Real Madrid have suffered consistent injuries throughout the season, and Eduardo Camavinga has been no exception, with the Frenchman in and out of the side since the start of the season. Just has he was getting back his sharpness, Camavinga has been ruled out long-term with a muscle tear.
The 22-year-old came on against Getafe on Wednesday night to shore up the midfield, but in the dying stages, went down after a collision with Luis Milla. Clearly showing signs of pain, Real Madrid’s players were quick to signal that he needed medical attention. After the game, Carlo Ancelotti admitted that the prognosis was not good, and both he and David Alaba were all but out of the Copa del Rey final this Saturday.
However Camavinga’s diagnosis has turned out much worse. Real Madrid announced on Thursday that he has a complete tear of a tendon in his hamstring. That will keep him out for a minimum of three months say Diario AS, ruling him out for the rest of the season.
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Romelu Lukaku’s preseason injury has forced Napoli to rethink everything at centre forward just days before the new Serie A campaign kicks into gear. Medical checks revealed a serious thigh issue in the friendly against Olympiakos on August 14, with an absence estimated at around three to four months, and the possibility of surgical intervention being discussed. The situation leaves Antonio Conte with Lorenzo Lucca as the only established number nine. It pushes the club into the market for an experienced short-term scorer who can sprint into the role without a long adaptation curve. Reports in Italy and beyond have framed the setback as significant enough to reshape Napoli’s early-season strategy. What Vardy would bring to Conte’s Napoli Into that space steps Jamie Vardy. Sky Sports’ round-up of the morning papers noted that Napoli have added the free agent to a list of emergency options after Lukaku’s injury timeline became clear, with Nicolas Jackson also mentioned but likely too expensive in this window. The Vardy link sits within a broader scramble across Europe as clubs search for short-term goals without heavy fees. Yet, the Napoli angle is particularly compelling given the very specific need and Conte’s preference for vertical, direct transitions that thrive on early runs beyond the last line. Vardy’s availability is straightforward. He left Leicester City at the end of the 2024 to 2025 season after a 13-year stay that delivered 200 goals in 500 appearances across competitions, a Premier League title, and a Golden Boot. Multiple outlets have repeated that he remains a free agent at 38 and intends to keep playing. Interest has come from Scotland and England, with Celtic frequently linked, given the Brendan Rodgers connection, while talkSPORT and others have discussed the appeal of a short-term Premier League stop. The question is whether Napoli’s Champions League platform and an immediate pathway to minutes make Italy the most persuasive route. Importance of Veteran Strikers There is a reason veteran strikers remain valuable in high-pressure situations. Vardy’s game has always been about timing of runs, clarity of finishes, and an unrelenting willingness to attack space. Conte’s teams lean on early balls into channels, quick wall passes from a target to onrushing midfielders, and crosses flashed into the corridor between goalkeeper and defence. That ecosystem rewards a striker who can read the back line, break at the last moment, and finish first time. Vardy has lived in that world for a decade. Age changes the picture, yet his late career adapted well at Leicester through smarter pressing triggers and selective sprints rather than constant chasing. Napoli under Conte will not ask him to lead a man-to-man press for ninety minutes. The emphasis will be clean starts from a compact block, direct switches into the striker’s path, and ruthless decisions in the box. The fit is logical as a short-term bridge until Lukaku returns to full capacity. Set pieces are another underappreciated factor. Vardy’s near-post dart has created goals for himself and space for teammates. Napoli’s wide delivery from Matteo Politano and free kicks from Piotr Zielinski’s successor group can still produce high-value touches inside the six-yard area if a striker commits to those first steps. Even if he plays reduced minutes, a veteran with that instinct can swing tight Serie A games. The risks Napoli must weigh Nothing about this link is risk-free. Match rhythm is the biggest unknown. Free agents train, yet competitive sharpness comes only with games. Conte will demand tactical discipline from day one, and Serie A defenders are ruthless at reading tells. A player who thrives on beating the line must prove he can still do it against compact blocks that will sit deep at the Maradona. There is also the reality of workload management. Asking a 38 year old to start every three days across league and Europe is not realistic. Recruitment strategy matters as well. If Lukaku’s absence is truly around three months, the club needs a forward who can help through the autumn without blocking minutes once the Belgian returns. That typically means a short contract or a deal with easily managed terms. Napoli have been linked with other names on different financial tiers, from a loan for a younger profile to more ambitious permanent