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Romelu Lukaku was forced off with an ankle injury during the first half of Chelsea's Champions League clash with Malmo, with strike partner Timo Werner sidelined soon after.

Lukaku lasted less than 20 minutes of the encounter at Stamford Bridge before he was withdrawn following a heavy tackle.

It could prove a blow to Chelsea, who are looking for success in both their European defence and in the Premier League this season - and matters got worse when Werner also had to go off before the break.

What happened?

Chelsea were already leading 1-0 through Andreas Christensen's ninth-minute opener when Lukaku pushed forward looking for a second. 

The Belgium international burst into the area after trading passes with Werner, but found Malmo defender Lasse Nielsen in his way. 

Nielsen's tackle sent Lukaku tumbling to the ground, winning the Blues a penalty, but the forward did not come out of the encounter unscathed as he went down and required several minutes of treatment on the pitch. 

Lukaku was eventually able to take to his feet and limp off, with Kai Havertz sent into the action as his replacement. 

Back on the field, Jorginho converted the kick to put the Blues 2-0 ahead and well on the way to their second Champions League victory of the season after winning the title in 2020-21. 

Thomas Tuchel was given another headache before half-time, as Werner went off in the 42nd minute, Callum Hudson-Odoi coming on.

Tuchel's reaction 

"We have a twist of the ankle for Romelu, and a muscle injury and hamstring for Timo, so they will be some days out I guess," the Chelsea boss explained to BT Sport after full time when asked about the pair.

"Normally we are in a good place injury wise, only Christian Pulisic is out, but we miss everybody. We have a lot of games, lot fo competitions, so now we have to deal and find solutions, no excuses.

"The two were in good shape, they are dangerous and can create and score so now we need to find solutions and guys who waited for their chance need to step up and score.

"The race is on, the guys who start against Norwich have our trust and we will try to find new solutions.

"We have won games before with Werner and Lukaku, we don't want these problems too often but it happens during a season."

The bigger picture

Chelsea will hope neither Lukaku nor Werner has suffered a serious physical problem, which would leave them light on forward options.

Lukaku has impressed since returning to Chelsea from Inter in the summer, scoring three goals in seven Premier League appearances so far as the Blues have fought to the top of the table while also scoring the winner in their 1-0 Champions League defeat of Zenit in the first match of Group H. 

Further reading 

West Ham will host Tottenham for the most eye-catching fixture of Matchday 9 with both teams looking to cement their place among the European spots in the Premier League.

Spurs are slightly ahead at the moment in 5th spot with 15 points after their come from behind 3-2 success over Newcastle United that hushed a buoyant St James’ Park the last time out.

But the Hammers are not too far behind having also won on the road last weekend at Goodison Park thanks to Angelo Ogbonna’s winner that puts them in 7th spot with 14 points after eight matches played.

This match can be watched via LIVENow where historically it promises a lot of goals and action with a total of 16 goals scored in the last four matches when these two sides have met each other in the league.

Both teams will be coming into this game on the back of Thursday European assignments with West Ham having played Genk in the Europa League and Spurs going up against Vitesse, with less than 72 hours recovery time to prepare for this encounter.

Having managed to keep Declan Rice for this 2021/22 season, David Moyes has built a very good West Ham side that have the attacking qualities of Said Benrahma, Pablo Fornals and Jarrod Bowen supporting Michail Antonio.

But arguably the key to West Ham’s performances this season has been the signing of Kurt Zouma who slots in alongside Ogbonna in the heart of the Hammers’ defence which makes them a far more balanced team compared to last season.

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to purchase the online match pass for this match that kicks off on Sunday, 9pm for just S$10 and with no additional cost of monthly subscriptions.

For the visitors, Nuno Espirito Santo will be glad to draw a clear line over Harry Kane after the England captain flirted with leaving Spurs at the start of the season and finally put an end to his league drought by opening his season’s account against Newcastle.

