La Liga have requested Barcelona's clash with Real Madrid on Oct. 26 be moved from Camp Nou to the Bernabeu amid protests in the Catalan city following the jail sentences handed down to several separatist leaders.

Real Madrid are surprised at the request and, sources have told ESPN FC, are reluctant to agree to a change of venue.

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Sources at Barcelona confirmed to ESPN FC that they received a request to change the venue but are clear their intention is to play the match at Camp Nou. The Spanish federation (RFEF) said that both clubs have until Monday to present their cases, at which time, the federation will make a decision.

Also on Wednesday, the RFEF's anti-violence committee declared the match "high risk," although that is a common designation in matches of this calibre, according to federation officials.

"We have requested the RFEF's competition committee meet and change the location of the Clasico to Madrid because of exceptional circumstances beyond our control," a La Liga spokesman said.

Barca understand there is a lot of unrest in the city at present, but do not believe the best solution is to move the venue of the Clasico.

"We need to remain relaxed and believe that a football match does not need to become and hotbed for conflict," a Barca source told ESPN FC. "It is the match everyone is waiting for and as a club need to act responsibly."

Barca will wait and see the developments of the unrest. Road blocks remain a constant issue, while there was also an attempt by protestors to take over the El Prat airport and several train lines were sabotaged in the wake of the tribunal's decision to hand down jail terms of between nine and 13 years to nine leaders of the Catalan independence movement.

The same sources added: "We cannot turn this match into a non-footballing spectacle."

Barcelona are aware they have many fans outside of the city who have bought matchday tickets as well as flights and hotel reservations, which they will be unable to change at such short notice.

Following the sentences handed down, Barca released a statement which said "prison is not the solution" and calling for dialogue between Spanish and Catalan politicians.

Meanwhile, sources have told ESPN FC that Barca have been forced to change their travel plans for Saturday's clash Eibar.

Former Paris Saint-Germain right-back Dani Alves has accused the city of Paris of being racist after leaving to join Sao Paulo in the summer.

Alves, 36, returned to Brazil to play club football for the first time in nearly 20 years when he completed a free transfer in August after two years at Parc des Princes.

Despite Alves being prepared to extend his stay with PSG, the former Barcelona, Juventus and Sevilla man told GQ in Brazil of his disgust at his experience of Parisian life and his preference for the life he enjoyed while playing in Spain.

"Paris is a stressful city -- I do not like it that much," Alves said. "If you go there for a week, it will be the trip of a lifetime. More than that, though, and it gets on your nerves.

"It reminds me a bit of Sao Paulo. However, in Paris, they are f---ing racists. Very much so. They did nothing towards me, as I would have told them where to go, but I saw it with my friends."

Alves added two Ligue 1, one Coupe de France, one Coupe de la Ligue and two Trophee des Champions titles to his impressive collection of silverware during his time with PSG.

Although he told ESPN FC of his desire to sample the 'exciting' Premier League as recently as May, Alves ultimately opted to return home to Brazil with childhood club Sao Paulo.

He was also voted MVP at this summer's Copa America as Brazil won the title on home soil.

The tourism office of Paris was not immediately available for comment in response to Alves' comments.

Oct. 16, 2004 will forever be remembered as a seminal moment in the history of Barcelona. That was the day that Lionel Messi, a floppy-haired and relatively unknown teenager at the time, made his professional debut for the club in a league game against local rivals Espanyol.

Messi only came on for the final seven minutes, replacing goal scorer Deco as Barca won 1-0 at the Olympic Stadium in the hills of Montjuic. He had little real impact on the game but would go on to make a huge impact on the club.

In the years prior to Messi's debut -- Barca were founded in 1899 and La Liga began in 1929 -- the Blaugrana had won 16 league titles, one Champions League and zero Club World Cups. In the years since, they've won 10 more league titles, been crowned champions of Europe on another four occasions and have lifted the Club World Cup three times. Meanwhile, Messi has been crowned the world's best player on six separate occasions and scored more than 600 goals.

It's a lot to pack into 15 years but by the same token, the time has also flown by. To mark the anniversary of his debut, ESPN writers Jordi Blanco, Moises Llorens and Sam Marsden look back on that day, speaking to those who knew him best at the time and those who were involved in the game.

'I signed him on a paper napkin ... because I couldn't let him get away'

Before Messi made his official debut, he already had caught the eye in a friendly against Juventus at Camp Nou. However, in a world without social media, there wasn't as much expectation as there might have been in the modern era. Just how much did people know about Messi at the time?

MIGUEL ANGEL LOTINA was the Espanyol manager when Messi made his derby against Barca's Catalan rivals. Lotina also has coached Real Sociedad, Deportivo La Coruna and Villarreal, among others, and is currently in charge of Japanese side Cerezo Osaka.

