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The batting orders for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game have officially been revealed ahead of the annual mid-summer classic.

While we learned last week—via fan vote—which players would make up the starting lineups, it's up to the All-Star Game managers to determine the batting orders for the contest.

Said managers—Yankees' Aaron Boone for the American League and Dodgers' Dave Roberts for the National League—revealed their lineups on Monday afternoon. Here's a look at each:

American League Batting Order

Order

Player

Team

Position

1

Gleyber Torres

Detroit Tigers

2B

2

Riley Greene

Detroit Tigers

LF

3

Aaron Judge

New York Yankees

RF

4

Cal Raleigh

Seattle Mariners

C

5

Vladamir Guerrero

Toronto Blue Jays

1B

6

Ryan O’Hearn

Baltimore Orioles

DH

7

Junior Caminero

Tampa Bay Rays

3B

8

Javier Báez

Detroit Tigers

CF

9

Jacob Wilson

Athletics

SS

N/A

Tarik Skubal

Detroit TigersP

P

National League Batting Order

Order

Player

Team

Position

1

Shohei Ohtani

Los Angeles Dodgers

DH

2

Ronald Acuña Jr.

Atlanta Braves

LF

3

Ketel Marte

Arizona Diamondbacks

2B

4

Freddie Freeman

Los Angeles Dodgers

1B

5

Manny Machado

San Diego Padres

3B

6

Will Smith

Los Angeles Dodgers

C

7

Kyle Tucker

Chicago Cubs

RF

8

Francisco Lindor

New York Mets

SS

9

Pete Crow-Armstrong

Chicago Cubs

CF

N/A

Paul Skenes

Pittsburgh Pirates

P

First pitch of the 2025 MLB All-Star Game from Atlanta's Truist Park is at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, July 15.

Rain seems to be following NZ at this World Cup and there is more expected in Visakhapatnam

Andrew Fidel Fernando25-Oct-20254:21

Preview: Will England’s middle order step up?

Big picture: Can New Zealand salvage some pride?There is very nearly nothing on the line. If England win, they finish No. 2, which does not change their semi-final tie – they will play South Africa regardless. But that little bump up the table will certainly help them progress if the Guwahati knockout is subsequently rained out.New Zealand leave themselves at risk of slipping down to No. 7 or 8 if they lose, but even that is unlikely – Bangladesh having to beat India by a significant margin. The White Ferns will nevertheless be intent on salvaging a victory from an otherwise disappointing campaign. They had had to endure two washouts in Colombo, but have only beaten Bangladesh in their completed matches, going down comfortably to South Africa, India, and Australia.It is also Sophie Devine’s last match in the ODI format, with New Zealand’s captain having announced her retirement at the end of this World Cup. Devine is 36. Team-mate Suzie Bates, who is 38, could also be playing her last World Cup match, though she has not herself announced a retirement.England, meanwhile, may use this as an opportunity to tune up ahead of the final. They have consistently put up the same XI most of the way through the campaign. Perhaps they will give some tired bodies a rest.New Zealand have lost eight of their last nine ODIs against England•ICC/Getty ImagesForm guideEngland: LWWWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
New Zealand: LWLLWIn the spotlight: Sophie Devine and England’s spin trioOne-hundred-and-fifty-eight matches, 4,256 runs, 110 wickets – whichever way you slice it, Sophie Devine’s numbers are immense. She had been the form batter of the tournament weeks ago, when she hit 112 against Australia, 85 against South Africa, and 63 against Bangladesh. The back-to-back washouts might have broken a litttle of her rhythm however. Can she regain it for her final ODI innings?Between Sophie Ecclestone (11), Linsey Smith (9), and Charlie Dean (7), England’s frontline spinners have 27 wickets in the tournament. None of these bowlers have gone at more than five an over (Dean has been by a distance the most expensive, with an economy rate of 4.73). They’d mostly had a quiet game in the loss to Australia. They will attempt to reimpose themselves.Team news: Will England rest key players?England may ring in the changes. With Sophia Dunkley not having made a major impact this tournament, could Danni Wyatt-Hodge come in? Could legspinner Sarah Glenn give one of the frontline spinners a rest?England (possible): 1 Amy Jones (wk), 2 Tammy Beaumont, 3 Heather Knight, 4 Nat Sciver-Brunt (capt), 5 Sophia Dunkley/Danni Wyatt-Hodge, 6 Emma Lamb, 7 Alice Capsey, 8 Charlie Dean, 9 Sophie Ecclestone/Sarah Glenn, 10 Linsey Smith, 11 Lauren BellFor New Zealand, there’s a little scrutiny on the place of Eden Carson, who has taken two wickets in the tournament.New Zealand (possible): 1 Suzie Bates, 2 Georgia Plimmer, 3 Amelia Kerr, 4 Sophie Devine, 5 Brooke Halliday, 6 Maddy Green, 7 Isabella Gaze (wk), 8 Jess Kerr, 9 Rosemary Mair, 10, Lea Tahuhu, 11 Eden Carson4:19

