Football: Ramos injured again amid doubts over Real Madrid future

Sergio Ramos has suffered a hamstring injury, Real Madrid announced on Saturday, raising the possibility the defender has played his last game for the club. 

Ramos will not be available now for Madrid's game against Sevilla on Sunday, which could prove crucial to La Liga's title race, with Atletico Madrid also facing Barcelona later on Saturday. 

And with only four matches left of the season, Ramos might not play again for Real Madrid given he is yet to renew his contract, which expires this summer. 

Spain coach Luis Enrique may also be concerned about the 35-year-old's fitness ahead of the start of Euro 2020 next month. 

"Following the tests carried out on Sergio Ramos by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with tendenitis in his left hamstring," a club statement read. 

It is the third injury this year for Ramos, who went straight into the starting line-up for Wednesday's Champions League defeat by Chelsea after a month out with a calf problem. 

Ramos' 21 appearances for Real Madrid in all competitions is his lowest in 15 seasons playing for the club. 

The Spaniard joined Madrid from Sevilla in 2005 and is one of the club's most successful ever players, having won five La Liga titles, four Champions Leagues and two Copa del Reys.

Agence France-Presse

NBA: LeBron James out indefinitely after injuring ankle

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James sustained a right ankle injury early in the second quarter of Saturday's 99-94 loss to the visiting Atlanta Hawks.

ESPN reported that James has a high ankle sprain and is out indefinitely. A Lakers sideline reporter confirmed the report.

The four-time NBA Most Valuable Player left the contest and postgame X-rays were negative. The team was waiting on MRI exam results, according to multiple reports.

Hawks forward Solomon Hill rolled into James' right ankle while chasing after a loose ball with 10:50 remaining in the second quarter. 

James let out a scream in frustration as he grimaced while rolling around on the floor.

"I haven't necessarily seen him scream and squall like that, probably ever, not even with that groin," Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma said, referencing an injury James sustained two seasons ago. "It had to hurt a little bit, for sure."

James, 36, was attended to by the team's training staff before returning to his feet. He stayed in the game and drained a 3-pointer to give him 10 points, extending his NBA-record run of double-digit scoring to 1,036 consecutive games.

But James soon called a timeout, left the floor and headed for the locker room. He knocked down a chair on the way. Fellow co-captain Anthony Davis went back to the locker room to check on James.

Coach Frank Vogel was tight-lipped about the situation following the game.

"The mood of the team is we're disappointed we lost, and we've got to come back and get one (Sunday)," Vogel said, looking toward a game against the host Phoenix Suns. "I won't disclose what LeBron was like (in the locker room). It's in-house."

James has missed just one game this season, a 123-120 loss to the Sacramento Kings on March 3 in the final game prior to the All-Star break. He sat out due to a lingering, mild left ankle sprain.

James is averaging 25.4 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.9 assists.

-reuters-

NBA: Lakers forward Kuzma sidelined indefinitely with foot injury

LOS ANGELES -- Los Angeles Lakers forward Kyle Kuzma will be sidelined indefinitely while recovering from a left foot injury, the NBA club announced Friday.

Kuzma, who averaged 18.7 points and 5.5 rebounds a game last season for the Lakers, was hurt while he was the with the United States team in the run-up to the World Championships in China.

Kuzma was the last player dropped from the squad in August due to the injury.

The 24-year-old American is still rehabilitating and has not been cleared for full practice or game participation as the Lakers prepare to open training camp on Saturday.

Doctors are scheduled to give Kuzma an MRI exam when the Lakers return from playing pre-season games next month in China.

The Lakers will face the Brooklyn Nets on October 10 in Shanghai and October 12 in Shenzhen before playing the Los Angeles Clippers on October 22, the opening night of the 2019-20 NBA season.

Teenage rookie guard Talen Horton-Tucker will also miss the first three weeks of Lakers training camp with a stress reaction in his right foot. His status, like that of Kuzma, will be updated once the Lakers return from China.

Another American rookie, forward Jordan Caroline underwent surgery on the fifth metatarsal bone of his left foot on September 6 and will be out 10 to 12 weeks.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Football: Injured Ronaldo limps off in Portugal qualifier

Portugal paid the price for poor finishing after their captain and top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo was forced off the pitch with an apparent hamstring problem during their Euro 2020 Group B qualifier against Serbia on Monday.

A 1-1 home draw, which followed a 0-0 stalemate against Ukraine on Friday, left European champions Portugal on two points and Ronaldo on the sidelines after he limped off in the 30th minute of an absorbing contest.

