logo
Real's Ruediger undergoes knee surgery

Real's Ruediger undergoes knee surgery

CNA29-04-2025

Real Madrid defender Antonio Ruediger has undergone knee surgery, the LaLiga club said on Tuesday.
Spanish media had reported that the 32-year-old German international was considering surgery to fix ongoing knee problems.
"Our player Antonio Ruediger underwent successful surgery today for a partial tear in the external meniscus of his left leg," Real said in a statement. "Ruediger will begin recovery work shortly."
Ruediger was sent off during Saturday's Copa del Rey final for his angry reaction after the referee called a foul for a challenge by Kylian Mbappe moments after Jules Kounde had scored deep into extra time to put Barca ahead.
Ruediger, who apologised for his behaviour, could be suspended for between four and 12 matches.
Real, four points below league leaders Barcelona with five matches left, host Celta Vigo on Sunday.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Jude Bellingham ‘special boy' despite ‘repulsive' behaviour, says Thomas Tuchel
Jude Bellingham ‘special boy' despite ‘repulsive' behaviour, says Thomas Tuchel

Straits Times

time6 hours ago

  • Straits Times

Jude Bellingham ‘special boy' despite ‘repulsive' behaviour, says Thomas Tuchel

LONDON – England manager Thomas Tuchel said that his own mother finds some of Jude Bellingham's antics 'repulsive' but he does not want to dim the Real Madrid star's fire. The German suffered his first defeat in four games as England boss on June 10 when Senegal became the first African side to ever beat the Three Lions in a 3-1 friendly win. Bellingham thought he had made it 2-2 late on at Nottingham Forest's City Ground only for the goal to be controversially disallowed before Senegal broke away for a third in stoppage time. Tuchel had to restrain the midfielder's protests at the decision at full-time and said it is a balancing act to retain the 21-year-old's fight without it bubbling over. 'Sometimes you see the rage, the hunger and the fire and it comes out in a way that can be a bit repulsive, for example, for my mother when she sits in front of the TV,' said Tuchel in a wide-ranging interview with radio station talkSPORT on June 11. 'I see that but, in general, we are very happy to have him. He's a special boy.' Tuchel also dismissed suggestions England could be better off without Bellingham, who starred in the Three Lions' run to the Euro 2024 final. Instead, he called on Bellingham to inspire rather than intimidate his teammates. 'He has a certain something and brings an edge. It's needed if we want to achieve big things,' he added. 'It needs to be channelled towards the opponent, and not to intimidate teammates or be aggressive towards teammates or referees. He has the fire – I don't want to dim that, as that's his strength. 'But the fire comes also with some attribute that can intimidate teammates. Sometimes you see the explosion towards referees and the anger in his game. If he can channel this in the right way he has something that we need and that edge is hard to find.' Tuchel, who won the Champions League at Chelsea and league titles with French side Paris Saint-Germain and Germany's Bayern Munich, was hired with the task of ending England's wait for a major tournament victory since 1966. Under Gareth Southgate they reached the final of each of the last two Euros, plus a quarter-final and semi-final of the past two World Cups. Tuchel has a richly-talented squad to choose from but has so far failed to find the right blend in three underwhelming World Cup qualifying wins over Albania, Latvia and Andorra before the Senegal defeat. 'I already have an idea of what to do,' he added with one year to go to the 2026 World Cup. 'We did some experiments in the second camp, not everything was bad, we did some good things but the two games were not good enough. 'It was a good learning and it brings clarity. Each game is a learning situation and helps us mould the team and find solutions.' On a personal level, he suggested he is tempted to seek a contract extension as England manager beyond the 2026 World Cup up to the 2028 European Championship, despite his team drawing criticism for their recent poor performances. 'I will always be tempted to stay because I love the group and the opportunity, it's an honour to be England coach,' Tuchel added in his interview with talkSPORT. 'I can tell you that even after the disappointment yesterday (the Senegal defeat). 'If you ask me today, yes. I am enjoying it, I feel the support, trust and respect of people in the Football Association. I wanted a new challenge and environment.' AFP, REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

European game generated €38 billion in 2023-24 season, study shows
European game generated €38 billion in 2023-24 season, study shows

