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VIDEO SHOWS: HIGHLIGHTS FROM SHANGHAI MASTERS  COMPLETE SCRIPT TO FOLLOW SHOWS: SHANGHAI, CHINA (OCTOBER 3, 2025) (ATP MEDIA/IMG – Editorial use only. No Monetisation. No resales.) NOVAK DJOKOVIC (RED SHIRT) V MARIN CILIC 1. CILIC WALKS OUT 2. DJOKOVIC ENTERS COURT 3. OVERHEAD WINNER BY DJOKOVIC IN FIRST SET 4. CILIC SENDS FIRST SET INTO A TIEBREAK 5. DJOKOVIC WINS FIRST SET 6. CROWD 7. ACE BY DJOKOVIC TO WIN MATCH 8. PLAYERS AT NET 9. DJOKOVIC WAVES TO CROWD TAYLOR FRITZ (BLACK SHORTS) V FABIAN MAROZSAN  10. MAROZSAN WALKS OUT 11. FRITZ 12. VOLLEY AT NET BY MAROZSAN TO WIN POINT IN FIRST SET 13. FRITZ WINS SECOND SET 14. FRITZ WINS MATCH 15. FRITZ REACTS TO CROWD 16. PLAYERS AT NET 17. FRITZ WAVES TO CROWD ZIZOU BERGS (WHITE SHIRT) V CASPER RUUD  18. BERGS 19. RUUD 20. CROSS COURT WINNER BY RUUD IN FIRST SET 21. FOREHAND WINNER BY BERGS IN SECOND SET 22. FOREHAND BY BERGS TO TAKE SECOND SET 23. BERGS WINS RALLY AT THE NET TO BREAK SERVE AND LEAD 3-1 IN THIRD SET 24. BERGS WINS POINT TO LEAD 4-1, RUUD RETIRES FROM MATCH 25. PLAYERS SHAKE HANDS 26. BERGS WAVES TO CROWD STORY: TO FOLLOW

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VIDEO SHOWS: HIGHLIGHTS FROM SHANGHAI MASTERS  RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT  SHOWS: SHANGHAI, CHINA (OCTOBER 3, 2025) (ATP MEDIA/IMG – Editorial use only. No Monetisation. No resales.) NOVAK DJOKOVIC (RED SHIRT) V MARIN CILIC 1. CILIC WALKS OUT 2. DJOKOVIC ENTERS COURT 3. OVERHEAD WINNER BY DJOKOVIC IN FIRST SET 4. CILIC SENDS FIRST SET INTO A TIEBREAK 5. DJOKOVIC WINS FIRST SET 6. CROWD 7. ACE BY DJOKOVIC TO WIN MATCH 8. PLAYERS AT NET 9. DJOKOVIC WAVES TO CROWD TAYLOR FRITZ (BLACK SHORTS) V FABIAN MAROZSAN  10. MAROZSAN WALKS OUT 11. FRITZ 12. VOLLEY AT NET BY MAROZSAN TO WIN POINT IN FIRST SET 13. FRITZ WINS SECOND SET 14. FRITZ WINS MATCH 15. FRITZ REACTS TO CROWD 16. PLAYERS AT NET 17. FRITZ WAVES TO CROWD ZIZOU BERGS (WHITE SHIRT) V CASPER RUUD  18. BERGS 19. RUUD 20. CROSS COURT WINNER BY RUUD IN FIRST SET 21. FOREHAND WINNER BY BERGS IN SECOND SET 22. FOREHAND BY BERGS TO TAKE SECOND SET 23. BERGS WINS RALLY AT THE NET TO BREAK SERVE AND LEAD 3-1 IN THIRD SET 24. BERGS WINS POINT TO LEAD 4-1, RUUD RETIRES FROM MATCH 25. PLAYERS SHAKE HANDS 26. BERGS WAVES TO CROWD STORY: Novak Djokovic opened his quest for a record-extending fifth Rolex Shanghai Masters title (October 3) Friday with a hard-fought 7-6 (2) 6-4 win against Marin Cilic.     With the victory in one hour and 55 minutes, the fourth-seeded Serbian improved his career record to 40-6 at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in China. He also improved to 20-2 against Croatia's Cilic.     Djokovic fired 10 aces, saved all four break points and finished with 21 winners and only four unforced errors. He converted the only service break of the match in the third game of the second set.     With their combined ages of 79 years and 139 days, the duel between Djokovic and Cilic marked the oldest men's main-draw meeting at the ATP Masters 1000 level since 1990.     Djokovic became the first man to record 40 or more wins at six different ATP Masters 1000 events since the format was introduced in 1990: Rome (68), Indian Wells (51), Paris (50), Miami (49), Cincinnati (45) and Shanghai (40).     The 24-time Grand Slam winner's third-round opponent will be German qualifier Yannick Hanfmann, who upended No. 25 seed Frances Tiafoe       Tiafoe wasn't the only seeded player shown the door in the second round. Belgium's David Goffin dumped No. 6 seed Ben Shelton and countryman Zizou Bergs beat No. 11 Casper Ruud of Norway, who retired due to injury when trailing 3-6 7-5 4-1.      Fifth seed Taylor Fritz of the U.S. rallied for a 2-6 7-6 (4) 7-6 (1) win against Hungary's Fabian Marozsan. (Production: Andy Ragg)