Healy, Knight, Mandhana, Devine, Dottin – analysing the best six-hitters

Pitch and conditions: Can the rain please stop?You won’t believe this, but there are rains forecast for Visakhapatnam on Sunday, with a cyclone supposedly brewing in the Bay of Bengal. So far this venue has seen medium-to-high scores during this World Cup, with India and Australia both having made more than 330 here in one match.Stats and trivia: NZ’s poor record vs England Sophie Ecclestone has taken at least one wicket in every match she has played so far this World Cup. Although she’s played only four innings, Devine is still among the tournament’s top five run-scorers, with 266 runs at an average of 66.50. New Zealand have lost eight of their last nine ODIs against England – a stretch that goes back to September 2021.

Chelsea are now considering a marquee transfer double deal to bolster Enzo Maresca’s squad ahead of 2026, according to reports.

Chelsea tipped as Premier League title contenders ahead of Arsenal

On the pitch, their Premier League title credentials are set for a stern evaluation as they prepare for a blockbuster face-off against frontrunners Arsenal this weekend.

Sunday’s heavyweight clash between the London rivals at Stamford Bridge will provide the clearest indication yet of whether Maresca’s youthful side genuinely belong in the conversation, or if they still remain a year away from challenging for football’s ultimate prize.

The debate surrounding Chelsea’s title credentials has intensified following their impressive recent run, with Maresca himself refusing to rule out the possibility, in stark contrast to last year.

Tuesday’s 3-0 dismantling of Barcelona in the Champions League demonstrated their ability to deliver against Europe’s elite even without superstar Cole Palmer, with Estevao taking all the headlines after his masterclass against the Catalans.

Luckily for Maresca, Palmer is back to full fitness and available to play Arsenal, with Maresca handed the desired conundrum of fitting both the England international and Estevao into the same team.

Chelsea’s boss has grown adept when it comes to tinkering with his side, having made more first eleven changes than any other manager in the Premier League by far this season.

However, they could hardly ask for a tougher test on paper than Arsenal, who are currently 16 games unbeaten in all competitions and fresh off a statement Champions League performance themselves.

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Mikel Arteta’s side have established themselves as the benchmark to beat, and their unbeaten seven-game run against Chelsea will gift the Gunners major confidence heading into their west London tie.

Off the field, BlueCo are devising yet more plans to strengthen the Chelsea squad in future windows, despite spending nearly £300 million in the summer.

Chelsea considering £120m double deal for FC Porto's Aghehowa and Froholdt

As per reports from Spain, Chelsea are considering an ambitious £120 million deal for two talented FC Porto players, with Victor Froholdt and Samu Aghehowa emerging as top targets.

Froholdt, a 19-year-old midfielder, has captured Chelsea’s attention through his exceptional composure in possession from deep positions. The west Londoners are apparently fans of the teenager’s technical ability, and believe he could slot in seamlessly alongside Enzo Fernández and Moisés Caicedo.

Meanwhile, Aghehowa also appeals to Chelsea’s recruitment team after his stellar 2025.

The 21-year-old striker has established himself as a consistent goalscorer in Portugal, bagging 27 goals in 45 games last term, and has continued that fine form by hitting double figures this season.

Aghehowa is a familiar name to Chelsea, having once come close to signing the Spain international back in 2024.

Both players align with their transfer strategy when it comes to recruiting world football’s most exciting young talents, but the competition for Aghehowa’s signature alone means this won’t be easy by any means.

Glasgow Rangers are currently enjoying the last international break of the year before their season runs through until March 2026, which means that Danny Rohl has two weeks to assess his start to life at Ibrox.

