LONDON: Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino said Thursday he was surprised Ben Chilwell started two games for England during the international break after the defender only recently returned from a knee injury.
Chilwell last started for Chelsea on March 2 against Brentford and has played just a few minutes for the London club since then, as a late substitute in the FA Cup against Leicester.
Nevertheless, the 27-year-old featured for the whole of England’s 2-2 draw with Belgium at Wembley on Tuesday, three days after spending 67 minutes on the field in a defeat by Brazil.
Chelsea currently have nine players ruled out of Saturday’s Premier League match with Burnley at Stamford Bridge, with several others to be assessed following international duty, including Chilwell — who suffered a blow to his knee against Belgium.
“He didn’t play after Brentford, then he played only a few minutes against Leicester,” said Pochettino. “(Then) he started two games (for England).
“It’s a surprise for us. It’s bad luck because he got a dead leg in the last moment against Belgium. Now we need to assess if he can be available.”
Enzo Fernandez, who played twice for Argentina in the United States during the break, will also have his fitness monitored ahead of this weekend’s match.
Chelsea confirmed earlier this week that Romeo Lavia would be out for the rest of the season.
The 20-year-old midfielder who joined Chelsea from Southampton in pre-season for an initial £53 million (62 million euros), has managed just 32 minutes of first-team action this term following ankle and thigh problems.
“It’s a difficult situation for him,” said Pochettino. “He’s sad. He only played 30 minutes, for a new player at the club.
“When we signed him, he arrived with problems. He couldn’t train with us for the first months. Then when he was ready he suffered a problem in his feet.
“He recovered, he played 30 minutes then got injured in December. Then he didn’t have the possibility to train. It’s really sad news.”
But leading scorer Cole Palmer could face Burnley, with the 21-year-old having not featured in either of England’s recent games.
“I talked with him,” said Pochettino. “He’s a little bit disappointed because he couldn’t play with the national team.
“The first game he had a small problem,” the Argentinian added. “He thought maybe he’d play the second game. Now he’s OK, is training well. The plan is he will be available for Saturday.”
Chelsea are 11th in the table, with Burnley in the relegation zone.
Pochettino taken aback by Chilwell’s starts for England after injury
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Pochettino taken aback by Chilwell’s starts for England after injury
- Chilwell last started for Chelsea on March 2 against Brentford and has played just a few minutes for the London club since then
- Chelsea currently have nine players ruled out of Saturday’s Premier League match with Burnley
Fire breaks out ahead of Man City’s Champions League match against Brugge
- Security staff had cordoned off the area and kept supporters away
MANCHESTER: A fire broke out at a concession stand outside Manchester City’s stadium ahead of the team’s Champions League match against Brugge on Wednesday.
Videos shared online showed large flames and smoke coming from the stand, located near the players’ entrance at the Etihad Stadium.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze, but the smell of smoke remained in the air for some time afterward as supporters waited to be let inside.
Security staff had cordoned off the area and kept supporters away.
City play Brugge in a must-win game as the new-look league phase of the Champions League reaches its conclusion.
The 2023 champion City are 25th in the standings. They need to win to secure a place in the playoffs for the round of 16.
French police arrest Feyenoord fans at the border ahead of Champions League match in Lille
- 86 fans of the Dutch team have been refused entry to France and that 30 have been arrested
- Police officers seized pyrotechnic devices and various objects
LILLE, France: Dozens of Feyenoord fans banned from traveling to Lille for a Champions League game between the two clubs have been turned away or arrested at the border, French authorities said Wednesday.
The Prefecture du Nord, which represents the French state in the Lille region, said 86 fans of the Dutch team have been refused entry to France and that 30 have been arrested.
Police officers seized pyrotechnic devices and various objects that could be used as weapons during their checks, the prefecture said.
France’s interior ministry said the travel ban was introduced because of a “real and serious risk of confrontation” between fans of the two teams ahead of Wednesday’s match at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy.
The French authorities said Feyenoord’s travels are often marred by “public order disturbances due to the violent behavior of certain supporters or individuals claiming to be supporters of this team,” and they cited several examples of fan violence.
In May 2022, there were violent clashes in France between Marseille and Feyenoord fans outside the Stade Velodrome stadium before their Europa Conference League semifinal game.
There were also violent clashes in Lille city center when the club played Bulgarian side Levski Sofia in the Europa League in 2010.
Liverpool rotate squad for game at PSV Eindhoven to rest Salah, Van Dijk and others
- The Reds have already advanced to the round of 16
- manager Arne Slot opted to take a second-string squad to the Netherlands
LIVERPOOL: Liverpool will give some star players including Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk a rest for the Champions League game at PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday.
