Category Uncategorized

da apostaganha： West Bromwich Albion have faltered in their last few league matches as the season begins to draw to a close, but recent disappointing results still haven't culminated in the West Midlands outfit slipping out of the Championship top six.

da brdice： The Baggies will still fancy their chances in the playoffs if they get there – secure in fifth position currently – even with three draws on the trot ridding Carlos Corberan's men of that longed-for winning feeling.

The draws piling up high could see the Spaniard experiment with his starting XI when Rotherham United come to town tomorrow night, knowing that the Millers are already relegated and look certain to finish right at the bottom of the division.

As a result, first-team faces such as Kyle Bartley could find their position filled by someone fresher tomorrow amidst two changes from the side that drew 2-2 to Stoke City last time out…

1 GK – Alex Palmer

Alex Palmer will find his spot in-between the sticks is still set in stone for tomorrow night's clash, despite the Baggies number one leaking five goals in his last three Championship starts.

Still, without his goalkeeping heroics against Stoke last game – with the 27-year-old making five saves in total – Steven Schumacher's men could have walked away with the win.

2 RB – Pipa

The first change from the side that ended up stumbling to a 2-2 draw on the road versus the Potters could see Darnell Furlong drop out of the side, having underwhelmed throughout.

Pipa looks likely to be the immediate replacement for Furlong if Corberan decides to axe his settled right-back for the test of Rotherham, despite the Spanish defender not featuring for the Baggies since the middle of March.

Furlong's poor showing could demand such an alteration however, with the West Brom number two – who has been praised as being "workmanlike" in the past by football journalist Joseph Chapman – winning zero duels in total and squandering possession 14 times in the action-packed contest.

3 CB – Semi Ajayi

Another change to the usual back four Corberan picks might well see Kyle Bartley dropped for Semi Ajayi to have a run-out, with the ex-Leeds United defender experiencing an equally torrid afternoon at Stoke.

The West Brom number five would also fail to win a single duel in the back-and-forth affair, alongside registering no tackles at all in the 2-2 draw.

Ajayi could be preferred therefore back at the Hawthorns, with the Nigerian centre-back successfully launching himself into three duels in the Watford draw prior to the underwhelming Stoke away day.

4 CB – Cedric Kipre

There were question marks surrounding the fitness of Cedric Kipre before a ball was kicked at Stoke last time out, Corberan anxious about who to select in the heart of defence consequently.

Kipre managed to start against the Potters without any more bruises being sustained thankfully, putting in a valiant display in the process with six successful duels on top of making six clearances.

The integral Baggies number four will more than likely line up to face off against Rotherham next time out therefore, eager to help his team pick up a clean sheet and win.

5 LB – Conor Townsend

Conor Townsend will also find he's still in his manager's first-team plans for the game tomorrow, having put in a solid if unspectacular shift against Stoke.

The 31-year-old would lackadaisically give up possession 26 times in the entertaining draw, but was still defensively switched on with three clearances and two tackles managed.

Therefore, Corberan could excuse his experienced defender's lacklustre time of things on the ball if he can help shore up the back four against the Millers on the way to three points being clinched.

6 CM – Okay Yokuslu

Although Corberan could disrupt the back four by making changes here and there, the Spaniard will keep trusted holding midfielder Okay Yokuslu in his XI for the visit of Rotherham.

The Baggies number 35 wasn't at his best in the Stoke draw – amassing just 26 touches of the ball from a forgettable 70 minutes – but his replacement in Yann M'Vila isn't exactly banging down the door to replace him off his own display.

The 33-year-old wouldn't win a single duel from his lacklustre 20-minute showing, compared to Yokuslu's impressive four. Moreover, Yokuslu's steel and grit shone through even more with four successful tackles managed.

7 CM – Alex Mowatt

Alex Mowatt was quiet last match alongside Yokuslu, with the former Leeds man knowing he will have to be more adventurous and creative against Rotherham from the get-go.

