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Sports announcers have become increasingly enamored with trying to predict what's going to happen next in the game they are calling because it's undeniably worth it if they turn out to look like geniuses. Sometimes, though, that foresight can have financial—and delicious—consequences.

One of the feel-good moments of the MLB season occurred in the fifth inning of Wednesday night's Brewers-Cubs game when Marquee broadcasters Boog Sciambi and Jim DeShaies vowed to buy mozzarella sicks for a bar in Iowa if they turned a 6-4-3.

And of course what happened next was Willson Contreras bouncing a tailor-made grounder to short and the Cubs easily completing the task.

The lucky bar in question was the Corner Taproom in Cascade, hometown of Cubs starter Colin Rea, who got the whole thing started by inducing the bouncer.

And the Cubs announcers were very fired up about the development.

They can try to tell you baseball isn't America's pastime anymore but how can anyone deny it when things like this can happen on any given night? Imagine the joy in exuberance in that establishment when they realized a free appetizer would be coming their way.

Beautiful stuff.

A renovated Santiago Bernabeu has played host to the first-ever NFL match played at the stadium, helping to elevate its status to a multi-purpose stadium and, Impressed with the revamped stadium, UEFA are reportedly planning to host a Champions League final at the Bernabeu in the near future.

• First NFL game in Spain

  A revamped Santiago Bernabeu hosted an NFL game between the Miami Dolphins and the Washington Commanders on Sunday. The game, which the Dolphins won 16-13, saw a huge turnout from locals as well as from fans abroad. As per a report from Defensa Central, the governing body of European football, UEFA, were surprised by the stadium's transformation. Despite having a not-so-healthy relationship with the club in recent times, UEFA did not shy away from admiring Real Madrid's innovative new-look stadium. They have also indicated a potential Champions League final taking place at the iconic stadium; however, nothing has been made official yet. 

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  Perez's plan is successful

  Back in 2023, Florentino Perez had pointed out how the renovation would pan out, explaining: "The investment in technology has been increased in all the areas of the Bernabéu Tour. The Museum will be much bigger and the spaces have been modified to make them more attractive. The traditional Tour has been extended with 2 new routes. The turf maintenance lighting has also been changed from fixed to variable spectrum, which allows the full range of natural light colours to be used, and this is the first time it has been used anywhere in the world with spectacular results. The increase in investment has also been allocated to improving the gastronomic services of the bars, which will represent a qualitative leap in the offer to members and fans. All this involves an enormous effort in the development of infrastructures, which, in addition to providing a better gastronomic experience, will serve to optimise the generation of income through this activity. In order to address all these additional investments and expenses, we have decided to finance ourselves on a long-term basis to avoid having to impact the activity and the club's outstanding balance sheet in the short term. The budget for these new investments is €370 million. Thanks to the financial solvency that Real Madrid enjoys, this will allow us to obtain financing under very favourable conditions, as we have obtained an A-rating, equivalent to that of the Kingdom of Spain."

• Barriers which can prevent a Champions League final at the stadium

  There is only one barrier that might prevent the stadium from hosting a Champions League final, and that is the club's will. In order to get hosting rights, the club will need to submit a bid, and as per the report, Los Blancos are in no mood to do so. Moreover, they are looking at this project to be one that generates a huge revenue. As per Defensa Central, this NFL game generated more than €80 million once ticket sales apart from other commercial activities and hospitality in the city. 

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  When do Real Madrid again play at the Bernabeu?

  Real Madrid have taken a major step in the reformation of the stadium, and that is to remove the name of Santiago from it. From now on, the iconic venue will be known as only Bernabeu and necessary changes will also be made to the logo, as per Diario AS. The stadium was named after legendary Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid player Santiago Bernabeu de Yeste in 1955. Notably, Bernabeu also performed the duties of a club president for Los Blancos. With the change in name, the legacy is not expected to diminish. But Madrid are currently not playing any home fixtures, with a return scheduled for December 7, when they take on Celta Vigo in the Spanish top flight. 

Sunderland have been riding the crest of a wave since returning to the Premier League from the Championship this summer, but the manner of Everton’s draw against the Black Cats on Monday evening has left supporters frustrated.