targets, which makes the cost and flexibility of any Vardy agreement decisive. Sky Sports’ paper talk specifically framed Jackson as attractive but potentially too costly, suggesting Napoli are balancing immediate need against medium-term squad planning. There is also the dressing room calculus. Vardy is a strong personality who has captained Leicester and thrived as an underdog star. Dropping him into an Italian champion’s environment mid-window demands clarity about role, minutes, and hierarchy. Conte’s man management is direct and structured, which can help, yet everyone needs the same script from the first training session. How Real is the Move and What it Says About Napoli’s Season The signal through trustworthy outlets is consistent on two points. Lukaku’s injury has altered Napoli’s plans in a meaningful way, and the club is scanning for a stopgap striker who can play immediately. Reports in Spain and the United States have laid out the medical concern and the possible surgical path. Italian and British round-ups have linked Vardy as one of the names under consideration, reflecting a genuine market conversation rather than a random whisper. The story sits at the intersection of need, availability, and fit, which is exactly how late window deals often materialise. The broader Serie A picture gives the move extra weight. Napoli cannot afford an early stumble while rivals build rhythm. Early-season points often carry disproportionate psychological value, and Conte’s debut months set the tone for a club that expects to challenge deep into spring. A striker who banks three or four match-turning moments before the international break could be the difference between managing Lukaku’s recovery calmly or chasing the table with anxiety. CBS Sports went as far as suggesting this injury could reshape the title race if the club mismanages the response, a reminder that the margins are thin at the top. Final Thoughts Vardy would not arrive to be a saviour. He would be a specialist hired to finish moves and buy time. The upside is obvious. A proven finisher who needs no introduction to pressure can convert half-chances and lead by example on the training ground. The downside is equally clear. If the legs do not respond or if the schedule asks too much too soon, Napoli could spend a chunk of the autumn searching again while Lukaku rehabs. That is why the structure of any agreement would likely be short and incentive-driven, keeping the door open for another addition in January if needed. What would success look like for all parties? For Napoli, it is a steady run of appearances, a handful of decisive goals, and a smooth handoff back to Lukaku without noise. For Vardy, it is the chance to write a late chapter in Europe with Champions League nights and a title chase, while proving he can still separate from elite defenders over ten metres. For Conte, it is tactical continuity that preserves the team’s vertical threat without reinventing the attack. The safe read today is that this is a live option rather than a done move. The links have reputable oxygen, and the need is real, which is more than enough to take it seriously as the window enters its final stretch. If the medical guidance on Lukaku remains cautious, the logic of adding a short-term finisher hardens. A deal would tell us that Napoli values certainty in the box over speculative development in the moment that matters most.
The Green Bay Packers are dealing with some concerning injuries to significant members of their roster. As their fans are well aware, the Packers have seen multiple wide receivers projected to be at the top of the depth cart go down during training camp with various injuries. Christian Watson, of course, has not been practicing all offseason as he is recovering from a torn ACL suffered in Week 18 against the Chicago Bears. In addition to him, the Packers also played their previous preseason game without Romeo Doubs (back), Jayden Reed (foot) and Dontayvion Wicks (calf). And while Doubs returned to practice this week, Reed and Wicks remain out. Elsewhere around the NFL, other teams are dealing with injuries of their own, and some involve players that are former Packers. Former Green Bay Packers running back Patrick Taylor is out for the 2025-26 NFL season One of these players is former Packers running back Patrick Taylor, who played in Green Bay from 2021-2023. An undrafted free agent who often filled in as Green Bay’s third running back, he accumulated 261 rushing yards and a touchdown in his three seasons with the Packers. He found himself out of a job when the Packers revamped their running back room before the 2024 NFL season. Taylor ended up with the San Francisco 49ers last season and had the best year of his career with 183 rushing yards and a touchdown while appearing in 13 games. He will not be playing any games this season as San Francisco just put him on season-ending injured reserve: NFL teams can only have so many players on an injured reserve list. Interestingly, Taylor’s injury led to the 49ers to release another former Packer, wide receiver Equanimeous St. Brown, who was placed on injured reserve last week. In order to release an injured player, teams and that player must come to an injury settlement, which St. Brown received. He is now free to sign with any team in the NFL should he be able to pass a physical.