The 34-year-old pulled up after sprinting for the ball and was replaced by midfielder Pizzi with Serbia leading 1-0 through Dusan Tadic's early penalty.

Central midfielder Danilo equalised with a long-range effort in the 42nd minute but the home side missed a string of chances as they lacked Ronaldo's killer instinct against a rugged Serbian defence.

Ronaldo appeared to be pointing towards his right hamstring as he received treatment near the corner flag.

Speaking later he said: "We played quite well and created lots of chances. We played better than against Ukraine, but when the ball doesn't want to go in, it simply doesn't go in."

Serbia coach Mladen Krstajic played down the impact of Ronaldo's misfortune as he was quick to point out that his injury-hit side missed several key players.

"As far as whether Portugal missed Ronaldo, you must know that we were missing lots of players -- and we do not have a huge selection to choose from, like some countries do," he said.

Ronaldo, whose club Juventus visit Ajax Amsterdam in their Champions League quarter-final first leg on April 10, was making only his second Portugal appearance since last year's World Cup. 

(Writing by Ken Ferris and Zoran Milosavljevic ; Editing by Martyn Herman)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Tennis: Serena Williams withdraws from Miami Open with knee injury

Serena Williams has withdrawn from the Miami Open with a left knee injury, tournament officials said on Saturday. 

It is the second consecutive WTA event in which the American has been unable to continue, after her retirement from last week's tournament in Indian Wells with a viral illness.

"I am disappointed to withdraw from the Miami Open due to a left knee injury," the former world number one said in a statement.

"I hope to be back next year to play at this one-of-a-kind tournament in front of the incredible fans here in Miami."

The eight-times Miami champion had begun the tournament with a tough three-set victory over Sweden's Rebecca Peterson, winning 6-3 1-6 6-1 on Friday.

"I knew I could play a lot better than I was playing," Williams had said afterwards of her error-ridden second set.

"I just said, 'Okay, you're better than this, Serena.'"

At Indian Wells, Williams had claimed a 7-5, 6-3 victory over two-time Grand Slam winner Victoria Azarenka before being forced to retire from her third round match against Garbine Muguruza, when trailing 6-3, 1-0. 

(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Raleigh, North Carolina Editing by Ian Chadband)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Football: Neymar reveals double injury blow hit World Cup hopes

Brazilian football superstar Neymar revealed Friday that he suffered two major injuries last season with a previously undisclosed ankle ligament strain accompanying the broken foot which badly affected his role at the World Cup.

The fragile Paris Saint German star picked up another foot injury in January this year which will sideline him until April.

Last year, the first injury kept him out of action for three months and he returned just in time for the World Cup in Russia, where Brazil was eliminated in the quarter-finals by Belgium.

"My injury before the World Cup was different, I also broke an ankle ligament and had a hard time getting better because of it," Neymar told TV Globo in an excerpt from an interview to be broadcast in full on Sunday. 

"The ankle is always annoying as it takes longer to get back to normal."

According to the Globoesporte.com website, part of the same media group as TV Globo, the first examinations carried out after the injury of February 26, 2018 had already revealed the rupture of an ankle ligament. 

He was then operated on March 3, in Brazil, by the doctor of the Brazilian national team. 

After his latest injury suffered on Jan. 23 this year, the medical chiefs favored "conservative treatment" rather than another operation. 

In another excerpt from the TV Globo interview, Neymar said he had "cried for two days" after his latest injury setback. 

PSG hope to have him for a possible quarter-final Champions League in April, where they are favorites to reach as they have a 2-0 first leg lead over Manchester United in their last-16 clash.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

2 injured in blast outside Athens church

GREECE - A homemade device exploded in front of a church in central Athens on Thursday, injuring its caretaker and a police officer, police said.

The device was placed outside the Orthodox Church of Saint Dionysius in the upmarket Kolonaki neighborhood and exploded at 7:10 am (0510 GMT), police said.

The police officer was hospitalized with minor injuries to his face and hands sustained when he went to inspect a "suspicious" package after being alerted by the caretaker.

The caretaker was also hospitalized.

A cafe worker nearby told Skai television the blast had been "powerful."

Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras' Syriza party condemned what it called an "atrocious act" and voiced support for the 2 wounded men.

Tsipras' main domestic rival Kyriakos Mitsotakis, head of the New Democracy party, accused the government of tolerating repeated acts of violence and warned that "the feeling of insecurity" had reached a new level.

