Kinghorn en route and on a high
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Daily Mail
20 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Arsenal handed Rodrygo boost as Real Madrid star is benched for the THIRD game in a row - as Xabi Alonso's attacking options grow to increase doubts over forward's future
Arsenal 's pursuit of Real Madrid star Rodrygo has been boosted further after the forward was again left out of their starting line-up at the FIFA Club World Cup. Rodrygo's future has been a major talking point heading into the tournament, amid reports his performances would help dictate whether he remains at the club this summer. The winger had appeared destined to leave Madrid after telling the club he never wanted to play for them again before choosing not to play in El Clasico against Barcelona in May. Rodrygo felt he was behind superstar team-mates Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Jr and Jude Bellinghams in the pecking order and saw his role depleted towards the end of the season, as he frequently was left on the bench under Carlo Ancelotti. New Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso appeared to offer Rodrygo a route back into the side and gave the 24-year-old a start in their opening Club World Cup match. The Brazilian provided an assist in Real Madrid's 1-1 draw with Al-Hilal in the group stage, where he played 65 minutes. Arsenal have been looking for attacking reinforcements during the summer transfer window Rodrygo, however, has since seen his game time limited with Alonso naming him on the bench for the three consecutive matches. While he came off the bench in the closing stages of their group stage win over RB Salzburg, Rodrygo was an unused substitute against Mexican side Pachuca and Italian giants Juventus on Tuesday. Real Madrid earned a 1-0 win over Juventus to book a place in the quarter-finals, with Gonzalo Garcia scoring the only goal of the match. Garcia, 21, has forced his way into the Real Madrid attack at the tournament after Kylian Mbappe's bout of gastroentiritis. The Spaniard's growing role has added to the competition in forward areas, putting further scrutiny on Rodrygo's position. Speaking ahead of the win over Juventus, Alonso maintained that Rodrygo has been training well but stressed it remains his decision as to who plays. 'After the game I try to approach everyone I meet along the way,' Alonso said. 'He had a few minutes [against Salzburg] that were important for him and he will be important. 'In these championships, sometimes those who start are just as important as those who come in. They can have a decisive impact, so each player has to be prepared for whatever comes their way. Everyone is in a good disposition. Alonso has stressed Rodrygo has been training well despite his lack of game time to date 'Rodrygo is training well and I see him in good spirits. Then it's my decision who plays.' Real Madrid have reportedly set an asking price of €90m (£77m) for the forward with Arsenal intensely linked. The Gunners have 'a real possibility' of completing a deal, according to Spanish outlet Cadena SER.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
"I could've been a Lion - but getting injured whilst playing on a sled cost me"
Danny Care never made a British and Irish Lions tour despite more than a decade with England - and admits an injury whilst sledding in the snow is the "one I look back on" after missing out on selection in 2009 Danny Care never made a British and Irish Lions tour despite more than a decade with England - and admits an injury whilst sledding in the snow is the "one I look back on" after missing out on selection in 2009. The Harlequins scrum-half won more than 100 caps for his country across a career that spanned more than 20 years. He made his debut for England in 2008 against New Zealand following some stellar club form. His upward trajectory continued and he was picked to play in the Six Nations opener a year later. That year's Six Nations had added spice given the Lions were heading to take on South Africa that summer. Care was in pole position to put himself in the shop window but picked up an injury whilst enjoying himself in the snow after training. The Harlequins legend was sledding, but what was supposed to be a fun activity later saw him pick up an injury, resulting in him pulling out of the squad. England had to seek a new face at scrum-half and turned to Harry Ellis, who had been impressing in the younger grades. His performances in that Six Nations earned him a Lions spot with Care wondering what might've been. The 38-year-old, speaking at a SailGP event ahead of the Emirates Great Britain Sail Grand Prix in Portsmouth, told Mirror Sport: "I'd say 2009 I had an opportunity but I got injured just before the Six Nations opener sledding down a hill after training and I got injured, did my ankle. So they called Harry Ellis up from the