"When I first took over at Espanyol in 2004, [assistant manager] Tintin Marquez spoke to me about Messi. That was the first time I'd really heard of him. He told me he was a really, really skillful player and that he was brilliant in one-on-one situations. On top of that, he also scored lots of goals.

"We wanted to bring him to Espanyol on loan that summer. At the time, he didn't have a Spanish passport and Barca's three non-EU places in the first-team squad were all occupied. Then, around the time we were pushing for a deal, he played the second half of the Joan Gamper trophy against Juventus. He played so well that Barca accelerated the issue with the passport so that they could have him with the first team that season."

CARLES REXACH played 449 matches for Barcelona between 1966-81, the most for a Barcelona player at the time. He was an executive with the club when he signed Messi, on a paper napkin, in 2000. He has always been linked to Barça and served as Johan Cruyff's right-hand man at the time of the so-called "Dream Team." He serves as an adviser to the club president.

"I was in Argentina when I heard about a kid named Messi and I was surprised that they were referring to a 12-year-old boy. At first I thought they were talking about an 18-year-old. Since I was already there [in Argentina], I figured I would go take a look at him and yes, of course he surprised me. He was physically very small, but I could tell he had an uncommon ability, a special instinct.

"Once in Barcelona I decided to sign him on a paper napkin that a waiter gave me because I couldn't let him get away. His father felt that things were not all too clear and told me they would leave. It was then I decided [to sign him] on the fly."

EUSEBIO SACRISTÁN was part of Frank Rijkaard's coaching staff when Messi debuted for Barcelona's first team. He went on to manage Celta Vigo, Girona, Real Sociedad and Barça B, and as a player he was in about 300 games with Barcelona from 1988-95.

"I don't remember exactly the first time I saw him, but I had heard about him and he was summoned several times to train with the first team. I do remember that we were surprised from the start by his daring. It was not only that he had an outstanding quality, but that he used it, and that on the training pitch he was not run over by the more experienced players. He played with an unbelievable ease."

MAXI RODRIGUEZ and Messi have been close friends since they met in Barcelona. The Rosario natives and Newell's Old Boys products shared good times together as one starred with Espanyol and the other rose quickly through the ranks at La Masía.

"I had never heard of him when I was in Rosario, not even when he started playing. When I got to Barcelona I was hearing about this kid from Newell's youth teams who was trying out with Barça. That's when I started to pay attention, and they would tell me from Rosario as well that a kid who was playing really good football was showing big potential at Barça."

"After a few weeks Horacio Gaggioli, his agent at the time, introduced me to him at La Pampa, an Argentinean restaurant in Castelldefels. We were there a good while eating meat and empanadas at this place next to the highway. The truth is we didn't talk much -- we weren't great at conversation -- but it got better after a while. That was in 2002, my first year with Espanyol. Messi was real tiny, and I'm not sure if he knew me from Newell's."

MANEL EXPOSITO, now a coach with Belgian First División A side KAS Eupen, played for Barça B from 2003-05. His time there coincided with Messi's and both debuted with the first team during a 2003 friendly against Porto in Portugal. An injury ended Exposito's time at Barça; he would spend the rest of his playing days with second-tier teams and won an AFC Champions League trophy with Auckland City in New Zealand before retiring in Belgium.

"We had practiced together a couple of times when they called us up for the friendly in Porto in November 2003, and I remember 15 minutes [of action] being more than enough time for him to exceed his potential. We hardly spoke to one another throughout the entire trip because he was the youngest of the five of us who were called up. Looking back, I get the sense that what was meant as a reward or opportunity for us to shine, for him it was just that one thing: the opportunity of a lifetime, the moment in which he would shock the world. That's where we started to see what he would become.

"It left an impact on me because he was a kid playing like a man, someone who would impose his will at practice and leave the bashfulness in the locker room. What stuck out was a focus that was so out of the ordinary for a 16-year-old kid. He was competitive to the max, much more than we were. He was promoted three levels right from the start from the B team, and we weren't surprised when he earned a cap with the first team that year."

HORACIO GAGGIOLI was Messi's first agent and the person who alerted Rexach to the kid from Argentina. He still preserves, in a safe, the napkin on which the first contract was signed by Messi, Rexach and Gaggioli himself.

"As soon as I went to the airport to pick up Messi and [his father] Jorge, I thought that my colleagues in Argentina had fooled me. The kid was so small, with the thinnest legs you could imagine. Despite all of that and despite the stress we felt at the time, being so tired because of the long trip and jet lag, Messi played a training match the very next day between the Children A and Children B sides. He killed it. He marvelled us all because of the way he moved and how he solved every issue the opponents presented him with."

JORGE MARTIN is the owner of Las Cuartetas in Barcelona, one of the restaurants where Messi used to be a regular before Pep Guardiola changed his diet.