The German head coach came in to replace Russell Martin in the dugout, after the Scottish boss endured a dismal tenure in Glasgow, and was thrust straight into action with a Europa League clash against Brann within a couple of days.

Rohl has already managed six matches as the Gers head coach, winning three of them, and this international break is his first chance to settle down and take time to plan for the future.

The January transfer window is less than two months away and it will be interesting to see what moves the former Sheffield Wednesday boss wants to make with the squad.

It has already been reported that Genk central defender Mujaid Sadick is a target for the Scottish giants, with an enquiry having been made, which suggests that Rohl wants a new centre-back to bolster his backline.

Whilst incoming signings will be on the agenda, it will also be interesting to see who the head coach decides to part ways with when the January transfer window opens for business.

Rangers players whose futures may be in doubt

There are several players in the first-team squad whose futures at Ibrox are in doubt because of their lack of minutes on the pitch in the 2025/26 campaign.

Per Transfermarkt, Clinton Nsiala has not played a single minute of football under Martin, Stevie Smith, or Rohl, and that may put his future into doubt unless that changes in the next few weeks.

Football FanCast recently published an article suggesting that the 21-year-old centre-back should be given an opportunity to shine, after the Gers won seven of the 11 matches that he played in the Scottish Premiership last season.

So, whilst his future may be in doubt, Rohl should look to provide the French talent with an opportunity to impress before making a final decision on his situation.

Attacking midfielder Nedim Bajrami is another player who may be considering his future at Ibrox ahead of the January transfer window, due to his lack of minutes on the pitch this season.

The Albania international, who was signed from Sassuolo in the summer of 2024, has only played 170 minutes across ten appearances in all competitions in the 2025/26 campaign, per Transfermarkt.

Dundee

Unused substitute

Hibernian

Not in matchday squad

Kilmarnock

Not in matchday squad

Dundee United

Unused substitute

Falkirk

7

Livingston

8

Hearts

13

Celtic

14

St Mirren

Not in matchday squad

Dundee

Not in matchday squad

Motherwell

17

As you can see in the table above, the former Serie A playmaker has rarely been used in the Premiership this season, with zero minutes under his belt under Rohl in the division.

It was reported that there were offers on the table for Bajrami in the summer transfer window, which suggests that there may be enough interest in January to finally cash in on him.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ series has everything you need.

Whilst rarely-seen players like Nsiala and Bajrami may be moved on in January, rightly or wrongly, Rohl and Thelwell should also look to cash in on a player who is currently considered a first-team star, Mohamed Diomande.

The central midfielder was compared to Zidane by Turkish legend and TV pundit Nihat after the 3-1 win against Fenerbahce in the Europa League in March of last season.

After an assist in the win for the Gers, Nihat said: “Mohamed Diomande was brilliant – like the best of Zinedine Zidane – thank God they substituted him.”

However, eight months on from that incredible comparison to the Real Madrid and France legend, Rangers should ruthlessly cash in on the midfielder in January.

Why Rangers should cash in on Mohamed Diomande

Turkish side Besiktas reportedly made an offer of £10m to sign the Ivorian midfielder from the Light Blues during the summer transfer window, but that was not enough to tempt them into selling. He was also linked with a possible move to Premier League side Everton.

This suggests that there are teams who are interested in signing the left-footed star from the Gers, which means that there could be an opportunity to cash in on him when the January transfer window opens for business.

If a team are willing to pay £10m or more for the central midfielder in January, it would represent a great deal for the Light Blues because they only paid £4.3m to sign him from FC Nordsjaelland in the summer of 2024.

The 24-year-old star did impress in the 2024/25 campaign, with six goals and nine assists in all competitions (Transfermarkt), including a goal against Celtic at Parkhead in March.

However, the central midfielder’s form has taken a nosedive in the current season, unfortunately, and it may be the right time to cash in on him at the start of next year.

Appearances

36

8

Sofascore rating

7.19

6.45

Goals

4

0

Key passes per game

1.2

0.5

Assists

7

0

Duels won per game

4.4

2.9

Ground duel success rate

57%

46%

Aerial duel success rate

48%

25%

As you can see in the table above, Diomande’s performances in and out of possession in the Premiership have declined significantly, as he has struggled in all phases of play in the league this term.

