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Michail Antonio may never return to the football pitch following a severe car accident that led to surgery. The 34-year-old forward underwent an operation on Sunday to treat a lower limb fracture resulting from the incident in Theydon Bois, Essex just 24 hours previously. Antonio could be out of action for up to a year as he embarks on his recovery journey from the crash.

However, fears are now mounting that the Jamaican international may not make a comeback to play for the Hammers in the Premier League again. TalkSPORT presenter Jim White provided an update on Antonio’s condition after the terrifying car crash at the weekend.

On air, the Express reports White stated: “I’m told this morning he remains in a stable condition in hospital, receiving the full support of the NHS and the West Ham medical staff. “Now he has sustained serious damage to one of his legs and it’s thought is going to be a long haul recovery, and it will be at least 12 months before it’s known whether or not he’ll play football again.

West Ham confirmed on Sunday that Antonio would undergo surgery to mend the injuries suffered in the car crash, before he begins his rehabilitation and recovery.

A statement read: “West Ham United can confirm Michail Antonio has undergone surgery on a lower limb fracture following a road traffic accident on Saturday afternoon. Michail will continue to be monitored in hospital over the coming days.

“Everyone at the club wishes Michail a speedy recovery and wishes to express its sincere gratitude to the football family at large for the overwhelming support shown since yesterday’s news.

“As well as extending a heartfelt thank you to the emergency services and first responders who attended to Michail in the immediate aftermath of the incident, and the medical team who continue to aid him in his recovery.”

“The club will provide further updates when appropriate.”

Atalanta are the new Serie A leaders after winning nine consecutive games, putting them two points clear of Napoli, with Inter, Fiorentina and Lazio all crowded together.

Never before in their history had the Bergamo boys been at the top of the Serie A table after 15 rounds.

The race for the Scudetto is only getting tighter after the Week 15 fixtures, although it must be said that Inter and Fiorentina still have a game in hand after their head-to-head was suspended due to Edoardo Bove’s medical emergency.

If either of those teams were to win, they’d still only be level with Atalanta.

Napoli knew they needed a victory this evening to keep up with Atalanta, but were instead beaten 1-0 at home by Lazio thanks to a Gustav Isaksen curler into the far top corner.

It leaves them two points adrift of La Dea, and only one clear of the trio of Inter, Fiorentina and Lazio.

Juventus are falling further behind following a series of stalemates, now seven points off Atalanta.

Real Madrid legend Ronaldo Nazario has named his ‘real winner’ of the 2024 Ballon d’Or.

The 2024 Ballon d’Or was awarded to Manchester City midfielder Rodri.

Real Madrid were so displeased when they found out the result that they didn’t attend the ceremony, a forthright but perhaps petty show of solidarity with their snubbed superstar.

Vinicius Jr was another outstanding candidate to be named the world’s best men’s footballer. The Brazilian was hugely influential as Real Madrid won La Liga and the Champions League in 2023-24, scoring 24 times in all competitions.

Rodri was voted the Ballon d’Or winner ahead of the Real Madrid man. He too was a domestic and European champion after winning the Premier League with Manchester City and the European Championship with Spain.

That wasn’t enough to get the nod of approval from Ronaldo Nazario, but the real Ballon d’Or winner wasn’t Vini Jr either, according to the legendary striker.

“Without detracting from Rodri, Vinicius had to win the Ballon d’Or, which has missed a great opportunity to crown Vinicius as the best in the world,” Ronaldo told Marca. “It has nothing to do with Rodri, let it be clear, but Vinicius has been much more decisive last season.”

If Rodri is seen as a controversial winner in the eyes of fans in Madrid and Brazil and beyond, Ronaldo’s choice would have come as a surprise to Vini Jr too. “What am I going to say if the real Ballon d’Or winner is Florentino Perez, he is a father to me. He taught me a lot and gave me everything in the world of football.”

Ronaldo’s grasp on the Ballon d’Or voting criteria might be tenuous but his choice would at least have guaranteed the attendance of Florentino Perez and representatives from Real Madrid at the ceremony in Paris. The Real Madrid president is himself a controversial figure, having been the architect of the club’s Galacticos transfer policy and one of the key advocates for the despised European Super League project.

Like Vini Jr, Ronaldo knows what it feels like to be a Ballon d’Or runner-up. He was voted in second place behind Matthias Sammer in 1996 but went on to collect the award in 1997 and 2002. Vinicius could follow in his compatriot’s footsteps and bag a couple of Ballon d’Or awards in the next five seasons.

Chelsea attacker Cole Palmer etched his name into the Premier League history books with his two successful penalties in the Blues’ 4-3 victory over Tottenham Hotspur. The London derby at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium started in the worst possible fashion for Enzo Maresca’s men, who were two goals down inside the opening 11 minutes of Sunday’s headline act.

