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Lea Schuller made the difference as Germany secured a place at the Olympic women's football tournament in a 2-0 win over the Netherlands on Wednesday.

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Germany secure Olympic qualificationBeat the Netherlands 2-0 to do soHalf-time sub Schuller the game-changer GettyTELL ME MORE

Chances were at a premium in what was far from a classic encounter, but it was Germany who regularly came closest in this Women's Nations League third-place play-off, with the winner to secure a place at the Olympics. Chelsea star Sjoeke Nusken thought she'd given the visitors the lead in Heerenveen midway through the first half, only to see her well-hit effort bounce off the inside of the post and back out, while Alexandra Popp's header would've certainly broken the deadlock just before the break had she directed it anywhere other than right at Daphne van Domselaar.

Then Germany made a change at the break that paid dividends. Those came almost immediately, too, but for the offside flag to deny half-time sub Lea Schuller a quick goal. The Bayern Munich striker made Germany much more dangerous going forward as they peppered Van Domselaar's goal, both her and Nusken bringing the best out of the Aston Villa shot-stopper. However, she had no chance with Klara Buhl's emphatic finish just past the hour and Lena Oberdorf deserves a lot of credit for the way she kept the ball alive in the box, too.

Lineth Beerensteyn constantly looked like the Netherlands' best bet at getting on the scoresheet with her quick runs in behind but the most notable look at goal she got was just before Germany's opener, a driving run ending with a shot that was easy for Merle Frohms to hold. Instead, Schuller made sure of the result with a deserved goal 12 minutes from time, Van Domselaar only able to watch as her header nestled in the corner to seal third-place in the Nations League for Germany and, with it, a spot at the Olympic women's football tournament this summer.

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This was always going to be a difficult ask for the Netherlands. The Dutch lost a key player in January when Jill Roord suffered a devastating ACL injury while with her club, Manchester City, and two more were absent on Wednesday after the Arsenal duo of Vivianne Miedema and Victoria Pelova returned to London for reasons that are thus far unspecified.

The 2017 European champions have made impressive progress under Andries Jonker but qualifying for this summer's Olympics just proved to be too much of an ask at this moment.

GettyTHE MVP

Who else but Schuller? Germany lacked a focal point until her introduction, with Popp so often dropping deep to defend and then needing to get all the way back up the pitch to be there for the attack. Schuller's presence meant that there was always someone keeping the Dutch defence busy, though, and she was lively in her play, too, as Germany created chances aplenty to win the game.

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GettyTHE BIG LOSER

Van Domselaar deserved a clean sheet for her performance on Wednesday, really. The Aston Villa star made some truly fantastic saves, most notably to deny Nusken just after the break and then, a few minutes later, to get a glove on the ball as Schuller raced into the box. But with the Netherlands struggling to get out and unable to stifle Germany's second half performance, it was inevitable that she was beaten.

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On Wednesday evening, Southampton will host Crystal Palace at St Mary’s Stadium.

The Saints will be confident heading into this encounter, having gone unbeaten for the last three Premier League games – a run that includes securing a hard-fought draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

Crystal Palace, meanwhile, were unfortunate to fall to a 4-3 defeat against Liverpool at Anfield last time out in the league, and Roy Hodgson will be keen to see his side bounce back from the loss.

The battlers

The south coast club’s key man in terms of offering a goal threat is Liverpool-loanee Danny Ings. The 26-year-old has registered eight goals in 17 appearances for Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side so far this season, as per Transfermarkt’s statistics.

Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…

Palace centre-back, and Ings’ former Liverpool teammate, Mamadou Sakho will likely be the man tasked with stopping the once-capped England international.

Who will prevail?

Like Ings, Sakho has enjoyed an impressive campaign so far. According to WhoScored’s stats, the 29-cap France international has averaged 1.1 tackles, 1.6 interceptions and 4.7 clearances per Premier League match so far this season.

What’s more, the 28-year-old has only been dribbled past 0.3 times per game.