Straits Times

time7 hours ago

  • Straits Times

European game generated €38 billion in 2023-24 season, study shows

Manchester City's Norwegian striker Erling Haaland scoring their second goal from the penalty spot during the match against Fulham on May 25. PHOTO: AFP LONDON – Europe's football market grew by 8 per cent in terms of revenue in the 2023-24 season to €38 billion with England's Premier League generating the most, Deloitte said in a study published on June 11. In its Annual Review of Football Finance, Deloitte said the top five leagues – Premier League, German Bundesliga, Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A and French Ligue 1 – generated €20.4 billion in revenue, an increase of 4 per cent. Premier League clubs had the highest revenue of Europe's top leagues at £6.3 billion. However, the traditional 'Big Six' clubs in England's top flight reported lower average revenue growth (3 per cent) than other clubs that were in the Premier League in both the 2023-24 and 2022-23 seasons (11 per cent). The study said the growth was largely driven by expansion of clubs' commercial offerings, which also led to the teams cumulatively generating more than £2 billion in commercial revenue for the first time. "A focus on stadia development and diversification of commercial revenues led to growth across the European football market in the 2023-24 season," said Tim Bridge, lead partner in Deloitte's Sports Business Group. "However, clubs and leagues cannot afford to take their eye off the ball as new challenges, including an evolving regulatory landscape and changing fan behaviours, arise. The pressure is mounting for more clubs to drive additional revenue at the same time as managing rising costs. "More so than ever, leaders and owners must recognise the great responsibility they have of managing these businesses, capturing the historic essence of a football club while honouring its unrivalled role as a community asset for generations to come." Fan protests have become a common sight at Premier League stadiums over rising ticket prices and the squeezing out of local supporters to make way for more tourists willing to spend more for a special matchday experience. 'There can be no doubt that the system in English football is under strain,' added Bridge. 'Repeated reports of fan unrest at ticket price and accessibility demonstrate the challenge in the modern era of balancing commercial growth with the historic essence of a football club's role and position in society.' There is also uncertainty over the implications of an incoming independent regulator for England's top five leagues. And for the past two seasons, all three promoted clubs from the Championship have been immediately relegated back to the second tier. 'The financial implications of the 'yo-yo effect' on clubs, their spending, and overall competitiveness are major factors to address in order to continue attracting high levels of investment across the system,' said Bridge. Clubs in Europe's 'Big five' leagues reported an aggregate operating profit (€0.6 billion) for a second successive season, while the aggregate wages/revenue ratio fell from 66 per cent to 64 per cent. Clubs in England's Women's Super League (WSL) jointly generated revenue of £65 million in the 2023-24 season, a 34 per cent rise. Each WSL club had a double-digit increase in revenue, while all 12 clubs reported over £1 million in revenue for the first time, with an average revenue of £5.4 million. "Through developing more robust fan engagement strategies, strong commercial deals and securing central distributions, WSL clubs unlocked a new phase of growth," Deloitte Sports Business group's knowledge and insights lead Jennifer Haskel said. "Plus, as the reporting and attribution of commercial revenue remains inconsistent between clubs, we may be scratching the surface on the value now being generated by the women's game." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Xabi Alonso's new-look Real Madrid aiming for Club World Cup glory
Xabi Alonso's new-look Real Madrid aiming for Club World Cup glory

Straits Times

time7 hours ago

  • Straits Times

Xabi Alonso's new-look Real Madrid aiming for Club World Cup glory

New Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso will get a chance to improve his team during the Club World Cup, before the new season starts. AFP MADRID – After Real Madrid's hopes of major silverware this season faded, the Club World Cup took on far greater importance for them and it will provide an insight into new coach Xabi Alonso's strategy. The 43-year-old Spaniard, who replaced Carlo Ancelotti at the helm along with new arrivals Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen, add a fresh look to a team that emerged battered and bruised from a domestic season dominated by bitter rivals Barcelona. Former Bayer Leverkusen coach Alonso may deploy his favoured 3-4-3 formation which would give England international Alexander-Arnold an important role on the right flank. Recent Spain debutant Huijsen also bolsters a back-line which has been badly hit by injuries this season. Real still have several players sidelined, including Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao and Eduardo Camavinga, but some may be able to make their return during the tournament. Midfielder Jude Bellingham is expected to have shoulder surgery after Real's participation ends which they hope is after they have been crowned champions. Their title ambitions is why they paid a reported £10 million to sign Alexander-Arnold early, his Liverpool contract was due to end on June 30. In Group H, Real's campaign begins against Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal on June 18 in Miami, before facing Mexican outfit Pachuca in Charlotte on June 22. Alonso's team then face Austria's RB Salzburg in Philadelphia on June 26 in their final group game. Al-Hilal may be a tougher proposition than many expect, having recently appointed Simone Inzaghi as coach after he guided Inter Milan to the Champions League final. With a squad full of well-known names, including Aleksandar Mitrovic, Joao Cancelo and Kalidou Koulibaly, Al-Hilal will believe in their chances of causing an upset. Pachuca have former Newcastle striker Salomon Rondon leading the line but are seen as the weakest team in the group. Real beat them 3-0 in the Intercontinental Cup last December, with Kylian Mbappe, Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior all on target. Real also thrashed Salzburg 5-1 in January in the Champions League group phase, although the record 15-time winners were dumped out by Arsenal in the quarter-finals. Ancelotti suggested a year ago that top clubs including Real would skip the Club World Cup, but was forced to backtrack, and with the winners bagging as much as US$135 million, victory is important. After Barcelona reclaimed La Liga on the way to wrapping up a domestic treble, beating Real four times in the process, Real would also welcome some sporting success to raise morale before the new campaign. Some of the same problems that Ancelotti could not solve are in Alonso's in-tray and the Club World Cup is the first chance for him to answer them. The Italian complained about a lack of balance because of the top-heavy attack, and Alonso has already suggested Bellingham will be used in a deeper role than previously. A classy midfielder at Real and Liverpool in his playing days, Alonso must find a way of playing both Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe without causing his team too many problems at the back. 'We have to get everything we can out of them – I have ideas,' said Alonso earlier in June. 'I am thinking about how to make a balanced team... (and create) a stability that will allow individual qualities to flourish.' Real's football was often criticised under Ancelotti, to the Italian's chagrin, and Alonso said he wants his team to excite the fans. 'We want an ambitious and active game, knowing how to take the initiative, and we have the players for it,' he added. 'I want a team that transmits emotion, energy, ambitious play and connects with the fans.' Alexander-Arnold's supreme passing range may help Real overcome the absence of Toni Kroos, who left last summer, while Croatian veteran Luka Modric is playing his final matches for the club before departing. Leaving with a trophy would be an appropriate farewell for one of the game's modern greats, while record 15-time European Cup winners Real would also take pride in being the first team to win the expanded Club World Cup. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store