Sports
Fernandes, Gakpo, Isak Join Int’l Break lnjury list
Isak, Bruno Fernandes, Cody Gakpo and Patrick Dorgu have all joined the international break’s high-profile injury list after suffering issues that have curtailed their involvement in Nations League matches.
After playing in Portugal’s win over Wales on Thursday, Manchester United captain Fernandes was not in the squad for Sunday’s fixture against Norway.
Prior to the match boss Jorge Jesus revealed, external Fernandes had “played through the pain” against Wales and “wasn’t his usual self”.
“He played with an injury he brought from Manchester United,” he said. “He really wanted to play against Wales.”
Meanwhile, both Fernandes’ United team-mate Dorgu and Liverpool strikers Gakpo and Alexander Isak suffered injuries during games for their respective countries at the weekend.
Gakpo had to go off just 17 minutes into the Netherlands’ 2-1 win against Serbia, grimacing and holding the lower part of his right leg.
He has started the season well for Liverpool with two goals and four assists in six appearances across all competitions.
Netherlands boss Xavi Hernández confirmed Gakpo will have a scan on today.
Dorgu, lasted 30 minutes before he limped off in Denmark’s 2-0 win against Wales. Meanwhile,injured Isak has returned to Liverpool from Sweden duty with a minor thigh injury.
The striker played the full 90 minutes and scored a goal in his side’s 2-1 win on Friday over Romania in the Nations League.
However, he will not be involved in Sweden’s remaining three matches in this international break and assessed by his club’s medical staff.
On Thursday, Arsenal forward Kai Havertz and Sunderland’s Brian Brobbey both went off injured in the same game as the Netherlands drew with Germany.
German Havertz was caught on the knee by a high boot from Quinten Timber in Amsterdam and had to be replaced.
Netherlands forward Brobbey – off the back off a hat-trick in Sunderland’s 5-3 Premier League defeat by Manchester City – then appeared to suffer a muscle injury.
A further blow for Sunderland on this international break came as Dan Ballard suffered a hamstring injury late in Northern Ireland’s 1-0 win over Georgia on Friday.
Boss Michael O’Neill has confirmed the injury will rule him out of the national team’s remaining fixtures in this international break.
It is not just Premier League teams who are being impacted by injuries to their players while on international duty.
Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe has been ruled out for at least two weeks after injuring his knee while scoring the winner in Zinedine Zidane’s first game in charge of France.
He scored a record-extending 67th goal from Michael Olise’s pass to sink Turkey, but he was limping immediately and had to be replaced five minutes later.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala suffered a muscle injury during the warm-up for the game against the Netherlands and had to withdraw..
The first international break of the 2026-27 men’s football season is lasting a week longer than it usually does, with the traditional October break now scrapped.
There is now a three-week gap for international fixtures across late September and early October, where countries will play four international matches instead of two.
International Break Injury List So Far
🚑 Kylian Mbappé
🚑 Jamal Musiala
🚑 Kai Havertz
🚑 Brian Brobbey
🚑 Alexander Isak
🚑 Daniel Ballard
🚑 Eric Garcia
🚑 Cody Gakpo
🚑 Patrick Dorgu
🚑 Bruno Fernandes
Lewis Hall is in line to start for England at left-back against Czech Republic in the Nations League due to Nico O’Reilly being a doubt with an injury issue.
According to report, O’Reilly and Ezri Konsa trained inside and separate to the main group on Monday, having both started Saturday’s defeat to Spain. Konsa is also uncertain to play on Tuesday as a result.
Trevoh Chalobah and Jarrad Branthwaite are other centre-back options for England, along with Marc Guehi, who started alongside Konsa at Wembley.
Jarell Quansah can also play the position, having been used at right-back against Spain. If he moved inside, Trent Alexander-Arnold could come in at right-back.
Sports
Okoye To Replace Nwabali, Chukwuze Dropped In Likely XI Super Eagles Squad Against Guinea -Bissau – Report
Udinese goalkeeper Maduka Okoye could be among a few players who could come into the Super Eagles XI when they take on Guinea-Bissau in the second game of their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Okoye was on the bench as Nigeria started their campaign with a 2-1 win over Madagascar but could come back into Eric Chelle’s plans for the game against Wild Dogs.
The 27-year-old could have been in goal for Friday’s win but did not get to feature after arriving late to camp due to club engagements and his decision to spend a night with his rumoured girlfriend, Cardi B.
Although he came under intense criticism for his late arrival, Chelle might consider giving him a runout for the game against Guinea-Bissau in order to keep the goalkeeping spot competitive.
Okoye is not the only change that Chelle might consider making, as he could also drop Samuel Chukwueze from the lineup.
Chukwueze started the game against the Barea but failed to impose himself, with his replacement, Moses Usor, coming on to score the winner on his debut.
Usor could now be in line for his first start in Nigeria’s colours, replacing Chukwueze in the line-up.
As for the rest of the team, Chelle is unlikely to make any further changes, with George Ilenikhena set to continue as Osimhen’s replacement up front.
Debutant Ilenikhena, Usor rescued Super Eagles from AFCON2027Q disaster on Friday
The Al-Ittihad striker marked his debut with the equaliser against Madagascar and will continue to lead the line ahead of Tolu Arokodare and Taiwo Awoniyi.
A win for Nigeria on Tuesday evening will put them in total control of their group ahead of the next round of qualifiers in November.
Nigeria’s possible XI against Guinea-Bissau – Maduka Okoye, Calvin Bassey, Semi Ajayi, Ola Aina, Bruno Onyemaechi, Wilfred Ndidi, Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman, Moses Usor, George Ilenikhena.
Liverpool and Sweden player, Alexander Isak has stated in an interview that his career goal is to win a major trophy.
In a series of quick questions and answers, when asked about the best player he has played with, Isak chose David Silva. When asked about the most underrated teammate in his career, he replied, “Curtis Jones.” Jones previously played with Isak at Liverpool before transferring to Inter Milan this summer.
When asked to describe the Liverpool locker room in one word, Isak chose “quality” and said that the fans are the best thing about the club. Isak also stated that representing the Swedish national team in the World Cup was the proudest moment of his career so far.
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