Bonmati discharged from hospital after meningitis

Bonmati, Aitana

Spain midfielder Bonmati, Aitana has been discharged from hospital after being treated for viral meningitis days before the start of Euro 2025.

The 27-year-old, who has won the Ballon d’Or twice in the past two years, was unable to make Friday’s 3-1 friendly match against Japan in Leganes, Spain.

She was taken to a hospital in Madrid on Friday but did not train on Thursday.

Spain play Portugal in their opening Group B game on Thursday in Bern, and Euro 2025 in Switzerland kicks off on Wednesday.

Two-time Fifa women’s player of the year Bonmati wrote on Instagram, “Thanks to everyone for the messages I’ve received and for those who have helped me these past few days.

“Fortunately, everything is going well,” she said. I’m hoping to return soon.

Bonmati was a key player in the Spain team that won the 2023 World Cup and the Nations League last year and has 30 goals in 78 games.

Coach Montse Tome of Spain said: “She is a very important player for us. We’ll be able to wait as long as we can.

Meningitis affects the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord, and if not treated quickly, it can be serious.

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Calvert-Lewin to leave Everton as free agent

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Dominic Calvert-Lewin, a striker for Everton, claims to have made the “incredibly difficult decision” to leave.

The England international’s 28-year contract expires on Monday.

Calvert-Lewin signed for Everton from Sheffield United for £1.5 million in 2016 and has since scored 71 goals in 273 games.

After nine remarkable years, I and my family have to make the difficult decision to launch a new career chapter, Calvert-Lewin wrote on Instagram.

“I didn’t take it lightly,” I said. Since I was 19 years old, my home has been in Eden. It was the place where I realized potential, challenged me to develop, and transformed both my character and football.

Calvert-Lewin made the England squad that reached the Euros final that summer, scoring 16 goals in 33 Premier League games during his best season in 2020-2020.

He struggled with injuries and form the following year, and only started 26 of his matches last season.

Since 2021, he has only added four goals and 11 caps for England.

Calvert-Lewin continued, “We spent a long time considering the decision to move on; it was not just about me. It was about my family.”

We think it’s appropriate to seek out new challenges and grow, but that doesn’t diminish the friendship I’ll always have with Everton.

I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve shared, fighting for this club when it matters most, scoring goals in crucial situations, and displaying pride and commitment on the shirt.

“I’m hoping I leave with your respect knowing how much I have always fought to uphold the standards of this great club.”

He claimed that Everton’s final three seasons had been the “most difficult” in Premier League history but that he had “led the line” through it in an interview with BBC Sport last month.

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Crystal Palace or Liverpool? Inside Guehi’s intriguing summer

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On Tuesday, Marc Guehi officially concludes his 12-month contract with Crystal Palace, and interest is growing.

A player of his standing, an England international, rarely ventures into such ambiguity.

There are, as you might expect, several teams eager to exploit the situation.

However, one club seems to be making strong front-and-center contenders.

Liverpool were one of the teams interested in signing the 24-year-old, according to a report from BBC Sport this month.

However, whether Liverpool takes steps to formalize their interest will depend on a number of factors.

the delicacy of the right price.

The value of a player who can leave for nothing in the summer will depend on Palace.

Don’t be surprised if Liverpool doesn’t look into Guehi’s price in light of their 12-month interest-parking and free-transfer deal.

What, however, qualifies as a fair price? We should look back to last year for a hint, when Palace turned down numerous offers from Newcastle, the last of which was worth £65m.

Given the looming contract expiration, common sense predicts a lower fee for this summer. But how much lower?

What kind of offer would Palace make for their skipper, according to the palace’s press release.

They must balance all of this with the possibility of placing Guehi in charge of their defense next year, keeping them competitive in the Premier League.

However, there are indications that the south London club might be willing to accept a deal worth between £40 and £45 million.

However, whether Liverpool views things that way would be the issue.

In recent years, Liverpool has preferred a centre-back with a younger profile than the Palace defender.

Levi Colwill, who was 20 at the time, was a subject of interest in 2023. Leny Yoro, 18, who eventually joined Manchester United, was a summer signing for Liverpool. They looked into moving to Guehi this summer prior to their interest in Guehi, and they did.

Liverpool will be looking for what they believe to alter their approach in light of this.