Only notching up one key pass in the draw at Stoke, if Mowatt can reach his peak against a Rotherham side who have been known to concede goals for fun, the 29-year-old midfielder could have a field day cutting open the Millers with killer ball after killer ball.

8 RM – Jed Wallace

Jed Wallace will remain down the right-hand flank at the Hawthorns tomorrow night, having netted his side's second goal of the afternoon last game before Stoke mounted a comeback.

Away from just that strike, the cool head of Wallace did fade in and out of the contest. But, his strike alone should be enough for Corberan to play him against Rotherham.

9 CAM – Grady Diangana

Grady Diangana is excelling playing in the number ten spot for Corberan's promotion-chasers recently, moved there after a season of hit-and-miss performances played out on the wing.

Assisting the opening strike at the Potters, Diangana would also prove to be a nuisance with many a surge forward which resulted in the Baggies number 11 being fouled four times.

Rotherham manager Leam Richardson will fear that the former West Ham United attacker could cause the Millers all sorts of bother if on top form, especially if the South Yorkshire side are feeling charitable at the back having already been relegated.

10 LM – Mikey Johnston

Mikey Johnston would score after being found by Diangana in the 2-2 draw, taking his West Brom goals total to a magnificent seven strikes from just 13 second-tier contests.

Johnston won't just settle for these numbers now, however, looking to score again versus Rotherham tomorrow.

Karnataka to face Bengal while Saurashtra will take on Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy semi-finals

ESPNcricinfo staff24-Feb-2020

KL Rahul raises his bat after getting to a hundred•PTI

Karnataka will be bolstered by the addition of KL Rahul for their Ranji Trophy 2019-20 semi-final against Bengal at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, after he was included in the 15-man squad for the match starting on February 29.Rahul had asked to be rested from Karnataka’s quarter-final match but is now available for the climactic stages of the Ranji Trophy. Karnataka had already been strengthened by the addition of Manish Pandey for the quarter-finals, with both Pandey and Rahul having returned from New Zealand after India completed the limited-overs leg of their tour.Last year’s finalists Saurashtra will take on Gujarat in the other semi-final, at Rajkot. The other prominent players who will be part of the last four include Parthiv Patel (Gujarat), Jaydev Unadkat (Saurashtra) and Manoj Tiwary (Bengal).Gujarat, Bengal, Karnataka and Saurashtra had finished on top of the combined Groups A and B table, and all four progressed to the semi-finals after dominating their respective quarter-final matches.Gujarat beat Goa by 464 runs with a day to spare, and Karnataka induced a late collapse to beat Jammu and Kashmir by 167 runs to register outright victories. Saurashtra took a first-innings lead of 283 runs against Andhra, and then set them an out-of-reach target of 710 runs in a little over two sessions. Andhra finished on 149 for 4 in a drawn game.Bengal also progressed on first-innings lead against Odisha, bowling them out for 250 after they had made 332. Odisha were then set an unrealistic 456 to win but a combination of time running out and bad light meant they batted only 10 overs in their second innings.

The hosts completed a handsome 19-run win as the Stars’ wait for the crown continued

