Real Madrid and England star Jude Bellingham has spoken of his frustration at a muscle injury he sustained in training via his account on social media website X.
According to reports, it is expected to keep the 21-year-old out of action until at least the end of September.
That means he will miss his club's next three matches along with Lee Carsley’s opening two fixtures as England’s interim manager.
In an official statement, Real Madrid said, “Following tests carried out today [Friday] on Jude Bellingham by Real Madrid’s medical team, the player has been diagnosed with an injury to the plantaris muscle in his right leg. His progress will be monitored.”
On his enforced time off, Bellingham tried to find the positives despite admitting his frustration, as he suggested last season's exploits have perhaps taken a toll on his fitness.
“Nothing I hate more than missing games but trying to see the positive side and maybe my body is telling me it needs a bit more rest,” he wrote on X.
“I’m very frustrated but I’ll be supporting the lads like a fan until I can rejoin them again in my best and strongest form.”
Simeone keen to use Atletico's home advantage to overcome Girona
Diego Simeone is counting on Atletico Madrid's passionate fans to spur them on in their first LaLiga home match of the season against last year's surprise package Girona on Sunday.
Atletico made a disappointing start to the season with a 2-2 draw at Villarreal on Monday as they failed to find a winner in the second half after twice coming from behind to level.
With Girona once again looking to challenge for a top-four place this season, Simeone is ready to use every advantage his team can get.
"I played my time as a footballer in front of this crowd, and it was above everything else," Simeone said in a press conference.
"It always pushes those who have to play and, hopefully, we can release the energy of the stadium onto the pitch."
Julian Alvarez, Conor Gallagher and Spain Euro 2024 champion Robin Le Normand were introduced to a crowd of over 30,000 at the Metropolitano Stadium on Wednesday, with Simeone admitting he felt emotional when he saw the reception given to the new signings.
"The other day at the unveilings, when I saw the recognition given to the new boys and how so many people came to see those players, I was thrilled," Simeone added.
"Today we have the chance, with a lot of hard work, to put together an interesting and competitive squad and we have to be aware of the place we are in and the responsibility that this entails.
"We live it with a lot of passion, I don't forget where we come from. Sure, it will depend on a number of factors, but on Wednesday I got emotional. This is a consequence of what past generations have left behind."
Atletico have already spent more than €200million to reinforce their squad after a disappointing season in which they finished fourth in LaLiga.
However, the 54-year-old said he expects to add two more players to his squad before the transfer window closes next week.
"We are fulfilling everything we talked about at the beginning of the summer, the path is going the way we wanted, we are on the way to closing it; we are still missing two players who should arrive soon, in a few hours they will be with us," Simeone said.
One of those players should be French defender Clement Lenglet, who, according to media reports, is expected to arrive from Barcelona on a season-long loan, with the Catalan giants desperately trying to reduce their first-team wage bill so they can comply with LaLiga's financial controls.
'The most difficult window I've experienced' - Howe
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe claims this year’s summer transfer window is the toughest he has been through.
The Magpies have attempted to be active in the market but, despite the wealth at their disposal, have so far been unable to make the major moves they would have liked.
Their situation was complicated by a need to sell players in order to comply with the Premier League’s financial rules, with youngsters Yanukba Minteh and Elliot Anderson leaving in big-money switches to Brighton and Nottingham Forest respectively.
Newcastle have signed Lloyd Kelly, Odysseas Vlachodimos and William Osula, though have so far been frustrated in their attempts to sign England international Marc Guehi from Crystal Palace, while they reportedly remain in the market for a winger.
“It’s been the most difficult window I’ve experienced,” said Howe ahead of Sunday’s match against his former club Bournemouth.
“The June part of the window was incredibly difficult and now this part hasn’t been exactly easy either. It’s always going to be difficult because you’re competing for a very small pool of players and the competition is high from other clubs.”
When asked directly about the chances of signing Guehi, Howe replied: “There’s no news. I’m a step removed, but I’m aware there’s still work going on behind the scenes.”
Kieran Trippier, meanwhile, has been linked with a move away from St James’ Park and, while Howe would like to keep the right-back, he conceded there are no guarantees.
“My wish is Kieran stays here and continues to play for us,” he added. “But I can never answer with absolute certainty because it’s football and the window is always unpredictable. We take every case individually and try to make the right decision for the player and the club.
“Tripps is a really valuable member of the squad. His professionalism has been first class. Since coming here, he’s played a huge role in changing the narrative around the team. He galvanised the squad from the first day.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Bournemouth – Antoine Semenyo
Semenyo has scored six goals in his last 13 Premier League starts for Bournemouth. His goal against Nottingham Forest last week was his 10th in the competition overall and he is the seventh Ghanaian to score 10+ goals. The only African countries with more players on 10 goals are Nigeria (17), Senegal (14) and Ivory Coast (10).