"Messi used to come in regularly with his family. He also would order food from us. Sometimes he would come with [former Espanyol player and fellow Argentine] Pablo Zabaleta, with whom he always had a good relationship. The first time I saw him, he was with Gaggioli, who brought him to the restaurant. He told me the kid was going to be very good, but we never thought he would be this good."

'We found that nothing was too big for him'

Messi was named in a top-heavy squad that featured Ronaldinho, Deco, Henrik Larsson and Samuel Eto'o to face Espanyol. How much of an impression, if any, were people expecting him to have on the Catalan derby?

REXACH: "It was obvious that he was born to play football but I never imagined that he would go on to being the best in the world and today Leo has become the most important player in Barça's history."

SACRISTAN: "[Manager] Rijkaard handled things smoothly without any sense of urgency or burden. That night in the locker room, I vaguely remember that Messi was welcomed with excitement and was supported by the whole group -- especially Ronaldinho, yes, because he saw something special in him and communicated very well with him on the pitch. He [Messi] was very shy off the pitch but that disappeared once on it.

"Messi didn't play much that night, we were winning 1-0 and the substitution for Deco was natural and decided in a few minutes because we hadn't discussed it at halftime. It was anecdotal in a way, but it already left the impression that 'geez, it's what Messi does in training and with the same ease as a workout.' We found that nothing was too big for him."

RODRIGUEZ: "I remember the day of the debut, thinking here are two players from Newell's Old Boys facing off on the pitch face to face in one of La Liga's most important matches."

ALEX GARCIA was the only manager who had Messi for a whole season in Barca's development system. Messi joined late; once that season ended, Messi was already thriving between Youth B, Youth A and the affiliate team. Currently, García is part of the first team's coaching staff and scouts the side's opponents.

"The stars aligned for Messi and the best generation of football players in the sport's history to coincide on the same side. I remember watching a match against Espanyol and I was so excited to see him playing in the First Division; that is the goal of the development system, after all, and that's what all coaches want when kids join Barça. Not all of them make it, but those who do so do it as a sort of reward to everyone else."

MARTIN: "Messi came to Las Cuartetas the same week he made his debut, although I don't think he knew it [was happening at the time]. He used to eat Argentine cuts of beef, although his favorite was the milanesa [breaded beef]. He really liked it. We developed a good relationship, always respectful and mindful of keeping the distance. He gifted us a shirt with No. 30, the same number he wore the day he made his debut. He signed it and we hung it next to those from Zabaleta, Maxi Rodriguez, Javier Saviola, Mauricio Pochettino ..."

'He makes everything look easy'

Wearing No. 30 on his back, Messi came on as a right-winger in the final 10 minutes. He was just 17 years, 3 months and 22 days old when coach Frank Rijkaard brought him on. What was made of his debut?

LOTINA: "Even though it was only a few minutes, you could see he was a different player. But to be honest, you wouldn't necessarily have thought that he would go on to be quite the player he has become. It's not easy to do what he's done in the game. I think he's exceeded all expectations."

REXACH: "His debut was but another step [in the process]. It was a logical path but he basically accomplished everything we could expect and more. I was glad to see him, it was the first step in the process that led up to everything that came after."

SACRISTAN: "'We made a 17-year-old kid play. Fantastic. He has a lot of career ahead, let's go easy.' That would be the summary at the time. I don't know if those were the exact words but something similar.

"Did he exceed what was expected at that time? No doubt about it."

RODRIGUEZ: "I was amazed by his skill and natural ability. He stared down his opponent so naturally and that really caught our attention given his age. Messi was never afraid to face his opponent. He was fast and strong despite being just a boy. Of course, I wasn't aware that Rijkaard had called him up. We had a lot going on at Espanyol. What stood out about Messi then is what stands out now: He makes everything look easy. We speak frequently now to each other but after that match we just greeted each other, that's it."

EXPOSITO: "We had played [a reserves game] the previous Sunday against Huesca at the Mini [Stadium, then home to Barça's reserves] and his call-up to the first team didn't take us by surprise. We were watching on TV and went nuts when he came in for Deco. He came close to beating [Espanyol goalkeeper Carlos] Kameni for a ball in the air, handled a play on the sideline against [Espanyol defender Alberto] Lopo like it was nothing.

"What really grabbed my attention was how he seemed so spectacularly in sync with [Barcelona midfielder Andres] Iniesta, whom we considered an extraordinary player, when they hardly knew each other."

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ALEX GARCIA: "The things Messi has achieved is something unique, unthinkable; however, we were already aware that he did things differently compared to everyone else. He exuded such confidence, despite not being tall, and had a unique way of solving problems in matches. That's why, when he debuted against Espanyol, despite the 1-0 advantage, I knew he would take on his marker as soon as he could, and that's what he did."

