An independent committee has found Gautam Gambhir guilty of “seriously inappropriate behaviour”, and handed out a four-match suspended ban

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Jun-2017Delhi captain Gautam Gambhir was handed a four-match suspended ban from first-class cricket for his altercation with coach KP Bhaskar in March this year. A three-member independent inquiry committee, set up by Justice Vikramjit Sen, comprising Madan Lal, Rajendra Rathore and Soni Singh, found Gambhir guilty of “seriously inappropriate behaviour”.The committee, however, suspended the punishment for a two-year period, ending on March 19, 2019, contingent on Gambhir accepting the ruling.During this year’s Vijay Hazare Trophy, Gambhir had criticised Bhaskar of creating an insecure environment for youngsters. Subsequently, the DDCA set up a committee to investigate the argument.”The Committee Members agree that considering the above facts and circumstances that have come to light, Mr Gambhir’s actions towards Mr Pillai with premeditated intent to humiliate the coach were highly inappropriate and of serious nature,” Sen said in a statement.”The position of a coach among the team members is of high respect and dignity. It is a serious disgrace to a coach to be humiliated in front of team members by one of the team members even though if it is a senior player.”The actions of Mr Gambhir, however well intended, cannot be said to be in the interest of the team, or its performance or the game as it was done on the very last day of the season and therefore could not have been any corrective effect,” the statement said.Among other decisions, the committee also recommended the creation of a grievance-redressal system for players and framing of disciplinary-action rules that would inform them of the consequences of a transgression.”It is also recommended that disciplinary action rules and mechanism of imposing penalty are required to be formulated to inculcate discipline in the team members and for predictability and deterrence, where players know that an act of indiscipline would have serious repercussions and are therefore deterred from committing them,” Sen said.

Tom Curran kept his head in the final over to carry Surrey to a sensational two-run victory in the opening NatWest T20 Blast game of the season at Chelmsford

ECB reporters Network07-Jul-2017
ScorecardFile photo: Tom Curran delivered a matchwinning final over•Getty Images

Tom Curran kept his head in the final over to carry Surrey to a sensational two-run victory in the opening NatWest T20 Blast game of the season at Chelmsford.With Essex requiring 10 off the last six balls, and six wickets in hand, Curran claimed the key wickets of Ravi Bopara and Ashar Zaidi to claim a memorable victory.Bopara’s dismissal off the second ball of the over ended a 46-ball 75, with five sixes, that looked to have put Essex in the driving seat.Earlier Dominic Sibley thumped four sixes in a swashbuckling 61 that enabled Surrey to post a challenging total of 188 after being put in to bat.However, it had looked as though sixes from successive deliveries bowled by Jade Dernbach in the penultimate over by Bopara – one straight, the other over long leg – meant Essex needed less than two runs a ball from the final over.The first ball went for two, but Tom Curran found the extra pace to beat Bopara from the next. With five required off two balls, Curran added the scalp of Ashar Zaidi, bowled to a full-length ball. The boundary required from the final ball as beyond James Foster.Essex had reached 25 in the third over when Varun Chopra left alone a delivery from Tom Curran that pitched outside off-stump and hit middle and leg.’Sibley unbelievable’ – Curran

Tom Curran, Surrey: “That knock from Dom was unbelievable. He’s come in not having played a lot of T20 cricket and he’s made a great stake for a permanent place in the T20 side. I thought he batted beautifully.”

