025 IPL Purple Cap Heats Up Similar to the Orange Cap standings, the Purple Cap has changed hands in recent days, with Prasidh Krishna now leading the way with 19 wickets to his name, including a best of 4/41. However, the GT bowler is under severe pressure, with Josh Hazlewood just one wicket behind him.  Indeed, the Englishman has been a pillar of consistency with the ball for the Royal Challengers this season, and bagged 18 wickets in 17 games, with a best of 4/33, while having also bowled four overs fewer than Krishna at the summit.  In third place is the long-time leader, Afghanistan international Noor Ahmad, on 16 wickets, level with New Zealand quick Trent Boult, who has flown up the charts after racking up an incredible 10 wickets in his last three games for Mumbai.  Rounding out the top five is the Kolkata Knight Riders’ mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy, who has returned to prominence after a slow start to the season. The 33-year-old is currently on 15 wickets, averaging 20, with a strike rate of 17.0.  ...

Goa and Jamshedpur Set For Kalinga Super Cup Showdown Indian Super League outfits FC Goa and Jamshedpur FC are preparing to face off in the 2025 Indian Super Cup final at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Saturday afternoon, with this competition representing the final chance for these sides to earn a piece of silverware for the season.  Our FC Goa vs Jamshedpur FC prediction suggests that a tight game is to be expected when these two collide on Saturday, as the Gaurs look to become the first ISL team to win the Super Cup twice, while the Men of Steel are aiming to lift the trophy for the first time.  For Goa head coach Manolo Marquez, this match will be of special significance as it will be his final one with the team before he heads off to manage the India national team, but standing in his way is Khalid Jamil, who led his side to the domestic double over the Goans this season.  In the Super Cup, though, Goa have been the standout team and enter the final as the tournament’s top-scoring team, having netted eight goals in their three matches. The Red Miners, on the other hand, have been rock-solid defensively, yet to concede a goal in the tournament.  While winning the Super Cup will earn the victors the title, arguably the more important factor is that the ISL Super Cup champions also receive entry to the AFC Champions League Two next season, where they will compete with some of the best teams from across the continent. Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Marquez said:  « When you have this opportunity (to qualify for Asia), obviously you have to be very motivated. FC Goa already played in the Champions League four years ago. Jamshedpur never did. But both teams would want to make it to this competition. » The stage is set for what should be a fierce battle at the Kalinga Stadium on Saturday. Here is the key information ahead of the 2025 Indian Super Cup: Match Details:  Fixture: FC Goa vs. Jamshedpur FC Date/ Time: May 3, 15:00 GMT Broadcast: Star Sports or via SportyTrader’s Indian Super Cup livescores.  Goa and Jamshedpur’s Journey to the Super Cup Final Goa come into the Super Cup final looking to put their ISL Cup disappointment behind them. The Gaurs ended the regular league season in second place, but were knocked out of the ISL Cup in their first match by Bengaluru FC.  Manolo’s side have been much better in this competition than the last, though, kicking off their cup run with a commanding 3-0 victory over I-League outfit Gokulam Kerala before taking down Punjab 2-1 in the quarter-final. However, their most satisfying result came in the semis, when they completely outplayed ISL Shield and Cup winners Mohun Bagan 3-1, albeit the Mariners had sent a second-string team to participate in this competition.  As for Jamshedpur, their success in this competition has been largely attributable to their water-tight defence, which has ...

Sehwag Claims Maxwell, Livingstone Have Lost Their Hunger Virender Sehwag is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen that India and the IPL have ever seen. During his international playing career, Sehwag played a total of 104 Tests and 251 ODI matches for the Men in Blue, scoring 8,586 and 8,273 runs in each format, respectively.  In the IPL, the 46-year-old featured in 104 matches for the now-dissolved Delhi Daredevils and Kings XI Punjab (now known as the Punjab Kings) between 2008 and 2015, scoring 2,728 runs, including a highest score of 122, which he recorded in just 55 balls.  Known to speak his mind, Sehwag shared his views on the performances of overseas internationals Glenn Maxwell and Liam Livingstone, who were dropped from their respective franchises earlier in this season’s competition.  Maxwell was released by the Royal Challengers Bangalore this season and joined the Punjab Kings, while Livingstone went the other way, but both players were excluded by their respective teams due to poor performances. RCB will face CSK on Saturday, and our Royal Challengers Bengaluru vs Chennai Super Kings prediction is now online. In his interview, Sehwag questioned the duo’s hunger to perform well in the competition, while suggesting that they treat the IPL season like a holiday trip rather than the biggest cricket league in the world. He said:  “I think their hunger has been satiated. That’s why they come here to celebrate the holidays. They don’t feel like they have to win matches for the team or contribute to the trophy. They just talk about winning but don’t perform. I have spent time with many overseas players who wanted to win the tournament. I don’t see that mindset in them”  Livingstone scored just 76 runs in seven matches this season, and recorded scores of 0, 4 and 4 before he was dropped, while Maxwell made just 48 runs in seven games, with 30 of those runs coming in a single innings.  Sehwag Reaffirms Not All International Players Are Guilty of Poor Professionalism While Sehwag’s words during his interview may have ruffled a few feathers, particularly among overseas internationals, the 46-year-old took the time to laud selected players that he felt have always given their all at the Indian Premier League.  Among the foreign players the former Indian batsman singled out were South Africa’s AB de Villiers and the Aussie duo of David Warner and Glenn Maxwell, whom he played with and against during his eight years participating in the competition.  « David Warner, AB de Villiers and Glenn McGrath are the three players who used to tell me, ‘I will win games for you, play me.’ I used to be in a fix about whom to play and whom to drop.” Sehwag also shared a story about another South African batter, David Miller, who he said used to have turning pitches specially prepared in the Punjab nets so that he could practise on them in order to become more familiar with conditions in the sub-continent.  Both ...