GAGGIOLI: "Right after the match, we went to La Barca del Salamanca, right on the Port of Barcelona. We also went to some Argentinian restaurants: El Laurel, in downtown, and Las Cuartetas. Our first celebration, if I recall, was with Jorge, his dad, and the two of us.

"Two hours after the match ended, my phone rang. It was a call from Espanyol. They asked me if we were aware that Messi was a Community Player since they were about to denounce us for fielding an ineligible player as he didn't have international clearance. Back then, there could only be three foreign players playing on a team and with Messi, there would have been four. We explained that as soon as he arrived in Barcelona was signed up at the age of 13, Lionel was acting as an assimilated player in development. If he had gotten there at 14, he would have been another foreign player.

"Obviously, [Espanyol] wanted the three points. The story didn't get any bigger, but that was what happened. Despite all explanations, Espanyol filed a complaint anyway; however, it backfired. Later, another team executive who tried to pull that off was Javier Tebas, who is currently La Liga president and, back then, was working as an adviser to several clubs."

Was it universally accepted that a star had just been born?

SACRISTAN: "For me, he has gone way beyond what I could have imagined because guessing the impact he would have was nearly impossible. Leo has gotten better day after day, year after year because at that time, you don't even think about whether he will have that longevity, one he has maintained with a phenomenal regularity for 15 years.

"I don't think there is a high-level athlete like him who has had the endurance to maintain himself above the rest. There is not one like him."

RODRIGUEZ: "After that match, Barcelona wouldn't talk about anything else but Messi. Barça fans were happy; you could tell they were proud to have him. He did everything so naturally. Even though he only faced him for a few minutes, he knew how to play against David Garcia, our left-back. Lopo and [Espanyol defender] Antonio Soldevilla also saw him up close.

"What Messi has achieved over the last 15 years in La Liga is tremendous. He has taken his place among the greatest, beyond goals and assists. Lionel's essence is football, and we should always appreciate the competitiveness he has shown us since Day 1."

GAGGIOLI: "We all saw that Messi was going to be an excellent footballer; however, as time goes on, we have realised he has surpassed any expectations. He is a monster; he is unique. He has won five Ballons d'Or and has been outstandingly dependable. He motivates all other players in trying to reach to his level.

"Rexach was the only person who really wanted him at Barcelona, and he fought to sign him. And look where Messi is now."

With additional reporting by Sam Marsden

TORONTO -- Just when you thought the mood music around the U.S. national team might become more upbeat, they produce a performance whose best accompaniment would have been alarm bells.

Two years and five days on from the Americans' calamitous failure to reach the 2018 World Cup, it is hard to detect many signs of progress and to see a way ahead after the embarrassing 0-2 loss to Canada, the U.S. national team's first defeat to their neighbours in 34 years.

It's fair to point out here that the Canadians, ranked 75th in the world by FIFA, are an improving side with two teenage attacking talents in the exciting Alphonso Davies of Bayern Munich and the prolific striker Jonathan David of Gent in Belgium. Davies gave the U.S. defence nightmares, and David probably should have scored twice.

But where now for the U.S.? What's wrong? How long have you got?

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Gregg Berhalter, a decent man and thoughtful coach at Columbus Crew SC, is 10 months into his first international job. Over that time, without facing any European opposition, he has lost twice to Mexico and once each to Venezuela, Jamaica and Canada. He is trying to impose his style of play on the team: a dynamic, high-pressing, adventurous and fun-to-watch philosophy. It's great in theory, but so far, it's clearly not working. Against Canada, the U.S. players looked like lost souls unable to remember the plan or implement it against a tenacious Canada team that refused to let them settle.

Berhalter speaks a lot about players' ability to absorb and learn new ideas, but you have to wonder if there is a bit of an information overload for some of them. They look confused to the point where even basic 15-yard passes were going astray. It was a horror show devoid of tempo or purpose. It was not, as some at U.S. Soccer might have you believe, a freak result or a fluke.

In addition, somewhere amid applying this new style, the U.S.'s traditional qualities of grit, character and fight have been lost. The response to Canada going ahead with just under half-an-hour to play was almost non-existent. But for some smart saves by Zach Steffen and interceptions by Aaron Long, Canada would have won even more convincingly.

At this point, Berhalter now faces the possibility of ripping it up and starting again. It has to begin with an awkward question: how many of those players he's selecting are really of international class?

There needs to be an injection of quality, admittedly not easy in this era after the loss of stalwarts like Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard, Landon Donovan, Carlos Bocanegra and DaMarcus Beasley. Michael Bradley, a fine servant over 151 caps and 13 years, is sadly not the major midfield presence he was. But where is his successor?