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VIDEO SHOWS: MOUNTAIN BIKER AURELIEN FONTENOY CYLCING UP EIFFEL TOWER STAIRS, UP TO SECOND FLOOR / SOUNDBITES OF FONTENOY / VIEWS OF TOWER RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: PARIS, FRANCE (OCTOBER 3, 2025) (FEATURED – Must on-screen courtesy " Dorian FAVIER – FEATURED", news access only, no resales) 1. MOUNTAIN BIKER AURELIEN FONTENOY JUMPING ON POLES AT FOOT OF EIFFEL TOWER 2. FONTENOY LOOKING AT TOWER 3. FONTENOY ENTERING TOWER PILLAR 4. PERSON STARTING TIMER 5. FONTENOY BEGINNING ASCENT 6. VARIOUS OF FONTENOY JUMPING UP EIFFEL TOWER STAIRS 7. FONTENOY REACHING FIRST FLOOR 8. VARIOUS OF FONTENOY CONTINUING ASCENT 9. FONTENOY REACHING INTERMEDIATE LEVEL 10. FONTENOY CONTINUING ASCENT 11. VIEW OF PARIS 12. FONTENOY AFTER REACHING SECOND FLOOR IN 12 MINUTES AND 30 SECONDS, SAYING (French): "It's sore. (BREATHING) Wow, the last ones (steps) were rough."  13. FONTENOY LIFTING BIKE IN CELEBRATION 14. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH CYCLIST AND MOUNTAIN BIKE CHAMPION, AURELIEN FONTENOY, SAYING: "Tough, tough, but I'm really happy with the result. Really happy with the time. I didn't think it would take so little. So happy, so happy to have done it, to have reached the top and to have beaten this record. That was the goal. A little over 12 minutes then. Really happy." 15. FONTENOY SHOWING SIGN WITH TIME AND SAYING (French): "12 minutes 30, 686 steps." 16. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH CYCLIST AND MOUNTAIN BIKE CHAMPION, AURELIEN FONTENOY, SAYING: "It's really taxing on the shoulders. On the feet too. I felt that on the second floor it was starting to get tough, because you can never pedal, in fact. You have the brakes locked all the time; it only affects your calves, your shoulders. And pulling a bike 686 times starts to get tough after a while. But I'm so happy to have done it." 17. VIEW OF PARIS' PALAIS DE CHAILLOT AND TROCADERO SQUARE 18. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH CYCLIST AND MOUNTAIN BIKE CHAMPION, AURELIEN FONTENOY, SAYING: "Climbing the Eiffel Tower, I don't think there's a better monument in France for climbing stairs. So it's really symbolic, here, it was really the monument I wanted to climb." PARIS, FRANCE (OCTOBER 3, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all) 19. EIFFEL TOWER FIRST FLOOR 20. TOWER'S SECOND AND THIRD FLOOR 21. TOWER'S THIRD FLOOR 22. (MUTE) EIFFEL TOWER 23. (MUTE) TOWER'S FIRST FLOOR 24. (MUTE) TOWER'S SECOND FLOOR 25. (MUTE) TOWER'S THIRD FLOOR STORY: Cyclist and social media sensation Aurelien Fontenoy became the fastest athlete ever to climb to the second floor of France's Eiffel Tower on an all-terrain bike, the monument's operator said on Friday (October 3). Fontenoy on Thursday (October 2) climbed 686 steps of the monument to reach the second-floor platform, the last accessible by stairs, in 12 minutes and 30 seconds, the Societe d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel said in a statement. He broke the previous record by almost seven minutes. In order to claim the title, Fontenoy's feet were not allowed to touch the ground. "I did not expect to take this little time," Fontenoy said after the feat. The Eiffel Tower "is really a symbol, it is really the monument that I wanted to climb," he added. As part of his project "The Climb", Fontenoy cycled in 2021 to the top of the 140-metre (459 feet) high Trinity Tower, also in Paris, and this year he climbed Tallinn's TV Tower 314-metre (1,030 feet) high in Estonia. (Production: Manuel Ausloos)