The Report by Andrew McGlashan08-Feb-2020The rain clouds parted in the nick of time and the Sydney Sixers took the Big Bash title without it being handed to them in a washout courtesy of a handsome 19-run victory over the Melbourne Stars in a 12-over contest, which meant the Stars’ wait for the crown will enter the tournament’s tenth edition.After two days of heavy rain, gaps in the weather teased for a while on Saturday afternoon before clearing to allow a reduced match, but not the complete lottery of a five-over game that the Sixers had feared. Josh Philippe anchored – if there can be such a term in a shortened hit – the Sixers’ innings, while there was useful striking from Steven Smith and Jordan Silk either side of the Stars’ spinners putting a hold on the innings.The key period, however, was the first three overs of the Stars run chase, which saw them lose their two big guns – Marcus Stoinis and Glenn Maxwell – for a combined total of 15 off eight balls either side of Josh Hazlewood taking 1 for 1 in his first over. Even in the reduced match, the result was clear well before the finish as the Sixers claimed their first BBL title since the inaugural season in 2011-12 and no one will be able to say they didn’t do it properly.Philippe keeps his cool
Philippe has been very impressive in the latter part of the tournament as he overcame a run of low scores to string together three half-centuries in his last four innings. This one was another very mature display because he did not lose his head under the pressure of the final and also when he wasn’t getting much of the strike. It meant he was still there at the end of the innings, able to deposit Adam Zampa over the deep-midwicket boundary to reach another fifty.Josh Philippe mistimes a pull•Getty ImagesSilken finish
After six overs (not the Powerplay, that was just three overs), the Sixers were 2 for 60. However, they then entered a period of 26 deliveries between boundaries as the Stars spinners – Zampa and Maxwell – proved difficult to hit. A very pumped-up Maxwell had cut off Smith’s promising innings when he was caught in the deep for 21 and also got Daniel Hughes lbw when the left-hander missed a pull. Moises Henriques was beaten by a Zampa delivery that slid on and the Sixers were scoring in ones and twos – acceptable for the middle overs for a full T20, but a problem in a shortened game. Silk had reached 12 off ten balls when he broke the boundary-less streak with a mow over midwicket and managed 15 off his last five deliveries.Stars’ top order blown away
Stoinis, the competition’s leading scorer by a distance, clubbed an early four and a six off Nathan Lyon, who was given the first over, and then could not believe it when he picked out deep square-leg. He could barely haul himself off the ground. Still, in a short chase, the Stars might have been able to compensate for one of their key figures going early. But it didn’t stop there for them. The horribly out of form Nic Maddinson faced three dot balls against Hazlewood before lobbing a slower delivery to cover but the worst blow came next when Maxwell was given lbw sweeping at Steve O’Keefe. When Peter Handscomb was run-out in a horrible mix-up, as he jogged a single but Nick Larkin wanted two, you just knew this was going to be added to the list of nights where it went wrong for the Stars.Sixers wrap it up
The back of the Stars’ batting was well and truly broken and it would have taken something miraculous to turn the chase around. When O’Keefe bowled the final ball of the fifth over to Larkin, it meant a completed match. The Sixers just had to avoid any slip-ups. Ben Dunk, who had been brought into the side for Clint Hinchliffe when the match was reduced, managed one six before being lbw to Lyon. After all the talk that the weather would cause the damp squib it was the Stars’ limp batting that made for a subdued finish despite a late flurry from Larkin and Nathan Coulter-Nile – the latter suggesting he could have been used earlier. Not that anyone in magenta – or the majority of the 10,121 crowd that had ignored the weather forecast – was worrying about such things.

Last month, Tottenham Hotspur paid Genoa £26.7m to sign centre-back Radu Dragusin, making him the most expensive acquisition of the January transfer window. It's been a quiet start for Dragusin as Ange Postecoglou gradually eases him in, with the Romanian limited to brief substitute outings against Manchester United, Brentford and Everton. He didn't appear at all in the dramatic 2-1 victory over Brighton last weekend.

Postecoglou now has his full complement of centre-backs available after Micky van de Ven returned from a 10-game hamstring lay-off and Cristian Romero missed three matches with a similar but less severe complaint.

Spurs missed out on Werner upgrade in "brilliant" Premier League star

The Lilywhites were reportedly eyeing up the Wolverhampton Wanderers whiz last month.

ByDan Emery Feb 12, 2024

While Spurs offloaded Eric Dier to Bayern Munich on loan, Postecoglou has been able to call upon not only Dragusin but also Ben Davies in reserve, which seemingly leaves little room for Joe Rodon, currently playing his football on loan at Leeds United.

Spurs set Joe Rodon price tag

According to Football Insider, Spurs are now ready to sell Rodon if they receive an offer in the region of £10m to £15m. The Welshman is not part of the club's long-term plans under Postecoglou, and they're "eager to cash in" and boost their transfer budget in the process.