There is reason to believe that the Merseysiders could attempt to break even in any formal bid for Guehi with the sale of centre-back Jarell Quansah to Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth up to £35 million.

Perhaps they’d be more than willing to pay for Quansah with the money they get paid, but not significantly.

It strikes a delicate balance.

If Liverpool and Palace agree to pay a figure that the Londoners don’t view as “low-balling,” then a successful and friendly negotiation might emerge if Palace agree to pay Guehi at a price the Premier League champions find fair.

England and first-team opportunities are crucial.

Guehi’s availability is a mystery even if Palace and Liverpool can agree a fee for him.

Last year, Slot’s side won the Premier League title thanks to the contributions of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, who established a formidable central defensive duo.

The interest in Guehi adds a further layer of intrigue because Konate’s future is uncertain and he is also in the final 12 months of his contract.

Guehi, if any, be interested in moving to Anfield? That is a no-brainer. One of the most exciting football projects in Europe is Liverpool. Their allure is further accentuated by their summer recruitment, which includes the £116 million purchase of Florian Wirtz.

However, the answer isn’t always a simple “yes” or “no.” The environment in which he resides must be pleasant for Guehi.

Before taking any serious thought to moving north, you can assume Guehi would want to know what his part in Slot’s plans are.

He serves as Palace’s captain on a regular basis. With Palace and the possibility of joining Liverpool or another leading European club on a free transfer next season, having his contract attracted interest from Uefa’s multi-club ownership investigation, which is pending.

As long as he plays, joining Liverpool also works.

You could say Guehi’s desire for more international opportunities will influence his final choice, especially in a World Cup year.

Guehi was establishing himself as one of England’s stars for Euro 2024 at this time last year. With less certainty about his international future, he can look forward 12 months.

Thomas Tuchel is in charge, Lee Carsley has returned to the Under-21s, and Sir Gareth Southgate has left.

Guehi’s place in Tuchel’s setup is ambiguous in some ways. You’d think a successful season at Liverpool and his debut in the Champions League would help him cement his place in England’s plans for the 2026 World Cup.

Who could compete with Liverpool’s interest?

A move to Anfield has a good chance of gaining momentum if the cost is reasonable for all parties and the circumstances favorable for Guehi.

Of course, Palace will look for interest from other clubs to increase their selling power if there is no chance of keeping Guehi’s current contract.

Guehi is undoubtedly being watched by other parties. For instance, Arsenal has a strong interest in center-back.

With William Saliba and Gabriel holding the shirts in central defense, the Van Dijk-Konate conundrum would arguably be even more challenging at Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal initially inquired about Guehi moving, but they now turn their attention to Valencia’s Cristin Mosquera.

In the final moments of the January transfer window, Tottenham attempted and failed to sign Guehi, keeping an interest.

Chelsea looked into the possibility of re-uniting their former academy player with them at Stamford Bridge over the winter, even though they have a 20% sell-on clause for Guehi’s new transfer.

Newcastle, on the other hand, is still eager to try to close a deal that they agonized not to close last summer.

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Raducanu, Alcaraz, Boulter and heat – Monday’s Wimbledon preview

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The 23 British men’s and women’s singles teams will compete on the All England Club grass courts for the first time on Monday at Wimbledon.

British participation in the singles reached its highest level since 1984, with 14 of the 138th Championships’ home players participating on day one. Katie Boulter and Emma Raducanu will both receive important show-court positions.

Both Aryna Sabalenka and Carlos Alcaraz, the two-time men’s world champion, will begin their campaigns on Monday.

A sunny sizzler of a day is on the cards. The players are in for a challenge because the weather forecast indicates that the temperatures in south-west London could reach 33C.

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Men’s champion Alcaraz begins play on Center Court as per tradition at Wimbledon. The second seed faces 38-year-old Italian Fabio Fognini in a matchup that starts at 13:30 BST.

Next up is the matchup between German third-seed Alexander Zverev and Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech, where Briton Boulter squares off against Spanish ninth-seed Paula Badosa.

At 13:00 BST, Belarus’ top seed Sabalenka faces Canadian Carson Branstine in a match of sorts on Court One. Branstine, 24, will make her Grand Slam main draw debut after defeating French Open semi-finalist Lois Boisson and former US Open champion Bianca Andreescu in qualifying.