As per WhoScored’s records, Ings has maintained an average of completing 0.8 dribbles per Premier League game this season, and has generally been dispossessed only 0.9 times per match.

Although Sakho ought to know Ings’ game well from their shared time at Anfield, the stats suggest that the striker is coming into this clash with a slight edge over his opponent. Southampton fans will be hoping that advantage pays dividends on Wednesday night.

Chelsea have been handed a potentially huge boost for their Carabao Cup final date against Liverpool, with Reece James back on grass.

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James nursing hamstring problemSidelined since DecemberBut hints at return to actionGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

The England defender has been sidelined since December with a hamstring injury, and has made just nine appearances all season in what has been another injury-hit campaign. But as Chelsea gear up for a final against Liverpool on February 25, James appears to be nearing a return to action. The Blues full-back hinted as much with an Instagram post on Thursday.

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Chelsea have suffered something of an injury crisis this term, with significant absentees ranging from summer signings Christopher Nkunku and Romeo Lavia to England full-back senior figure Ben Chilwell. But James' long-term absence has been a cause for concern at Stamford Bridge given the recurring nature of said hamstring issue – the 24-year-old missed a significant portion of last season with both hamstring and knee problems.

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WHAT NEXT?

Mauricio Pochettino and Chelsea fans will hope James' return isn't another false dawn, as any further setbacks would sadly raise questions over his long-term future in the game. The Blues can, at least, take some solace in having a worthy back-up in Malo Gasto at the club, with the Frenchman proving to be one of the unsung heroes of Chelsea's lavish spending under Todd Boehly.

Jurgen Klopp was left fuming after Liverpool's loss to Toulouse in the Europa League – and it was not just because of the result.

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Liverpool beaten 3-2 by ToulouseKlopp's press conference drowned outCoach left angered by the noiseWHAT HAPPENED?

The Reds coach had a hard time answering reporters' questions after the match as he found himself drowned out by the jubilant home supporters, who were chanting loudly in celebration of their team's 3-2 win on Thursday.

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Klopp's men were deservedly beaten by the French side, despite a late fightback from the Premier League team, who thought they had equalised right at the end of the game.

With Toulouse leading 3-2 until the dying minutes, 20-year-old defender Jarell Quansah fired into the net to tie things up. Unfortunately for Klopp's side, however, a VAR review showed that the ball had struck Alexis Mac Allister's arm in the build up and it was eventually disallowed, giving Toulouse the three points.

WHAT THEY SAID

Klopp tried to answer questions from the press in the wake of the game, but soon had his head in his hands out of frustration as his voice was drowned out.

He said: "Who had the idea to do the press conference here? That would be a really interesting question. Wow."

The German coach did not get an immediate answer to his question, as they tried to continue despite the disruption.

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Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Klopp's men will hope to get back to winning ways on Sunday when they meet Brentford in the Premier League.

Jude Bellingham could face a suspension if proven guilty of aiming a slur at Getafe star Mason Greenwood during La Liga clash.

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Decision to be made in the Bellingham-Greenwood incidentLip reader submitted report to the competition committeeCould face a four-match ban WHAT HAPPENED?

The incident in question happened during a league encounter between Real Madrid and Getafe on February 1. Bellingham challenged his compatriot on the pitch before allegedly mouthing the word 'Rapist' towards the Manchester United loanee. Getafe had lodged a complaint with La Liga's representative who was present at the ground after which the league hired a lip reader to assess the incident.

Now according to Cope, La Liga have transferred the case to the competition committee. The lip reader has already informed the committee about the decision although the league remains tight-lipped on the final report. Bellingham could be hit with a four-game suspension if found guilty.

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As per some reports, the Real Madrid star did not utter the word 'Rapist' and had rather said 'rubbish' which was misinterpreted, although Getafe has demanded a proper investigation. The club have backed Greenwood in the entire episode who joined them on a season-long loan from the Red Devils after having seen charges of attempted rape, assault, and coercive control made against him dropped in February 2023.