"Multiple" Premier League sides expressed an interest in Rodon last month but were put off by Spurs' asking price, although it remains to be seen if that changes in the summer. Leeds themselves are keen to sign him permanently, but a transfer is unlikely if they fail to get promoted.

Rodon exit has felt inevitable

In truth, the writing has seemingly been on the wall for Rodon for a while. Spurs paid Swansea up to £15m to sign the defender in 2020, when Jose Mourinho was still manager, but he was loaned out to French club Rennes last season after hardly featuring the year before (he made 10 appearances overall and didn't start a single league game).

His loan at Leeds has been a resounding success, with manager Daniel Farke hailing him as a "warrior" and fans voting him as their player of the month in December. As you can see in the table below, he's the only Spurs loanee to clock over 2,000 minutes of football this season.

1

Joe Rodon

Leeds

2,674

2

Troy Parrott

Excelsior

1,262

3

Sergio Reguilon

Man Utd/Brentford

840

4

Tanguy Ndombele

Galatasaray

645

5

Djed Spence

Leeds/Genoa

615

6

Japhet Tanganga

Augsburg/Millwall

292

The goal for Spurs, who are well-stocked at the back, could now be to be at least break even on the 26-year-old, having found the ideal club for him to thrive. If Leeds, currently 3rd in the Championship, do come back up, then they'll surely be desperate to make Rodon a key part of their squad in the top flight.

Pakistan allrounder Shoaib Malik insists he is not getting ahead of himself following his call-up for the series against Bangladesh, and will “not set any long-term goals”. Most notably, that meant he wouldn’t commit to saying whether he aimed to be part of Pakistan’s World T20 squad, saying that was “too far out”.”I am not thinking about the World Cup; my selection is for the Bangladesh series and I will try to avail whatever opportunity I get,” he told reporters in Lahore. “The World Cup is too far out, and I don’t set long term goals. Whatever’s in my hand I will try. There are lots of youngsters in the team who should be groomed and that is the priority. I also don’t want to make a statement that I will retire from T20 cricket after the World Cup. When the time comes, I will see how things are going.”Malik’s remarks on his aspirations for the World T20 stand in stark contrast to his fellow senior player Mohammad Hafeez’s, who was also called up by chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq for this series. The day after his inclusion in the side, he declared the World T20 would mark his retirement from all international cricket, suggesting playing in that event is very much front and centre among his goals.Malik should be more familiar with the visiting Bangladesh side than most. Just last week, he was part of the Rajshahi Royals side that triumphed in the Bangladesh Premier League final in Dhaka. He ranked fourth on the run charts across the entire competition, racking up 455 averaging just under 38. In addition, he shed light on some of the conversations he had had with players in Bangladesh, and his attempts to assuage any concerns players might have about touring Pakistan.”Players do ask us about how things are in Pakistan when we go out and play in different leagues. The sort of security you get in Pakistan, you don’t get anywhere else. Some Bangladesh players also inquired about security, and I told them that they should come and have a look at it themselves. Only one player [Mushfiqur] is not coming because of personal reasons. I just want to say to him ‘please do come next time and see for yourself’. When the Bangladesh team comes and sees the atmosphere here, I think they will also convince others who aren’t coming right now to come for the next leg.”As for the cricket, though, he expects nothing less than the sternest of challenges.”Bangladesh are bringing a strong team. Their system has become stronger over the years. A well-balanced side is coming. But if you look at our T20 team, we have lots of players who have plenty of experience. Babar Azam is highly thought of around the world; when I go play in other leagues, they all praise him. When other players also get chances on a consistent basis, I feel sure they will also perform, too.”But for Pakistan’s oldest serving cricketer – Malik made his international debut in 1999 – being in this side at all defies expectations. After a torrid World Cup campaign he was dropped halfway through, he lost his central contract, and the possibility he had played his last game for Pakistan was very real. Now, back in the side and with a chance to show his worth as a stabilising influence in a team that has begun to slide, Malik has a simple explanation for why he’s sticking around.”I’m still enjoying my cricket,” he said.

