Football
Atletico Madrid v Real Madrid: Conor Gallagher leading hosts into new-look derby
Atletico’s new strikers, however, are taking longer to settle.
The capture of Julian Alvarez from Manchester City for 75 million euros certainty raised eyebrows, with Atletico fans optimistic that the Argentine World Cup winner will emulate great number nines of the past such as Fernando Torres, Sergio Aguero and Radamel Falcao.
But so far Alvarez has struggled, often looking lost and isolated, unsure of his role.
There is a big difference between Simeone’s style of play and the approach that Alvarez became used to under Pep Guardiola at City, so perhaps it’s not surprising that he’s taking a while to look comfortable.
Alvaro Benito of sports newspaper AS summed up the initial misgivings over Alvarez’s performances, saying: “He’s a long way from his best version. I don’t know the reason, whether it’s adaptation or if he didn’t arrive in physical shape. But everyone can see it – he’s far from what he could offer.”
Alvarez was even dropped for Thursday’s trip to Celta Vigo in favour of Simeone’s son, Giuliano. But he responded to the critics by coming off the bench and meeting a delicious 90th-minute cross from Antoine Griezmann to convert the only goal of the game, which could act as the catalyst his Atletico career needed.
Alvarez’s new strike partner, Alexander Sorloth, has also struggled to show his best since arriving for 32 million euros from Villarreal.
The Norwegian international is an old-fashioned target man, outstanding in the air, who bustled his way to 35 league goals over the past two seasons. But he’s only managed one for his new club as the focal point of a forward line that just hasn’t been clicking.
With Griezmann still pulling the strings, and wide ammunition provided by Samuel Lino and Marcos Llorente, Atletico should have all the pieces to become a formidable attacking force. But so far the new 100 million duo haven’t offered any improvement on much-maligned previous pair Alvaro Morata and Joao Felix.
The pressure is starting to grow on Simeone to find a formula that allows his expensive stars to shine, and he will be desperately hoping that Alvarez’s last-gasp winner on Thursday will prove to be a turning point.
Griffith’s journey towards becoming a referee started in September, on a three-year programme designed to give former players the chance to have a crack at the job often described as the ‘hardest in football’.
After a brief flirtation with refereeing 10 years ago, when the idea of getting players into officiating was first tried, Griffith said it was an experience that stuck with him.
“I had a go at it in 2014 and I really enjoyed it,” he added. “Staying connected to the game and controlling the whole match – it was great.
“At the time there was no pathway, so I’m pleased that there’s an opportunity for ex-players because the game is calling out for that niche.”
While Griffith’s love for a tackle may have put him in front of a referee a fair bit, he says the way he tried to speak to them is something he is using on the new course.
“I think the way you communicate with players is key,” he said.
“Referees are human and will make mistakes but there is that communication aspect where you can talk to a player if you’ve got it wrong.
“I tried to communicate with the referee – it makes a little bit of a difference when you’ve got the armband because you can communicate a bit more and you’re also in the pre-match talk so you get that feel.”
Griffith knows that “shouting, screaming and balling” at referees “doesn’t do you any favours” adding: “Yes, there may have been a lot of yellow cards [in my career] but there was never any disrespect towards the referee”.
Preston North End striker Milutin Osmajic has been banned for eight games by the Football Association for biting Blackburn’s Owen Beck.
The 25-year-old Montenegro international, who admitted the charge of violent conduct, has also been fined £15,000.
The incident followed Beck’s sending off in the closing stages of September’s goalless Lancashire derby for kicking out at Preston’s Duane Holmes.
Osmajic will now be unavailable for selection until Preston’s home Championship game against Derby on Saturday, 23 November.
Football
Premiership picks: Hearts aim to end Aberdeen run, Hale in form and Simo Valakari watches on
Simo Valakari is a familiar name to Scottish football fans of a certain generation following his playing spell with Motherwell in the late 1990s.
On Sunday evening, he will watch on as his St Johnstone side face Rangers at Ibrox, with Andy Kirk and Alex Cleland continuing in the dugout. Valakari will take proper charge after the international break, but any changes he makes after Sunday could be telling.
Saints sustained a heavy 6-0 loss at home to Celtic last weekend and are bidding to end a run of six defeats in a row to Rangers in all competitions.
However, the player who scored the winner in their most recent victory in the fixture, Nicky Clark, is still going strong in Perth and the former Rangers forward’s experience could be crucial as Saints seek to capitalise on any post-Europa League hangover at Ibrox.
Rangers were humbled 4-1 at home by Lyon on Thursday and could be eight points off the pace in the Premiership by the time Sunday’s game kicks off at 20:00.
“I don’t know how they got in,” laughs Keinan Davis.
The striker had scored the most important goal of his career and returned to his apartment to find ‘thank you’ posters and stickers from Udinese fans across his front door.
Davis’ first goal in Italy was also the one that kept Udinese in Serie A on the final day of last season, the substitute netting a 76th-minute winner at Frosinone that relegated the hosts and lifted his own club to 15th and safety.
“That was probably the best feeling I’ve ever had in football,” adds the Englishman, who missed most of his debut season in Italy because of a calf injury.
“In football, you get your respect on the field with your team-mates and not being able to do it was a bit difficult. But it was all worth it to score that goal – 100%.”
From almost dropping out of the division in May, Udinese are now eighth, just three points off top spot, a position they occupied before defeats by Roma and Inter Milan.
Davis, largely from the bench, has already made more appearances this term than in his injury-hit first season, and has benefitted from the arrival of English-speaking head coach Kosta Runjaic.
The striker’s route to Udine, in north east Italy, has been unconventional.
Davis grew up in Stevenage but was let go by the League One club and was playing under-18s football at seventh-tier Biggleswade Town when he was scouted and signed by Aston Villa, going on to make more than 70 appearances in the Championship and Premier League before loan spells at Nottingham Forest and Watford.
In September 2023 Davis joined Udinese for an undisclosed fee.
“I was a bit scared to leave England because that’s obviously all I knew,” explains the 26-year-old. “When you get older different situations arise, like this one. It opened my mind to playing in a different country, learning a different language.”
He watched former Villa team-mate Tammy Abraham succeed at Roma, and now AC Milan, and brings a physicality to Serie A which can be rare.
“The tactical side of it is slower than English football,” says Davis. “I am physical and there are not really too many of those types of player.
“You see [Romelu] Lukaku and people with physical attributes do well. In England everybody is physical and everybody is fast.”
Joining Udinese has also presented Davis with the opportunity to link up and learn from one of his heroes.
Iona Ballantyne, Kevin Thomson and Ryan McGowan discuss the big Scottish football news
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Liverpool stars Teagan Micah, Taylor Hinds, Fuka Nagano and Mia Enderby share the unfiltered truth with BBC Sport’s Ryhanna Parara as they take on the Honesty Cards.
Watch Tottenham v Liverpool in the Women’s Super League on Sunday 6 October at 14.00 BST on BBC Two, BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website & app.
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