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VIDEO SHOWS: MOUNTAIN BIKER AURELIEN FONTENOY CYLCING UP EIFFEL TOWER STAIRS, UP TO SECOND FLOOR / SOUNDBITES OF FONTENOY / VIEWS OF TOWER RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT SHOWS: PARIS, FRANCE (OCTOBER 3, 2025) (FEATURED – Must on-screen courtesy " Dorian FAVIER – FEATURED", news access only, no resales) 1. MOUNTAIN BIKER AURELIEN FONTENOY JUMPING ON POLES AT FOOT OF EIFFEL TOWER 2. FONTENOY LOOKING AT TOWER 3. FONTENOY ENTERING TOWER PILLAR 4. PERSON STARTING TIMER 5. FONTENOY BEGINNING ASCENT 6. VARIOUS OF FONTENOY JUMPING UP EIFFEL TOWER STAIRS 7. FONTENOY REACHING FIRST FLOOR 8. VARIOUS OF FONTENOY CONTINUING ASCENT 9. FONTENOY REACHING INTERMEDIATE LEVEL 10. FONTENOY CONTINUING ASCENT 11. VIEW OF PARIS 12. FONTENOY AFTER REACHING SECOND FLOOR IN 12 MINUTES AND 30 SECONDS, SAYING (French): "It's sore. (BREATHING) Wow, the last ones (steps) were rough."  13. FONTENOY LIFTING BIKE IN CELEBRATION 14. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH CYCLIST AND MOUNTAIN BIKE CHAMPION, AURELIEN FONTENOY, SAYING: "Tough, tough, but I'm really happy with the result. Really happy with the time. I didn't think it would take so little. So happy, so happy to have done it, to have reached the top and to have beaten this record. That was the goal. A little over twelve minutes then. Really happy." 15. FONTENOY SHOWING SIGN WITH TIME AND SAYING (French): "Twelve minutes 30, 686 steps." 16. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH CYCLIST AND MOUNTAIN BIKE CHAMPION, AURELIEN FONTENOY, SAYING: "It's really taxing on the shoulders. On the feet too. I felt that on the second floor it was starting to get tough, because you can never pedal, in fact. You have the brakes locked all the time; it only affects your calves, your shoulders. And pulling a bike 686 times starts to get tough after a while. But I'm so happy to have done it." 17. VIEW OF PARIS' PALAIS DE CHAILLOT AND TROCADERO SQUARE 18. (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH CYCLIST AND MOUNTAIN BIKE CHAMPION, AURELIEN FONTENOY, SAYING: "Climbing the Eiffel Tower, I don't think there's a better monument in France for climbing stairs. So it's really symbolic, here, it was really the monument I wanted to climb." PARIS, FRANCE (OCTOBER 3, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all) 19. EIFFEL TOWER FIRST FLOOR 20. TOWER'S SECOND AND THIRD FLOOR 21. TOWER'S THIRD FLOOR 22. EIFFEL TOWER (MUTE) 23. TOWER'S FIRST FLOOR 24. TOWER'S SECOND FLOOR 25. TOWER'S THIRD FLOOR STORY: Cyclist and social media sensation Aurelien Fontenoy became the fastest athlete ever to climb to the second floor of France's Eiffel Tower on an all-terrain bike, the monument's operator said on Friday (October 3). Fontenoy on Thursday (October 2) climbed 686 steps of the monument to reach the second-floor platform, the last accessible by stairs, in 12 minutes and 30 seconds, the Societe d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel said in a statement. He broke the previous record by almost seven minutes. In order to claim the title, Fontenoy's feet were not allowed to touch the ground. "I did not expect to take this little time," Fontenoy said after the feat. The Eiffel Tower "is really a symbol, it is really the monument that I wanted to climb," he added. As part of his project "The Climb", Fontenoy cycled in 2021 to the top of the 140-metre (459 feet) high Trinity Tower, also in Paris, and this year he climbed Tallinn's TV Tower 314-metre (1,030 feet) high in Estonia. (Production: Manuel Ausloos)