Two wins on the bounce right now since crashing and burning in the North London Derby against Arsenal, Spurs will be looking for more magic from Son Heung-min with the Korean seemingly gone up another level this season.

With LIVENow, you have the flexibility to stream this West Ham vs Tottenham Hotspur game on various devices from PC to Mac, Chromecast to dedicated iOS/Android applications and many more.

Just like West Ham did with the signing of Zouma, Spurs’ version of the same storyline is with Cristian Romero, the Argentine centre-back who is beginning to form a rock-solid partnership next to Eric Dier.

The stakes, emotions and pride will be running high with the London Stadium expected to be in full voice for another derby instalment, it is surely the one match to look out for this weekend.

CLICK HERE now to sign up and stream West Ham vs Tottenham Hotspur and find out which side will reign supreme in the derby!

Napoli manager Luciano Spalletti has revealed that Victor Osimhen will start on the bench when they host Legia Warsaw for their Europa League fixture on Thursday.

The Serie A leaders are chasing their first win in Group C having drawn one and lost the other in their opening two games.

In their last group outing against Spartak Moscow, Osimhen came off the bench to score Napoli’s second goal in their 3-2 loss and he also grabbed their match-winning goal in their 1-0 league win over Torino on Sunday.

The Nigeria international has scored eight goals in his last seven games for the club but Spalletti disclosed that he has options to lead his attack against the Group C leaders at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.

“Tomorrow I won't let him play from the start, but the boy has athletic qualities that allow him to regenerate immediately,” Spalletti told the club’s website.

"Those who will go on the pitch are competitive to play a match of strength and quality. We want to dedicate a good evening to our fans. We also wanted to do it with Spartak, we will try to do it tomorrow with all our commitment.”

Spalletti believes Napoli can still make it past the group stage, even though they sit at the bottom of their group with a point after two matches.

“We are confident because we have a deep squad that allows us to be able to stay in the Europa League for a long time,” the Italian added.

“Tomorrow I will field quality players who will give their all. We want to win this match and we have the men to do it. I have a squad equipped to play on the pitch on all fronts.

“Legia is a team that closes well and then starts up again. These are the characteristics that have allowed them to be in first place. We will have to be good at reading the game well.

“Then it is clear that we must demonstrate our value on the pitch. I say that I am confident because I see these guys also in training, not only in matches and the enthusiasm is doubled.”

Former Manchester United star Paul Scholes was not impressed with his side's remarkable comeback victory in the Champions League against Atalanta, warning the Red Devils cannot afford a similar performance against their Premier League rivals. 

For the second game in a row in Europe Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men rallied from a losing position to take all three points late on, winning 3-2 having trailed 2-0 at half time. 

Scholes though believes that there is much work to be done, particularly after their display during a tough opening 45 minutes. 

What was said? 

"I get all the excitement but that first half I just didn't enjoy it and I think that first half put me off the second," the ex-England midfielder told  BT Sport . "I think if they were playing a better team they'd be out of sight. That first half was worrying. It looked anything but a team, it lacked unity - that was a worrying sign.

"Can they play Liverpool like that? Never in a million years. Can you play Manchester City like that? Can you play a top Champions League team like that? I don't want to sound like a party pooper but that first half was a major worry for me."

Solskjaer defended his side's display, while admitting he was angry at having conceded twice. 

"I thought we played well first half too. Two chances, two goals. It has to stop if we are to survive," he told BT Sport . "We have a habit of doing this at this club. I thought we played well and they scored a goal out of nothing and then another set-piece. But they never stopped believing and kept going.

"Don't disrespect the players. They play for Manchester United and they know they are the luckiest men in the world. Tonight they are the luckiest men in the world because they get to play for Manchester United. That is what so many millions of boys and girls want to do."

The bigger picture 

United looked destined for defeat at half-time in Old Trafford after goals from Mario Pasalic and Merih Demiral left them reeling going into the break. 

The chances were always there for the hosts and while goalkeeper Juan Musso came up with a string of top-class saves, Marcus Rashford and Harry Maguire both hit in the second half to level the game before Cristiano Ronaldo's towering header wrapped up the win with just nine minutes left on the clock. 

