AC Milan and Croatia midfielder Luka Modric has undergone successful surgery on a fractured left cheekbone just weeks before the World Cup.
The 40-year-old sustained the facial injury during a collision with Juventus counterpart Manuel Locatelli in Sunday’s goalless Serie A draw at the San Siro.
He was substituted with 10 minutes remaining but remained on the bench until the final whistle despite being in clear pain.
Race against time for summer tournament
The Croatian Football Federation confirmed their national medical staff are in close dialogue with both the player and his Italian club.
This upcoming global showpiece, which begins on 11 June, marks the fifth time the midfield maestro is scheduled to participate at the tournament.
“I’ve been talking to Luka, and wished him a successful surgery and a quality and speedy recovery,” said Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic.
“I am convinced that he will do everything to be ready for the World Cup, and we’ll provide full support.”
“I am confident that the recovery will go according to plan and that Luka, as team captain, will lead us at another major competition this summer.”
Domestic campaign likely concluded
The veteran playmaker is now highly doubtful to feature in the remainder of the Serie A season run-in.
His club currently sit third in the Italian top flight, trailing league leaders Inter Milan by 12 points with just four matches remaining.
Should he recover sufficiently to lead his country, the national side captain will likely be forced to wear a protective medical mask.
Croatia have been drawn into Group L for the tournament and will face opening stage fixtures against England, Ghana and Panama.
England manager Thomas Tuchel is facing a significant attacking dilemma 50 days before their World Cup opener against Croatia as key forwards struggle for form.
Captain Harry Kane is enjoying a prolific season, having scored 53 goals across all competitions for Bayern Munich.
However, the supply line behind the former Tottenham striker is becoming a major concern for the national team setup.
England are widely expected to deploy a 4-2-3-1 system during the upcoming tournament.
Wide options lacking momentum
Bukayo Saka has managed 11 goals this campaign but has scored just twice this calendar year following a disjointed, injury-hit schedule.
Marcus Rashford is enduring a similarly difficult run, netting only three times since the end of January.
Anthony Gordon has 18 goals to his name overall but has seen his starting opportunities heavily restricted in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham has yet to score since returning from a recent hamstring injury.
West Ham winger providing creative spark
Jarrod Bowen has been a reliable source of assists for West Ham United as they attempt to secure Premier League safety.
Despite his strong all-round performances, the attacker has not found the net in the league since 31 January.
Noni Madueke and Morgan Rogers are also struggling to produce consistent goalscoring numbers at club level in 2026.
The lack of clinical edge across the wider squad leaves the national manager with serious tactical issues to solve ahead of the summer.
Defensive depth closely monitored
Tuchel continues to evaluate his wider squad options by attending key domestic cup fixtures.
Trevoh Chalobah produced an imposing display for Chelsea during their 1-0 FA Cup semi-final victory over Leeds United this week.
The central defender demonstrated strong aerial ability and excellent reading of the game to help secure a crucial clean sheet.
The England coaching staff must now find the right structural balance to ensure their side remains a potent threat on the global stage.
Former Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard believes the club’s failure to sign Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo has severely damaged their domestic ambitions.
The 45-year-old expressed his frustration after seeing the highly-rated duo join rivals Manchester City for a combined £95m.
Both players were heavily linked with a move to Anfield during the transfer window before ultimately opting for the Etihad Stadium.
Bargain signings strengthen rivals
Manager Arne Slot is currently navigating a transitional period as his side battles to secure Champions League qualification.
The former Aston Villa boss believes securing the two international-level players would have drastically altered the team’s current trajectory.
He described the acquisitions as absolute bargains in the modern market that have propelled City forward at a crucial time.
“They should be playing for Liverpool, so that hurts even more.”
Gerrard told TNT Sports that the pair were experienced, high-quality additions ready to enter the prime years of their careers.
“We were linked with two of those players and that would have made a big difference to Liverpool.”
Former team-mate plots Salah upset
Meanwhile, Mohamed Salah is preparing to depart Merseyside at the end of the current campaign.
The Egyptian forward could face former colleague Caoimhin Kelleher on the final day of the season.
Kelleher, now plying his trade in goal for Brentford, is determined to spoil the veteran attacker’s leaving party.
The Republic of Ireland international hopes to keep a clean sheet as the Bees push for European football.
“Hopefully I’m apologising to him after.”
The 27-year-old shot-stopper told The Athletic regarding his intention to deny the prolific winger a fairytale ending.
