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Italy Stuns France with 3-1 Victory Despite Losing Arsenal’s Calafiori to Injury

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Italy Stuns France with 3-1 Victory Despite Losing Arsenal’s Calafiori to Injury

Italy pulled off a surprising 3-1 victory against France in their Nations League opener, but the win came at a cost as they lost Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori to injury. The 21-year-old suffered the injury in a freak collision when Ousmane Dembélé was tackled, accidentally catching Calafiori’s leg with his studs as he landed. Despite attempting to continue, Calafiori was eventually forced to leave the pitch.

France took an early lead, with Bradley Barcola scoring just 12 seconds into the match after intercepting an Italian pass and slotting the ball home. Italy responded quickly, almost equalizing five minutes later when Davide Frattesi’s header struck the crossbar.

Italy’s equalizer came through a stunning volley from Federico Dimarco, who connected perfectly with Sandro Tonali’s flicked pass. This match marked Newcastle midfielder Tonali’s first international appearance since September 2023, following his 10-month ban for breaching gambling rules.

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The Italians took the lead early in the second half, thanks to a clinical finish from Inter Milan’s Davide Frattesi, who capitalized on a ball from Mateo Retegui. Giacomo Raspadori then sealed the victory with a well-controlled goal, leaving France’s William Saliba behind after receiving a pass from Destiny Udogie.

Michael Olise, London-born and playing for Bayern Munich, made his senior debut for France in the match, having previously represented Les Bleus in the Olympic Games this past summer. However, his efforts were not enough to turn the tide for France, who were unable to recover from Italy’s strong second-half performance.

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Curtis Jones and Tino Livramento Added to England Squad for Nations League Matches

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Curtis Jones and Tino Livramento Added to England Squad for Nations League Matches

Uncapped Liverpool midfielder Curtis Jones and Newcastle full-back Tino Livramento have been called up to the senior England squad ahead of this week’s crucial Nations League matches against Greece and Finland.

Jones, 23, had his first taste of senior selection in May when Gareth Southgate included him in a provisional 33-man squad for Euro 2024, though he didn’t make the final cut. His impressive performances for the Under-21s, especially during England’s triumph in the 2023 European Under-21 Championship under interim manager Lee Carsley, have earned him another opportunity at the senior level.

Livramento, who was part of last month’s squad but didn’t feature in the games against the Republic of Ireland and Finland, has once again been called upon by Carsley, who is serving as England’s interim manager.

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Meanwhile, captain Harry Kane trained separately from the rest of the squad at St George’s Park but is expected to be fit for Thursday’s game against Greece at Wembley. Manchester City’s Jack Grealish also missed training as a precaution due to a minor knock, but his status for the upcoming matches remains hopeful.

The Three Lions will aim to secure key victories as they face Greece at home before traveling to Finland on Sunday to complete their Nations League fixtures.

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Manchester United’s Harry Maguire Sidelined for ‘A Few Weeks’ with Injury

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Manchester United’s Harry Maguire Sidelined for ‘A Few Weeks’ with Injury

Manchester United and England defender Harry Maguire has confirmed he will be out of action for several weeks due to an injury sustained during United’s 0-0 draw with Aston Villa in the Premier League on Sunday. Maguire, 31, was forced to leave the match at half-time after getting injured in the first half and was later seen leaving Villa Park in a protective boot.

In a social media post, Maguire expressed his frustration, saying, “Frustrated to pick up an injury at the weekend, will be a few weeks on the sideline for me but I’ll come back stronger.”

The injury means Maguire will miss England’s upcoming Nations League fixtures against Greece and Finland, after being left out of Lee Carsley’s squad. Maguire has made nine appearances for Manchester United this season, with his most recent goal coming in the 3-3 Europa League match against Porto on October 3.

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This is another setback for the centre-back, who also missed Euro 2024 due to a calf problem.

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Chelsea and Nottingham Forest Charged for Failing to Control Players in Premier League Clash

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Chelsea and Nottingham Forest Charged for Failing to Control Players in Premier League Clash

Chelsea and Nottingham Forest have been charged by the Football Association (FA) for failing to control their players after a heated confrontation during their 1-1 Premier League match at Stamford Bridge on Sunday. The clash occurred toward the end of the game and involved multiple players from both sides, resulting in a mass altercation.

Despite the intense nature of the incident, no action will be taken against Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson, who appeared to slap Forest’s Morato during the fracas. The Video Assistant Referee (VAR) reviewed the altercation but decided against further punishment for Jackson.

The confrontation began when Forest’s Neco Williams seemingly pushed Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella off the pitch, igniting tensions between the teams. Following this, players from both sides were involved in the clash, which saw three yellow cards issued—Williams for Forest, and Cucurella and Levi Colwill for Chelsea.

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In a statement, the FA said, “It’s alleged that both clubs failed to ensure their players didn’t behave in an improper and/or provocative way around the 88th minute.” Both Chelsea and Nottingham Forest have until Thursday to respond to the charges.

In addition to the altercation, Chelsea faces a separate £50,000 fine for receiving six or more bookings during the match, a threshold they have reached for the second time this season.

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