Dan Lawrence, who had hit Sam Curran straight for six, followed soon after when he swished inelegantly at the younger Curran and was caught behind for 13.Tom Westley and Ravi Bopara put on 45 for the third wicket in six overs. But Westley was undone by Scott Borthwick’s first ball, which spun in and bowled him for 23. He had earlier edged Ravi Rampaul for six backward of square and then carted Dominic Sibley over cow corner for a second.Bopara hit Jade Dernbach for a straight six, pulled Rampaul for a second and hooked Borthwick for No3 as Essex accelerated. Rampaul went for 16 from one over, Borthwick for 14 the next as Bopara and ten Doeschate made hay.Bopara scrambled a single into the offside to reach a 43-ball fifty, but the partnership was broken by Sam Curran who trapped ten Doeschate lbw on the front foot. Essex still needed 52 from 26 balls, and 25 from the last two overs.Surrey lost Jason Roy to the fourth ball of the game, lbw to one from Mohammad Amir that swung late, and wickets followed in quick succession throughout, bar a sixth-wicket stand of 55 between Dominic Sibley and Sam Curran.Replacing Amir, two of Paul Walter’s first four deliveries were wayward and signalled as wides, but his third legitimate ball arrowed past Mark Stoneman’s bat and took out middle and leg stumps.Finch had already laid into Jamie Porter with a four through midwicket and a six over long leg off successive balls, and was similarly severe on Ashar Zaidi with a four chipped to deep extra cover followed by another six into the second tier of the stand at long leg.But Zaidi had the last word in his first over, tempting Rory Burns into a reverse sweep and bowling him.Finch reached his fifty from 23 balls with his third six, slogged-pulling Zaidi high over midwicket. But four balls later, in trying to work Bopara down to third man, the Australian top-edged behind for 56.Bopara had a second wicket in his third over when Ollie Pope pulled him to the midwicket boundary where Amir leapt to catch. Surrey had lost half their batting for 86 inside 11 overs.The fifty partnership for the sixth wicket came off 28 balls, before Curran on 25 gave himself room against Walter and lost his leg stump. Sibley lost the other Curran, Tom, to an inswinger from ten Doeschate’s first ball.Sibley reached a valiant half-century from 35 balls with his fourth six, but departed for 61 when he was run out off the last ball. Borthwick had his stumps shattered from a free-hit off Walter, but James Foster had a stump out of the ground before Sibley made his ground.

Cristiano Ronaldo sent a surprise gift to Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior after Portugal's win over Liechtenstein.

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Ronaldo scored against LichtensteinFired Portugal to a 2-0 victoryGifted match shirt to ViniciusWHAT HAPPENED?

The Brazilian forward has time and again shown his admiration for Ronaldo and had even voiced his regret at not getting the opportunity to play with the Portuguese at Real Madrid. Over the years, the two brilliant forwards have forged a strong bond of friendship and now Ronaldo sent his match shirt of the Portugal-Liechtenstein game to the current Madrid No. 7.

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The gesture from Ronaldo comes after Vinicius imitated the famous 'Calma' celebration, which the Portuguese was famous for during his time at the Spanish capital, after scoring against Valencia in Real Madrid's 5-1 rout on November 12. The Bernabeu faithful was elated to see Vinicius recreate their legend's iconic celebration as they roared “Vinicius Junior, lolololo!” hailing their young forward.

DID YOU KNOW?

Vinicius has a special place in his house, which he calls the 'icons wall', where some of the legendary athletes of all time are celebrated. It is a special mural, painted by Spanish artist Rene Makela, and Ronaldo is one of the sports persons who features on the wall alongside Brazilian icons Pele and Ronaldo Nazario.

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WHAT NEXT FOR VINICIUS JR. & RONALDO?

Vinicius is currently nursing a muscle injury and will miss Real Madrid's next La Liga fixture against Cadiz. While, Ronaldo will be back in action against Persepolis in the AFC Champions League.

Fiorentina defender Igor Julio has "already spoken to Marco Silva" about joining Fulham, but his potential transfer has now "seems to have vanished".

Will Fulham sign anyone?

The Whites enjoyed a successful first full campaign back in the Premier League following 2022 promotion from the Championship, having finished mid-table and above the likes of west London rivals Chelsea.

Fulham also briefly pushed for a European qualification spot but fell just short of Brentford, Aston Villa and Liverpool in that regard.

The foundations are certainly there but Silva may face a fight to keep his best players, with both Joao Palhinha and Antonee Robinson attracting interest.

In terms of incomings, Fulham could strengthen in a variety of key areas, with Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse, Japan international Ao Tanaka, Coventry City's Viktor Gyokeres, Fenerbache defender Ferdi Kadioglu and Roma centre-back Roger Ibanez all being targeted.

It is claimed Fulham may also make a move for Chelsea forward Callum Hudson-Odoi, as Mauricio Pochettino's side are prepared to sell for just £15 million this summer (The Guardian).