DID YOU KNOW?

The English winger has been impressive for the Azulones in the ongoing season having scored seven times and provided five assists in 23 matches across all competitions. The Spanish club are considering making his loan move permanent in the summer.

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Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR JUDE BELLINGHAM?

If proven guilty, the England international could face some time on the sidelines. He is currently out of action with a sprained ankle and is expected to remain out of action for at least three weeks.

A quick look at the players who could emerge as the potential big buys at the IPL 2026 mini auction

Nagraj Gollapudi13-Dec-202514:06

IPL 2026 auction: Who will be among the most expensive players?

Cameron GreenWhen Mumbai Indians (MI) bought Cameron Green for INR 17.5 crore ahead of the 2023 season, Akash Ambani, the franchise owner, said Green would bring “lifetime value” to the five-time IPL champions. While, in the successful pursuit of getting back Hardik Pandya, Green was traded to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) just a year later, the Australian allrounder unpacked his batting skills during his first IPL stint. Batting in different positions, including as opener, Green scored 452 runs at a strike rate of 160.28 and a handsome average of 50.22, which included a century and two fifties.At RCB, Green played 13 matches, scoring 255 runs at an average of 31.87 and a strike rate of 143.25. He also picked up ten wickets at an economy of 8.61 at RCB, which was better than the 9.07 during his MI stint, where he took six wickets.Related

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Green could be biggest buy, but can't cross INR 18 crore

Green did not enter the 2025 mega auction as he was injured, but a year later, the 26-year-old is set to be the focal point of the mini auction with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the top two in terms of purse available, desperate to fill the vacancy for an overseas allrounder.While Green has listed himself as a batter, it is understood there is no directive from Cricket Australia restricting his bowling. KKR have to find an able replacement for Andre Russell who retired from the IPL, and CSK need an overseas allrounder to bolster their middle order.Liam LivingstoneThe bat makes a distinct noise when Liam Livingstone thwacks the ball into the crowd. Just like his power-hitting colleagues Russell, Tim David and Mitchell Marsh, Livingstone’s ability to blitz the opposition makes him among the most in-demand T20 batters.In the 2025 Hundred, Livingstone blasted Rashid Khan for 4, 6, 6, 6, 4 to lead Birmingham Phoenix to a comfortable win and end Oval Invincibles’ unbeaten run in the season. Such skills were the reason defending IPL champions RCB bought the England batting allrounder for INR 8.75 crore, but released him not just to bolster the purse but also due to the presence of David and West Indies allrounder Romario Shepherd.Livingstone, though, has had a strong 2025 overall in T20s: in 35 innings, he has scored 840 runs at an average of 30 and a strike rate of 148.93. He has a balls-per-boundary count of 5.47 (as of December 12). Not just KKR and CSK, but even Lucknow Super Giants, who released David Miller, are likely to look at Livingstone as a finisher.Matheesha PathiranaMatheesha Pathirana is a special bowler. A slinger who can hurl 150kph yorkers with accuracy as well as clunk the helmet of greats like Virat Kohli – as he did with a 153kph rocket last IPL – when he has the rhythm. Such skillsets were what made former CSK captain MS Dhoni, a few years ago, call Pathirana, who turns 23 next week, an asset to treasure as well as protect for his longevity.Dhoni’s words have proved to be prescient as Pathirana has struggled with injury issues in the past year, which have hampered his on-field fitness and performance. And that was also the primary factor for CSK releasing Pathirana, having bought him as a replacement player in 2022 and then retaining him for INR 13 crore ahead of the mega auction last year.Pathirana, whose workload is being closely managed by Sri Lanka Cricket, is set to play in the ILT20 this weekend, where he is part of Sharjah Warriorz. Pathirana has listed himself at the maximum base price knowing several franchises need an overseas fast bowler, including both CSK and KKR as well as Punjab Kings (PBKS), last year’s runners-up.Why does he remain an attractive buy then? Pathirana has the fifth-best strike rate in the IPL for any quick bowler with more than 20 wickets. Since his IPL debut, Pathirana has 43 wickets in overs 11-20, the second-most for a fast bowler in this phase. Also, among pacers with more than 20 wickets in overs 11-20, Pathirana’s economy is second only to Jasprit Bumrah’s since 2022.Among the very few capped Indian spinners in the auction pool, Ravi Bishnoi is likely to garner attention•BCCIRavi BishnoiWhen Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) released Ravi Bishnoi, who they had brought in as an uncapped player in 2022 and then retained for INR 11 crore before the mega auction last year, it surprised a fair few. But Bishnoi’s numbers during his four seasons were nothing special, and his impact was further overshadowed by the emergence of uncapped Indian fingerspinner Digvesh Rathi in IPL 2025.Still, among the very few capped Indian spinners in the pool, Bishnoi is likely to garner attention, especially since Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) are looking for a wristspinner. CSK, too, could look at him as an option even if, barring Imran Tahir, wristspinners have not made a big impact at their home base Chepauk.Jamie SmithJamie Smith has grabbed attention for unwanted reasons in the ongoing Ashes. He would rather be known for the high regard in which he is held on IPL street, where some franchise think-tanks like his aggressive mindset with the bat.While Smith has not been able to display his skills in T20Is due to the presence of Jos Buttler and Phil Salt, his Hundred numbers are strong. Smith, who predominantly plays as an opener, has stellar numbers in the powerplay (first 25 balls in an innings): in 13 innings, he has scored 178 runs at an average of 59.33 and a strike rate of 176.23 with a balls-per-boundary count of 3.6.His numbers against spin, too – a big factor in the IPL – are strong. In the Hundred, against spin bowlers, Smith has scored 145 runs in 13 innings at an average of 29, a strike rate of 154.25 and a balls-per-boundary figure of 5.22. In all T20s, the corresponding numbers are: in 59 innings, 581 runs, 29.05 average, 130.56 strike rate with a balls-per-boundary figure of 7.17.At 25, Smith is potentially an attractive option, with several teams including KKR, Delhi Capitals (DC) and PBKS on the lookout for a wicketkeeper-batter.