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VIDEO SHOWS: CYCLIST AURELIEN FONTENOY CYLCING UP EIFFEL TOWER STAIRS, UP TO SECOND FLOOR / SOUNDBITES OF FONTENOY / VIEWS OF TOWER COMPLETE SCRIPT TO FOLLOW STORY: Cyclist and social media sensation Aurelien Fontenoy became the fastest athlete ever to climb to the second floor of France's Eiffel Tower on an all-terrain bike, the monument's operator said on Friday (October 3). Fontenoy on Thursday (October 2) climbed 686 steps of the monument to reach the second-floor platform, the last accessible by stairs, in 12 minutes and 30 seconds, the Societe d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel said in a statement. He broke the previous record by almost seven minutes. In order to claim the title, Fontenoy's feet were not allowed to touch the ground. "I did not expect to take this little time," Fontenoy said after the feat. The Eiffel Tower "is really a symbol, it is really the monument that I wanted to climb," he added. As part of his project "The Climb", Fontenoy cycled in 2021 to the top of the 140-metre (459 feet) high Trinity Tower, also in Paris, and this year he climbed Tallinn's TV Tower 314-metre (1,030 feet) high in Estonia. (Production: Manuel Ausloos)

(The article has been published through a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has been published verbatim. Liability lies with original publisher.)

VIDEO SHOWS: CYCLIST AURELIEN FONTENOY CYLCING UP EIFFEL TOWER STAIRS, UP TO SECOND FLOOR / SOUNDBITES OF FONTENOY / VIEWS OF TOWER COMPLETE SCRIPT TO FOLLOW STORY: Cyclist and social media sensation Aurelien Fontenoy became the fastest athlete ever to climb to the second floor of France's Eiffel Tower on an all-terrain bike, the monument's operator said on Friday (October 3). Fontenoy on Thursday (October 2) climbed 686 steps of the monument to reach the second-floor platform, the last accessible by stairs, in 12 minutes and 30 seconds, the Societe d'Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel said in a statement. He broke the previous record by almost seven minutes. In order to claim the title, Fontenoy's feet were not allowed to touch the ground. "I did not expect to take this little time," Fontenoy said after the feat. The Eiffel Tower "is really a symbol, it is really the monument that I wanted to climb," he added. As part of his project "The Climb", Fontenoy cycled in 2021 to the top of the 140-metre (459 feet) high Trinity Tower, also in Paris, and this year he climbed Tallinn's TV Tower 314-metre (1,030 feet) high in Estonia. (Production: Manuel Ausloos)

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VIDEO SHOWS: RUBEN AMORIM PRESS CONFERENCE RESENDING WITH FULL SCRIPT SHOWS: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (OCTOBER 3, 2025) (MUTV – See restrictions) 1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) RUBEN AMORIM, MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER, SAYING:     "You cannot run away from the results and then you have baggage from last season. But last season for me doesn't matter in relation of the season we are in, we spoke about that. We've had six games this season and we've lost three. And then we have to look to the games that we lost."  2. WHITE FLASH 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) RUBEN AMORIM, MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER, SAYING:     "I am not saying that this team would play better in a different system or not, that is not my point. My point is that if I look back at the games we didn't win, the most important thing when I watch the game is not that we lost because of the system, that is my opinion, people have different opinions, that's OK." 4. WHITE FLASH 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) RUBEN AMORIM, MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER, SAYING:     "You cannot say one thing that doesn't work when it works on one weekend and on the other weekend it doesn't work. When one thing doesn't work, it doesn't work every day. "But when things work one day and the other day it doesn't, then the next day it works really well again, it is something about the way we do the same thing. So we need to do the same thing in the same way every day, and we are not doing that, that is my opinion." 6. WHITE FLASH 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) RUBEN AMORIM, MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER, SAYING:     "It is not time to say, it is time to show. Again I can look at the games for this year for me are completely different. There are some things that are the same, that is nothing about the position on the pitch, where we put the ball, it's other things that we cannot change. We show that thing in certain games, in the other games we are not the same team." 8. WHITE FLASH 9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) RUBEN AMORIM, MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER, SAYING:     "It is a team that plays really well. It is a clear system 4-3-3 with a lot of rotations on the side of the pitch. They are confident and they know we are going to be under pressure and we need to be able to play with that and we are prepared for a tough tough match." 10. WHITE FLASH 11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) RUBEN AMORIM, MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER, SAYING:     "It is not just the table and all the results that also in the end that matters the most, but the way they play. They have a clear identity. It is a very good manager and a very good team." STORY: Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim defended his tactical approach on Friday (October 3), insisting his much-criticised 3-4-2-1 system is not to blame for the team's struggles as he prepares for his 50th game in charge against promoted Sunderland.     The Portuguese faces mounting pressure after United slumped to 14th in the Premier League with two wins from six games after last weekend's 3-1 loss at Brentford prompted club great Wayne Rooney to say he had no faith in Amorim turning things around.     With United already out of the League Cup and having failed to qualify for Europe following last season's 15th-place finish, the pressure is on Amorim to deliver in the league where they are already eight points adrift of leaders Liverpool.     While United's squad are still coming to terms with Amorim's philosophy, the manager admitted his side's performance at Brentford was 'disjointed' but argued that inconsistency rather than tactics was the root problem.     Amorim was generous in his praise for Sunderland's French boss Regis Le Bris, who has guided his side to fifth place in the standings after six games, four points behind Liverpool.     United will also hold a minute's silence and wear black armbands following Thursday's attack at a synagogue in Manchester in which two men were killed. (Production: Andy Ragg)