Another player to have been linked with a move to Craven Cottage is Igor, but according to a new report out of Italy, it appears he won't be joining the club despite behind-scenes discussions.

Vocegiallorossa.it, in collaboration with Firenzeviola.it, claims Fulham have been chasing a deal for Igor and he has even "already spoken" to Silva about joining.

However, as the Whites move on to alternative defensive targets who could sign on more "favourable terms", a transfer for Igor now "seems to have vanished".

He was initially the Cottagers' main target, according to this report, but it appears Fulham could swoop for a rival Serie A defender instead.

Who is Igor Julio?

The Brazilian ranked in Firoentina's top three for tackles made, interceptions and clearances completed per 90 in the Italian top flight – standing out as one of La Viola's key defensive assets (WhoScored).

Igor also has just 12 months remaining on his Fiorentina deal, and as he enters the final year of his contract, it is reasonable to believe the defender could be available for a fairly cheap fee.

The 25-year-old was one of Fiorentina's most selected players last season – even sitting sixth in their squad listing for most Serie A minutes played over 2022/23.

Igor, who has been described as a "crazy" asset for Fiorentina, may well have been an astute signing for Fulham based on these stats, but this latest report from Italy indicates he won't be signing any time soon.

Ramachandra Guha, the prominent historian who stepped down from the Supreme Court-appointed committee of administrators (CoA), has left with a scathing resignation letter that expresses frustration with inaction over conflicts of interest, superstar culture, poor treatment of domestic players who don’t play IPL, among other issues.”It has been clear for some time now that my thoughts and views are adjacent to, and sometimes at odds with, the direction the Committee is taking as a whole,” Guha wrote.Here is a summary of Guha’s concerns:Conflict of interest of coaches
Guha was unhappy with the system where national coaches are contracted for 10 months a year and then go away for IPL duty. Rahul Dravid, R Sridhar, Sanjay Bangar and Bharat Arun are examples of coaches who are, or have been, part of the support staff of both national teams and IPL franchises.Guha also alleged preferential treatment when it came to awarding these contracts. “The more famous the former player-turned-coach, the more likely was the BCCI to allow him to draft his own contract that left loopholes that he exploited to dodge the conflict of interest issue,” he wrote. “I had first raised this issue to my COA colleagues in an email of 1st February, and have raised it several times since. I had urged that coaches and support staff for national teams be paid an enhanced compensation, but that this conflict of interest be stopped.”Guha went on to mention an NCA camp where at least one national coach was not available because of IPL duties.Conflict of interest of commentators
Guha said Sunil Gavaskar was a BCCI-contracted commentator and the director of PMG, a player management company, which has Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan on its rolls.”Sunil Gavaskar is head of a company which represents Indian cricketers while commenting on those cricketers as part of the BCCI TV commentary panel,” Guha had written to his colleagues on March 19. “This is a clear conflict of interest. Either he must step down/withdraw himself from PMG completely or stop being a commentator for BCCI.”Without naming possibly Sourav Ganguly, Guha wrote: “One famous former cricketer is contracted by media houses to comment on active players while serving as President of his State Association.”Superstar culture in awarding national contracts
Even though the new contracts rewarded Cheteshwar Pujara’s Test performances, Guha also noted: “As you will recall, I had pointed out that awarding MS Dhoni an ‘A’ contract when he had explicitly ruled himself out from all Test matches was indefensible on cricketing grounds, and sends absolutely the wrong message.”Ramachandra Guha questioned awarding a Grade-A contract to MS Dhoni, who retired from Test cricket in 2014•AFP