Phil Parkinson's side have hit a rough patch, but is there really anything to worry about?

"You try and focus on yourselves, but there’s all these apps out there now on your phone, so it is easy to look at the table and the form of all the teams. You just have to be really disciplined and focus on yourself and each game as it comes. I know that’s boring and a cliche, but it is true."

That was Wrexham midfielder Jordan Tunnicliffe's neat summation of the pulsating League Two promotion battle, provided in the wake of his side's 1-0 defeat to Gillingham on Saturday. Since Christmas, the momentum in that particular fight has shifted from team to team regularly.

Now, provided Barrow don't piece together something quite spectacular over the next few weeks, it appears that there are five runners left in the race for automatic promotion: leaders Mansfield Town, Stockport, Crewe Alexandra, Wrexham and MK Dons, with just five points separating those teams from top to bottom.

It's good news for the neutral, with League Two set for one of the tensest run-ins for years. But in truth, Phil Parkinson's side have to regard the last few weeks as a missed opportunity to properly establish themselves in pole position in the race to League One.

GettyA concerning dip in form

That's because Wrexham are currently in the midst of a concerning dip in form. Defeat in Kent this weekend means Parkinson's charges have now won just twice in their last seven league games. There's no reason to smash the panic button just yet, this run did included a fantastic – if slightly fortunate – victory over last season's rivals Notts County after all.

But this New Year's lull has also included disappointing defeats to Newport County, Salford and Bradford City – all teams marooned in the bottom half of the League Two table. Wrexham were far from convincing against struggling Sutton too, requiring an 85th-minute winner to get past the division's basement dwellers.

They aren't the only League Two promotion hopefuls who have hit a sticky patch, though. Stockport looked dead certs for promotion before Christmas, but they are now winless in four, opening the door for Crewe and Mansfield to romp up the standings.