Saxons, Harry then played really well for England and went on that Lions tour. That's the one I look back on and go I definitely shouldn't have been sledging, but you never know, it is all hypothetical. But normally the starting nine for England has a chance and Harry took his chance. The rest is history." Even in the tours that followed Care was often talked about as an option. In 2013 he was in the England fold but Ben Youngs got the nod. Four years later and he was part of the Eddie Jones' side that had dominated for two years, but was again overlooked. Then in 2021, when the Lions were again playing in South Africa, there was mounting outside noise to see Care get the nod. By this point his international career was on pause, but he excelled for Harlequins. They came from nowhere to win the Premiership and Care concedes you do start to believe the noise. He confessed: "When people campaign for players, I remember in 2021 when people were starting to say I was going to go on Tour. I wasn't playing for England, but I was playing for Harlequins. Maybe you start wanting to believe the hype but then you whittle it down and go I haven't played for England for three years." Care is regarded as one of the modern greats who never became a Lion. Few players amass over 100 caps without making a tour and the scrum-half openly admits that missing out on the experience means it simply doesn't resonate like it does with those who did it. "When you haven't done it, you don't know what it's like. It isn't a regret because I don't pick the team," he said. "You'd love to have done it because you hear the stories and see it and it looks amazing, but because I've never felt it I'm happy for all my mates, I watch the games but yeah I wouldn't say I'm an avid Lions fans. I grew up a football fan so I can't tell you I watched all the Living with the Lions DVDs."
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Lions star owns up to bedroom blunder after arriving late to camp in Australia
Blair Kinghorn was the last member of the British and Irish Lions squad to arrive and as soon as he checked into the team hotel waltzed into his room and accidentally woke up Maro Itoje Blair Kinghorn got off the wrong foot when he arrived on the Lions tour by disrupting skipper Maro Itoje's beauty sleep in Brisbane. The Scotland full-back joined up with party late because was playing in Toulouse's epic 39-33 extra-time Top 14 final win over Bordeaux-Begles in Paris on Saturday night. Kinghorn partied all night with his teammates and families, then jumped on a midday flight to Dubai on Sunday, stopping there before flying on to Queensland. The new arrival got into Brisbane just before midnight and thought he had a single room as he blundered through the door only to find captain Itoje trying to sleep in bed. Kinghorn explained: 'I got in about quarter to 12. I was thinking 'surely there won't be anyone in the room'. I go in, chuck the bags down and up he pops. I was like 'uh, sorry'. He'd been sleeping and I woke him up. It was funny, he woke up, shook my hand and went straight back to sleep. I went straight from Paris because we went from Toulouse for the final on Thursday, so I had to make sure all my stuff was ready. 'Luckily my mum and my wife were there to help me take everything up because packing for two separate things is a bit stressful. I think I've got everything. All you need is your boots and your passport, so that's fine. 'It's good to finally be here and it feels a bit more real for me now. I'm actually here, I've got all the kit, I'm with the boys, it feels great.' Kinghorn might have been an unwelcome disturbance for Itoje but he is aiming to be a big noise on tour now he has finally arrived down under. The Scotsman's career has taken off since a mid-season switch to Toulouse from Edinburgh in December 2023 and he has won two Top 14 titles and a Champions Cup since the move. At Toulouse he rubs shoulders with French superstars like Antoine Dupont, Thomas Ramos, Romain Ntamack and Thibaud Flament. So, joining up with the best of British with the Lions is not hard for the 28-year-old who is used to training with the top players in the game. And he insists a two-month lay-off with a knee injury this season will work in his favour now he is on tour having peaked for the French final last weekend. He added: 'I was injured for eight weeks so this is fine. Getting injured is never good. You're sitting on the sidelines, not really involved in the rugby stuff but it is kind of refreshing for the brain. If you are not motivated to be here, then you shouldn't be here. It is not tough at all. 'Everyone's here to do their best and to win the Test series. Every training session is going to be competitive. Everyone's motivated and that brings the best out of people. At Toulouse, the squad is so deep and so talented that you've got to be on top of your game. It is high pressure.'
