Isco suffers new leg fracture in pre-season friendly
MADRID : Real Betis's playmaker Isco has fractured a tibia for the second time, the Seville club announced on social media today.
The 33-year-old former Real Madrid star broke his leg in a friendly against Malaga yesterday.
The club said the injury was a 'new non-displaced fracture to the middle third of his left fibula'.
Isco, who won the Champions League four times during his spell at Real Madrid, suffered the same injury in May 2024.
He returned last December and helped Betis to sixth in La Liga, and qualification for the Europa League, as well as skippering them in the Europa Conference League final where they lost 4-1 to Chelsea.
His form earned a recall to the Spanish national team for the first time since 2019.
He came on as a substitute and scored in the penalty shootout loss to Portugal in the Nations League final.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
PSG sign Ukrainian Zabarnyi on 5-year deal
Illia Zabarnyi was a key part of Bournemouth's defensive line-up last season. (EPA Images pic) PARIS : Paris St-Germain have signed centreback Illia Zabarnyi from Premier League club Bournemouth on a five-year contract, the European champions said today, with the 22-year-old becoming the French club's first Ukrainian player in history. Financial details were not disclosed but media reports said the transfer fee was worth around €63 million. The Ukraine international was a key part of Bournemouth's defensive line-up last season, making 36 appearances as the club achieved positive goal difference in a Premier League campaign for the first time, finishing ninth. Zabarnyi is the latest Bournemouth defender to depart this summer after Dean Huijsen joined Real Madrid and Milos Kerkez signed for Liverpool. 'I'm very happy to join Paris St-Germain, the best club in the world, with the best project. I am here to give everything I have on the pitch and I'm looking forward to making my debut and meeting the fans,' Zabarnyi said in a statement. Zabarnyi made his senior debut at his hometown club Dyanmo Kyiv before joining Bournemouth in January 2023 on a five-and-a-half year contract. The English club awarded Zabarnyi, known for his aggressive defending and dominance in aerial duels, with a contract extension until 2029 after an impressive 2023-24 campaign. 'We're delighted to continue the strengthening of our squad with the signature of Illia Zabarnyi. Illia is a talented international player and a great professional. He will make a major contribution to everything that we are building long-term at Paris St-Germain,' PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said. Ligue 1 and Champions League winners PSG face Tottenham Hotspur for the Uefa Super Cup on Thursday.
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
5 Premier League talking points
A revamped Liverpool under Arne Slot is installed as favourites to retain the Premier League crown after a £256 million transfer spend. (AFP pic) LONDON : Liverpool begin their bid for a record 21st English title on Friday, with Arne Slot's revamped side installed as favourites to retain the Premier League crown. Arsenal and Manchester City are the main contenders to end Liverpool's reign, while Chelsea and Manchester United have questions to answer. AFP Sport looks at five talking points ahead of the start of the 2025-26 season: Champs Liverpool in pole position When Liverpool host Bournemouth in the opening match of the top-flight season, the Reds will put on display an expensively overhauled team carrying great expectations. Liverpool haven't been crowned champions in successive campaigns since 1982-83 and 1983-84. Emulating the feat of Kenny Dalglish, Ian Rush and company would take the Anfield club past Manchester United into sole possession of the most English titles. Chasing that target, while also competing for the Champions League, convinced boss Arne Slot to invest from a position of strength as Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez headlined a £256 million (US$343 million) summer spree. Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz have departed but Slot sees encouraging signs from a new-look attack that could yet include Newcastle striker Alexander Isak. 'Last season we had a lot of ball possession but that didn't always lead to promising situations. Now, we are better in creating than we were throughout the whole of last season,' he said. Can Arsenal get over the line? After finishing as runners-up for the last three seasons, Arsenal believe they are ready to end their long wait to win the Premier League. Mikel Arteta's side blew golden opportunities in the title race in 2023 and 2024, but last season was a frustrating injury-plagued affair that petered out with Liverpool 10 points ahead of them. Arsenal haven't won the title since 2004 and their only major trophy under Arteta is the 2020 FA Cup. Having spent over £180 million on Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke and Kepa Arrizabalaga, Arteta is confident Arsenal can reach the promised land at last. 