Manchester United moved a significant step closer to securing Champions League qualification after recording a nervy 2-1 Premier League victory over Brentford at Old Trafford.
Goals from Casemiro and Benjamin Sesko secured back-to-back league wins for Michael Carrick’s side.
The interim manager collected his ninth victory since taking charge, strengthening his case for the permanent role next season.
However, the hosts were forced to survive a late scare after Mathias Jensen struck from distance to set up a tense finale.
Veterans and new faces deliver
The opening breakthrough came courtesy of a familiar source when a 34-year-old Brazilian midfielder headed home from an early set-piece.
Casemiro’s ninth goal of the campaign temporarily made him the club’s joint-top scorer, masking earlier profligacy when Amad squandered a golden opportunity.
Just before the interval, the home side delivered a clinical counter-punch to double their advantage.
Bruno Fernandes orchestrated the move before releasing his Slovenian teammate, who produced a ruthless finish for his 10th league goal of the season.
Brentford rue missed opportunities
Keith Andrews will be deeply frustrated by his team’s inability to capitalise on a fragile home defence.
The visitors arrived on a six-match unbeaten run but saw their momentum halted by an extraordinary display of poor finishing.
Thiago was the main culprit for the Bees, squandering a slew of premium chances that ultimately cost his side dearly.
Injury woes mount ahead of Liverpool clash
Despite welcoming Harry Maguire back from suspension, the Red Devils faced renewed fitness setbacks.
Matheus Cunha, who scored the winning goal against Chelsea nine days ago, was entirely absent from the matchday squad.
Carrick provided an update on the forward’s hip flexor issue following the final whistle.
“It looked promising in the week but he didn’t recover in time, as hoped. It’s nothing too serious but, unfortunately, he misses out tonight.”
The defensive situation worsened in the second half when Luke Shaw was forced off with an apparent injury.
The England full-back now faces a race against time to be fit for Sunday’s crucial encounter against Liverpool, where a victory could mathematically guarantee a top-four finish.
Fifa is poised to introduce a new yellow card amnesty at the expanded World Cup to prevent players from missing crucial knockout matches.
World football’s governing body intends to wipe all bookings at the end of the group stage, in addition to the existing reset after the quarter-finals.
The proposed rule change addresses concerns that the newly expanded 48-team tournament artificially increases the likelihood of suspensions.
Under the previous 32-team format, nations played five matches to reach the last eight, with any two cautions resulting in a strict one-game ban.
Reducing the suspension jeopardy
The upcoming global showpiece introduces an additional round of 32, meaning individuals would face six fixtures before the traditional quarter-final wipe.
Tournament organisers fear this prolonged sequence leaves competitors walking a disciplinary tightrope for an unreasonable duration.
Without amending the regulations, several elite athletes could unfairly miss out on featuring in a prestigious semi-final clash.
Council to debate disciplinary tweaks
The formal discussion regarding these structural adjustments will take place when the governing council convenes in Vancouver on Tuesday.
While the fundamental threshold of two bookings for a suspension remains untouched, the dual amnesties create smaller, manageable windows to accumulate cards.
Competitors will now only trigger a ban if they are cautioned twice in their three group games, or twice across the three subsequent knockout ties.
Paul Merson believes Arsenal will end their 22-year wait for the Premier League title if they defeat Fulham this weekend, despite Jamie Carragher warning the fixture represents a dangerous banana skin.
Mikel Arteta’s side currently hold a three-point advantage over rivals Manchester City at the summit of the table, though the reigning champions retain a crucial game in hand.
The league leaders moved back into pole position following a nervy 1-0 victory against Newcastle, secured by a ninth-minute strike from Eberechi Eze.
However, the Gunners were fortunate to escape with all three points after Yoane Wissa blazed a late, close-range opportunity over the crossbar.
Nerves creeping in for title chasers
Former Arsenal midfielder Merson expressed concern over the sluggish nature of that performance, highlighting an expected goals output of just 0.49 against the Magpies.
Despite those obvious attacking struggles, the pundit remains adamant that navigating the upcoming test against Marco Silva’s team will definitively end their two-decade championship drought.
“Beat Fulham and it’ll be Arsenal’s league title,” Merson declared on the Premier League Show.
“In the end, they were hanging on. It’s a hard watch because of the nerves.”
The former England international added that the current squad cannot afford the heartbreak of finishing as runners-up for a fourth consecutive season.