MatériaMais Notícias

da dobrowin： Na tarde desta quarta-feira (10), o São Paulo informou, por meio de suas redes sociais, que o lateral esquerdo Welington apresentou resultado positivo em seu teste para a Covid-19. O clube já havia confirmado, pela manhã, que o defensor Léo contraiu a doença.

RelacionadasVaivémSão Paulo acerta o empréstimo de goleiro ao Bahia até o fim de 2021Vaivém10/03/2021São PauloSão Paulo pode ter programação especial; desgaste do elenco preocupaSão Paulo10/03/2021São PauloSão Paulo oficializa retorno de Milton Cruz como assessor técnico do clubeSão Paulo10/03/2021

da dobrowin：
CONFIRA A TABELA ATUALIZADA DO CAMPEONATO PAULISTA DE 2021!

Seguindo o protocolo elaborado pelo departamento médico do São Paulo, os dois jogadores passarão por um período de isolamento social nos próximos dez dias.

O Tricolor foi um dos poucos times do Brasil que não passou nenhum surto de Covid-19 no elenco, tratando somente de casos isolados de jogadores e outros funcionários do clube, contornando a situação.

O treinador Hernán Crespo terá que quebrar a cabeça para montar o time, pois além de Léo e Welington, o time não contará com o zagueiro Arboleda, que está de folga e viajou ao Equador, para resolver questões familiares, retornando semana que vem.

Sem as duas opções para a lateral esquerda (Léo é lateral esquerdo de origem, mas vem sendo utilizado como zagueiro), o Tricolor não terá nenhum jogador no banco para, eventualmente, substituir Reinaldo.

Já no trio de zaga, os jovens Diego Costa e Rodrigo podem ser as opções de Crespo para as vagas de Léo e Arboleda. O volante Luan já foi zagueiro em algumas ocasiões e é outra opção.

O São Paulo volta aos gramados diante do Novorizontino, no sábado (13), no Estádio Doutor Jorge Ismael de Biasi, pela quarta rodada do Paulistão.

da roleta： Everton have received a fresh approach for a player who has been described as a "monster", with Sean Dyche happy to see him leave during the January transfer window.

Everton transfer news

da pixbet： The Blues' disappointing season continued on Saturday afternoon, with their 2-1 defeat at home to Luton Town in the FA Cup fourth round meaning yet another year will drift by without silverware.

There is still the very real threat of relegation from the Premier League for Everton, too, following their 10-point deduction for financial breaches, and new signings between now and the end of the month could be needed.

Plenty of players have been linked with moves to Goodison Park in recent weeks, with Marseille midfielder Pape Gueye one individual who has emerged as a target. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Boca Junior defender Aaron Anselmino has also been backed to join the Blues, being seen as a potential long-term centre-back partner for Jarrad Branthwaite.

There could also be outgoings at Everton in the January window, however, and Abdoulaye Doucoure is one key figure who has been linked with a move away from Goodison before the month is up. The same applies to Amadou Onana, with Arsenal one of the clubs believed to be interested in signing him.

Everton could sell Ben Godfrey

According to a fresh transfer update from Football Insider, Leeds United have made an official approach to sign Everton defender Ben Godfrey, looking to get a loan deal over the line this month.

"Leeds United have made an official approach to Everton over a late-window loan deal for defender Ben Godfrey, sources have told Football Insider. Football Insider revealed earlier this week (24 January) that the Whites were in preliminary talks over a potential loan swoop for the 26-year-old.

"Leeds turned their attention to landing Godfrey after his move to Serie A side Atalanta collapsed earlier this month due to Italy’s tax break abolishment. Everton boss Sean Dyche has given the green light for the centre-back to leave Goodison Park this month as the club look to reduce their wage bill."

