Sinclair de Falco

Left Back - Free Agent
15 Nov 2029
Thursday
Process

Marked for Sinclair de Falco

166 Edition

The Paris FC Courier

1 Oct 2029
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Market

Maxime Lopez asks to leave Paris FC

“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.

Squad

A one-man rearguard from Kevin Trapp

There were 6 saves in it, and at least three that had no business being saves at all. The ten outfield players owe him a drink and they know it.

Squad

Ilan Kebbal in a row with a teammate

It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Paris FC this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.

Match

AJ Auxerre take the points off Paris FC

Beaten 2‑3, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.

Squad

No hiding place for Kevin Trapp

“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Kevin Trapp, and the manager let it.

Squad

Mathieu Cafaro is in the form of his life

A season average of 7.50 with 6 goals behind it. Opponents have started planning around him, which is the sincerest compliment football pays.

Player ratings

A masterclass from Moses Simon

Marked 8.98 — the sort of number a correspondent writes down twice to be sure. Everything he tried came off, and what he did not try was not worth trying.

Player ratings

One of those days for Mathieu Cafaro

There is a version of this player everybody suspected was in there, and on this evidence it is. 8.82, and no argument anywhere in the ground.

Player ratings

Jonathan Ikoné in the eights

A performance of 8.50 does not come along often, and when it does the rest of the team becomes scenery. He was magnificent.

In brief

Back issues
140 Edition

The Elche Chronicle

2 Apr 2029
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Elche lose David Affengruber

118 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.

Squad

Tempers go at Elche

David Affengruber was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.

Market

Sinclair de Falco is a Elche player again

He left as a boy and has come back still knowing where the away end is. Most signings have to be explained to a town; this one needed a photograph and nothing else.

Player ratings

Tete Morente runs at them all day

Successful dribbles: 21. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.

Squad

David Affengruber is in the form of his life

A season average of 7.31 with 12 goals behind it. Opponents have started planning around him, which is the sincerest compliment football pays.

Squad

Simone Russini signs on for more

“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Simone Russini and Elche agree another 2 years.

Player ratings

A masterclass from Álvaro Rodríguez

Marked 8.67 — the sort of number a correspondent writes down twice to be sure. Everything he tried came off, and what he did not try was not worth trying.

Player ratings

One of those days for Germán Valera

There is a version of this player everybody suspected was in there, and on this evidence it is. 8.27, and no argument anywhere in the ground.

Match

Honours even between Elche and Getafe

2‑2, and both dressing rooms will call it two points lost. A draw that asked plenty of questions and answered none of them.

In brief

113 Edition

The Zulte Waregem Sentinel

25 Sep 2028
From our football correspondent Upbeat

Squad

Tempers go at Zulte Waregem

Thomas Claes was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.

Squad

No hiding place for Malick Mbaye

“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Malick Mbaye, and the manager let it.

Player ratings

One of those days for Joseph Opoku

There is a version of this player everybody suspected was in there, and on this evidence it is. 8.70, and no argument anywhere in the ground.

Match

Zulte Waregem get the job done against Club Brugge

A 1‑0 win over Club Brugge, earned rather than given, and the sort of afternoon that sends everyone home talking about next week instead of this one.

Player ratings

Marley Aké in the eights

A performance of 8.49 does not come along often, and when it does the rest of the team becomes scenery. He was magnificent.

Squad

Zulte Waregem count the cost of losing Jani Allaert

32 days, the scan says, and scans are kinder than reality. The fixtures in that window have just become somebody else’s job.

Player ratings

One of those days for Jakob Kiilerich

There is a version of this player everybody suspected was in there, and on this evidence it is. 8.09, and no argument anywhere in the ground.

Squad

Mouhamadou Sall signs a new deal

“I never wanted to be anywhere else. There is unfinished business here.” Mouhamadou Sall commits to Zulte Waregem for another 5 years.

Player ratings

Nothing got past Dirk Asare

Headers, blocks, tackles, interceptions — 16 of them, and not one goal behind him. The sort of performance that never makes a highlight reel and wins football matches.

In brief

87 Edition

The Burgos Courier

27 Mar 2028
From our football correspondent Steady

Squad

Tempers go at Burgos

Curro was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.

Player ratings

Curro runs at them all day

Successful dribbles: 21. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.

Match

Burgos come up short against Córdoba

Córdoba left with the points after a 0‑1 defeat that will take some explaining on the terraces.

Squad

The manager makes an example of Florian Miguel

“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.

Market

Burgos sign Sinclair de Falco, one for the future

Sinclair de Falco is 20, and Burgos have signed him for the player he will be rather than the one he is. The first team can wait; the point of a deal like this is the years it buys.

Player ratings

Fer Niño leaves them behind him

Shots: 12. Goals: none. The chances were there and they were good ones, and they went into the stand, the goalkeeper's arms and the side netting in roughly that order.

Squad

Another clean sheet for Ander Cantero

6 shut-outs and counting. Goalkeepers are only noticed when they fail, and Ander Cantero has given nobody the chance.

Player ratings

The one thing Suleiman Camara could not do

Shots: 8, enough of them from close enough that a striker in form scores two. He is not a striker in form.

Squad

Jiří Texl knocks on the manager’s door

“Thirty minutes, door closed, everything said. We shook hands after.” Whatever was in the room stayed in the room, and Jiří Texl trained the next morning like a man with less to carry.

In brief