OLEKSANDR ZINCHENKO has lifted the lid on Mikel Arteta’s latest bizarre team-bonding exercise.

The Arsenal boss, 42, has shown down the years that he is never afraid to think outside the box.

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In 2022, fans were left baffled as it emerged Arteta had boomed “You’ll Never Walk Alone” out of speakers while players trained ahead of a game against Liverpool at Anfield.

More recently, the Spaniard hired a team of pickpockets to swipe his stars’ belongings during a dinner – in a bid to teach his players the importance of staying alert at all times.

He was also dubbed the “David Brent of the Premier League” after coming up with a new motivational word – “collaboretition” – a combination of collaboration and competition.

In his latest wacky exercise, Arteta hired a professional football freestyler to show up one of his players.

Speaking to The Guardian, Zinchenko revealed: “We stayed at the same hotel before a match, and we knew all the waiters.

“But there was a new guy that day. So before we go to the stadium [Arteta] said: ‘OK guys, let me wake you up, because we need energy.

“Last time, Alex, we played staff against players and you beat [the set-piece coach] Nicolas [Jover]. Let’s do it the same, but freestyling.

“Everyone was like: ‘What? For sure, Alex will beat him, blah blah blah’. Nico started to do something with the ball and then suddenly it looks like he got an injury. It was so obvious but weird.

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“Then they called the new waiter. We didn’t know he was a professional freestyler.

“He destroyed me with his tricks and all of us were in deep shock. But then we were all laughing and we went to the game with good energy.”

Zinchenko, 27, has scarcely played this season due to a calf injury.

He has made just two appearances for the Gunners, and none since the 1-1 draw with Brighton on August 31.

The Ukrainian was back on the bench for the 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth last weekend, however, and could be in contention to feature against former side Shakhtar Donetsk this evening.

Zinchenko was on Shakhtar’s books as a teenager, before leaving to join Russian side FC Ufa in a bid to secure first team football.

Three-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Andre Lotterer has been dropped from Porsche’s factory World Endurance Championship squad as part of a revamp of its 2025 LMDh line-up.

The veteran of the German manufacturer’s LMP1, Formula E and LMDh campaigns since joining from Audi in 2017, who is on the cusp of this year’s WEC title with Laurens Vanthoor and Kevin Estre, is one of three drivers leaving the twin arms of Porsche Penske Motorsport for next year. 

Frederic Makowiecki, like Lotterer part of the WEC Hypercar class squad since 2023, and Dane Cameron, winner of this year’s IMSA SportsCar Championship GTP title with Felipe Nasr, are also departing. 

What was described by Porsche as only a “tweak“ of its driver roster programmes involves reducing the full-time line-up from three to two drivers in the WEC. 

Vanthoor and Estre, who with Lotterer have a 35-point advantage going into next month’s WEC finale in Bahrain, will race as a duo next year aboard the #6 Porsche 963 LMDh in the regular six-hour races.

Michael Christensen keeps his seat in #5 PPM entry he has shared with Makiowiecki and Matt Campbell this year and will be joined by Julien Andlauer. 

The French Porsche factory driver has gained a seat in one of the factory cars after impressing at the wheel of the Proton Competition customer 963 in the WEC this season. 

#7 Team Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Dane Cameron, Matt Campbell

Photo by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Images

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Campbell will return to the IMSA ranks after a solo season in one of the WEC cars and will team up with Mathieu Jaminet in the #6 PPM car in North America.

Cameron’s seat alongside Nasr will be taken by Briton Nick Tandy, who moves over from the sister car he has shared with Jaminet for the past two seasons. 

Jaminet and Campbell will respectively join the #5 and #6 crews for Le Mans and, according to Porsche’s press statement announcing the changes, “selected races”. 

That can be taken to mean the 10- and eight-hour races in Qatar and Bahrain that will bookend the 2025 WEC season. 

Estre and Vanthoor have likewise been nominated to drive the #6 and #7 IMSA cars for selected races in IMSA’s Michelin Endurance Cup.

Frenchman Makowiecki, 43, is leaving Porsche after 11 seasons predominantly in its GT ranks, which included a GTE Pro class win at Le Mans in 2022 and an overall victory in the Nurburgring 24 Hours in 2018. 