Socialist Party leader Fofi Gennimata said: "There is a problem of security in the country, the government must take responsibility."

Anti-terrorist police have launched an investigation focused on anarchists or far-left groups. 

Non-fatal attacks targeting centers of power, embassies, banks and media outlets have become common in Greece in recent years, and have often been blamed on such groups.

Ten days ago, a homemade bomb exploded outside the headquarters of the Skai media group in a seaside Athens suburb causing major damage. There have been no claims of responsibility.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Thunder rule Westbrook out for Wednesday with sprained ankle

The Oklahoma City Thunder won't have Russell Westbrook in their next game, but they're still breathing a big sigh of relief.

The team announced Tuesday that their All-Star point guard will miss Wednesday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, but ESPN reported that the ankle injury he sustained on Monday night is only a sprain and Westbrook isn't being ruled out beyond Wednesday.

Westbrook rolled his ankle jumping for a rebound in the third quarter against New Orleans.

While the injury looked significant at the time it happened, X-rays were negative and, per ESPN's Royce Young, the team "confirmed it was nothing more than an ankle sprain that looked worse than it actually is."

According to Young, Westbrook traveled with the team to Cleveland and will be evaluated again on Thursday. As of now, his availability beyond Wednesday will be determined on a game-by-game basis.

Oklahoma City (5-4) has won five straight and hosts Houston on Thursday.

After averaging a triple-double in each of the last two seasons, Westbrook is averaging 24.1 points, 8.9 assists and 8.3 rebounds in seven games this season.

He missed the first two games of the season after undergoing offseason knee surgery.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Barca victory tarnished as injured Messi set to miss 3 weeks

BARCELONA, Spain -- Lionel Messi is expected to be out for three weeks with a fractured right arm but his last contribution was to help send Barcelona back to the top of La Liga on Saturday.

Messi scored and then went off injured as Barca beat Sevilla 4-2 at Camp Nou, in a six-goal thriller that never looked like ending in anything other than a home win.

Any joy at jumping above in-form Sevilla, however, was tarnished by Messi's injury, which will now rule him out of next weekend's Clasico against Real Madrid.

A Barcelona club statement read: "Tests carried out on Leo Messi have confirmed that he has a fracture of the radial bone in his right arm. He will be out for approximately three weeks."

It means Messi will also miss the Champions League match at home to Inter Milan on Wednesday, and probably the return trip to Italy on November 6, as well as league games against Real Madrid and Rayo Vallecano in between.

"It is clear it is a blow," Barca coach Ernesto Valverde said. "We know what he gives us and we know what he does to the opposition.

"We have to prepare ourselves, it is clear we are going to notice the loss of Messi but we have players that can cover."

Messi fell to the ground following a tussle with Sevilla's Franco Vazquez and, as his right hand tried to cushion the landing, his elbow appeared to buckle.

Messi was helped off the pitch by medical staff and, despite having his right arm heavily strapped, he was finally substituted in the 26th minute.

"Emotionally, we know when he is there, he gives us more confidence because he is the best in the world," Gerard Pique said. "But it does not have to affect us."

Philippe Coutinho had opened the scoring and Luis Suarez's penalty, which he also earned, made sure of victory before a three-goal flurry in the final 11 minutes.

Pablo Sarabia and Luis Muriel twice reduced the deficit to two for Sevilla, either side of a sweeping volley from Ivan Rakitic.

Even without Messi, Barca might be confident of seeing off Madrid, whose slump had continued on Saturday with a 2-1 loss at home to Levante. Barcelona, meanwhile, seem to have sparked a rival.

Since drawing at home to Athletic Bilbao last month to make it three games without a win, they have blown Tottenham away at Wembley, taken a point away to Valencia and now eased past Sevilla, who came into the weekend top of the table.

Barca fans had chanted, "don't touch the badge" before kick-off after president Josep Maria Bartomeu had announced plans to change the club crest had been shelved.

They were soon celebrating a goal too as Coutinho bent a sumptuous right-footed shot into the far corner with only two minutes on the clock.

Messi doubled the advantage, racing clear on the counter-attack before jinking inside and curling into the bottom corner with his left foot. It was his last significant involvement.

“He did enough didn’t he?" Sevilla coach Pablo Machin said aftwerwards.

Ousmane Dembele was Messi's replacement but Suarez took on the mantle, too quick to his own heavy touch and brought down by Sevilla goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik. Suarez buried the penalty.