Superstar captain
In all likelihood, India’s coach Kumble will not get an extension of his contract even though India have won every series bar one – a rain-affected T20 dash against West Indies in USA – under his watch. The reason being given by BCCI officials is that Kumble has lost the trust of the captain Kohli. The news broke a day after Kumble made a presentation for better contracts for all stakeholders.”Kumble was left hanging, and then told the post would be re-advertised afresh,” Guha wrote. “Clearly, the issue has been handled in an extremely insensitive and unprofessional manner by the BCCI CEO and the BCCI office-bearers, with the COA, by its silence and inaction, unfortunately being complicit in this regard.”Guha questioned the timing and intent of the advertisement for the coaching job. “If indeed the captain and the Head Coach were not getting along, why was not this attended to as soon as the Australia series was over in late March?”Surely giving senior players the impression that they may have a veto power over the coach is another example of superstar culture gone berserk?”Poor payments for domestic cricketers
Domestic cricketers end up making about INR 1.4 lakh for a Ranji Trophy match, but they are paid only INR 10,000 upfront. The balance is often delayed.”There are many more Indian cricketers who make their living via the Ranji Trophy than via IPL; besides, for us to have a consistently strong Test team (especially overseas) we need a robust inter-state competition and therefore must seek to compensate domestic players betters,” Guha wrote. “And yet, shockingly, Ranji match fees have remained at a very low level (a mere Rs 30,000 odd for each day of play); moreover, cheques for match fees sent by the BCCI are sometimes not passed on by the state associations to the players.”CoA complicit in Champions Trophy pullout threats
Guha did not spare the CoA for its inaction until the last minute when the BCCI delayed the team selection for the Champions Trophy because they were unhappy with the outcomes of the ICC meetings.The BCCI meetings that decided this course of action were attended by disqualified officials such as N Srinivasan and Niranjan Shah. “All these illegalities were widely reported in the press; yet the COA did not bring them to the notice of the Court, and did not issue clear directions asking the offenders to desist either,” Guha wrote.Not everyone kept in loop
In perhaps the most damning indictment of the CoA, Guha accused the commitee of changing its lawyer without informing him. “There were several crucial decisions made where all the COA members were not brought into the loop,” Guha said. “For instance, a capable, non-political Senior Counsel representing the COA and the BCCI in the Supreme Court was abruptly replaced by another Senior Counsel who is a party politician.”Male cricketer missing
Guha said he believed CoA’s inaction was down to the absence of a senior male cricketer in the committee. He said he had suggested the names of Bishan Bedi and S Venkataraghavan to the committee, but both of them were disqualified by the virtue of their age over 70. He then suggested the name of Javagal Srinath, but this was not acted upon. He ended the letter saying he hoped he would be replaced by a senior male cricketer.

Xavi revealed his admiration for Alvaro Morata and stated that he spoke to the striker over a possible transfer to Barcelona.

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• Xavi wanted Morata at Barcelona
• Admires the Spain forward
• Has scored 12 goals in all competitions

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Barcelona manager confirmed that he had a chat with Atletico star Morata and wanted the player to join the Catalan club. He also revealed that he admires the Spain striker and was looking forward to welcoming him in his team but unfortunately the move never materialised.

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  WHAT XAVI SAID

  Speaking to reporters, the coach said: "It's true that I wanted to sign him. There was that possibility. I was talking to him and I wanted him in the team, but it couldn't happen. He's a forward that I really like. Morata is a great forward. He is a generous footballer, who works a lot for the team, he works a lot. He goes very well into spaces and helps his teams a lot. I really like him a lot. With him and with [Antoine] Griezmann, Atletico has a world-class forward line."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The Catalan giants reportedly tried to sign the Spanish forward in January 2021 when he was on loan at Juventus from Atletico, according to . The former Chelsea man was not getting too many opportunities to play at the Italian club and was considering returning to his parent club before making a move to Camp Nou. The Bianconeri, though, did not want to release Morata at that point and thus a move to the Blaugrana could not take place.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ALVARO MORATA?

  The 31-year-old has had an impressive outing for Atletico in the ongoing season having scored 12 goals in 17 appearances across all competitions including seven La Liga goals which is the same as Barcelona star Robert Lewandowski. He will be next seen in action on Sunday when Diego Simeone's side lock horns against the defending champions in La Liga.

Southampton are now just three weeks away from beginning their first season in the Championship since 2011-12, yet there are still question marks over a number of first-team players, including both Romeo Lavia and Tino Livramento.

What players are Southampton selling?

With a host of Premier League clubs, it is tough to see how either Lavia or Livramento will still be at St Mary's come the end of the transfer window on September 1.

Perhaps a more pressing matter is that of the future of captain James Ward-Prowse, who continues to be linked with Premier League pair Fulham and West Ham United.