On top of his struggles domestically, the central midfielder has started one match in the league phase of the Europa League this season and was sent off for a challenge on Genk’s El Ouahdi.

Because of his inconsistency, from last season to the current one, and his dismal performances in the Premiership, it could be the right move for Thelwell and Rohl to part ways with the midfielder in January.

Selling Diomande in January could avoid a situation where his performances continue to decline and he is worth even less in the future, and it would provide the new manager with funds to bring in his own players.

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Of course, the risk is that the Ivorian could recapture his best form elsewhere, but this could be the best course of action given what has happened so far in the 2025/26 campaign.

New Zealand-born seamer agrees move to Bristol on three-year deal

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Aug-2025Gloucestershire have signed seam bowler Will Williams on a three-year contract. Williams, who began his career in New Zealand but has played for Lancashire since 2022, will join at the end of the season.The 32-year-old has only played three times in the County Championship this season but had been offered a contract extension. In all, he has taken 99 first-class wickets at 24.29 for Lancashire, as well as nine in List A competition.Gloucestershire have been severely depleted by player departures, with fast bowlers Ajeet Singh Dale, Zaman Akhter, Tom Price and Dom Goodman all agreeing moves elsewhere. Singh Dale will move in the opposite direction to Williams, Akhter is joining Essex, while Price and Goodman have both signed for Sussex.”It is not often a player becomes available still in the peak of their career with a bowling record like Will’s,” Gloucestershire’s head coach, Mark Alleyne, said”That alone would have been enough to attract our interest, but after a couple of meetings, it was clear this lad is a lot more than a high-performing bowler. He has the character I love in a cricketer and is prepared to commit totally to the cause.”I look forward to welcoming and embracing him to the Glorious family; I’m confident he will be popular with players and supporters alike.”Williams was born in New Zealand and spent ten years with Canterbury. He has dual UK-NZ citizenship and has been registered as a local player since joining Lancashire.”I’m really excited for this new chapter in my life. Speaking to Mark [Alleyne], it’s clear the club has strong ambitions, and he’s made it clear how I fit into those plans,” Williams said.”From the outside, Gloucestershire has always looked like a tight-knit, hardworking group. I’m keen to bring my experience, learn from the environment, and hopefully make a positive impact on and off the field. I can’t wait to get started and to make Gloucestershire and Bristol my new home.”

Leeds United are in crisis up front. The Whites have simply not been good enough in front of goal in the 2025/26 campaign, which is no doubt one of the reasons why they are relegation contenders in their first season back in the Premier League.

This term, Daniel Farke’s side have only found the back of the net 11 times in just 12 games. That is worse than all but one side in the top flight, bottom-place Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Their expected goals tally is not much better, standing at just 15.21xG. The likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has one goal this term, have not yet got going.

With the January transfer window around the corner, it might not be a surprise to hear the West Yorkshire side are targeting a new number nine.

Leeds’ hunt for a new centre-forward

It is certainly frustrating for Leeds that they are in the position of needing a new striker.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Of course, they signed Calvert-Lewin on a free this summer after his deal at Everton expired, and Lukas Nmecha on a free following the expiration of his Wolfsburg contract.

Yet, here we are again, with the Whites back in the market for a number nine.

According to talkSPORT, the player could be AZ Alkmaar and Ireland striker Troy Parrott. The 23-year-old is said to be ‘high on their list of striker targets’.

However, they are not the only Premier League side looking to get a deal for the 33-cap Ireland star.

Fellow strugglers, Wolves are also looking into a deal, with the report suggesting a fee of at least £20m is what it would take to sign him.

Why Parrott would be a good signing

It would certainly be a good addition for Leeds if they were able to bring Parrott to Elland Road this winter.

He has been in scintillating form for Alkmaar, with 14 goals in 15 games this term, taking his total up to 34 strikes in just 62 appearances.

He is certainly a “rejuvenated” striker, according to football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Indeed, his underlying stats are impressive too. This season in the Eredivisie, the former Tottenham Hotspur academy star is averaging 1.04 goals and 0.74 goal-creating actions per game, which rank him in the top 7% and 2% respectively.

Those stats show just how effective he is in the final third.