The game seemed up but Marc-Andre ter Stegen had to make a brilliant double save to deny Sarabia and then Wissam Ben Yedder with his thigh.

Sarabia gave Sevilla hope with 11 minutes left, his shot deflecting off Clement Lenglet and in, but Rakitic took the steam out of any comeback with a well-struck volley. Muriel added what proved only to be a consolation in injury time.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Celtics' Hayward dealing with back pain

Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward is battling lingering back soreness as his long-awaited regular-season return nears.

Hayward told reporters Wednesday that the soreness in that area is nothing new, though it doesn't typically linger this long. He believes what's at fault is his long layoff from playing.

"In the past, it's bothered me but always calmed down and was fine with treatments and stuff," Hayward said. "But this time it was getting worse, especially after playing.

"I have found out that is going to be a process because of not playing for so long. The rest of my body has to readjust to playing."

Despite the injury, Hayward said he still expects to play in Boston's regular-season opener against Philadelphia on Tuesday.

Hayward has played three preseason games as he makes his return from a dislocated left ankle and fractured left tibia sustained during the Celtics' 2017-18 season opener. He sat out the team's preseason finale against Cleveland on Saturday.

Before his one-game debut season for Boston, Hayward played seven years with the Utah Jazz, making the All-Star Game in 2017. He has career averages of 15.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 517 NBA games.

Hayward, 28, was the Jazz's first-round draft pick (ninth overall) in 2010 out of Butler.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Jazz's Mitchell, Thunder's George downplay injuries

Utah rookie guard Donovan Mitchell and Oklahoma City forward Paul George both downplayed injuries that knocked them out for part of the fourth quarter Sunday in the Thunder's 116-108 win over the visiting Jazz.

Mitchell started limping midway through the fourth quarter of the Western Conference quarterfinal opener, and he appeared to be in discomfort. He was subbed out of the game and went to the locker room for an X-ray on his left foot that came back negative.


"I just stubbed my toe," said Mitchell, who quickly returned to action. "Nothing major."

George scored a game-high 36 points and set an Oklahoma City playoff record with eight 3-pointers. However, hip and lower back soreness forced him to miss the final 62 seconds as the Jazz staged a frantic rally that fell short.

George later said, "Oh, yeah, I'm all good. I ain't never sit out playoff games."

Mitchell, a 21-year-old Louisville product, finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds. According to ESPN's Stats and Info, he became the first player since LeBron James in 2006 to produce at least 25 points and 10 boards in his postseason debut.

"I think it is what I expected, at least for myself," Mitchell said, according to the Salt Lake Tribune. "The physicality was there. Playing through certain things, fighting for rebounds. Just being more aggressive."

Jazz coach Quin Snyder said, according to the Tribune, "It's hard for me not (to) have confidence in Donovan, just coaching him for a year. I know he's not going to be afraid."

Mitchell averaged 20.5 points, 3.7 assists and 3.7 rebounds in the regular season. He is widely regarded as one of the top two candidates for Rookie of the Year, along with the Philadelphia 76ers' Ben Simmons.

George, 27, produced averages of 21.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists in his first season with the Thunder. He played the previous seven seasons with the Indiana Pacers, who made him a 2010 first-round pick out of Fresno State.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Cavs' Rose to miss up to 3 weeks with ankle sprain

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Derrick Rose could be out for three more weeks as he treats a sprained left ankle, the team said on Friday.

Rose has missed the last five games with the injury which he sustained on Oct. 20. He returned briefly before he was sidelined again.

The former league MVP underwent further tests on Friday and will keep his ankle immobilized in a boot for the next week, the team announced.

Rose was signed by the Cavaliers in the off-season and is averaging 14.3 points per game in seven games played.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

NBA: Hayward return this season unlikely after surgery - agent

NEW YORK - Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward is unlikely to return this season following surgery to repair severe left leg injuries, his agent told ESPN and the Boston Herald in reports Thursday.

Hayward underwent surgery Wednesday night in Boston to repair a fractured left tibia and dislocated left ankle, injuries he suffered after barely five minutes on the court in Tuesday's season-opening 102-99 loss at Cleveland.

Hayward's agent, Mark Bartelstein, told ESPN and the Herald that the former Utah Jazz star -- who signed a four-year deal worth $128 million to join the Celtics this season -- is unlikely to play again before next season.

While there is no timetable set for Hayward's return, Bartelstein was asked if a return this season was unrealistic and told the Herald: "I think so."

"But that's not what we're looking at right now. There's no timetable. It's a long process. He feels great that the surgery was successful."