While players of Lavia and Livramento's quality come and go – a stark reality for a team outside of the elite – replacing Ward-Prowse could be even tougher.

That is down not only to the unique set-piece ability he brings to the side, but also his leadership qualities. After spending more than a decade as a regular, the past three of those years as captain, Ward-Prowse would leave a huge void to be filled.

However, it was recently suggested by talkSPORT that former Saints defender Jose Fonte could return to the club this summer, and that now looks an even stronger possibility after Lille president Olivier Letang confirmed the Portuguese is set to leave the Ligue 1 side.

Is Jose Fonte a good option for Southampton?

Fonte made close to 300 appearances for Southampton across a seven-year spell at St Mary's that came to an end in January 2017 when moving to West Ham.

The 50-cap Portugal international spent two-and-a-half years as captain of the Saints, meaning he is a natural ready-made replacement for Ward-Prowse in that regard should he return.

Indeed, he continued to prove a real figurehead when moving to West Ham, with goalkeeper Darren Randolph hailing him as a "leader". "He is loud and vocal and organises well," Randolph added.

Southampton have plenty of quality in their ranks for new manager Russell Martin to call upon, but they do not possess many capable of stepping up and leading in the way of Fonte, who Capology claims is on wages of £28,000 a week at Lille.

Being able to bark out instructions is one thing; having the quality to perform in the Championship at the age of 39 is another. However, Fonte started 30 games for Lille in Ligue 1 last season, suggesting he is more than capable of playing regularly despite his advancing years.

In fact, Fonte ranked in the top 12% of all centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues for passes attempted last season (68.72 per 90), as per FBref, and in the top 11% in terms of pass completion (90%).

That ability to pass the ball out from the back is a huge plus given that is exactly what Martin was after during his time as Swansea City head coach.

In terms of the more defensive metrics, Fonte won two aerial duels per game in Ligue 1 last season, as per WhoScored, which compares to 2.1 for Saints centre-back regular Jan Bednarek in the Premier League.

Fonte's team-high 3.5 clearances per game, meanwhile, was bettered by only three Southampton players who started 10 league matches or more.

While he may not be the colossus he was six years ago, Fonte showed last season he is still capable of doing a job at a high level. That, combined with his leadership qualities, make his arrival on a free transfer a no-brainer.

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in Bayer Leverkusen gem Moussa Diaby, as Unai Emery and Monchi get to work this transfer window.

The Spanish duo is due to have a busy summer as they bid to get the squad up to par to compete in the Premier League and Europe next season.

Monchi could provide his second masterclass in signing Diaby, with Pau Torres set to become the first big signing of his reign.

Could Aston Villa sign Moussa Diaby?

As reported by the Daily Mail earlier this week, Villa were named as one of the clubs interested in the Bayer Leverkusen winger.

The report claimed that the Villans had joined the likes of Arsenal, Manchester United and Newcastle in the race for the 24-year-old.

Contracted to the German club until 2025, Leverkusen would expect an offer in the region of £50m for the Frenchman.

Where could Moussa Diaby play at Aston Villa?

Making a name for himself in Paris Saint Germain’s academy, the Paris-born gem has sparkled in Germany, cementing himself as a favourite in Leverkusen.

In 172 total appearances for the Bundesliga side, the 24-year-old has contributed to 97 goals, scoring 49 and assisting 48 from the wing, seeing him described as “electrifying” by journalist Aaron Stokes.

With the ability to play on either side of the pitch, Diaby has proved to be a constant threat from the flanks, as highlighted by his 24 goal contributions in all competitions last season.

While many know of the wide players’ talents, not many are aware of his expertise on the level of former teammate Leon Bailey, who caused havoc playing alongside the Frenchman at Leverkusen.

The once frightening duo could be an incentive for Emery to hire Diaby, with the possibility that he could uncover the Jamaican’s form prior to his move to the Premier League along with the potential addition.

Across 119 Bundesliga appearances, Bailey contributed to 49 goals, scoring 28 and assisting 21 to highlight the threat he can pose on the flanks.

His skills have not yet been transferred to Villa Park, with him scoring just five Premier League goals in 51 appearances so far for the Villans.