The Toffees took the lead in the first half and had applied the pressure on the Stadium of Light, yet to taste defeat this term and enjoying quite the resurgence.

In any case, this wasn’t good enough from David Moyes’ side, whose optimism and coherence were extinguished quickly after the interval, leaving the visitors rueing their slew of missed chances earlier.

Everton’s attacking concerns have gone beyond mere teething problems at the start of a new season. There might be a lack of inspiration in the team despite the quality of some of the players, but the struggles of the frontmen make up the crux of Moyes’ dilemma.

Everton's goalscoring problems

Everton have scored ten goals from as many Premier League matches this season. Last term, under Sean Dyche’s management, they had as many goals at the same stage.

Frustratingly, this tally should be higher, were Beto and Thierno Barry not suffering from some dismal form in front of goal, the centre-forwards having scored just one goal between them in the league this year.

Against Sunderland, Barry was given the nod instead of first-choice option Beto. However, the £27m summer recruit from Villarreal was unable to capitalise; the Frenchman showed off his movement and physicality, but a horror miss to put the Blues 2-0 up before the break came back to haunt them.

Clearly, it can’t go on like this. If Moyes hopes to avoid the perils of a relegation battle this season and instead lead Everton back into the ascendancy, it’s crucial that a solution is found.

To achieve this, the Scotsman might need to think outside the box.

The Everton star who could move to CF

It’s probably a good thing to remember how far Everton have come since the start of the year, when positivity had been pulled into a vacuum with Dyche at the helm and the Merseysiders altogether rudderless before the Friedkin Group replaced Farhad Moshiri at the head of the table.

Connecting these two eras is the positive thread that is Iliman Ndiaye, who joined the ranks at Goodison Park in 2024 after a tough spell in France with Marseille. The mercurial winger completed a £15m transfer.

The 25-year-old completed the 2024/25 campaign as Everton’s top scorer in all competitions with 11 goals, and he leads the way once again this term, his goal against Sunderland on Monday marking his fourth of the campaign – and across just ten Premier League outings at that.

Given that Ndiaye laid on an assist during the defeat at Liverpool too, we can observe that he has been directly involved in half of the club’s top-flight goals thus far, corroborating presenter Jamie O’Hara’s claim that he is “one of the best players in the Premier League”.

Ndiaye’s dynamism and ability to adapt set him apart. Sure, he’s got “magic in his boots”, according to Everton writer Lyndon Lloyd, but he’s also clinical and mechanical in his ball-striking when the need arises.

Indeed, Ndiaye is far and away Everton’s most potent goal threat. His strike against Sunderland proved – if anything needed proving – that he can dribble from any area of the pitch and shift onto either side and strike and score.

And in this, he could be the perfect option to slot in at number nine, thus keeping both Beto and Barry benched.

Attacking midfield

52

16 (5)

Centre-forward

49

10 (12)

Left winger

41

10 (1)

Right winger

17

4 (2)

As you will note from the table above, Ndiaye is no stranger to playing across the frontline. Invariably, he finds the back of the net, and it’s curious to note that his most statistically prolific performances have come from number nine.

And though he’s diminutive, thus suggesting that Moyes would need to devise a new attacking strategy, Ndiaye isn’t without his combative qualities. Indeed, Ndiaye has won 6.7 duels and made 2.5 tackles on average per Premier League game this season, as per Sofascore.

His progressiveness on the ball, in a central berth, could also play to the strengths of those such as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who nearly found Beto with a line-breaking pass against Sunderland and could benefit from a frontman who is more adept at running in behind.

After all, Ndiaye is one of the fastest and most dangerous carriers in the Premier League, actually ranking among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers across all of Europe for successful take-ons per 90 (FBref).

There is a potential solution here for Moyes, who might not be able to afford to persist with his struggling strikers until the January transfer window, when proposals for a new number nine are sure to be canvassed.

With Tyler Dibling and Dwight McNeil among those waiting in the wings, Everton must act and push Ndiaye into a more prominent role, maybe ratcheting up the creativity and sharpness in the final third by doing so.

Taking both Beto and Barry out of the firing line might be a fitting option for a side seeking to redress the frustrations of the supporters. Already, fans will point toward a number of missed chances this season that might have put the club in a higher position in the Premier League.