Then there is the Christian Pulisic question. America's new leader was substituted after an hour last night and looked distraught amid what looked to be an angry exchange with Berhalter. Later we were told he had "flu-like symptoms" but in truth, Berhalter made a brave decision to hook his star player based on his ineffectiveness. Pulisic is going through a difficult period, given his inability to command a starting role yet at Chelsea, but he is a good player who will probably emerge stronger for all of this.

The U.S. also needs Tyler Adams, the injured box-to-box Leipzig midfielder, back as soon as possible, while the Bundesliga experience of John Brooks will also bolster the defence. But that's not all; Berhalter, who claims not to read media criticism but can't be oblivious to the fans' disillusionment, has to look at himself too.

Is his message too complex for the players at his disposal? Is he putting style over substance? Does he need a midfield "enforcer" in the No. 6 defensive midfield position? The manager might even have to dust off his files of former players whom he's discarded but might be better than what he has.

What happened to Julian Green, Fabian Johnson, Timmy Chandler, Aron Johannsson, Danny Williams and Cameron Carter-Vickers, to name just a few? There are doubts about all of them, but Berhalter has to consider everything, including perhaps fast-tracking youngsters from the U20 team that reached the 2019 World Cup quarterfinals and going for broke in the battle to get Ajax full-back Sergino Dest to commit to the U.S. instead of the Netherlands.

Tuesday night also confirmed that Jozy Altidore, currently injured and rarely available in 2019, is still the best bet up front until Josh Sargent becomes a more rounded striker.

Great managers like Brian Clough kept it simple. Everyone knew why they were in the team and the job they were expected to do. Obviously, coaching styles have become more sophisticated in the modern era but that basic truth remains: don't over-complicate it. Pick decent players and tell them to do what they do for their clubs, which is why they were selected in the first place.

The U.S. are in crisis. Berhalter & Co. need to find answers before the next World Cup qualification matches come round. Events in Toronto underlined that other CONCACAF teams like Canada can make qualification for major tournaments like the World Cup -- something the Americans once took for granted -- decidedly difficult. The rematch with the Canadians in Orlando next month (Nov. 15, ESPN2) suddenly looks a huge game.

Ravi Bopara has bid an emotional farewell to Essex, his county home for 18 years, after ending weeks of speculation about his future with a move with Sussex that will enable him to focus on white-ball cricket in the final years of his career.

Announcing the move in a post on Twitter, Bopara paid tribute to his Essex team-mates and fans, in particular his "best friend" Ryan Ten Doeschate, the club captain alongside whom he has played his entire professional career, as well as Graham Gooch, his "greatest teacher".

Bopara, 34, signed off on a high for the club that he first represented as a 17-year-old in 2002, playing the decisive innings in the final of the T20 Blast against Worcestershire at Edgbaston last month before helping to seal the club's second County Championship title in three seasons at Taunton five days later.

Bopara played a total of 499 matches for Essex across formats, scoring 11,148 first-class runs at 42.06. In all he made 101 half-centuries, 37 of which he converted to three figures. In addition to this season's double, he was also integral to Essex's Pro40 League victories in 2005 and 2006, the NatWest Trophy in 2008, the Championship Division Two title in 2016 and the Division One title in 2017.

In recent years, however, Bopara has become an increasingly sought-after player in overseas T20 leagues, including the Bangladesh Premier League, the Pakistan Super League, and the Afghanistan Premier League, and it was his desire to maximise his opportunities on those fronts that contributed to the breakdown of contract negotiations at Essex.

pic.twitter.com/f9Z1taa0Af

— Ravi Bopara (@ravibopara) October 16, 2019

He was also reportedly unhappy at being handed a new finisher's role within the Essex T20 team, although he rose to the occasion in their remarkable Blast campaign, producing a string of matchwinning performances in their surge to the title, including 36 not out from 22 balls in the final, and a vital 70 not out from 35 balls in a must-win group match at The Oval.

"I speak for the team when I say we are very sad to see Rav leave the club after 18 years," said Ten Doeschate. "Rav has always been extremely popular in the dressing room, combining unbelievable talent, skill, hard work, and a great cricket mind with a friendly, witty and comical demeanour.

"He's been a great team-mate and a fiercely loyal friend. I'm so pleased that he leaves on a high after playing the key role in the club winning our first T20 title. It will be strange to play against him next year, but we wish him all the very best at his new Club."

Talking of his move to Hove, Bopara insisted he was not retiring from first-class cricket, but said that his white-ball game was his priority, as he even targeted a return to England recognition with back-to-back T20 World Cups looming in 2020 and 2021.

"I want to thank Sussex for this opportunity. It is a great chance to play under a respected and acknowledged coach like Jason Gillespie and with a very strong and talented team of players, many of whom will no doubt go on to receive international honours.