Hailed as having “deadly wings” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Leverkusen were once spoiled by the riches of Bailey and Diaby, who as highlighted by the scout contributed collectively to 51 goals in 2020/21.

Emery could reignite where the duo left off, bringing a once-threatening combination back to life in the Midlands in the bid to improve the form of their winger as well as the overall form of the club.

Averaging 1.70 successful take-ons and 4.17 progressive carries per 90 in the Bundesliga last season, Diaby could be the perfect outlet on the flank to liven up the play in the wide areas at Villa Park.

The French "demon" – as lauded by The Athletic's Alex Barker – is also a strong figure in his playmaking efforts, averaging 1.93 key passes per 90, being a prominent presence in the final third for those around him.

Monchi could deliver Emery a masterclass in giving the Spaniard a chance at re-coupling the two wingers, in the hope to re-spark the chemistry once loved in Germany.

Liverpool are reportedly willing to meet Khephren Thuram’s €30m (£25.6m) asking price this summer.

What’s the latest Liverpool transfer news?

The Reds and Jurgen Klopp have been busy so far this summer in the transfer market as they look to improve on what was a disappointing 2022/23 campaign where they missed out on Champions League qualification.

Owners FSG have already splashed the cash by spending €112m (£95.7m) on two new marquee midfielders. Alexis Mac Allister was the first to make the move to Anfield from Brighton & Hove Albion, and the Argentine has since been joined by Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig.

Fabrizio Romano did hint that three new midfielders were on the radar for the Reds this summer, which may leave one more addition on the cards.

Reports have suggested that Southampton youngster Romeo Lavia could be on the way to Merseyside, with those at Anfield believing the player wants the move despite interest from Premier League rivals Arsenal and Chelsea. The Saints want £50m, whereas Liverpool are willing to offer £40m, however, Thuram, another player to be linked with the Reds, would command a lower fee.

Paisley Gates relayed an update from Spain regarding Thuram in the last 48 hours, claiming OGC Nice want to receive €30m (£25.6m) for the Frenchman.

The report states Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Liverpool are all interested, however, the La Liga winners cannot meet the asking price, whereas the Reds and Bayern Munich are willing to pay that figure.

Who is Khephren Thuram?

Thuram is primarily a central midfielder who can play in a holding role or on the left of midfield and appears to be going from strength to strength with a career-high €40m Transfermarkt valuation.

The 22-year-old, a France U21 international, has made 138 appearances for the Ligue 1 side and was the club’s sixth best performer last season, as per WhoScored. Thuram’s average match rating was actually better than any other Liverpool midfielder, so he could be a wise addition in both the short and long run.

Journalist Zach Lowy certainly feels a move could be a smart one, recently describing him as the perfect signing for Klopp’s team due to his elite ball-carrying and high press.

“Khephren Thuram is just the sort of player that Liverpool need to transform their midfield. Elite ball carrier for someone of his size and really effective at winning the ball high up the pitch — perfect signing for Klopp’s side.”

Lowy’s comments are backed up by FBref, who rank Thuram in the top 1% of midfielders for successful take-ons that lead to a shot and top 4% for progressive carrying distance.

At just £25.6m, under his current Transfermarkt valuation, Liverpool may feel that a deal could be a bargain in the long run, and by the looks of things, the Reds are willing to meet that asking price. As a result, a move could be one to keep an eye on, which could mean Liverpool lining up with Thuram, Mac Allister and Szoboszlai in a completely new midfield three at some point next season.

GOAL looks back at a wild campaign that was headlined by Inter Miami's mega move for the World Cup winner

We've finally reached the final match of the MLS season: LAFC at the Columbus Crew in a huge MLS Cup battle to determine a league champion. The winner will reign supreme after perhaps the most important year in league history, one in which all of U.S. soccer was turned on its head by one big signing.

Yes, this has to start with Lionel Messi, the player who singlehandedly changed the trajectory of the league. By the time the MLS Cup kicks off, it'll have been over a month since we've seen him in Inter Miami pink but, even so, he looms over everything that goes on in the league these days.