The Senegal international is clinical and dynamic, and he’s proven himself to be the talisman in the final third for an Everton team in need of another dimension.

9/10 Everton ace was "always struggling", now he's as undroppable as Ndiaye

David Moyes has rekindled the finer qualities of this Everton man.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 4, 2025

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O Flamengo abriu o placar com menos de cinco minutos na partida contra o Millonarios, da Colômbia. Pedro “foi o pai da criança” e fez com que os torcedores cravassem que o camisa 9 é melhor que Gabigol. Confira as reações abaixo.

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كشف فابريزيو رومانو، صحفي شبكة سكاي سبورتس، آخر التطورات المتعلقة بمستقبل نجم نادي برشلونة، والذي يعتبر أمر استمراره مع الفريق مجهولًا حتى الآن.

برشلونة يحاول تجديد عقود لاعبيه لفترة طويلة الأمد خلال الفترة الأخيرة، وقد نجح في القيام بذلك مع فرينكي دي يونج وجول كوندي ومارك بيرنال.

ولا يبدو أن برشلونة سوف يكتفي بتجديد عقود الثلاثي فقط، وإنما بات قريبًا من الاحتفاظ بمدافعه إريك جارسيا، خلال الفترة الأخيرة.

وأشار رومانو عبر حسابه الرسمي في “تويتر”، إلى أن جارسيا سوف يجدد عقده مع برشلونة خلال الأيام القادمة، وسوف يوقع العقد بشكل رسمي مع النادي الإسباني في الأسبوع القادم وستكون مدته خمس سنوات.

اقرأ أيضًا .. ديكو يرد على إمكانية عودة ميسي إلى برشلونة

وكان ديكو، المدير الرياضي لنادي برشلونة، قد أفاد أن جارسيا كذلك سوف يجدد عقده مع البلوجرانا، حيث قال في وقت سابق من اليوم الأربعاء: ”الأمر يتعلق بالتفاصيل النهائية، لكن إريك سيوقع عقدًا جديدًا”.

جارسيا يعتبر من بين أبناء نادي برشلونة، وقد تدرج اللاعب في الفئات السنية للنادي الإسباني، ومن ثم ذهب إلى مانشستر سيتي قبل العودة إلى برشلونة بعد ذلك.

وتغيرت مسيرة جارسيا بالكامل منذ وصول هانز فليك لتدريب الفريق مع بداية الموسم الماضي، ويستطيع اللعب في مركز قلب الدفاع والظهير الأيمن، وكذلك الارتكاز.

Some of the most expensive players in European football just so happen to be some of the youngest. The next generation is officially breaking through, scrambling to take football’s crown in the Premier League, La Liga and across Europe.

CIES have ranked the most valuable teenagers in world football, and some of them also feature in the 2026 Ballon d’Or rankings, with Lamine Yamal next in line to become football royalty. The Barcelona winger finished second behind Ousmane Dembele in the last edition and is highly-tipped to take his crown in 2026.

But he’s not entirely alone in that battle. CIES’ list also includes four Premier League talents, and as English football continues to attract some of the world’s best players, there’s no denying that it could produce its best generation yet.

Player

Club

Value

Lamine Yamal

Barcelona

€349.6m

Estevao Willian

Chelsea

€118.1m

Pau Cubarsi

Barcelona

€112.7m

Franco Mastantuono

Real Madrid

€102.4m

Warren Zaire-Emery

PSG

€92.3m

Ethan Nwaneri

Arsenal

€88.1m

Myles Lewis-Skelly

Arsenal

€84.8m

Geovany Quenda

Sporting CP

€80.2m

Endrick Felipe

Real Madrid

€73.2m

Lucas Bergvall

Tottenham

€68m

10 Lucas Bergvall (Tottenham): €68m

At just 19 years old, Lucas Bergvall is already an important member of Thomas Frank’s squad at Tottenham Hotspur. One of four Premier League players in the top 10, the Swede is valued at as much as €68m. The only way is up for the midfielder and that value, too. Whether that development ends in North London is the big question.

Bergvall has the talent to reach the highest heights in the Premier League – something that has not historically arrived at Spurs. Having already had a taste of trophies when winning the Europa League last season, the teenager will be one to watch in the coming years.