Goals

1.04

93rd

Shots on target

1.63

93rd

Expected goals

0.93xG

98th

Take-ons completed

0.5

9

83rd

Goal-creating actions

0.74

98th

Of course, it is not just for his club where Parrott’s form has been excellent. In November, he became a hero of Irish football, scoring two goals against Portugal and then a hat-trick against Hungary to see his nation reach the World Cup playoffs.

The third goal against Hungary was an extraordinary 96th-minute winner.

If he were to move to Elland Road, the 23-year-old would no doubt love to replicate another former Irish striker who impressed in West Yorkshire.

Robbie Keane spent 18 months at the club between December 2000 and August 2001. After initially joining on loan from Inter, he made the move permanent that summer, before joining Spurs a year later.

He only played 56 times for the club, but certainly left a mark.

Keane bagged 19 goals in that time, which included three goals in the UEFA Cup and a memorable brace away to Manchester City at Maine Road.

It is easy to see the comparison between Parrott and Keane, as two clinical, highly-rated Irish strikers. The younger man, for instance, was even hailed in the past as the “best prospect” to have come out of Dublin since his compatriot, in the view of then-Belvedere F.C. Director of Football Affairs Vincent Butler.

The Alkmaar star is slightly older than the former Inter man was when he signed, yet both additions are examples of the Whites buying into potential and investing in the future.

If Parrott were to make the move to Elland Road this summer, he would no doubt love to follow in the footsteps of Keane and have the same sort of impact as his countryman did at such a young age.

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Rangers’ winning streak continues, albeit in far from convincing fashion.

On Saturday, the Gers battled to a 2-1 victory over bottom of the table Livingston at Ibrox, with Emmanuel Fernandez marking his first start since August by scoring a towering header, only for Tete Yengi to equalise soon after, but Mohamed Diomandé’s goal 12 minutes from time, Bojan Miovski putting it on a plate for him, enough to snatch victory.

This makes it four Premiership wins out of four since Danny Röhl was appointed manager, the Gers’ longest streak since February, albeit they remain fourth, given that Hibernian beat Dundee 2-0 at Easter Road simultaneously.

Next up, Röhl’s team will take on Braga in a must win Europa League tie on Thursday and, despite victory on Saturday, which starter should be axed ahead of this one?

Rangers' current injury crisis

After some very underwhelming summer recruitment, most Rangers supporters agree that their squad lacks quality, so, when that is the situation, the last thing a coach needs is a lengthy injury list.

First-choice centre-back pairing John Souttar and Derek Cornelius are both expected to be sidelined until after Christmas, after suffering serious injuries while on international on the same evening, doing so within hours of one-another but more than 4,200 miles apart in Glasgow and Miami.

Meantime, just as he had started to click into gear, Mikey Moore suffered a muscle injury in training, so is set to spend weeks on the sidelines.

The Tottenham lonaee had made an inconspicuous start to life in Glasgow, but had started to show glimpses of his talent in recent weeks, scoring his first goal for the club at Dens Park in the last game prior to the international break.

In the absences of the teenager, Röhl’s team lacked dynamism, panache and flamboyance in attacking areas, with the player tasked with deputising certainly not earning rave reviews.

The Rangers star Röhl must axe after Livingston

Röhl went for a more attacking 4-2-3-1 formation for Livingston’s visit on Saturday, with Thelo Aasgaard given the free role as the central number ten.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The Merseyside-born midfielder helped Norway qualify for a first World Cup since ’98 during the break, coming off the bench as his country crushed Italy 4-1 at San Siro last Sunday.

Thus, Aasgaard was handed a first club start since being sent off during the League Cup semi-final defeat at the hands of Celtic at Hampden.

Well, he certainly did not grasp this opportunity with both hands, as the table below documents.

Thelo Aasgaard’s stats vs Livingston
Stats	Aasgaard	Match rank
Shots	Zero	12th
Successful dribbles	1	11th
Accurate passes	12	16th
Key passes	1	4th
Duels won	2	24th
Touches	19	23rd
SofaScore rating	6.4	21st
Stats vis SofaScore

The statistics underline that Aasgaard was generally pretty anonymous during Saturday’s victory, completing just 12 passes and only one dribble, not registering a single attempt.

The most galling number is the fact that the Norwegian international touched the ball only 19 times before being hooked at half time, nine fewer than goalkeeper Jack Butland and six less than Livi scorer Yengi.