But that shouldn't excuse Wrexham's poor form. Dig a little deeper and there are several underlying issues that will offer Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney cause for concern as the season draws to a close.

AdvertisementGettyPaul Mullin not at his best

The startling underperformance of Paul Mullin is one such red flag. Mullin has scarcely stopped finding the back of the net since arriving from Cambridge United in a blockbuster deal back in 2021. But recently, nothing has been falling for him.

Mullin has now not scored in seven games, with Parkinson even taking the shocking decision to drop him for recent matches against Sutton, MK Dons and Gillingham. The first time it happened, the Wrexham boss was diplomatic, describing it as a chance for the "special" striker to rest up following a draining few seasons.

But, explaining Mullin's absences more recently, Parkinson said: "The squad is important and we will just keep looking at that, and freshen it up if we feel we need to." Those comments came ahead of the Gillingham defeat, and the fact that Mullin only came on in the second half in that one seems to suggest that his manager is not completely satisfied with his star man's performances this season.

Getty ImagesElliot Lee struggling too

Not all the blame can be laid at Mullin's door, though. Elliot Lee has also fallen into a bit of a funk. When Mullin was out injured at the beginning of the season, Lee stepped up to the plate, emerging as Parkinson's most-important attacking performer.

He raced to 13 League Two goals before Christmas, but since then his output has dried up considerably. Indeed, he's only managed one strike since Boxing Day, despite featuring in each of his side's 11 subsequent games. It was an important goal at least: the winner in his side's victory over Sutton earlier this month.

Like Mullin, Lee found himself relegated to the bench for his side's draw with MK Dons, and the pair's dips in form coinciding almost exactly with when they were handed new, long-term contracts is particularly unfortunate. As is the fact that their attacking team-mates have been unable to fill the void left by their lack of goals.

January signing Jack Marriott is yet to make the net bulge in six appearances, Sam Dalby seems unlikely to ever be properly prolific at this level, while Ollie Palmer – a key figure last season – seems to have fallen out of favour. Steven Fletcher has at least started 2024 strongly, but he hasn't done quite enough to arrest Wrexham's underwhelming form in front of goal.

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GettyA lack of discipline

Widening the lens across the whole season, another worrying trend comes into view. Namely, Wrexham's lack of discipline. No League Two side has picked up more straight red cards than them (four) over the course of the season, with the Red Dragons seeing six players sent off in total. Only Salford and Forest Green – both faltering at the foot of the table – have a worse dismissal record overall.

Impressively, Wrexham have still managed to win three of the games in which they were reduced to 10 men, but their luck has run out since the turn of the year. Back in January, Will Boyle's early red card for a reckless challenge against Newport County left them with a mountain to climb, and their Welsh rivals went on to win the game 1-0, depriving their opponents of the chance to go top of League Two.

And then against MK Dons, Boyle again saw red, this time 13 minutes from time. It wasn't quite as damaging, with their hosts being reduced to 10 men themselves earlier in the second half, though it did take the sting out of their attack as Wrexham pushed for a winner.

In reaction to this latest dismissal, Parkinson bemoaned what he perceives as harsh treatment from referees this season, after MK Dons boss Mike Williamson suggested the media darlings are treated more leniently than their rivals. "I've been constantly this season going through clips of decisions we could have got, penalties or red cards which were harsh against us, but over the course of the season you've got to accept it and it balances itself out."

Parkinson does have a point in some ways; several of these red cards do seem harsh on second viewing. Then again, some of them been deserved, and Wrexham need to make sure they keep their heads and have 11 players on the pitch at all times during the run-in.

The Dane was rejected by his boyhood club and sold off at a pittance, but quickly developed into one of the most feared strikers in Europe

Manchester United have a point to prove when they face Copenhagen on Tuesday, and so does Rasmus Hojlund. After making their worst-ever start to a Champions League group stage by losing to both Bayern Munich and Galatasaray, Erik ten Hag's side's future in Europe's elite competition is on the line.