'We have been very close the last few seasons. We know what our targets are. There is a big belief in our ability to achieve that,' he said. Man City face long road back to the top Pep Guardiola has spent the close season engaged in a desperate attempt to halt Manchester City's decline. Continuing a major overhaul that started in the January transfer window, Guardiola has signed Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki, Tijjani Reijnders and James Trafford. With Kevin De Bruyne and Kyle Walker leaving and Jack Grealish also on the way out, it has been a summer of change at the Etihad Stadium. Whether Guardiola's wheeling and dealing can take City back to the summit after a first trophyless season since 2017 is another matter. Champions in six of the last eight seasons, City looked shockingly vulnerable during their slump to a third-place finish, while concerns remain over the durability of midfield talisman Rodri after his serious knee injury. Chelsea's world champs aim high Fresh from their surprise Club World Cup success, Chelsea will look to carry the momentum into the domestic campaign. Enzo Maresca's men returned from the United States buoyed by their impressive 3-0 victory over Champions League holders Paris St-Germain in the final, but are they for real? The Blues had the youngest average age of a starting line-up across an entire Premier League season in the competition's history last term. Despite a turbulent campaign, Chelsea finished fourth to qualify for the Champions League and also won the Uefa Conference League. Now emerging stars Cole Palmer and Enzo Fernandez are joined by new recruits Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens, Estevao Willian and Jorrel Hato as Chelsea set their sights even higher. Man Utd eye redemption Chastened by their lowest finish since 1973-74, Manchester United hope a complete revamp of their attack can inspire a redemptive season. Ruben Amorim's side ended 15th in the Premier League and suffered a toothless 1-0 defeat against fellow strugglers Tottenham in the Europa League final – a loss that cost them a place in the Champions League. It was an appropriately limp conclusion to a humiliating season and Amorim is under intense pressure to turn the tide after spending £200 million on forwards Benjamin Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha. Marcus Rashford has joined Barcelona on loan, with Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho and Rasmus Hojlund all likely to leave Old Trafford as Amorim tries to wake the sleeping giant.
Free Malaysia Today
2 hours ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Tributes pour in for legendary Japan striker hailed by Pele
Kunishige Kamamoto (centre) was the top scorer at the 1968 Olympics with seven goals. (Jiji Press/AFP pic) TOKYO : Japanese football has paid tribute to Kunishige Kamamoto after the country's most prolific striker died aged 81. Kamamoto, who scored 75 goals in 76 appearances for Japan, died yesterday of pneumonia. 'Mr Kamamoto was truly an unparalleled striker,' Japan Football Association president Tsuneyasu Miyamoto said in a statement. The Kyoto native is best remembered for his exploits at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico, where he was the top scorer with seven goals and led Japan to the bronze medal. With stamina, agility and physical strength, Kamamoto was first called up to the national squad aged 19. In 1967 he joined Yanmar Diesel, now Cerezo Osaka, plundering 202 goals in 251 games until his retirement in 1984. During the final years of his playing career he also worked as Yanmar's manager. After football Kamamoto shifted to politics, becoming an upper house lawmaker in 1995. He also worked on Japan's bid to host the 2002 World Cup, which was co-hosted with South Korea. Current Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu said Kamamoto 'gave us a ray of hope that Japanese football can compete on the international stage', according to Kyodo News. 'I'm hoping for a player who could eventually eclipse Mr Kamamoto to emerge,' he added. Kazuyoshi Miura, the former Japan international forward who is still playing aged 58, said Brazilian legend Pele had called Kamamoto 'a great striker'. Pele played in Kamamoto's retirement match, Kyodo said. 'When I heard King Pele call him a 'great striker', I was really proud as a Japanese, and I can still remember that now,' said Miura, who is second in Japan's list of all-time scorers.