Writer Kai Watson asserted that Aasgaard went “missing” in the first half, adding that he “needs to offer something” and is “capable of much more than we’re seeing”.

Meantime, Aheed Abrar of Ibrox News exclaimed that the midfielder was “embarrassing” on Saturday, awarding him a 3/10 rating, while Let’s Talk Rangers believes he should not be an “automatic starter” over Nedim Bajrami, Lyall Cameron and others.

Thus, despite their ongoing injury issues, Röhl does appear to have better attacking options than Aasgaard, who did little to stake a claim for a start against Braga this weekend.

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By
Ben Gray

Nov 21, 2025

A war of words has erupted between La Liga and the Argentine Football Association (AFA) following scathing criticism by president Javier Tebas. The Spanish league chief used a recent appearance at a sports summit in Argentina to lament the state of football in the South American country and the way its institutions are managed, drawing a sharp rebuke from AFA president Claudio Tapia.

Tebas laments state of Argentine club football

Tebas has sparked a row with the AFA following highly critical remarks made during the 'Olé Summit' conference in Argentina. Tebas took advantage of his platform to express his views on the current state of Argentine football, particularly focusing on the domestic club game and its management.

"My first feeling is sadness because a country with so much passion, so many fans, and such a strong sense of belonging doesn't have football and clubs with the performance level to become a world power at the club level," Tebas stated during the conference. He went on to point out what he perceives as a "lack of potential" within Argentine football and claimed to feel Argentine by adoption, adding that he suffers "because of the state" of the sport in the country.

AdvertisementAFPAFA President Tapia hits back at Tebas

The comments from Tebas were met with an almost immediate and sharp response from Tapia. The AFA president took to social media platform X to address the La Liga president's criticisms, labelling them as an insult to Argentine football and its history.

"Our tournament isn't a league for the few: it's popular, competitive, and developmental," Tapia wrote in the first of two posts responding to Tebas. "To belittle it is to ignore our history and the contribution we make to world football. What can we expect now, if you've already criticised even the Club World Cup?"

Tapia continued his defence in a subsequent post, highlighting Argentina's status as current world champions and rejecting Tebas's interference. "We are the League of World Champions, and we don't accept insults from those who should be promoting respect between institutions," Tapia stated. He also addressed Tebas's comment about feeling Argentine by adoption with a parting remark: "And to be clear, you don't need to 'become a citizen.' Argentinians are born wherever they want."

Tebas also takes aim at Saudi Pro League

During the same conference in Argentina, Tebas also addressed the current standing of La Liga following the departures of global superstars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. While acknowledging he would prefer to have such players in the league, Tebas argued that the strength of a competition lies in its clubs and competitiveness rather than individual stars.

"I would prefer to have Messi, Cristiano, Mourinho, Guardiola, all of them… But that’s not the key to sustaining growth. Players are temporary; what makes you great are the clubs and a strong competition," Tebas said.

He then used the Saudi Pro League as an example to support his argument, suggesting that the influx of star players does not guarantee a league's status as one of the world's best. "Take the case of the Saudi league, which has major stars, but still hasn’t taken off as one of the best in the world," Tebas claimed. He insisted that La Liga's structural model and strict salary-cap rules have preserved its growth and that broadcaster contracts remained stable even after Messi's departure.

Tebas maintained that La Liga remains the second-best league in Europe behind the Premier League and is narrowing the gap. "In Europe, the Premier League is on top, but we come right after them. Below us are the Bundesliga, Serie A, and the French league. You can also see it in followers and engagement on social media. We’re growing every day, widening the gap with other competitions and narrowing the distance with the Premier League."

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AFPWhat next for La Liga and the AFA?

The public spat between Tebas and Tapia is likely to strain relations between La Liga and the Argentine Football Association. The exchange highlights a clash in perspectives on football development and management, with Tebas advocating for a European model focused on club performance and financial controls, while Tapia defends the Argentine approach, emphasising its "popular and competitive" nature and its success in producing world-class talent and winning international tournaments. This incident adds to the list of public disagreements involving Javier Tebas, who has also recently had exchanges with players like Thibaut Courtois regarding La Liga's plans to play matches overseas. The long-term consequences of this latest row remain to be seen.