He said the break was clean, meaning there was little other damage to Hayward's leg, and "we expect him to make a full recovery and return to his All-Star form".

The Celtics fell to 0-2 with a 108-100 home loss Wednesday to Milwaukee. A video message from Hayward in his hospital bed was played to the crowd before the game.

"I'm going to be all right," Hayward said. "It's hurting me that I can't be there for the home opener. I want nothing more than just to be with my teammates and walk out onto that floor tonight. I'll be supporting you guys from here."

Hayward was trying to score off a lob pass from Kyrie Irving when he collided with Cavaliers star LeBron James and landed awkwardly, with his ankle turning the wrong way in a gruesome injury that shook players on both clubs.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Elbow injury may rule Djokovic out of U.S. Open - report

Former world number one Novak Djokovic is in doubt for the U.S. Open due to his elbow injury, Serbian media reported, citing the country's Davis Cup team doctor.

Djokovic retired hurt during the quarter-finals at Wimbledon and said he was considering taking a break from playing to recover from the long-standing injury to his right elbow.

Serbia's Sportski Zurnal reported that the 30-year-old could face up to 12 weeks on the sidelines.

"He has a bruised bone due to excessive playing," it quoted Zdenko Milinkovic as saying.

The 12-times grand slam champion won the U.S. Open in 2011 and 2015. This year's tournament begins on Aug. 28.

Britain's The Times said Djokovic would make a decision about his playing schedule over the next 24 hours and that an announcement would me made at a news conference in Belgrade this week.

"We are doing different checks and getting opinions from more than one doctor," The Times quoted his spokesman as saying.

Djokovic has appeared in 51 straight grand slams since his debut at the 2005 Australian Open. (Editing by Peter Rutherford and Amlan Chakraborty)

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Pacers, US star George suffers major leg injury

LAS VEGAS - Indiana Pacers star Paul George suffered a grisly lower right leg injury on Friday in a United States intra-squad scrimmage in preparation for the Basketball World Cup.

The injury was bad enough that the exhibition before fans at the Thomas and Mack Center was immediately halted and George was quickly hospitalized.

He later tweeted his thanks for the outpouring of concern he received.

"Thanks everybody for the love and support.. I'll be ok and be back better than ever!!!" he said.

Although he was upbeat, the reaction from those who saw the injury occur -- either first-hand or via video replays, showed just how shocking it was.

"It was difficult to watch the injury that Paul George sustained tonight while representing his country," NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "The thoughts and prayers of all of us at the NBA are with Paul and his family."

The Pacers small forward landed hard and his leg buckled horribly near the basket stanchion after he had fouled James Harden on a drive early in the fourth quarter of the contest.

Harden immediately doubled over in shock upon seeing the injury to his US team-mate and medical personnel, US coach Mike Krzyzewski and members of George's family attending the game moved to comfort the stricken player.

After George had been taken from the court with his leg in a splint, Krzyzewski announced that the contest would be halted.

"With the serious injury that we had and the fact that we stopped playing for a long period of time, and out of respect for Paul and his family, the scrimmage is done," he told the crowd.

USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo did not immediately confirm the exact nature of the injury, but said the organization's only concern at the moment was for the player.

"This is a very tough blow," a grim-faced Colangelo said at a news conference. "It's a tough situation for our entire organization, our coaches and players are very, very emotional."

Colangelo said decisions about the final US selection for the Basketball World Cup, to be held in Spain August 30-September 14, would take a back seat to making sure George was cared for properly.

"Our first concern, our primary concern, is Paul George," he said. "And so, as an organization, we're just going to let a little bit of time go by here before we address rosters or any of that stuff. It seems unimportant."

George, 24, has been an All-Star each of the last two years. He averaged 21.7 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 80 games last season for the Pacers, who lost to Miami in the Eastern Conference finals.

- 'Thoughts and prayers with Paul' -

Pacers president of basketball operations Larry Bird said the team was monitoring the situation.

"We are aware of the injury sustained by Paul George in Friday Night's Team USA game in Las Vegas and we are obviously greatly concerned," Bird said in a statement.

"At this time our thoughts and prayers are with Paul. We are still gathering details and will have an updated statement Saturday."

None of the players on the court with George spoke to the media.

However, Houston Rockets guard Harden was among George's NBA colleagues to use Twitter to wish the injured player well.

"Prayers go out to Paul George and his family!" Harden tweeted. "Keep ya head up G!"

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com