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VIDEO SHOWS: RUBEN AMORIM PRESS CONFERENCE FULL SCRIPT TO FOLLOW SHOWS: MANCHESTER, ENGLAND, UK (OCTOBER 3, 2025) (MUTV – See restrictions) 1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) RUBEN AMORIM, MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER, SAYING:     "You cannot run away from the results and then you have baggage from last season. But last season for me doesn't matter in relation of the season we are in, we spoke about that. We've had six games this season and we've lost three. And then we have to look to the games that we lost."  2. WHITE FLASH 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) RUBEN AMORIM, MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER, SAYING:     "I am not saying that this team would play better in a different system or not, that is not my point. My point is that if I look back at the games we didn't win, the most important thing when I watch the game is not that we lost because of the system, that is my opinion, people have different opinions, that's OK." 4. WHITE FLASH 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) RUBEN AMORIM, MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER, SAYING:     "You cannot say one thing that doesn't work when it works on one weekend and on the other weekend it doesn't work. When one thing doesn't work, it doesn't work every day. "But when things work one day and the other day it doesn't, then the next day it works really well again, it is something about the way we do the same thing. So we need to do the same thing in the same way every day, and we are not doing that, that is my opinion." 6. WHITE FLASH 7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) RUBEN AMORIM, MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER, SAYING:     "It is not time to say, it is time to show. Again I can look at the games for this year for me are completely different. There are some things that are the same, that is nothing about the position on the pitch, where we put the ball, it's other things that we cannot change. We show that thing in certain games, in the other games we are not the same team." 8. WHITE FLASH 9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) RUBEN AMORIM, MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER, SAYING:     "It is a team that plays really well. It is a clear system 4-3-3 with a lot of rotations on the side of the pitch. They are confident and they know we are going to be under pressure and we need to be able to play with that and we are prepared for a tough tough match." 10. WHITE FLASH 11. (SOUNDBITE) (English) RUBEN AMORIM, MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER, SAYING:     "It is not just the table and all the results that also in the end that matters the most, but the way they play. They have a clear identity. It is a very good manager and a very good team." STORY: TO FOLLOW