Wednesday's triumph leaves United top of Group H, two points clear of Atalanta and Villarreal and with crucial trips to Italy and Spain next up.

They also face a daunting run of fixtures in the Premier League, hosting Liverpool on Saturday before taking on Tottenham and Manchester City. 

Further reading 

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took aim at those that criticise Cristiano Ronaldo's effort after the Portuguese star's goal lifted Manchester United to victory on Wednesday.

Ronaldo scored late to seal a stunning 3-2 comeback for Man Utd, who took down Atalanta despite going down 2-0 in the first half.

The legendary forward, who was joined on the scoresheet by Marcus Rashford and Harry Maguire, has been criticised in recent weeks for his workrate and defensive effort, but Solskjaer says Wednesday's winner is indicative of just how good Ronaldo is.

What was said?

"He had chances in the first half but Marcus kept on going," Solskajer told BT Sport. "He got a knock but he is going to be very important for us. It was instinctive finish from Harry. I don't think you would have expected him to score that one.

"And Cristiano is great in front of goal. If anyone wants to criticise him for effort and work-rate just watch this game. Watch how he runs around."

Solskjaer went on to add: "I was really, really pleased with how [Ronaldo] led the line. Run the channels, drop in, press more, we wanna get the crowd behind us. 

"He was down inside his own six-yard box at the end, you see him sprinting, he did everything a centre-forward should do. And the goal is what he does better than most."

Ronaldo's record so far

Ronaldo rejoined Man Utd this summer, returning to Old Trafford after originally leaving to join Real Madrid in 2009.

He's scored six goals in eight games since the move, with three of those goals coming in Man Utd's three Champions League matches.

Further reading

Samuel Chukwueze sealed Villarreal's 4-1 triumph over Young Boys with his maiden goal in the Uefa Champions League on Wednesday.

Chukwueze replaced Arnaut Danjuma in the 89th minute and he instantly registered his name on the scoresheet following an assist from Gerard Moreno.

The 22-year-old recently returned from an injury that kept him out of action for five months.

Yeremi Pino opened the scoring for Unai Emery's men in Bern in the sixth minute followed by goals from Gerard Moreno and Alberto Moreno in the 16th and 88th minutes respectively.

DR Congo international Meschak Elia pulled a goal back for the hosts in the 77th minute but it was not enough to inspire a comeback as the Swiss outfit suffer their second loss in Group F.

Wednesday's appearance was Chukwueze's debut outing in the elite European competition since he earned his promotion into Villarreal's first-team in 2018.

Algeria's Aissa Mandi was also in action for the final seven minutes of the encounter while Cameroon's Moumi Ngamaleu and Guinea's Mohamed Camara played from start to finish for Young Boys.

The result was Villarreal's first win in Group F which moved them to the third spot with four points after three matches - two points behind leaders Manchester United.

Bayern Munich coach Julian Nagelsmann will not be present for his side's Champions League visit to Benfica after coming down with a "flu-like infection", the club confirmed on Wednesday. 

Nagelsmann has enjoyed a fantastic start to life on the Bayern bench since moving from RB Leipzig over the summer. 

But he will have to watch from afar as his charges look to continue their perfect start in Europe in the Estadio da Luz. 

What was said? 

"Unfortunately, Julian Nagelsmann cannot sit on the bench today due to a flu-like infection," Bayern explained on the club's official Twitter account. 

"He is represented by his co-trainers, Dino Toppmoller and Xaver Zembrod. Have a good recovery Julian!"

Earlier reports claimed that Nagelsmann began to feel unwell in the team hotel in Lisbon and thus decided to stay behind when the rest of the Bayern squad made their way to the game as a precautionary measure. 

The bigger picture 

Aside from their coach, Bayern will also have to make do without two key players on Wednesday. 

Alphonso Davies is out due to a hamstring problem, while Leon Goretzka is suffering from a cold which has also sidelined him for the Champions League game. 