"On a personal note I have a burning desire to achieve greater things in this wonderful game. I will now put a greater emphasis on T20 cricket. I am fitter and stronger than I have ever been and playing my best cricket.

"I want to emphasise that I am not giving up red-ball cricket but I will, for now, play less of it to find time in the calendar year to up-skill in T20 and take my game to a new level as I still have a drive to play international cricket.

"Here's to the future and hopefully another decade of happy and successful times."

Sussex head coach, Gillespie added: "I'm really, really excited about having Ravi Bopara join us at Sussex. It's a bit of a coup for us to be perfectly honest: what a wonderful player Ravi has been for England and Essex for a long, long time.

"His knowledge and experience are going to be invaluable in our dressing room. He's a great lad and we're very thankful that Ravi has decided to join us. Players and coaches alike are excited to work with him and learn from him."

At home, Virat Kohli's India have established a dominance that has drawn comparisons with the Australian teams led by Mark Taylor, Steve Waugh and Ricky Ponting, who were almost invincible at home. They have also become one of the best travelling units, especially with their well-rounded bowling attack finding unprecedented success on the road.

And yet, this India side is yet to win a global title. And that "big tournament" is what former India captain Sourav Ganguly, who will take charge soon as BCCI president, reckons India need to win.

"It [India] is a very good side," Ganguly said at a media briefing on Tuesday at the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) headquarters, housed at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. "My only thing is that they need to win big tournaments. I'm not saying they need to win every time. It's not possible. But we have gone through seven big tournaments without winning one."

Since MS Dhoni's India won the 2013 Champions Trophy, India - men and women - have not won any global title at the senior level. India reached the semi-finals in the two men's ODI World Cups - 2015 and 2019 - as well as the 2016 T20 World Cup, and finished runners-up at the 2014 men's T20 World Cup and the 2017 Champions Trophy. Alongside, the women lost in the 2017 World Cup final to hosts England, who also beat them in the 2018 T20 World Cup in the semi-finals.

"They are a much better side than that," Ganguly said. "That is the only area where they need to get themselves ready mentally. Talent is enormous, otherwise they couldn't have played so well in the [2019] World Cup till the semi-finals. So that's an issue which Virat needs to address. And that doesn't happen in the boardroom."

Ganguly also hinted that he did not want to interfere with the dressing room and on-field issues. "I cannot decide contribute much on the field because mather jinish mathei bhalo (on-field matters must stay on the field)."

On Tuesday, Ganguly received a rapturous welcome as he arrived in Kolkata, his hometown, first at the airport and then at the CAB, after he was picked as the unanimous choice by several powerful BCCI members as the sole nominee for the president's position.

Ganguly, only the second cricketer to be a BCCI president since Maharaja of Vizianagaram in 1954, will officially assume the post next week. Ganguly has only about ten months in the job as he will finish six years as an office-bearer next year, following which he will need to undergo a cooling-off period of three years.

After filing his nomination on Monday, Ganguly had stressed that the BCCI was in an "emergency" situation.

He reiterated that on Tuesday, saying that he would try to find solutions for the ongoing issues with the board. "I am happy to get the responsibility to turn it around. That's what matters: when it is tough people believe that you are good enough to do it," Ganguly said. "I am here to do a job for everyone and to make Indian cricket clean administration-wise, to get the backroom ready and going in a smooth one along with all the members of the Apex Council and the board and everyone. That's my job."

The World T20 Qualifiers have been hit by a corruption scandal just days before its start, with the captain and two senior cricketers of the host team, UAE, charged by the ICC with 13 counts of breaching its anti-corruption rules. Mohammad Naveed, Shaiman Anwar and right-arm paceman Qadeer Ahmed have been provisionally suspended with immediate effect.

Along with them, Mehardeep Chhayakar, who has participated in cricket in Ajman, has also been charged with multiple breaches of the anti-corruption code. The players have been charged with attempts to corrupt games at the World T20 qualifiers themselves, which begin on Friday with the UAE in action.

Naveed had been stood down as captain of the UAE and removed from the squad earlier this week, replaced by Ahmed Raza, the 31-year-old left-arm spinner. No reason was given for the move at the time, though the ICC's statement on Wednesday made clear why.

Both Naveed and Anwar were charged with "contriving, or being party to an agreement or effort to fix or contrive or otherwise influence improperly, the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of matches in the upcoming ICC World T20 Qualifiers 2019" - Article 2.1.1 - as well as "failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in conduct in relation to the ICC World T20 Qualifiers 2019 that would amount to corrupt conduct under the Code" - Article 2.4.4.

These aside, Naveed was also found to be in breach of two clauses of Emirates Cricket Board Code for its T10 League: Article 2.1.1 - "contriving, or being party to an agreement or effort to fix or contrive or otherwise influence improperly, the result, progress, conduct or any other aspect of matches in the upcoming T10 League 2019", and Article 2.4.4 - "failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in conduct that would amount to corrupt conduct under the Code".