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VIDEO SHOWS: REAL MADRID SQUAD TRAINING, REMARKS BY REAL MADRID COACH XABI ALONSO SHOWS: RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT MADRID, SPAIN (OCTOBER 3, 2025) (REUTERS – Access all) 1. REAL MADRID PLAYERS TRAINING 2. FORWARD KYLIAN MBAPPE AND MIDFIELDER JUDE BELLINGHAM TRAINING 3. FORWARD VINICIUS JR (LEFT SIDE OF THE SCREEN) AND DEFENDER FERLAND MENDY TRAINING 4. VARIOUS OF PLAYERS TRAINING\ 5. MBAPPE TRAINING 6. BELLINGHAM AND VINICIUS JR TRAINING 7. PLAYERS TRAINING 8. VINICIUS JR AT SESSION 9. PLAYERS TRAINING 10. VARIOUS OF COACH XABI ALONSO AT NEWS CONFERENCE 11. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH XABI ALONSO AT NEWS CONFERENCE, SAYING:      "He's ready for tomorrow, just like all of us are. We know the match and how important it is. We know how important Fede is for the team, and after the last two games, tomorrow we want to close this stretch with a win, with a good performance." 12. CAMERAMAN 13. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH XABI ALONSO AT NEWS CONFERENCE, SAYING:      "I've spoken with Jude, Thomas Tuchel had already mentioned it to him, and well, it's a matter of time before he's back in the squad. I'm sure he'll be in the next one and with us as well. After the injury, Jude is getting better little by little and is eager to play and contribute. Jude is a fundamental player." 14. NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS 15. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH XABI ALONSO AT NEWS CONFERENCE, SAYING:      "How to get the ball to Jude is, for me, always very, very important. How to get the ball to the No. 10 position. Arda has been able to play as a 10 and a little further back. Maybe not so much in the league right now, more at the World Cup, but he can do it. So it's about them finding their places. They need to flow, find each other, feel comfortable and Jude and Arda can do that." 16. NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS 17. (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) REAL MADRID COACH XABI ALONSO AT NEWS CONFERENCE, SAYING:      "How do I want us to react? By playing well, playing with intensity, playing with quality, playing as a team. So no, I'm not asking for anything (to fans); it's on us to deliver. We must always be proactive with our play because we know that's the best way for people to enjoy it, and that's what we want. And to win the match, of course." 18. CAMERAMAN 19. ALONSO LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM STORY: Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso turned master of evasion on Friday (October 3), sidestepping questions about Federico Valverde's benching with the skill of a seasoned politician ahead of Saturday's clash with third-placed Villarreal. The brief press conference saw Alonso as a man of few words,  dodging inquiries about his decision to bench the Uruguayan midfielder in Tuesday's Champions League win at Kairat Almaty, where Kylian Mbappe's hat-trick in a 5-0 victory was overshadowed by swirling controversy around one of the team's captains. Valverde had taken to social media to strongly deny suggestions of a rift with Alonso, insisting he has always given "everything and more" for the club, even while playing through injuries, after reports claimed he had refused to play as a right back. Valverde, who is one of Real Madrid's captains, is expected to be in contention for Saturday's match, with Alonso saying: "He is ready for tomorrow, like everyone else. We know how important it is and we want to end this stretch (run of games before the international break) with a victory." Alonso also spoke about Thomas Tuchel's decision to leave Bellingham out of the England squad, due to a lack of pitch time for the 22-year-old as he recovers from a shoulder injury. The coach said Bellingham is recovering his peak form and backed him to return to international duty sooner rather than later. The match against Villarreal will be Real Madrid's first league game since their humiliating 5-2 loss to local rivals Atletico Madrid in the Spanish capital derby last weekend. (Production: Guillermo Martinez, Silvio Castellanos, Fernando Kallas)

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VIDEO SHOWS: PRESS CONFERENCE COMMENTS FROM CHELSEA MANAGER ENZO MARESCA AHEAD OF PREMIER LEAGUE GAME AGAINST LIVERPOOL  COMPLETE SHOTLIST TO FOLLOW SHOWS: LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, UK (OCTOBER 3, 2025) (NICHE MEDIA – Access all) STORY: Liverpool's back-to-back losses over the last week have shown that they are vulnerable, but that will not make this weekend's Premier League clash with the champions any easier for Chelsea, the London-based club's manager Enzo Maresca said on Friday (October 3).  Leaders Liverpool started the league campaign with five straight wins but lost at Crystal Palace last Saturday, before a defeat away to Galatasaray in the Champions League on Tuesday. Chelsea, who have lost their last two games in the top-flight and sit eighth in the table seven points adrift of Liverpool, will look to build on the momentum from Tuesday's 1-0 Champions League win over Benfica at Stamford Bridge. "There is a vulnerability about any team in the world, not just Liverpool. But if a team wins every game, it is impossible to catch them. Now they lost one or two games. That shows vulnerability," Maresca told a press conference before Saturday's home game. "I don't think now it is better to play Liverpool. It is always a tough game, always a big team." Keeping Liverpool's attack at bay will be a challenge, Maresca added, with Chelsea missing injured defenders Levi Colwill, Wesley Fofana and Tosin Adarabioyo as well as defensive midfielder Dario Essugo, who had thigh surgery last month. "In this moment, I think we have four or five defenders out. We are going to try and adapt and find the right solution for tomorrow," Maresca said. Forward Liam Delap and midfielders Cole Palmer and Andrey Santos are also out with injuries. Red cards have plagued Chelsea, with goalkeeper Robert Sanchez dismissed five minutes into the 2-1 defeat at Manchester United and Trevoh Chalobah being sent off in last weekend's 3-1 loss to visiting Brighton & Hove Albion. "Most of the games we didn't get the points were because of the red cards. Also the injury situation, we have eight players out. It's a mixed combination but we don't have any doubt that slowly we will be again where we need to be," Maresca said. (Production: Suramya Kashik)

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