Both the Crew and LAFC can count themselves among the big winners this season, having battled their way all the way to the final. For LAFC, Saturday is a chance to go back-to-back. For the Crew, it's an opportunity to claim another title under a different coach, showing that the brand in Ohio is as strong as ever just a few short years after the club was so close to being taken away.

Aside from those two, though, who are the league's biggest winners and losers? GOAL looks back at the season that was in MLS ahead of this weekend's big game…

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  WINNER: Inter Miami

  In 2023, there may not have been a bigger winner in global soccer than Inter Miami.

  Lionel Messi, to many the greatest soccer player to ever live, arrived in South Florida. It's still a sentence and an idea that remains hard to fathom. After so many years terrorizing the rest of the world, Messi decided his next step was to come to MLS and, more specifically, David Beckham's project on South Beach.

  That decision paid immediate dividends on the field. The club went on to lift the Leagues Cup while embarking on a run more exciting than any this league has ever seen. That stretch alone justified the hype that came with Messi's arrival and, even if they did fall just short of a spot in the MLS Playoffs, that hype will carry into 2024.

  Messi has arrived and isn't going anywhere for the foreseeable future. Now, Inter Miami is positioned to build itself into a superpower unlike any American soccer has ever seen. As for the rest of us, we'll just have to see what comes next.

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  LOSER: Phil Neville

  He has another big job now, so don't feel too bad for Neville. He'll be getting the chance to prove his doubters wrong by leading the Portland Timbers into 2024.

  Still, for a while there, he must have been looking at what was going on in Miami with some degree of envy. Neville must have realized how close he was to hitting the jackpot.

  Dismissed just weeks before Messi's arrival, Neville paid the price for the slow start that ultimately cost Miami a playoff spot. At the time, Miami were the worst team in MLS, and that descent happened under Neville's watch.

  Still, one has to wonder what Neville could have done if it were he, not Tata Martino, in charge of a Messi-led Miami. Comparing the group he had to the side Martino inherited is really apples and oranges, simply because the former didn't have Messi, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets.

  It's safe to say Neville's time in Miami didn't go as planned, as, hampered by league punishments and roster restrictions, the Herons never really took off. Now, Neville will get a chance to prove himself in Portland, and it may just be his last chance at a high-profile job if things go south like they did on South Beach.

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  WINNER: FC Cincinnati

  It ended prematurely, but you have to give FC Cincinnati credit for what that club has built.

  From the Wooden Spoon to the Supporters' Shield, FC Cincinnati has legitimately gone from worst to first, all while turning their home stadium into a fantastic venue for soccer. That support was always there but, this year, those seated in the Bailey really had a team worth cheering, one that was as entertaining as any in the league.

  Led by MVP winner Luciano Acosta and USMNT hopeful Brandon Vazquez, FC Cincinnati had one of the best attacks in the league, even after selling star striker Brenner for a hefty transfer fee. Defensively, MLS Defender of the Year Matt Miazga was fantastic, when he wasn't stirring up trouble in the postseason.

  If the club can keep this group together, and that's a big if, Pat Noonan seems like he can build something great. There's a foundation there, one that won't let it sink back to the depths of yesteryear. Keeping Vazquez will be difficult, but Cincy is an ambitious club that can find a way to replace him.

  Overall, it was a fantastic run, even if it ended painfully in a defeat to Crew. Cincy is on the right path, and the odds are that they'll be back competing next year.

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  LOSER: Wayne Rooney & D.C. United

  When Wayne Rooney made his return to D.C. United, it felt like the club was ready to get back to its heyday. No, not the heyday of Rooney's time with the club as a player… the real heyday. For years, D.C. were a force and, with Rooney at the helm, it felt like all involved had the ambition to make that real once again.

  Now, at the end of the season, we know that didn't happen. There was no return to glory, and now there's no Rooney. He's gone, leaving D.C. at yet another crossroads.

  The team did get better this season, improving on a dismal 2022. Still, an incident of alleged racism involving their best player, Taxi Fountas, robbed Rooney of his biggest weapon, and it all went downhill from there.

  Rooney's best effort wasn't enough to make the playoffs, and it wasn't enough to convince all involved to keep the partnership going. He jolted back to England to take charge of Birmingham City while D.C. prepares for the latest rebuild.