It does feel as though Godfrey's time at Everton is up, with Dyche simply not seeing him as an important part of his plans, so it makes complete sense for all parties for him to seal an exit this month. He has featured only twice in the Premier League all season, with only one start coming his way, and it feels pointless warming the substitutes' bench every week when he could be playing regularly elsewhere, as well as getting his £75,000-a-week wage off the books.

The 26-year-old is still a good player – one who has been hailed a "monster" by journalist James Whaling – and somewher like Leeds could be perfect for him, potentially playing a key role in getting them back into the Premier League between now and the end of the season under a manager he's worked under before in Daniel Farke.

Related Sky Sports reporter drops important 777 Partners update at Everton

Is the Blues’ takeover getting any closer?

Posts ByHenry Jackson Jan 27, 2024

A loan move could then possibly become permanent in the summer transfer window, allowing Everton to receive a healthy fee for the Englishman.

da leao： It has been another season of footballing misery for Chelsea fans this year, and while they have made it into the semi-final of the League Cup and the fourth round of the FA Cup, they find themselves tenth in the Premier League and miles off qualifying for any European football, let alone the Champions League.

da 888casino： New boss Mauricio Pochettino has struggled to get his young team of promising players firing, and while there have been glimpses of brilliance here and there, the number of draws and defeats are perhaps starting to put his job under pressure.

However, the latest name touted for a move to west London could just help him turn this poor run around; a player that shares some similarities with Dele Alli when he was at his best: AS Roma's Paulo Dybala.

Chelsea transfer news – Paulo Dybala

According to Italian outlet TuttomercatoWeb, Roma star Dybala is now a transfer target for Chelsea this January.

The report reveals that due to a clause in the Argentine's contract, the Blues could get their man for as little as €12m – about £10m – and while that is still a significant amount of money, it would represent a bargain in the modern transfer market.

That said, the Giallorossi are understandably keen to keep a hold of one of their most important players midway through the season, so they're intent on renewing his deal to remove the clause that Chelsea are looking to exploit.

While Pochettino already has plenty of players he needs to find space for in his team, the opportunity to sign someone as talented as Dybala doesn't come around very often, so the Blues should be doing all they can to get this deal over the line, especially if the former Spurs manager can utilise him similarly to how he used Dele in N17.

Paulo Dybala could be Mauricio Pochettino's new Dele

Now, when talking about Dele, it is hard to ignore the significant period in which he has been unable to play due to injury or a plethora of other personal issues, which he bravely spoke about last year. However, he was near enough unplayable when he was in his pomp under Pochettino at Tottenham Hotspur.

The Englishman's best season, at least in terms of output, came back in the 2016/17 campaign, when he scored a mind-boggling 18 goals from an attacking midfield or second striker position and provided nine assists along the way.

Comparatively, Dybala found most of his success for Roma last season from a second-striker position, scoring 12 goals and providing seven assists in just 25 Serie A appearances.

The Argentinian "wizard", as described by Nigerian journalist Buchi Laba, has been a lethal attacker ever since he made his way to Italy.

Paulo Dybala's Serie A career

Club

Palermo

Juventus

AS Roma

Games

61

210

38

Goals

16

82

17

Assists

10

41

13

Titles

0

5

0

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Related Chelsea could supercharge Palmer with move for £103m goal-scoring "machine"

The 25-year-old could turn the youngster into an assist king.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jan 8, 2024

In 309 Serie A appearances, he has scored 115 goals and provided 64 assists, meaning he has averaged a goal involvement every 1.7 league games.

It isn't just the number of goals that the former Juve star scores, but the quality of them, as just like Dele, he has scored his fair share of wonder goals, leading to football writer Raj Chohan declaring that he has "joke levels of footballing talent."

Ultimately, Chelsea are in need of some serious footballing magic if they are to turn their season around anytime soon, and while Dybala might not be quite at the height of his powers anymore, he would surely add that extra spark to the Blues' midfield.