Newcastle United – Alexander Isak
Newcastle were starved of possession after going down to 10 men against Southampton last week and, even though they won, chances were at a premium for star striker Isak.
However, against a Bournemouth team that like to get on the front foot, the Sweden forward will be hoping for more of a look in.
MATCH PREDICTION: DRAW
Howe has never beaten former club Bournemouth in the Premier League in four attempts (D3 L1). The Cherries are one of only three sides Howe has faced but failed to defeat, along with Luton (D1 L1) and Man City (D1 L15).
Bournemouth, however, have won none of their last eight Premier League games in August (D3 L5) since a 2-0 win over Aston Villa in 2022. In those eight winless games, the Cherries have scored three times while shipping 23.
Newcastle’s away Premier League matches last season saw 76 goals scored (36 for, 40 against), the most by a team in a season since Chelsea in 2019-20 (77 – 39 for, 38 against). Eight of their 10 away games in 2024 have seen at least four goals scored with an overall average of 4.4 goals per game.
The visitors are looking to win their opening two Premier League matches in a season for the first time since the 1997-98 campaign under Kenny Dalglish.
Having kept a clean sheet in their first Premier League meeting with Bournemouth (1-0 in November 2015), Newcastle have conceded at least once in each of their last 11 against the Cherries, who have won just one of their last nine Premier League games against the Magpies.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Bournemouth – 32.6%
Newcastle – 42.6%
Draw – 24.8%
Injuries deprived Neto of bigger move, claims Wolves boss O’Neil
Gary O’Neil has said Pedro Neto could have sealed an even bigger move away from Wolves, if not for his injury record.
Neto left Wolves for Chelsea earlier in August, signing for the Blues in a £45million move.
The Portugal international is set for a swift reunion with his former club, though, with Wolves welcoming Chelsea to Molineux on Sunday.
Ahead of that contest, Wolves boss O’Neil believes Neto could have moved on for an even larger fee – and to an even bigger side – had he stayed fit over the course of recent seasons, with the winger having missed close to four months due to injuries last term.
"The important thing for him now is being able to play week in, week out," O’Neil said of Neto.
"I always felt he was unfortunate with injuries, he never struck me as injury prone. That will be a question mark around him at the moment.
"It's not one I'd be concerned about, which is why I was desperate to keep him and play him every week, but you can understand that may have had an impact in the summer.
"But he can definitely play at any club in world football. His talent, work ethic and physical attributes allow him to play at whatever level he wants."
O’Neil also stressed Chelsea have signed, in his view, an outstanding talent.
"He is one of the best out-and-out wide players in world football. What he can do one-v-one, his explosive pace, what he can do when he arrives there, it allows him to do things not many players can do," he added.
"It was an emotional goodbye He loved it here, his time before I was here and how well it went for him last season on the pitch."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Wolves – Hwang Hee-chan
With Neto gone, there is even more onus on Hwang Hee-chan, who was one of Wolves’ most impressive players last season. He created one chance in the defeat at Arsenal last week, though failed to get a shot off, so O’Neil will want to see a greater attacking impact this time out.
Chelsea – Pedro Neto
Going up against his old team means Neto will be eager to impress in what could be his full debut, having come on from the bench against Manchester City last time out. The 24-year-old has been in the headlines this week too, after he took the number seven shirt previously occupied by Raheem Sterling, who is now out in the cold at Chelsea.
MATCH PREDICTION: CHELSEA WIN
Despite losing to Man City in their opener, Enzo Maresca’s team are predicted to get the job done at Molineux by Opta’s supercomputer.
The Blues have not lost their opening two league games in a season since 1973-74, while the last Chelsea manager to lose his first two matches in charge was Gianluca Vialli in February 1998.
Wolves have lost their last four Premier League matches. They have not lost more consecutively since a six-game run between May and August 2021 (three games under Nuno Espirito Santo, three under Bruno Lage), while the last Wolves manager to lose five in a row was Terry Connor between March and April 2012 (seven).
They have lost six of their nine Premier League home games so far in 2024 (W3), with no side losing more. They had only lost four of their 20 league games at Molineux in the whole of 2023.
That being said, Chelsea are winless in four away league games against Wolves (D1 L3), since a 5-2 victory in September 2019 under Frank Lampard.
Chelsea have also conceded at least once in each of their last 16 Premier League away games, their longest run without a clean sheet on the road since a run of 24 between January 1993 and February 1994.
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Wolves – 24.1%
Chelsea – 51.4%
Draw – 24.5%
SportsMax is the Caribbean sports channel of choice, committed to providing sporting content of the highest quality to the Caribbean, delivered by a team of highly innovative, passionate and qualified professionals.
(876) 619-7629
digitalmedia@sportsmax.tv