The pair have been replaced by Lucas Hernandez and Marcel Sabitzer respectively in the Bavarians' first XI. 

Bayern currently sit top of Group E, having picked up a perfect six points from six so far with eight goals scored and zero conceded. 

They also lead the Bundesliga by a single point over rivals Borussia Dortmund, having demolished Leverkusen 5-1 away from home in their last outing. 

Further reading

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema is standing trial in absentia for his alleged involvement in a plot to blackmail his former team-mate Mathieu Valbuena over a sex tape.

The former Lyon forward is accused of being involved in a plot to extort money from his fellow Frenchman ahead of a friendly against Armenia five years ago.

He has been charged with being complicit in the attempted blackmail of Valbuena, but was not in court when the trial started on Wednesday. Benzema has denied any wrongdoing in the case.

What happened?

Blackmailers threatened to release a sex tape in which Valbuena appeared unless they were paid off, and Benzema is alleged to have encouraged his former team-mate to pay the group.

However, Valbuena alerted authorities instead of dealing with the blackmailers directly, and Benzema was exiled from the France national team once his alleged role in the scandal came to light. 

Didier Deschamps eventually recalled the 33-year-old ahead of this summer's European Championship.

What has Valbuena said?

Benzema was not present in court for the start of proceedings in Versailles on Wednesday, having previously labelled the charge against him a "masquerade".

Valbuena was in attendance, and explained his motives in informing the authorities of his old France's team-mate's alleged blackmail scheme. 

"I felt in danger and my instinct was to file a complaint," he told reporters on the first day of the trial on Wednesday. "Football is my life. I knew that if this video came out it was going to be difficult for me with the French team."

"When he [Benzema] told me he wanted to talk to me, I did not think he would talk to me about that. When I had that conversation, I came out of the room, I was shocked. I felt that he insisted that I meet with a person who was to act as an intermediary. His trusted person (Karim Zenati). He was very insistent."

"It's been six years that we have had this case. I see that everyone is there, almost. Karim is missing. It's a shame, but that's how it is.

"We have been waiting for six years. We are there for the time it takes for all of this to be behind me."

What punishment could Benzema face?

If Benzema is found guilty of complicity to attempted blackmail, he could receive a jail sentence of up to five years. The Frenchman will also receive a €75,000 (£63,400) fine if convicted, with the trial set to continue through to the end of the week.

Further reading

Brent Carelse believes Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates have allowed Mamelodi Sundowns to be in their comfort zone as far as challenging for the Premier League Soccer title is concerned.

The Brazilians have dominated the local scene for the last four seasons, winning the title consecutively and they have already launched a strong challenge to make it five titles in five this campaign.

While Chiefs last won the title in the 2014-15 season, Pirates lifted the trophy in the 2011-12 season.

The 40-year-old Carelse feels his former club Sundowns are in the comfort zone as far as the chase for the PSL title is concerned because they don’t have serious challengers.

'Pirates have been unpredictable'

Asked to explain how he rates Pirates display so far in this campaign, Carelse told Goal: “I don’t know…it is a very technical question but Pirates have been very unpredictable for quite some time and it is very disappointing in a way because every beginning of the season Pirates supporters will say this is their season, they have signed quality players but nothing happens.

“They have signed so and so, they are good to go but they don’t show it on the pitch, they have always said it is only Mamelodi Sundowns that they can go pound to pound with but I don’t see their dominance this season.

“Even when they played against Kaizer [Chiefs], I did not see them play well, I don’t see them scoring two to three goals and that is why there is a huge difference between them and Sundowns.

“They have been talking for a very long time but they don’t show what they are talking about, there is a huge difference between saying you will do something, and doing that something, they have not done anything really.”

The former Ajax Cape Town player continued: “It all comes down to the players, the coaches yes they also have blame to take because at the end of the day they pick the players to play, they know, who is in the starting XI or not but in honest the entire squad and team have not come to the party.

