Gossip: Mitoma to stay at Brighton
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
37 minutes ago
- The Independent
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall believes Club World Cup has made Chelsea squad tighter
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall believes Chelsea will be stronger as a squad having embraced the challenge at the Club World Cup. The Blues are through to the quarter-finals of the tournament in the United States and face Brazilian side Palmeiras in Philadelphia on Friday night (2am Saturday BST). Forward Joao Pedro could make his debut having completed his reported £60million move from Brighton and joined up with the squad this week. Pedro will link up with fellow summer signing Liam Delap and, while other clubs have been on holiday, Dewsbury-Hall feels it has been beneficial to integrate the new faces immediately. The 26-year-old told the club's website: 'It's been a different experience and you have to be grateful because not everyone gets to play in these sorts of tournaments. 'It's a little strange when you see players from other teams back for pre-season and we're still playing the previous season, but it's something that you have to take as a privilege because not everyone gets to play in something like this. 'It brings everyone closer together and the new lads that have come in have been able to settle in a lot quicker. 'It's a nice environment and we've got a nice dressing room. Everyone mingles, we go out and do things – shopping, food, beach. So it's been good.' Chelsea, now 11 months into their 2024-25 campaign, have had a rocky path to the last eight having suffered a heavy defeat to Flamengo in the group stage and come through an extraordinary last-16 encounter with Benfica. That game in Charlotte featured a two-hour stoppage for a thunderstorm and the Blues eventually needed extra time before seeing off the Portuguese side. Dewsbury-Hall said: 'Obviously, the further you go, the closer you are to getting to the final. 'The feeling in the camp is to take it game by game and then, before you know it, we could be in a great position.' Chelsea's summer spending does not appear to be over with a deal for Borussia Dortmund's English winger Jamie Gittens reportedly close. The Palmeiras clash will also see them get a closer look at Estevao, the 18-year-old winger who agreed to join them last year and will do so after the tournament. Chelsea beat the Brazilian side 2-1 after extra time when they met in the final of the Club World Cup, under its old format, in 2023. Dewsbury-Hall said: 'Nobody is overlooking Palmeiras and we have seen South American teams in this tournament have been really strong. 'It's a challenge I'm looking forward to, and the lads are also looking forward to. So we will make sure we're all ready for it.'
Sky News
42 minutes ago
- Sky News
Women's Euros: Concerns for player safety as tournament kicks off in Switzerland
The Women's Euros begin in Switzerland today - with extreme heat warnings in place. Security measures have had to be relaxed by UEFA for the opening matches so fans can bring in water bottles. Temperatures could be about 30C (86F) when the Swiss hosts open their campaign against Norway in Basel this evening. Players have already seen the impact of heatwaves this summer at the men's Club World Cup in the US. It is raising new concerns in the global players' union about whether the stars of the sport are being protected in hot and humid conditions. FIFPRO has asked FIFA to allow cooling breaks every 15 minutes rather than just in the 30th minute of each half. There's also a request for half-time to be extended from 15 to 20 minutes to help lower the core temperature of players. FIFPRO's medical director, Dr Vincent Gouttebarge, said: "There are some very challenging weather conditions that we anticipated a couple of weeks ago already, that was already communicated to FIFA. "And I think the past few weeks were confirmation of all worries that the heat conditions will play a negative role for the performance and the health of the players." Football has seemed focused on players and fans baking in the Middle East - but scorching summers in Europe and the US are becoming increasingly problematic for sport. While climate change is a factor, the issue is not new and at the 1994 World Cup, players were steaming as temperatures rose in the US. There is now more awareness of the need for mitigation measures among players and their international union. FIFPRO feels football officials weren't responsive when it asked for kick-off times to be moved from the fierce afternoon heat in the US for the first 32-team Club World Cup. FIFA has to balance the needs of fans and broadcasters with welfare, with no desire to load all the matches in the same evening time slots. Electric storms have also seen six games stopped, including a two-hour pause during a Chelsea game at the weekend. This is the dress rehearsal for the World Cup next summer, which is mostly in the US. The use of more indoor, air conditioned stadiums should help. There is no prospect of moving the World Cup to winter, as Qatar had to do in 2022. And looking further ahead to this time in 2030, there will be World Cup matches in Spain, Portugal and Morocco. The temperatures this week have been hitting 40C (104F) in some host cities. 1:08 FIFA said in a statement to Sky News: "Heat conditions are a serious topic that affect football globally. "At the FCWC some significant and progressive measures are being taken to protect the players from the heat. For instance, cooling breaks were implemented in 31 out of 54 matches so far. "Discussions on how to deal with heat conditions need to take place collectively and FIFA stands ready to facilitate this dialogue, including through the Task Force on Player Welfare, and to receive constructive input from all stakeholders on how to further enhance heat management.
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Lucy Bronze: England will give full support to Portugal after Diogo Jota's death
England defender Lucy Bronze said the Lionesses would lend their full support to the Portuguese team at the Women's European Championship after they were 'shocked' by the death of Liverpool forward Diogo Jota. Portugal play World Cup champions Spain in their tournament opener on Thursday night in Bern, where a minute's silence will be observed in honour of the Portugal international and 28-year-old father of three, who was killed in a car crash alongside his brother in Spain. Bronze, who was born in Berwick-Upon-Tweed to a Portuguese father and an English mother, said the Lionesses were stunned when word travelled through the camp in Zurich, where they are preparing to open their title defence against France on Saturday. 'Yeah it definitely shocked all the squad when we woke up this morning and the news started to spread,' said Bronze, who will be competing in her fourth consecutive Euros and seventh major tournament. 'Obviously we have a lot of Liverpool fans in our team and football fans, but for people in general, everyone is just thinking of them – him and his brother. They were so young as well. We have seen all the messages on social media and stuff so you can tell what a great guy he has been. It's just really sad and we were shocked by the news, really.' A moment of silence will be observed at all of Thursday and Friday's matches in memory of Jota and his brother Andre Silva. Bronze added: 'We'll be watching the games tonight and Portugal play their first game against Spain and I know there will be a minute's silence held before that game. 'I think everyone in an England shirt and everyone in the tournament will be supporting the Portuguese team because they will be a lot closer to this than we are. 'It is just a really sad moment for everyone involved in football, knowing what a great guy he is and what an amazing year he's had – not just in football, but he got married a few weeks ago and he's got some little kids. It's just so sad.' A Lionesses statement read: 'We are devastated at the tragic loss of Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva. It is truly difficult to comprehend. 'The Lionesses send our heartfelt condolences to Diogo's family and friends, and all the players, staff and fans connected to Liverpool FC, his former clubs and the Portugal national teams. 'We stand beside the Portuguese team here in Switzerland and the whole football family in honouring Diogo and Andre's memory.'