9 Endrick Felipe (Real Madrid): €73.2m

Although Endrick has endured a tough time under Xabi Alonso and is likely to head out on loan in the January transfer window, he remains one of the most impressive teenagers in European football. The Brazilian arrived in Spain for as much as €72m in 2022 and has since maintained that value in the last two years.

Now 19 years old, he simply needs the game time that he won’t be getting any time soon at Real Madrid. Whether that means a move to the Premier League or elsewhere remains to be seen. The likes of West Ham United and Manchester United have already been mentioned as reported suitors in what would be quite the move this winter.

8 Geovany Quenda (Sporting CP): €80.2m

Geovany Quenda’s place on this list comes as no surprise. The impressive winger is already reportedly on his way to Chelsea next summer after the Blues agreed a deal worth a combined £62.4m (€71m) to sign both him and teammate Dario Essugo in advance. Those at Stamford Bridge have made a reputation for sweeping up young players in recent years and Quenda will be next to arrive.

Chelsea should be glad that they got in when they did. According to CIES, the 18-year-old is now valued at as much as €80.2m on his own, let alone with Essugo. Set to combine with the likes of Cole Palmer and others next season, Enzo Maresca will be hoping to see a teenage star realise his potential in full at Stamford Bridge.

7 Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal): €84.2m

An England international and mainstay in the Arsenal squad, it feels absurd that Myles Lewis-Skelly is still just 19 years old. The Gunners’ famous Hale End academy has produced yet another gem and one of the most valued teenagers in European football. Although, it’s difficult to imagine the left-back being anywhere but in North London.

It’s a scary thought that the best is yet to come from Lewis-Skelly, who is already valued at as much as €84.2m by CIES and is set to play a crucial part in Arsenal’s Premier League title ambitions.

6 Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal): €88.1m

Speaking of Hale End graduates, Ethan Nwaneri has been valued at a staggering €88.1m by CIES – making him the sixth most-valued teenager in European football.

Like Lewis-Skelly, the 18-year-old’s inclusion is no real surprise. The impressive attacker hasn’t been without his injury issues at times, but if any onlooker wants to discover his talent in full, then it’s worth watching his stunning goal against Manchester City last season.

That fact that Nwaneri burst onto the scene just a few years after Bukayo Saka emerged proves just how stacked Arsenal’s academy is with the next generation of stars.

5 Warren Zaire-Emery (PSG): €92.1m

Breaking into a side as dominant as PSG’s is no easy task, but Warren Zaire-Emery featured in 13 of their 15 Champions League games last season as they secured European glory as part of a historic treble.

At 19 years old, the Frenchman is only likely to play a larger part as the years tick by, taking his place alongside the likes of Joao Neves in Luis Enrique’s midfield.

Meanwhile, if anyone wants to take the midfielder off PSG’s hands, then it could cost them as much as €92.1m. Having graduated from the French side’s academy to become one of their most promising stars, his future looks almost certain to lie at the home of the European champions.

4 Franco Mastantuono (Real Madrid): €102.4m

Into three figures, Real Madrid’s Franco Mastuono is worth as much as €102.4m, according to CIES. The talented 18-year-old only arrived at Madrid in the summer in a deal worth around €45m, but is already looking like an excellent signing for the future. Unlike Endrick, he’s been thrown straight into Alonso’s plans and has even earned a number of starts at his new club.

One of the best teenagers that European football has to offer, Real Madrid have undeniably landed another gem at what should prove to be a bargain price in years to come.

3 Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona): €112.7m

The first and only defender on this list, Pau Cubarsi already plays a crucial part in Hansi Flick’s Barcelona side. It speaks volumes that the 18-year-old is often selected over the more experienced Ronald Araujo and that’s reflected in CIES’ €112.7m valuation.

Whilst the La Masia academy has produced some great attacking talents over the years, they’ll be relieved to have unearthed such an impressive defensive gem and someone who should be at the heart of their backline for years to come.

2 Estevao Willian (Chelsea): €118.1m

In years to come, many supporters around European football are going to be wondering how exactly Chelsea won the race for Estevao Willian. Whilst the likes of Florian Wirtz and Xavi Simons have struggled to adjust to life in the Premier League, the Blues’ 18-year-old Brazilian has thrived in the face of endless opportunities at Stamford Bridge.