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There will be 10 other Britons in action around the grounds as Boulter, Fearnley, Raducanu, and Xu begin their tournaments at 11:00 BST, with play beginning at 11:00 BST.

Cameron Norrie, who reached the semi-finals three years ago, will face Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain in court 18.

Sonay Kartal and Jelena Ostapenko, the 20th seed and former French Open champion, square off in the first court three.

Harriet Dart takes on Hungarian Dalma Galfi in the final two matches of Court 17 against American Ashlyn Krueger, who is the 31st seeded against world number 96 Mika Stojsavljevic.

Stojsavljevic, 16, won the US Open girls’ title last year and is a wildcard entry.

Leylah Fernandez, the 16-year-old Canadian player Raducanu defeated in the 2021 US Open final, is third against her fellow British player Hannah Klugman, 16 years old. Klugman, who was raised in Wimbledon Village, won the French Open women’s final in June.

In the opening match of the day, British world number 719 Oliver Tarvet takes on Swiss Leandro Riedi in the first set of the tournament. Due to regulations in place in the US collegiate system, Tarvet is unfortunate to not be able to claim all the prize money because he qualified.

Ethan Quinn, the American who defeated England to become the 2023 boys’ Wimbledon champion, will play in the fourth match on court four.

On Court 15, Billy Harris’ match with Serbian Dusan Lajovic is followed by the world number 465 Arthur Fery taking on Australian 20th seed Alexei Popyrin.

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The two main courts are not the only ones receiving the star names at Wimbledon, as it is always the case in the first few days.

Daniil Medvedev, a former US Open champion from Russia, takes on Benjamin Bonzi in France, one of the top ten players on court two.

Madison Keys, a reigning Australian Open champion, squares off against Romanian Elena-Gabriela Ruse.

On her way to the final of last year’s competition, Jasmine Paolini of Italy became a crowd favorite. She plays France’s Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, and she kicks off her campaign against Latvian Anastasija Sevastova. Taylor Fritz, who just won his fourth Eastbourne title, will play him as well.

When American McCartney Kessler, winner of the Nottingham Open, faces Czech Republic’s Marketa Vondrousova, 2023 Wimbledon champion, on court 12 to face off in the final match of the day.

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10:30 – 19:00 – Live coverage on the BBC Two, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website, and app

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‘Not football’ – Maresca questions Club World Cup hosts after ‘joke’ delay

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Enzo Maresca, Chelsea manager, calls it a joke that the US is “probably not the right place to do the competition” and that the club’s decision to suspend the last-16 game of the club against Benfica for two hours was taken.

After the 4-hour, 39-minute victory in Charlotte, which ended at 01:39 BST on Sunday, the Italian said, “This is not football.”

Due to the unpredictable summer thunderstorms, it was the tournament’s sixth game that was postponed.

A year after the US co-hosting the 2026 World Cup, extreme heat also affects games, which has been one of the Club World Cup talking points.

To be honest, Maresca said, “I think it’s a joke.”

“It’s not football,” he said. I find it to be completely new and difficult to comprehend.

If there are security concerns, I get it, but if you suspend seven or eight games, it’s probably not the best place to hold the competition.

“Suspension of the game is not common.” How many games are suspended during a World Cup? Probably zero. How many games are suspended in Europe? Zero .

What transpired during the game?

The Bank of America Stadium game took place as follows:

  • 09: 00 BST: Kick-off
  • 22: 53: Chelsea take a 1-0 lead into the 85th minute thanks to Reece James’ 64th-minute goal.
  • 00: 47: Match restarts
  • In the 92nd minute, VAR checked for a Benfica penalty at 00:54.
  • In the 95th minute, Angel di Maria scores the penalty that equalizes.
  • 01: 01: Full-time
  • End of extra time: Chelsea win, while Benfica youngster Gianluca Prestianni is sent off, while Chelsea earn a three-goal lead in extra time thanks to Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall.

How Chelsea handled the stoppage

With only five minutes left before the end of normal time, Chelsea players Marc Cucurella, Levi Colwill, and Tosin Adarabioyo were furious when they were pulled off the field.

Players re-enter the areas where the operations and dressing rooms were performed, doing kick-ups and exercise bikes to keep their muscles warm.