Naveed and Anwar, pillars of the UAE team, were expected to play major roles in their team's campaigns, at home, in the upcoming qualifiers, to be contested between 14 teams with the top six going through to the tournament proper, to be played in Australia in November next year.

As for Qadeer, the 33-year-old who has played 11 ODIs and ten T20Is for UAE, the charges were for "failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any approaches or invitations received to engage in conduct that would amount to Corrupt Conduct under the Code" in relation to the Zimbabwe v UAE series in April 2019 and the Netherlands v UAE series in August 2019, as well as "disclosing Inside Information to Mehar Chhayakar in August 2019 in circumstances where he knew or should have known that the information might be used for betting purposes"; "failing to disclose to the ACU full details of any facts or matters that came to his attention that may evidence Corrupt Conduct under the Code by another Participant"; "failing or refusing to cooperate with an investigation being carried out by the ACU in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Code"; and "obstructing or delaying an ACU investigation including by concealing information that may be relevant to that investigation".

Chhayakar, meanwhile, was charged with "failing or refusing to cooperate with an investigation being carried out by the ACU in relation to possible Corrupt Conduct under the Code".

The four players now have 14 days from October 16, 2019 to respond to the charges.

In a statement issued shortly after the ICC's, the Emirates Cricket Board said, "The Board fully supports the ICC and the ICC Anti-Corruption Unit in their efforts and denounces any activities of corruption. The Board will wait for the conclusion of proceedings before making any further comment."

More to follow...

Length balls rear dangerously to crash into batsmen's helmets, full deliveries jump to hit elbows, a length ball from an offspinner flies over the wicketkeeper's head, and short balls roll through along the ground - welcome to Vijay Hazare Trophy action in Vadodara.

It's the latest dampener in an already long and exhausting group stage that has seen multiple washouts, several rounds of rescheduling, and player statistics being revoked for incomplete matches.

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Vadodara's Moti Bagh Stadium surface, on which Maharashtra were bowled out for 65 on Wednesday, has come in for special scrutiny. Even Punjab lost four wickets before they knocked off the target. At the same venue on Sunday, Odisha were shot out for 73, with deliveries scooting low or "jumping off patches from which the top surface came off", according to an Odisha batsman.

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Wasim Jaffer, Vidarbha's senior batsman and Ranji Trophy's highest run-getter, who has played around India for the last 25 years, expressed disappointment at the state of affairs.

"Imagine a length delivery awkwardly rising to hit the batsman on the helmet or ribs. Yusuf Pathan's gentle offspin bounced from the rough and flew over the wicketkeeper's head for four byes. Faiz Fazal was hit three times on his hands in his first ten deliveries on Wednesday. A full delivery from Yusuf hit Jitesh Sharma on his elbow as he played forward," Jaffer counted off as he spoke to ESPNcricinfo. "If Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav or any fast bowler over 140 clicks were available and bowled on these surfaces, many batsmen would've been injured and their seasons would've possibly ended.

"I don't think this is a good advertisement for your national championship, where players fear for their season ending due to poor pitches produced by the host association. Something has to be done about it. I didn't tweet about the pitches in detail because it shouldn't seem like a rant from a player whose team has lost. That isn't the intention. I'm only concerned as a senior player, who is concerned about the health of the game below the national level."

Absolutely unfit pitches to play in List 'A' matches in Vadodra.@BCCI #motibaug #barodacricketassociation

— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) October 15, 2019

Conditions were similarly poor at the Gujarat State Fertilizers and Corporation Ground (GSFC) last week, where Haryana were bowled out for 83, and deliveries "regularly hit batsmen on the shoulder and ribs", a member of the Haryana team told us.

With a number of players and coaches bringing up the issue, the Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) took remedial measures, which subsequently produced two scores of above 200. But that doesn't mask the fact that surfaces across the city - where the main venue (Reliance Stadium) wasn't available because of the women's ODI series between India and South Africa - have been consistently poor.

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"There hasn't been a top surface on any of the wickets we've played on," Maharashtra coach Surendra Bhave told ESPNcricinfo. "It's been crumbly and dry even with so much rain. The grass has also been straw colour. On red-soil surfaces, if there's no green grass to hold it together, it's mayhem. Balls jumping off a length and hitting the batsmen on their helmets or flying over the keeper's head isn't good advertisement for any form of cricket, let alone 50-over cricket.

"The challenges the association has faced is understandable given the amount of rain, but having said that, the surfaces could've been much better. We're not saying you produce flat beds that give you 350 v 350, but at least there has to be some sort of a contest."