Although those in West London have missed with a number of young signings, they’ve undoubtedly hit the mark by signing Estevao. Their teenager is destined for greatness and is already valued at €118.1m.

1 Lamine Yamal (Barcelona): €349.6m

It was always going to be him, wasn’t it? Yamal isn’t just the most valued teenager in European football, but he’s one of the most valued players in the world. He is next in line for football’s throne. This generation’s answer to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo – that’s the level that Barcelona have produced once again.

Even with that pressure on his shoulders, the Spaniard has continued to thrive – becoming the main man at Barcelona in just a couple of years. Still just 18 years old but already outrageously talented, CIES value Yamal at as much as €349.6m – more than double the amount they valued second-place Estevao.

Celtic have won both of their matches with Martin O’Neill as the interim manager, after Brendan Rodgers tendered his resignation at the start of last week.

Following a 4-0 win over Falkirk in the Scottish Premiership, the Hoops beat Rangers 3-1 at Hampden Park in the semi-final of the League Cup.

Kieran Tierney, as shown in the clip above, came off the bench to provide an excellent assist for Callum Osmand’s first goal for Celtic, and he is a player who the next manager should look to get more from.

Why Celtic's next manager needs to make Kieran Tierney a priority

The Scotland international, who re-joined the club on a free transfer from Arsenal in the summer, should be a priority for the next manager because of his potential to be an elite attacking force down the left.

Tierney has delivered two assists in 12 appearances in the Premiership and European competitions, but he has also delivered two assists in three League Cup outings, per Sofascore.

The left-footed defender provided a regular threat at the top end of the pitch as a creator during his first spell at the club after coming through the youth ranks, as shown in the graphic below.

It was recently reported that Celtic are considering an approach for Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna, who has a £5m release clause, and he could make Tierney completely unplayable at left-back.

Why Kieran McKenna would make Kieran Tierney unplayable

The 4-2-3-1 head coach could make the Hoops star completely unplayable because he has done an amazing job with Leif Davis during his time at Portman Road.

McKenna swooped to sign the English full-back from Leeds in 2021, after he managed one assist in 14 games for Bournemouth on loan, and has turned him into an assist machine.

The Northern Irish head coach, whose work with Ipswich was hailed as “incredible” by Jermaine Jenas, leans heavily on overlapping runs from his left-back to create chances by playing out from an opposition press to create overloads on the flank.

That is not limited to Davis’ individual quality, as shown in the clip above, as Conor Townsend proved to be effective in that tactic against Bournemouth in the Premier League.

McKenna’s way of using his left-back to create chances consistently has proven to be an effective tool, as he won promotion from League One and the Championship in successive seasons.

Leif Davis’ creative form under Kieran McKenna
Season	Appearances	Big chances created	Assists
25/26 (Championship)	13	3	1
24/25 (Premier League)	33	12	2
23/24 (Championship)	44	16	18
22/23 (League One)	45	12	14
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Davis has been unplayable for the majority of his Ipswich career under McKenna, with at least 12 ‘big chances’ created in all three of his full seasons at Portman Road, including in the Premier League last term.

These statistics show that the Ipswich manager’s tactics are effective and can allow an attack-minded left-back to truly thrive as a creative force at the top end of the pitch.

Given Tierney’s quality when he gets into advanced positions, as evidenced by his assist haul from his first spell, the Scottish defender could be unlocked under McKenna’s management.

The former Arsenal man, who has registered four assists in all competitions for the club this season, could become completely unplayable, just like Davis, because of his ability to provide overlapping runs and quality crosses.

Tierney, as shown in the clip above, has the quality to take players on to assist his teammates, so imagine how effective he could be in a side that is constantly looking to create space for him down the left.

Their own Klopp: Celtic can replace O'Neill with "kamikaze" 4-3-3 manager

Celtic could find their own version of Jurgen Klopp by hiring this reported managerial target.