The Pittsburgh Steelers surprisingly had a few quality undrafted free agents during 2025 training camp and preseason, as many of them have put up an actual fight to make it to the 53-man roster. Unfortunately, there is very little room on the team, so some very tough decisions will have to be made on that front. Guys like Max Hurleman and JJ Galbreath have been stating their case throughout camp and into gameday, giving the coaching staff a good problem. One decision was surprisingly easy, however. During his weekly Q A chat, insider Ray Fittipaldo was asked about undrafted rookie Roc Taylor and why he was let go right after the preseason Week 2 game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He spoke about something that happened right before that contest. "[Roc Taylor] actually got in Tomlin's doghouse at the joint practice," Fittipaldo said. "Not sure if that's the sole reason he was cut, but maybe part of it." Fittipaldo would not expand on what happened, but head coach Mike Tomlin saw enough of the rookie before gameday. It looked like Taylor would at least get first dibs on a practice-squad spot if he was released on roster cutdown day, but now, it seems like his chance of developing in Pittsburgh is gone entirely. Now, he is just hoping someone gives him a call for a chance to be on a practice squad elsewhere. It seemed like Taylor's stock was rising after preseason Week 2. Hurleman had a very rough game, and the former Memphis Tigers standout had three receptions for 39 yards against the Bucs. He was the second-leading receiver on the team, only behind Roman Wilson. It looked like he was forcing himself onto a roster spot, but apparently, Tomlin might have just been waiting until after the game to tell him to pack his bags and try again somewhere else. Steelers' Recent Receiver Issues Make Taylor Cut Even More Concerning What makes this decision even more rough is the fact that the Steelers have three receivers who are not healthy at all. Calvin Austin III is trying to return after missing multiple weeks of practice with an injury, Ben Skowronek recently developed a toe issue and utility man Jonnu Smith has barely participated in practice since July. Spots were opening up for undrafted rookies to take, but Taylor may have said or done something inexcusable enough to lose that chance. The Steelers entered training camp with questionable wide receiver depth, and now it's only more concerning. Wilson's recent development has been the bright spot of the preseason at that position, as Scotty Miller has been taking over the role of WR3 since the game against Tampa Bay. That's why they brought in another possibly injured veteran, Gabe Davis, for a visit, and now they may be hoping that he does not sign elsewhere. Instead of Taylor taking the opportunity to push for a roster spot, guys like Hurleman and Brandon Johnson will be looking to make the team and stick around as numerous players recover from their injuries. With Davis having another visit on Wednesday and the Steelers playing in the preseason finale on Thursday, he most likely will not be signed until after that game. That means the bubble players can prove to the team that they don't need him. It's not public in regards to what Taylor did to get himself in trouble, but he could have had this prime opportunity to be on an active roster as an undrafted rookie. He could have easily been above Hurleman and Johnson on the depth chart. Instead, he is just hoping he makes any team's practice squad now.
For the first time since early July, the Milwaukee Brewers have lost back-to-back games, dropping both contests of a doubleheader against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday. They lost the first game 6-4 and the second 4-1. In both games, their starting pitchers, Chad Patrick and Brandon Woodruff, failed to keep their pitch counts low and Cubs hitters off the basepaths. The second game was especially frustrating as Milwaukee’s offense forced Cubs starter Jameson Taillon to throw 30 pitches in the first inning, a frame that saw them score their only run, only to swing early and often after the opening frame, allowing Chicago’s starter to get through six innings. Taillon threw just 62 pitches between the second and sixth innings, and at one point retired 11 Brewers hitters in row. But the two games were not the only things Milwaukee lost on Tuesday. It appears they will be without their starting shortstop, Joey Ortiz, tomorrow and perhaps longer. Milwaukee Brewers Shortstop Joey Ortiz Has a Bone Bruise in His Knee Ortiz was 0-2 with a walk in the Game One of the doubleheader, but was pinch hit for later in the game by Anthony Seigler, who struck out. In Game Two, Ortiz was 1-3, but was not able to finish the game. He fouled a ball of his knee during his last at bat, prompting the Brewers to replace him Andruw Monasterio. Of course, Brewers fans’ minds immediately went to 2019 when Christian Yelich broke his knee cap when he fouled a ball off of it late in the season. Fortunately, x-rays revealed that Ortiz did not break any bones. Rather, he has a bone bruise which, in addition to some stomach issues, will keep him out of the lineup on Wednesday: Ortiz is hitting .233/.285/.329 with seven home runs and 43 RBI this season. It is likely that Monasterio will start in place of Ortiz.
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