Victory is a must if they want to stand a decent chance of staying in a competition in which they have barely made a dent since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement. And Hojlund could hold the key to getting those crucial three points.

The 20-year-old has made a flying start in the Champions League, scoring three goals in his first two games and doing his best Ruud van Nistelrooy impression against Galatasaray. Hojlund seems to come alive on the biggest stage, and he will be even more motivated on Tuesday as he comes face-to-face with his boyhood club, who broke his heart less than two years ago.

Getty Indirect route to Old Trafford

There are many ways to get to Manchester United, but Hojlund's is one of the strangest routes imaginable, the type you find right at the bottom of Skyscanner when searching for the cheapest flight possible. Copenhagen to Manchester, via Sturm Graz and Atalanta. Total price: €103m (£90m/$109m).

Copenhagen, however, saw just €1.75m of that when they sold their homegrown striker to Sturm Graz in January 2022 and must have been horrified to see him blossom into one of the top centre-forwards in Europe on his travels.

Hojlund, who is from the outskirts of the Danish capital, began his footballing education with local side HUI and a had a brief stint with Brondby before joining Copenhagen as a teenager. He made his first-team debut at the age of 17 in October 2020, ending the season with four appearances in the Danish Superliga.

He was given more opportunities in his second campaign, making 15 appearances, albeit only one start between July and January. He failed to score in the league but did manage to fill his boots in their Europa Conference League campaign, netting five times across 11 appearances, only one of which was a start.

AdvertisementGettyBlown away by Wind

Hojlund had his work cut out as he was competing with fellow Danish striker Jonas Wind, four years his senior, for Copenhagen's single centre-forward berth. Wind had scored 15 goals the previous campaign, and after a strong start to the season he was snapped up by Bundesliga side Wolfsburg for €12m (£10.5m/$12.7m) in January 2022.

Hojlund would have seemed a natural fit to take the baton from Wind as first-choice striker, but the club were not ready to put all their faith in the then-18-year-old and signed Senegal international Khouma Babacar instead on a free transfer from Sassuolo.

Envisaging more time on the bench, Hojlund left Copenhagen three days before the transfer window shut for Austrian side Sturm Graz.

Comparing himself to Haaland

Moving to Graz side felt like a sideways move at best, if not a step down, especially considering Hojlund's emotional ties with Copenhagen. But being snubbed by his boyhood club did not seem to affect his confidence. Indeed, when asked by his new employers what his playing style was like, he compared himself to Erling Haaland! He was thrown straight into the starting line-up for the next game at WSG Tirol and scored twice on his debut.

"Both in our club and in the media, people laughed or didn’t take it seriously, because he was only 18 and hadn’t really shown anything,’ coach Christian Ilzer told "But for me it showed how confident he was. After his first game, where he scored twice, all the journalists knew what he was talking about and saw that there are similarities, with their size, power and finishing ability.

"The pitch is a concert stage and he is a rock star that excites the crowd. He is naturally comfortable in the spotlight. That’s why he is made for the biggest stages."

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(C)GettyImages'An absolute machine'

Tirol defender Raffael Behounek was one of Hojlund's first victims and was left in awe after his debut. "He will be worth every penny," Behounek told . "He is an absolute machine. When he has space, he is very difficult to defend against."

Hojlund scored in his next two games for Sturm Graz and finished the season with six league goals. He was even more prolific at the start of his second season, notching three league goals and scoring in a Champions League qualifier against Dinamo Kyiv. Atalanta came in with a €17m ($18m) bid in August and the Austrians did not hesitate in cashing in.

"We were sure that he was a diamond that needed polishing. He had everything we were looking for in a striker," Ilzer added. "He surprised me in all aspects. His confidence and attitude for an 18-year-old was exceptional. Also his height, speed, finishing ability and presence in front of the goal was even better than expected. It was like he had been held back before. I wish I could have worked with him longer."