He and Porsche have “agreed to conclude their collaboration”, read Porsche’s announcement. 

#5 Porsche Penske Motorsport Porsche 963: Frederic Makowiecki

Photo by: Marc Fleury

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It stated that Lotterer and Cameron’s contracts with Porsche expire at the end of this year, but did not specifically state that they are leaving the employment of the manufacturer. When contacted by Motorsport.com, Porsche was unwilling to clarify the drivers’ status.

Porsche Motorsport boss Thomas Laudenbach said: “I’d like to thank Dane Cameron, Andre Lotterer and Frederic Makowiecki for their incredible work over the past three years [since the 963 started testing in January 2022].

“All three have played a significant role in us being able to celebrate great successes with the Porsche 963 on both sides of the Atlantic – in just the second year of competition.”

PPM’s decision to go to two drivers for the regular six-hour WEC races follows a debate over whether three drivers should be mandated in Hypercar.

It was sparked by the Chip Ganassi Racing Cadillac team choosing to use just two drivers in the six-hour WEC races this year. 

Running two drivers offers an advantage in terms of track time during practice and, potentially, a strategic benefit in the races. 

Moves for a change in rules, led by WRT BMW team boss Vincent Vosse, were rejected after they did not find backing from a majority of manufacturers. 

Porsche made play of Andlauer’s status as one of its former junior drivers: its statement pointed out that he will become the fourth former junior after Christensen, Jaminet and Campbell to join the PPM 963 squad. 

No reference was made to a potential third PPM entry at Le Mans next June, the right to which it has won after claiming the IMSA title. 

Laudenbach stated last week that he expected to take up the entry and run an additional car in the double-points WEC round, as Porsche did in 2023 and ’24. 

Ramsey – currently recovering from injury – sat in the stands for Cardiff City’s 5-0 thrashing of Plymouth Argyle last weekend and shared his tactical analysis with interim manager Omer Riza on the touchline.

“I’ve been around the [under] 18s a few times at Cardiff and been lucky enough to coach them,” said Ramsey.

“It’s addictive as well and you do watch games differently.”

Ramsey has not played since suffering a hamstring injury in Wales’ away win against Montenegro at the start of September.

He has resumed training but missed this month’s return against Montenegro and trip to Iceland, and it remains to be seen whether or not he will be fit for Wales’ final two Nations League fixtures against Turkey and Iceland next month.

Wales are unbeaten in four games under Bellamy and Ramsey has been impressed with the recently appointed head coach.

“He’s come in and him and his staff have been a breath of fresh air,” he said.

“They are so detailed with the amount of information they pass on, and I’ve been really impressed with them.

“With the talent we have in this Welsh team with Brennan Johnson, Harry Wilson and other players as well, we can hurt teams if we get the structure right behind them.”

McLaren believes there is little point in asking the FIA for a right of review over Lando Norris’ punishment at the United States Grand Prix, despite its unhappiness at the sanction.

Norris was handed a five-second penalty in Austin after the race stewards deemed that he had overtaken Max Verstappen off the track as they battled for third place.

That sanction dropped Norris to fourth, behind his title rival, after the chequered flag and meant he lost further ground in the world championship battle.

The decision to punish Norris in an incident where Verstappen also ran off the circuit in a defensive move has triggered huge controversy and put a renewed focus on both the driving standards rules in F1 and the consistency of the stewards.

McLaren in particular feels it was a wrong call on two fronts – one in not taking into account the fact that Verstappen ran wide, and secondly in rushing the decision rather than waiting to speak to both drivers after the event.

McLaren team boss Andrea Stella said “The interpretation of this situation between McLaren and the stewards is the polar opposite.

“I am surprised the stewards didn’t even feel the need to discuss with the drivers after the race. It is an uncertain situation – so get the opinion of the drivers, and have the time to assess the situation with the level of details that is required when the situation is not so clear.

Andrea Stella, Team Principal, McLaren F1 Team

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

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“Where is the urgency to interfere with the result of a race, with a championship [on the line], just because you have to make the decision in 60 seconds? It is a question mark that I think the stewards should take constructively and positively. Is it really needed to take a decision so quickly and, in our opinion, so wrongly?”