Liverpool are eying a swoop for PSV Eindhoven forward Cody Gakpo in the summer transfer window.

What’s the Word?

That’s according to Dutch media outlet Voetbal, who claim the winger has already spoken with Liverpool regarding a transfer to the Premier League side at the end of the current campaign.

However, the report goes on to state that the likes of Arsenal, Manchester City, and even Bayern Munich are also interested in a move the PSV sensation this summer.

It looks increasingly likely that Gakpo will be leaving the Dutch side and he has no shortage of admirers. The player did recently sign a new contract until 2026 following discussions with manager Ruud van Nistelrooy recently and this could be to secure his club the best possible fee.

Mane 2.0

Liverpool’s recent recruitment has been excellent, with the additions of Luis Diaz and Diego Jota have added extra dimensions to the Reds’ attack and it looks like Klopp is looking to the future.

With Gakpo only being 22, he could well be a fine signing and eventually look to take over from the ageing Sadio Mane.

Indeed, the Dutchman’s attacking output is similar to that of the 30-year-old, having scored a scintillating 18 goals and registered 15 assists over 42 outings in all competitions this season. Although primarily a left-winger, he can play across the forward line.

His performances have gathered a great amount of praise, with the former Netherlands midfielder, Theo Janssen, stating his belief that Gakpo is a talent who “has everything.”

Liverpool could secure his services for £33m which, would be a record fee for PSV.

Indeed, considering the sheer amount of potential the Netherlands international quite clearly possesses, it would not be surprising to see the 22-year-old – if he does indeed secure a move to Anfield this summer – eventually go on to take the place of Mane in the Reds’ starting XI – as it is clear Gakpo is very much a player in the Senegal international’s mould.

AND in other news: Cost £3.5m now worth £19.8m: Liverpool struck gold with “sensational” gem – opinion

Kylian Mbappe could feature for France against the Netherlands despite a broken nose, as the Real Madrid superstar teased his imminent return.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Mbappe suffered a broken nose against AustriaCould still play against the NetherlandsHowever, France have a few other injury concernsWHAT HAPPENED?

The forward had to undergo further tests on Wednesday on his broken nose to determine the real extent of his injury after Didier Deschamps revealed that he would have to undergo surgery. However, Mbappe was back for the Les Bleus' training session on Wednesday, according to although he did an individual routineMoreover, Mbappe himself and the official French national team posted on social media to tease that the 2018 World Cup winner might be available for the crucial match against the Dutch on Friday.

AdvertisementWHAT MBAPPE SAID

Mbappe shared two pictures on Instagram with a caption that read: "Without risks there are no victories."

Meanwhile, the French national team also put out a tweet with an hourglass emoji and a picture of Mbappe sitting in the middle of the pitch.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

According to Theo Hernandez, the 26-year-old AC Milan left-back, missed Wednesday's training session due to muscle pain in his gluteal region. Hernandez has been training separately from the rest of the squad, focusing on his fitness by working on a bike. This development raises questions about his availability for France’s upcoming match against the Netherlands.

If he is unable to recover in time for the match against the Netherlands, Deschamps has a couple of options. Ferland Mendy, the Real Madrid left-back, is a likely candidate to step into the starting line-up. Additionally, Deschamps could consider Eduardo Camavinga, another Real Madrid player, who has been deployed at left-back on occasion despite being primarily a midfielder.

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

Hernandez is not the only player under an injury cloud. Reports from indicate that both William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano, who played pivotal roles in France’s 1-0 victory over Austria, also missed training due to muscular pain. Saliba, 23, who earned his first major tournament start, has quickly become a crucial component of the French defence, partnering effectively with Upamecano. The absence of these two central defenders from training just days before a crucial match is a significant concern for Deschamps. In a piece of positive news for the French camp, veteran striker Olivier Giroud has returned to training after missing Tuesday’s session due to a minor injury.