DAVIE, Fla. -- The Miami Dolphins are making another quarterback change. Coach Brian Flores announced that Ryan Fitzpatrick will start Sunday against the Buffalo Bills.

The move sends Josh Rosen, who started Miami's last three games, to the bench.

"Kind of came to that conclusion over the last couple of days. We felt like that was the best thing for this team," Flores said Wednesday. "[Fitzpatrick provides] the best opportunity for this team to go into a tough environment and try to pull out a win."

Fitzpatrick, who started Miami's first two games, nearly led the Dolphins to a 14-point fourth-quarter comeback last Sunday against Washington after Flores benched Rosen. But Miami (0-5) failed on what would have been the winning two-point conversion and lost 17-16.

Dolphins players said after the game that they had a different energy and level of play when Fitzpatrick entered the game.

"We need to be more productive on offense," Flores said. "It's a team game, so players respond to each other and the group. The quarterback has the ball in his hands on every snap. ... Players on every team have to respond to the quarterback."

Flores said following Sunday's loss that Rosen would remain the starter because he provided continuity, but he kept the door open for a switch. That move officially came Wednesday after the Dolphins began their practice week.

Flores' decision to demote Rosen seems to be an indication of how Miami feels about the second-year quarterback. Flores said last week that Rosen was "settled" as the quarterback, but he noted Wednesday that Rosen's lack of production and poor play made him change his mind after three quarters Sunday and again on Wednesday.

Rosen ranks last among starting quarterbacks in completion percentage, quarterback rating, QBR and yards per attempt. He recorded a total QBR of 2.1, the second-worst QBR game of the season (behind former New York Jets quarterback Luke Falk in Week 5.) His air yards to the sticks was minus-8.9 (meaning he averaged throwing 8.9 yards behind the sticks), per NFL Next Gen Stats. That's the lowest AYTS game for any QB this season with a minimum of 14 attempts.

"We have a lot of confidence in Josh," Flores said. For him, it's got to be a day-to-day improvement, getting better and continuing his development. That's the conversation I had with him. He's still a young, talented player. There's still a lot of room for development for him. We'll continue to develop him in practice. But at the end of the day, we're looking for production at all positions. We felt like playing Fitz would be in the best interest of the team."

Rosen, a 2018 first-round pick, was traded to Miami from the Arizona Cardinals in April once his former team selected Kyler Murray as its quarterback of the future. Rosen hoped to prove to Miami that he could be the long-term answer at quarterback, but it hasn't gone well.

The Dolphins are strong contenders to be in the market for a quarterback in the 2020 draft, where they have three first-round picks, including the projected first overall selection.

Fitzpatrick, 36, said he had a lot of fun in Sunday's game and noted the team's confidence on the last drive.

"That's why I still like to be out there playing the game," Fitzpatrick said Sunday.

Now he gets another start against one of his former teams. He played in Buffalo from 2009 to 2012.

"[We're] getting ready for Ryan Fitzpatrick and what he brings to the table -- good quarterback, experienced, brings good energy, can make every throw, gets the ball out," Bills coach Sean McDermott said after hearing that the Dolphins were making the switch. "We have a lot of respect for Ryan."

Oakland Raiders offensive tackle Trent Brown has been accused of multiple acts of domestic violence against his girlfriend as part of a lawsuit filed earlier this week.

In the lawsuit, filed in Alameda County (California) Superior Court, a copy of which was obtained by ESPN, Diorra Marzette-Sanders accuses Brown of slapping, punching and choking her on multiple occasions beginning in 2018. She said she has been "bruised, bloodied and battered" from the attacks and lived in fear of Brown.

The lawsuit says a police report was filed after a June 2019 incident in which Brown allegedly bruised the woman's arm and slapped her.

According to the lawsuit, the two began dating in March 2017 and had a child together in January 2019. According to the woman, the couple had a "non-marital partnership agreement."

After threatening to leave Brown with their child, Brown allegedly told the woman that "I'll shoot yo ass in the f---ing head before you walk out that door with my son." According to the lawsuit, he kicked her out of the house in June.

The lawsuit is requesting a jury trial and is seeking unspecified compensation, including punitive damages.

Marzette-Sanders' lawyer, Waukeen McCoy, told ESPN's Josina Anderson that they attempted to reach a settlement prior to filing the lawsuit.

"We reached out to Trent Brown last month to see if we can sit down and talk and resolve issues," McCoy told Anderson. "... We never got a positive response. That is what led to this filing."

McCoy said Brown will have 30 days to respond once he receives a civil complaint.

The Raiders had no comment as of early Wednesday morning.

Brown, 26, signed a four-year, $66 million contract with the Raiders during the offseason. He has started in all five of Oakland's games this season.

Based on the allegations, Brown could be subject to NFL discipline under the personal conduct policy.