Maresca cited the mood and how it affected performance, saying that “people speak with the family outside [to check] if they were good with the security. On their mobile devices, people are eating, laughing, and conversing. Two hours passed. That’s why I said it wasn’t football.

“We had the upper hand for 85 minutes.” We created enough chances to win the game, not by giving up. Then, after the break, the entire game completely changed.

When you’re in the game’s flow, James continued, “It was quite disruptive.” Making numerous substitutions as needed to stay warm. The weather was challenging, and it was challenging.

After the game, a senior Chelsea official acknowledged the chaos and relief experienced by the senior staff.

Is it acceptable to visit the US in the summer?

Benfica had another two-hour stoppage that delayed the start of their match against Auckland City, making it the second-longest stoppage of the tournament.

Due to heavy rain and storms, there have been six other similar stoppages in five different cities, including the one in Orlando that Mamelodi Sundowns against Ulsan HD.

And there were lengthy pauses in the second half of Boca Juniors vs. Auckland City in Nashville (50 minutes), Palmeiras vs. Al-Ahly in New Jersey (40 minutes), and Salzburg vs. Pachuca in Cincinnati (90 minutes).

One of the many teams that have experienced extreme heat is Chelsea. A regular training session at their previous base in Philadelphia was “impossible,” according to Maresca.

Many of the best stadiums in the US and Canada do not have roofs, like Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

In addition to the Club World Cup, Vancouver, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, and Toronto are covered for the following summer’s World Cup. Atlanta is the only ground chosen with a covered roof.

The expansion of that competition, however, to 48 teams, means these events are most likely to occur in the summer of next year.

Possible solutions include putting the World Cup on hold in the winter months, as Qatar did in 2022, but severe cold is also a problem in some parts of the US and Canada.

Arsene Wenger, the head of Fifa’s technical study group, addressed stoppages from its Miami base.

He said, “You want the game to flow from the beginning to the end, but you also want security to be the first priority when you organize a competition.”

The Fifa Club World Cup match between SL Benfica and Chelsea FC has been suspended due to bad weather conditions in Charlotte, including the risk of lightning in the area of Bank of America Stadium, according to a statement from Fifa at the time of the incident. Ifa will adhere to the established safety standards, and the game will resume as soon as it is secure.

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European U21 champions again – but who could make World Cup?

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As they won the Euro 2025 trophy, the triumphant England Under-21s were hidden by the ticker tape. They must now make sure they don’t vanish once more.

The Young Lions were enthralled as the blue and white confetti fell from Slovakian skies.

They were due to be. After Germany rallied in Bratislava from 2-0 down, Jonathan Rowe’s extra-time goal won the previous European titles.

Many of them thought it was their last chance playing under 21, but with a World Cup coming up next summer, they have an opportunity to make a big impact on Thomas Tuchel’s plans.

Who will win the World Cup among the competitors?

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Who can make the transition now that the US, Canada, and Mexico are less than a year away from hosting the World Cup?

James Trafford, Levi Colwill, Cole Palmer, Morgan Gibbs-White, Noni Madueke, and Curtis Jones were all chosen for Tuchel’s squad for the games against Andorra and Senegal last month.

Will the class of 25 make such a move?

After a successful campaign and a successful season for the Magpies, it seems obvious that Newcastle full-back Tino Livramento will follow them.

He has played for England’s right this summer, but Tuchel might need him to play the troublesome left-back position.

Given that Carsley made his senior debut against the Republic of Ireland last season and his form continues, Myles Lewis-Skelly, who started in the 3-1 defeat by Senegal and Livramento, will be a standout option for the summer.

After discussions with Tuchel and Carsley, the pair were eager for the 22-year-old to use his experience to lead the Under-21s. He made a second appearance in the Under-21s this summer.

The opening goal in the final, two match-winning strikes in the semi-final, England’s opening goal against the Czech Republic, and Harvey Elliott’s first game of the tournament were the highlights.

His and Liverpool’s influence are only strengthened by those big moments, which further enhance his talent.

After only two Premier League starts as a result of Liverpool’s title success, which should help him gain more senior recognition, the attacker may leave Anfield this summer in search of regular football.

After struggling for game time for the champions this season and despite being 33, Dan Burn’s England career won’t last forever, Anfield team-mate Jarell Quansah will be eager to see more top-level minutes at Bayer Leverkusen when his impending move from Liverpool is confirmed.