European schedule presents a hurdle
Fellow pundit Carragher took a more cautious stance, pointing to the immense physical toll of an impending Champions League semi-final tie against Atletico Madrid.
The crunch domestic fixture against Fulham arrives just four days after their pivotal European first-leg encounter.
Carragher argued that balancing elite continental competition with a ruthless domestic title race could ultimately derail the North London club’s ambitions.
“If Arsenal continue in that vein, as we saw at the weekend against Newcastle, I don’t see them winning all the games,” Carragher told Sky Sports News.
The former Liverpool defender emphasised that playing three high-stakes matches within a gruelling six-day window puts the current pacesetters at a significant physical disadvantage.
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson is considering a summer transfer to Juventus following a formal contract offer from the Serie A side.
The 32-year-old Brazilian has reportedly reached an agreement on personal terms with the Italian giants.
He spent two successful seasons in Italy with Roma before completing a then-world-record move to Anfield in 2018.
During his time on Merseyside, the shot-stopper has won every major club honour, including the Premier League and Champions League.
Juventus propose multi-year contract
The Turin club have presented multiple long-term options to the player’s representatives.
A two-year deal with an option for a further 12 months is currently on the table, alongside an alternative straight three-year contract.
However, Liverpool recently activated a clause to extend the South American’s current deal until 2027.
The final decision therefore rests with the Premier League club, who must negotiate a potential exit fee.
“From my understanding, Alisson would be tempted by the possibility to return to Italy, and try a new chapter,” transfer expert Fabrizio Romano explained.
“But Alisson doesn’t want to leave Liverpool in a bad way at all. He wants to respect Liverpool.”
Changing of the guard at Anfield
The Reds have already planned for life without their acclaimed number one.
Georgia international Giorgi Mamardashvili was signed from Valencia to serve as his long-term successor.
With the 24-year-old now adapted to English football, the club hierarchy may feel ready to sanction a permanent transition.
The veteran goalkeeper has struggled with persistent injuries over recent campaigns, accelerating discussions regarding his future.
Any departure would contribute to a significant squad overhaul this summer, alongside the anticipated exits of Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson.
Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Atletico Madrid and reigning champions Paris St-Germain will battle to become kings of Europe as the Champions League reaches its final four ahead of the May 30 showpiece in Budapest.
The north London outfit are aiming to secure their maiden European crown alongside Diego Simeone’s resilient Spanish side.
Meanwhile, the German giants are hunting a seventh title as they look to dethrone the current holders.
One of these elite clubs will lift the prestigious silverware at the Puskas Arena at the end of the month.
Arsenal aim to break European duck
Mikel Arteta’s formidable squad boast an outstanding record of 10 victories and two draws in this season’s premier club competition.
The Premier League challengers finished top of the league phase before navigating past Bayer Leverkusen and Sporting in the knockout rounds.
However, the English side face an uphill historical battle to secure ultimate glory, as only three of the past 20 champions have been first-time winners.
Atletico Madrid provide stern Spanish test
Standing in the way of a first final since 2006 for the Gunners are a resurgent outfit from the Spanish capital.
The three-time finalists shocked many by eliminating domestic rivals Barcelona in the quarter-finals to return to their gritty best on the continent.
With domestic hopes faded after a Copa del Rey final defeat to Real Sociedad, the Madrid-based club will rely heavily on their star forward to salvage their season.
Julian Alvarez has been instrumental for his manager, netting nine times and registering four assists across 13 matches.
Bayern Munich showcase attacking dominance
The recently crowned Bundesliga champions enter the semi-finals purring under the tactical guidance of Vincent Kompany.
The Bavarian heavyweights showcased their lethal firepower by defeating Real Madrid 6-4 on aggregate in a thrilling quarter-final tie.
England captain Harry Kane has spearheaded this spectacular European campaign, tallying an impressive 12 goals for the six-time winners.
The prolific striker is expertly supported by dynamic wide forwards Luis Diaz and Michael Olise in an attack that has plundered a tournament-high 38 goals.
Holders PSG continue formidable title defence
The reigning champions remain on track to defend the crown they emphatically claimed with a record 5-0 victory over Inter Milan last season.
Luis Enrique’s resilient squad successfully navigated a play-off to reach the knockout stages before ruthlessly dispatching Chelsea and Liverpool.
A commanding 4-0 aggregate victory over the English top-flight champions highlighted the immense threat still posed by the Parisian giants.