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Dan Emery

Nov 5, 2025

The Scottish star could become completely unplayable for the Hoops, which is one reason why McKenna could be an exciting appointment for the club.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman has seen all the chatter online about him being “asleep on the job” this offseason since New York hasn’t made a big move yet. At least not the moves fans are really hoping for—like bringing back Cody Bellinger or signing Kyle Tucker, for example.

Cashman poked fun at himself by creating the “meme”—a word he hilariously pronounced incorrectly—when he participated in the Covenant House Sleep Out in New York on Thursday night. As he cuddled up on the ground in a sleeping bag, this is what he told reporters:

“You know this is a meme about how Brian Cashman’s asleep on the job and not doing his job, ‘cause I’ve seen that all over social media.”

Don’t worry, Yankees fans. Cashman also shared with reporters on Thursday that he’s making strides to figure out the moves the team wants to make this offseason. He’s already started conversations about Bellinger and Tucker, and he’s spoken with other teams about other moves. Apart from Tucker, he’s also started talks about bringing back Paul Goldschmidt and potentially acquiring Michael King and Kyle Schwarber this offseason. He’s not totally sleeping on the job.

Mariners star Cal Raleigh may have all but locked up the American League MVP award on Wednesday night when he blasted his 60th home run of the season, becoming the seventh player in MLB history to hit 60 home runs or more in one campaign.

With four games to play, Raleigh sits just two home runs away from tying the American League record set by Aaron Judge in 2022, and three away from breaking it. Ironically, Judge and Raleigh are neck-and-neck in the AL MVP race.

Only Roger Maris, Judge, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds have hit more home runs in a single season than Raleigh. Raleigh's 60th home run tied Babe Ruth's mark set in 1927.

The Mariners went on to beat the Rockies on Wednesday night to move to 89-69 on the season. There's no doubt there's more to come from Raleigh in what remains of the regular season, and into what should be a raucous postseason atmosphere at T-Mobile Park.

The incessant rain couldn’t quite spoil the occasion, sparked by a social-media call to action, and the fans will have one more go at their white-shirt tribute to Virat Kohli on May 23

Ashish Pant18-May-2025The periphery of the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on IPL match days is a hive of activity. The hawkers selling Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) jerseys and caps and flags, fans looking for any last-minute tickets, those with tickets searching for their gates, and most wearing the RCB red and gold, invariably with “Virat 18” on the back.The vibe was pretty much the same when IPL 2025 resumed after a week-long break in Bengaluru, with RCB taking on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). But there was one visible change. Yes, there were plenty of red jerseys, but amid those were white shirts… a lot of them.It started with a simple social media post, which called on RCB fans to pay tribute to Virat Kohli’s Test legacy by wearing a white Kohli shirt to the RCB-KKR game after he had announced his retirement from the format last week. The posts multiplied and soon went viral. But would people actually turn up in whites? The answer was a resounding yes.Related

• Kohli and Test cricket gave each other their best

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• IPL 2025 playoff scenarios – RCB need one point, KKR eliminated

The signs were there on the eve of the game when some hawkers outside the venue were spotted selling white India jerseys with “Virat 18” on the back, and they had plenty of takers. On match day, it became even bigger. The usual RCB jerseys were available in huge numbers, but the white ones quickly became the crowd favourite. They were everywhere and everyone wanted to have a piece of it. Women, men, children – Bengaluru had turned white for their “King”.The IPL is a lot about the glitz, the loud music, the colour, the buzz, the vibrancy. The red RCB flags and the red and gold jerseys are as much a part of the Chinnaswamy feel as are the “Aaar-ceee-beee” chants. But Saturday wasn’t usual. This was Kohli’s first game after his retirement from Test cricket. So it didn’t matter that the forecast was for incessant rain in the evening, which ended up washing the game out. The fans wanted to be there and white was their colour of choice.”I got to know about this through Instagram. I didn’t even have a ticket for this game, I somehow scrambled for it today and got it,” Naman, an RCB fan, said when we caught up with him. “Virat Kohli is the best cricketer I have ever seen, and it was my duty to give him a tribute. He shouldn’t have retired.”

Chinnaswamy stadium is a proper vibe today. A sea of white amidst the usual red #RCBvKKR #ViratKohli pic.twitter.com/lQqNLaawhN

— Ashish Pant (@ashishpant43) May 17, 2025