James McAtee, a Manchester City U21 captain, excelled in the competition. However, with rumors that he might leave Etihad Stadium this summer, he is uncertain about his future like Elliott and Quansah.

One of the problems facing the Premier League’s academy players is highlighted by this. Because little or no transfer fees were initially paid for them, selling them on has become extremely lucrative for clubs’ balance sheets. They now appear in the accounts as pure profit.

Who else might be included in the calculation?

In Slovakia, centre-back Charlie Cresswell impressed. In the quarter-final victory over Spain in Trnava, the Toulouse defender was the match’s man.

The former Leeds centre-back was linked with Serie A side Como during his debut season in France.

After making just six starts for his boyhood club, Cresswell, the son of former Preston and Sheffield United striker Richard, made 33 appearances for Toulouse, finishing 10th in the league.

Elliot Anderson, a player for Scotland Under-21s and Nottingham Forest, impressed at the City Ground.

The young Lions’ youngster, who is dynamic and combative, is now too old for them, and a repeat of his first season at Forest will be difficult to ignore.

Ethan Nwaneri, the youngest player in the group, is expected to do a lot, even though he is only 18 years old.

The attacker has time to develop after making 37 appearances for the Gunners last season and made the group debut against Slovenia and Germany.

Many more must be taken into account, including a number that Carsley’s squad did not have.

Before joining Chelsea and traveling to the Club World Cup, Liam Delap was chosen as the Slovakia’s first member. Tuchel will have a strong option with a strong season at Stamford Bridge following his 12 goals for relegated Ipswich last season.

Jamie Gittens, who previously represented Manchester City at the club world cup with Borussia Dortmund, is close to moving to Chelsea, where he will be able to showcase his skills in front of the premier league.

Adam Wharton, who was sidelined for the duration of the tournament while recovering from a concussion, did not play at Euro 2024, but the Crystal Palace midfielder will undoubtedly make a senior squad come off the bench next year.

England’s youth teams can progress, but senior advancement is not guaranteed.

Tuchel ran away from the 1982 and 1984 Club World Cup to cheer on the Young Lions against his home country as they continued to triumph in the same way.

Victory, which started out as an anomaly, is now becoming accepted.

In five of the previous six tournaments, they had previously failed to leave the group.

However, manager Lee Carsley’s goal has always been to develop players, along with his coaches and predecessors, and results have shown this has since been proven and justified by the Football Association since St George’s Park opened in 2012.

The U17s won the Euros in 2014 and U19s followed in 2017 and 2022. Both the U17s and U20s won World Cups in 2017 and both did so.

We talked about this two years ago, when we put under-21s champions and under-19s in play together, and developed the dynamics of that group, Carsley said.

You can see why the under-19s did so well because they were so determined, and that doesn’t half help as a coach because they are used to winning, not because of their determination.

The more experienced England players who can put on an England shirt and win, the higher the expectation is, according to the senior team.

With the generation that has probably passed through to the seniors, “you’ll see that there’s an expectation when they play for England and a performance and a win comes along with that.”

Palmer is the most notable of the 2023 winners, and six more made Tuchel’s most recent England selection.

Senior caps have been won by Palmer, Colwill, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Gibbs-White, Emile Smith Rowe, Anthony Gordon, Jarrad Branthwaite, Jones, Angel Gomes, and Madueke.

Aaron Ramsdale, Marc Guehi, Conor Gallagher, Callum Hudson-Odoi, and Eberechi Eze are all named on the list starting in 2021, when England exited at the group stage.

Eddie Nketiah, the record-holder who has 16 goals in 17 U21 games, has only one cap since his one against Australia two years ago.

None of those who won the 1982 or 1984 squads were Three Lions legends, and neither one of them won a senior cap for England.

The most caps won by Mark Hateley, who was on both teams, 32, with Terry Fenwick and others who added 20.

Gary Owen, who had two goals in the 3-1 win over Germany in the second-leg, was never given a senior bow for England. He only had seven B caps.

Laurent Blanc, Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluigi Buffon, Francesco Totti, and Manuel Neuer are just a few of the 29 players who have won the Under-21 European Championship and a significant senior tournament overall.

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