“When is the last time Pirates dominated a game? I haven’t heard?”

'I don't think it is a turnaround for Chiefs'

On whether Chiefs are back to their best after the 4-0 win against Chippa United in their last league assignment, the former Bafana defender said: “Maybe yes but I am not sure…I don’t think it is a turnaround as yet.

"Why I say that if you look at last season they picked up so many points but the performance wasn’t the best, and we know a lot of people were complaining how they played but they picked up points,

“Whereas if you look probably 60 percent of their team is still there and Stuart [Baxter] is using all of them, the combination, chemistry is coming slowly and surely back and I saw recently Stuart saying he was the last coach to win something with Chiefs.

“But as you said, Chiefs and Pirates as well the supporters, the people who love those clubs want results instant results, and I don’t think it is unfair for them to ask for results because those are old clubs, they have been around for some time.

“They are clubs that should normally win trophies and you hear things like eight years without winning a trophy and another team I don’t know how many years without winning a trophy and it comes down to them, the clubs, the management of the club, the people who make the big decisions, those are the ones who should answer why they are not winning trophies.

“As I said before, Pirates this season signed almost half of the team, but now they are not doing the same things they are signed to do and Chiefs is the same story [struggling all the time].

"They keep saying, we need so and so, and when they arrive nothing happens, it is a tough one, because football sometimes is crazy especially when someone wants to become successful, it is patient and you have to build it.

“It has not been happening for the two teams for quite some time and maybe they should try other routes, maybe use two years to try and get back to dominating the league.

“In all honesty, in the last 10 years Sundowns have dominated South African football, in all departments so there is no, maybe this or that, they have done it in all departments and I don’t think they are even worried about South Africa because they are now focusing in Africa.

“Chiefs and Pirates really need to pull up their socks and put up a serious challenge because we need them to play at the highest level.”

Banyana Banyana edged closer to the second round of the 2022 Africa Women Cup of Nations qualifiers following a 7-0 demolition of Mozambique in a first stage, first leg match at Campo da ABB in Matola on Wednesday.

Desiree Ellis’ ladies raced 3-0 in front in the first half, first through Melinda Kgadiete who beat Mozambique goalkeeper Eva Costa in the 22nd minute.

Linda Motlhalo 41st minute strike and Gabriela Saldado who scored right in the first half stoppage time gave the visitors some sort of comfort going to the break.

Banyana were back to finish the business with captain Janine van Wyk throwing the contest further from the hosts’ reach with a goal on 64 minutes while Salgado sealed her brace a minute later.

Noxolo Cesane fired in South Africa’s sixth goal in the 77th minute before Motlhalo also grabbed a double to complete the rout with a minute to go.

The heavy win thrust South Africa in an advantageous position ahead of hosting Mozambique for this round’s second leg next Tuesday.  

South Africa coach Ellis started Kgadiete and Motlhalo as twin strikers while familiar faces like skipper van Wyk, Refiloe Jane and Robyn Moodaly were also in the line-up.

Atletico Madrid’s Thembi Kgatlana was surprisingly on the bench.

It was a comfortable outing for Banyana Banyana who controlled play from the start of the contest.

They were rewarded when Kgadiete thrust them upfront after 22 minutes in what put the hosts under pressure to launch a comeback.

Lonica Tsamwane who spearheaded the hosts' attack tried penetrating but found Kaylin Swart alert in the 25th minute.

Mozambique’s efforts were further frustrated when Motlhalo doubled South Africa’s advantage with four minutes to go to halftime.

The two goals justified Ellis’ decision to start the goal-scorers as striking partners.

As the hosts were trying to arrange themselves and recover, Gabriella Salgado beat the halftime whistle to make it 3-0 in favour of Banyana.

Mozambique captain Cina Manuel shot just over the bar from inside the box as the hosts appeared rejuvenated to turnaround the huge task at hand.

But four Banyana goals followed in the second stanza as Mozambique goalkeeper Costa had a busy afternoon retrieving the ball from the back of the net.