But despite its strong feelings over the matter, McLaren thinks there is little point in trying to take things on and potentially get the decision looked at again.

Due to the penalty being an in-race decision, there is no scope within the regulations for a standard appeal – and the route towards a right of review request does not look to be of interest either.

Stella said: “The decision cannot be appealed so for us, the matter is closed.

“For us, the drivers, the team, now we close this chapter. But we hope the FIA and the stewards review the case so that in the future we have a better stewardship of the racing. We now move on to the next race.”

The door to a right of review petition remains open until Thursday, with there being a 96-hour window following an event for it to be lodged.

For a request for a review hearing to be successful, it would require McLaren to produce “a significant and relevant new element…which was unavailable to the parties seeking the review at the time of the decision concerned.”

One option could as, as Mercedes famously did after the 2021 Brazilian Grand Prix, to wait until the onboard footage of Max Verstappen’s car is released and potentially use that as the means to justify another look.

But Stella is sceptical about offering anywhere near enough of a step of new evidence that would be acceptable for the FIA – with it frequently having rejected petitions that have been submitted.

“I don’t think new and relevant evidence exists because the only evidence we have used so far to assess our interpretation, which is in disagreement with the stewards, is already available,” he said.

“So, if you open up the right of review, I don’t think it will ever be successful because you don’t need new evidence. It is just a matter of interpretation.”

ARSENAL fans had been preparing themselves for life without William Saliba following his red card against Bournemouth – but he is available for selection TONIGHT!

The French phenomenon earned his first-ever sending-off after VAR intervened and upgraded an initial yellow card to a red.

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And in normal procedures, Saliba would be suspended for the next match on the fixture list.

However, the highly-rated centre-half is part of the squad for Arsenal‘s home fixture tonight due to rules and regulations.

SunSport can explain what this is below.

Why is William Saliba not suspended for Arsenal’s Champions League match tonight?

William Saliba is eligible to play for Arsenal tonight as his suspension is for domestic competitions only.

And with this upcoming fixture being a European encounter, the Frenchman will be able to partner alongside Gabriel once again.

Saliba became the third Arsenal player to see red in eight Premier League matches for the Gunners this season.

Declan Rice was sent off against Brighton while Leandro Trossard received a red in the frenetic Manchester City clash.

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Why did William Saliba get sent off?

The Frenchman was initially booked for pulling back Bournemouth striker Evanilson.

Saliba attempted to stop the Brazilian who was ready to burst completely clear mid-pitch.

VAR Jared Gillett summoned on-pitch ref Rob Jones to the monitor.

And after looking, Jones had no doubts as he waved a red to reduce the Gunners to 10 men.

How many matches will William Saliba miss for Arsenal?

Fortunately for Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, William Saliba will miss just ONE game.

Had it been violent conduct, he would have been suspended for three matches.

However, that one match is against red-hot Liverpool this coming weekend at the Emirates.

What has been said?

Mikel Arteta highlighted that his side playing with ten men is always a problem.

“Playing with 10 men always is an issue.

“The trust is, when you analyse it, three different very actions and the outcome of them, the reasons are very different.

“Regardless of that we cannot continue to play with 10 men at this level. We need to eradicate that, it’s clear.”

Arteta added: “The reasons, how; it doesn’t matter. We have to focus.

“We cannot continue to play with ten men, easier to say it then to get it done,” he said.

“Specific moments. Reacting, we have a defeat. Very specific conditions as well.”

Barcelona’s league fixture against Atletico Madrid in December could be staged in Miami – with La Liga officials hopeful that Fifa will approve the plan.

It would be the first time a La Liga match has been played in the United States.

Fifa, football’s world governing body, will make the final decision on the proposal.

The match is currently scheduled for 22 December, before La Liga pauses for its winter break.

Both Atletico and Barcelona are scheduled to play in a four-team Spanish Super Cup in early January, which is being held in Saudi Arabia.

In April, Fifa withdrew from a legal challenge by leading match promoter Relevent, which is seeking to stage overseas league matches in the United States.

The following month, Fifa announced it was setting up a working group to look at the potential impact of competitive domestic matches being played abroad.