The Reds have already advanced to the round of 16, so manager Arne Slot opted to take a second-string squad to the Netherlands.
Along with Salah and Van Dijk, the other players who were left in Merseyside were Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alisson Becker, Ibrahima Konate, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Luis Diaz.
Liverpool are in first place and can finish no lower than second in the league phase of the Champions League.
On Tuesday, Slot said with the packed schedule it was a chance for players to “get some freshness back.”
The Premier League leaders play at seventh-place Bournemouth on Saturday.
Ex-Belgium midfielder Nainggolan charged in drug trafficking probe
- The 36-year-old footballer was charged with “participating in a criminal organization” and then conditionally released, his lawyer Mounir Souidi told media
- Antwerp-born Nainggolan came out of retirement last week to join a lower-tier Belgian side
BRUSSELS: Former Belgium midfielder Radja Nainggolan was charged on Monday as part of an investigation into cocaine trafficking on an international scale, a day after he was arrested, the Brussels prosecutor’s office said.
The 36-year-old footballer was charged with “participating in a criminal organization” and then conditionally released, his lawyer Mounir Souidi told media after a hearing in Brussels.
Nainggolan was among 18 suspects arrested following a series of 30 searches carried out on Monday morning in the northern province of Antwerp, as well as in the Brussels area. Ten of them were imprisoned after being brought before a judge.
The majority of those held face charges of “importation, transport and selling of drugs without permission” and with the “participation in organized crime as leaders.”
Nainggolan was released on bail as he was charged with being a “member” of the organization and not a “leader.”
“The investigation concerns alleged facts of importation of cocaine from South America to Europe, via the port of Antwerp, and its redistribution in Belgium,” prosecutors said in a statement on Monday.
In addition to 2.7 kilos (six pounds) of cocaine, police seized around half a million euros ($521,000) in cash and gold coins, a stash of jewelry, and luxury watches including two worth some 360,000 euros each.
They further seized three firearms, two bullet-proof vests and 14 vehicles, prosecutors said.
Antwerp-born Nainggolan came out of retirement last week to join a lower-tier Belgian side — adding a final spell to a long career that saw him play 30 matches and score six goals for the national team.
Having played for Italian teams Cagliari, Inter Milan and Roma, he had been without a club since last summer before signing with Belgian second-tier outfit Lokeren last week.
He marked his debut with a goal at the weekend in Lokeren’s 1-1 home draw to K. Lierse.
He had previously returned from Italy to Belgium in the summer of 2021 to join Royal Antwerp.
A tattooed midfielder known for his off-field antics, he parted ways with Antwerp in early 2023.
A few months earlier he had been suspended for being caught smoking an electronic cigarette on the bench, according to Belgian media.
Neymar thanks Saudi Arabia, Al-Hilal, fans after departing to Santos
- ‘To everyone at Al-Hilal, to the fans, thank you,’ Neymar writes on X
- ‘To Saudi, thank you for giving me and my family a new home and new experiences. I now know the real Saudi and have friends for life’
BEIRUT: Brazilian forward Neymar took the opportunity on Tuesday to thank Saudi Arabia, Al-Hilal, and their fans after concluding his 17-month stint at the Saudi Pro League side.
“To everyone at Al-Hilal, to the fans, thank you,” said Neymar in a social media post on X, after returning to his Brazilian club Santos after originally leaving them in 2013 to join Barcelona.
He wrote: “I gave everything to play and I wish we (had) enjoyed better times on the pitch together.
“To Saudi, thank you for giving me and my family a new home and new experiences. I now know the real Saudi and have friends for life. I always felt your love and passion for the game. I will be following your journey ahead as a club and a country towards 2034.
“Your future will be incredible, special things are happening and I will always support you!”
Marcelo Teixeira, Santos’ president, said on social media channels: “It is the time (to come back), Neymar. It is time for you to come back to your people. To our home, to the club in our hearts.
“Welcome, our boy Ney! A boy of Vila (Belmiro, Santos’ stadium). Come back to be happy again with the white and black shirt. The Santos nation awaits you with open arms.”
The 32-year-old, who has scored 79 international goals for his home country, moved to Paris Saint-Germain from Barcelona for a world-record fee of €222 million in August 2017.
Al-Hilal announced Neymar’s departure on Tuesday on X, saying: “The club expresses its thanks and appreciation to Neymar for what he has provided throughout his career at Al-Hilal, and wish the player success in his career.”
Neymar arrived at the Saudi club in August 2023 after signing from PSG, but only played seven games due to injuries.
Italian sports journalist Fabrizio Romano wrote on X: “Teixeira confirms Neymar Jr’s return to the club. Six-month contract to be formally signed this week, as reported.”