In the award-winning Apple TV series Ted Lasso, Jason Sudeikis' eponymous protagonist finds himself presiding over the fortunes of AFC Richmond in the Premier League.

Coach Lasso must navigate the team through encounters with the best teams in English football, despite having no prior experience in the sport.

But are AFC Richmond a real team? Goal brings you everything you need to know.

On this page

Is AFC Richmond a real team?

AFC Richmond is a fictional team, despite being portrayed as a competitor in the Premier League in the Ted Lasso TV series.

However, while Coach Lasso's team is not real, the club understandably takes some inspiration from actual football teams in England and plays up to the idea that it is real.

The club runs social media channels and even sells merchandise through an online shop, with a replica AFC Richmond jersey costing $69.95.

Premier League club Crystal Palace appears to be the main inspiration for AFC Richmond, considering the detail that the team colours are red and blue with a hint of yellow. 

Like Palace, AFC Richmond is also based in the south west of London and it is notable that Ted Lasso's first game as coach is against them.

AFC Richmond may not be a real Premier League team, but there is a real football club with the name Richmond that competes in the English football pyramid.

Hampton & Richmond Borough FC are situated approximately an hour from Crystal Palace and also play in red and blue kits. The club nickname is 'The Beavers'.

They are a far cry from the summit of the English game, however, competing in the National League South - level six - in 2021-22.

AFC Richmond follow in the tradition of fictional football clubs first popularised on British television through Harchester United of the Sky production Dream Team.

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Are there real footballers in Ted Lasso?

The footballers on the AFC Richmond Team are played by actors, but some of them have obvious real-world inspirations.

For example, the character of Roy Kent (played by Brett Goldstein) is reportedly inspired by notorious former Manchester United captain Roy Keane.

There are a number of notable traits and ironies that reinforce the Keane inspiration. Kent is a fearsome character who captains the team before retiring after suffering a knee injury against Manchester City. He then works as a pundit and an assistant manager.

A number of real-life footballers make cameos in the programme, including Thierry Henry, Gary Lineker, Chris Kamara, Peter Crouch, Chris Powell and Eni Aluko.

Referee Mike Dean also makes an appearance in the FA Cup semi-final game against Manchester City.

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Which stadium do AFC Richmond play in?

AFC Richmond play in Nelson Road Stadium, which is actually Selhurst Park - home of Crystal Palace, a detail which further emphasises the source of inspiration for the team.

So, while Richmond may not be a real team, fans of Ted Lasso can make a pilgrimage to 'Nelson Road Stadium' if they wish to get a feel for the venue.

The ground, which has a capacity of just over 25,000, was built in 1924 and has been the home of Palace since then.

Nearby clubs Charlton Athletic and Wimbledon temporarily shared the stadium with Palace during the 1980s and 1990s respectively as they sought alternative homes.

How to get to Selhurst Park / Nelson Road Stadium

If you travel by train, the nearest railway stations to Selhurst Park are: Selhurst, Thornton Heath and Norwood Junction. Each of these stations is a 15-minute walk from the stadium.

Alternatively you can take the bus, with buses regularly passing the area, or a taxi.

If you are close enough, it is also possible to travel by bike or walk. The address to put into Google Maps is: Selhurst Park, Selhurst, London, SE25.

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Ted Lasso filming locations

Much of the filming for Ted Lasso occurs in Richmond Green, London, with Selhurst Park, Wembley and Craven Cottage featuring among the stadiums in the TV show.

SkyEx Community Stadium, or Beaconsfield Road, home of non-league club Hayes & Yeading, is the location for the AFC Richmond training ground and office scenes.

The Crown and Anchor pub in the show is actually The Prince's Head pub in Richmond Green, while a number of other streets in Twickenham are used.

Craven Cottage, which is the home ground of Fulham, is used as a substitute for Goodison Park in the TV series when Richmond play Everton.

Interestingly, some of the match scenes are digital, with certain moments, such as those featuring supporters, being enhanced accordingly.

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