Mohamed Salah revealed that Micah Richards was his "driver" as they shared a "crazy" bromance during their time together at Fiorentina.

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Salah and Richards were on loan at FiorentinaBoth spent six months togetherForged an incredible bond of friendship WHAT HAPPENED?

Salah and Richards ended up in the Fiorentina dressing room after Chelsea and Manchester City deemed them surplus to their requirements and loaned them to the Serie A side. While Richards arrived on Italian shores in January 2015, the Egyptian forward joined him in the following winter. While Richards could manage just 19 appearances for La Viola, Salah ensured that he never had to walk alone and made the defender drive him to training and back home.

AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPWHAT SALAH SAID ABOUT RICHARDS

During an interview with Salah said: "Oh my god, [Richards is] one of the craziest guys I've ever met. He's really such a nice guy.

"My family were in London and he was alone and we would always go for coffee. I didn't have a car, he picked me up always before training and after training to drop me home. He was my driver at the time!

"And we had such a nice time. He pretended his Italian was better but everybody knows it was not! But he's such a great guy and we were very close and we just stayed in touch."

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Getty ImagesWHAT RICHARDS SAID ABOUT THE INCIDENT

Salah was sent off to Fiorentina by a disgruntled Jose Mourinho after the forward could score just two goals in 19 games for Chelsea. But the duo enjoyed their time in Florence and Richards admitted that he was shocked when Chelsea sold him off.

"We were in Florence, a beautiful city. He was like 'Can you pick me up in the morning?' and I said 'Yeah no problem at all' thinking his car was going to arrive two weeks later. I picked him up every day for six months!" the Sky Sports pundit said.

"But honestly, I know people talk about him as a player, wonderful player, exceptional, world class. But as a guy he is amazing. He's so humble, he's so driven, he's so passionate. He even said to me when we were at Fiorentina 'One day I'm going to be one of the best forwards in the world'. And he's stayed true to his word. That's the belief that he has in his own ability. I couldn't believe we at Fiorentina had him, I couldn't believe Chelsea let him go."

Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk was denied a late penalty in a Euro 2024 qualifer against Italy costing Ukraine a chance at automatic qualification.

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Mudryk denied late penalty in Euro 2024 qualifierItaly claim point to reach tournament insteadUkraine have a second chance in March playoffsWHAT HAPPENED?

Tied 0-0 going into the final stages of their last qualifier against Italy, Ukraine felt they were robbed of a clear penalty that could have sent them to Euro 2024. Mudryk met the low pass from the right into a crowded penalty area, beating Bryan Cristante to the ball and appearing to have his legs taken by the Italy midfielder. Cristante also seemed to immediately realise his mistake, throwing his arms up in the air as if to protest innocence and gesture that he had pulled out of the challenge. But the contact was there.

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With no penalty given, the game finished 0-0, which was enough for Italy to cling onto Group C's second automatic qualifying place behind leaders England. The reigning champions finished level on points with Ukraine, but could boast a superior head to head record between them following a 2-1 win in the reverse fixture in Milan in September. It leaves Ukraine, who have been unable to play games at home throughout this campaign due to the ongoing war with Russia, agonisingly third in the final standings. Had Ukraine got the penalty and converted it, the victory would have taken them above Italy.

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WHAT NEXT FOR UKRAINE?

Ukraine's chance to reach Euro 2024 is not completely gone and they will have a second bite at the cherry in the playoffs thanks to their performance in the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League. That opportunity comes from the fact that Scotland secured – arguably unexpectedly – automatic qualification for Euro 2024, meaning their guaranteed playoff berth dropped to the next best team in their League B group, which was Ukraine.

The playoffs take the form of three separate knockout brackets to determine the final three Euro 2024 qualifiers, each with four teams and consisting of two semi-finals and a final. All games will be played between 21 and 26 March 2024, with the playoffs draw taking place on Thursday 23 November.