However, after Spurs defender Cristian Romero was substituted with an injury, Chelsea quickly got themselves back into the tie through Jadon Sancho and threatened consistently before the half-time whistle.

Palmer and Sancho were often targeted by pieces of cardboard thrown from the crowd at corners, and Ange Postecoglou’s men got to half time with their slender lead intact, only to implode in the second period. A nonsensical challenge from Yves Bissouma on Moises Caicedo offered Palmer the chance to bring Chelsea level from the spot, which he did not pass up with a clinical strike into the bottom corner.

A sweetly-struck volley from Enzo Fernandez completed a captivating Chelsea comeback, before Bissouma’s midfield partner Pape Sarr then copied his colleague with an inexcusable challenge from behind on Palmer.

Palmer 12 for 12 on Premier League penalties

The former Manchester City product stepped up again and pulled off an outrageous panenka penalty as Fraser Forster went to his right, before Son Heung-min’s late strike gave Tottenham a flicker of hope. However, Palmer’s two penalties proved decisive, and the England international has now scored each of his first 12 spot kicks in the Premier League, breaking a competition record.

Yaya Toure held the previous high of scoring 11 straight Premier League penalties before fluffing his lines for the first time, but Palmer has now dethroned him as the penalty conversion king. The 22-year-old’s double has taken Chelsea to within four points of Premier League leaders Liverpool in second place, as Maresca’s team capitalised on both Arsenal and Manchester City dropping points over the weekend.

The Blues now prepare to travel to Astana in the Conference League on Thursday night before hosting Brentford in a top-flight West London derby next Sunday. Sports Mole Logo Enter your email address to subscribe to Sports Mole’s free match previews newsletter! Updates are sent twice a week.

Juventus have confirmed that Andrea Cambiaso picked up an ankle injury against Bologna, and they will monitor his condition on a daily basis, with his chances of taking part in his side’s Champions League clash against Manchester City currently looking slight.

The versatile defender was forced off just 14 minutes inside the Bianconeri’s 2-2 home draw, adding to the team’s injury crisis and depriving coach Thiago Motta of one of his most trusted players.

Cambiaso underwent medical tests on Sunday, confirming he suffered an ‘ankle sprain’, which could keep him sidelined at least for the next game. According to Gazzetta dello Sport, the Bianconeri will be relieved to know that examinations haven’t highlighted any ligament damage, despite adding that the player remains in ‘strong doubt’ for Wednesday’s meeting with Pep Guardiola’s outfit at the Allianz Stadium.

“Andrea Cambiaso, who came off during the first half of Saturday night’s Serie A match against Bologna, underwent instrumental examinations this morning (Sunday, 8 December) at J|Medical,” an official statement published by the Old Lady read. “Those tests revealed a slight capsular ligamentous sprain of the left ankle. His condition will continue to be monitored daily.”

Emile Smith Rowe has sent a message to Arsenal ahead of Fulham’s Premier League meeting with the Gunners.

The two London sides will clash at Craven Cottage on Sunday afternoon, offering the chance for Smith Rowe to face off against his former employers. The midfielder ended his 14-year career in north London during the summer, seeking regular game time after falling down the pecking order at Arsenal. His time at Fulham has so far seen Smith Rowe record three goals in 16 appearances, featuring in every one of their Premier League matches this season. But, before Arsenal travel across the capital, Smith Rowe has admitted that while he has love for his former club, he won’t be giving them an easy ride on Sunday.

“At the age of 24,” he told BBC 5 Live. “You want to be playing every week and getting opportunities and it was getting to the point where I wasn’t really getting opportunities anymore for whatever reason. “I had to make the decision to move on. I’m getting my chances now and I’m really happy with it. I obviously want to show them what they are missing out on in terms of being there and leaving, but it’s nothing personal. I have so much love for them but obviously I want to win with Fulham.

“I thought it would be a lot harder [to move to Fulham] than it has been. It has actually been quite easy. I thought I would be really upset and sad. It was obviously the hardest decision I have ever had to make – but definitely the right one. I feel like I have settled in really well and I am really happy. “Marco [Silva] has given me so much confidence, given me the freedom to just enjoy myself and if I make a mistake just go again.”

Jude Bellingham starred again as Real Madrid kept the pressure on La Liga leaders Barcelona with a convincing 3-0 win at Girona.
The England midfielder scored for the fifth successive league game to give Real a half-time lead and provided an assist for Arda Guler to make it 2-0 before Kylian Mbappe completed the scoring.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side climbed to within two points of the league leaders with a game in hand after Hansi Flick’s Barcelona side were held 2-2 at Real Betis earlier on Saturday.
Giovani Lo Celso’s penalty cancelled out Robert Lewandowski’s opener for Barca, who struck late on through Ferran Torres, only for Assane Diao to fire a stoppage-time equaliser.

Rayo Vallecano registered their fifth league win of the season, 1-0 at second-bottom Valencia and Las Palmas won 2-1 at home against Real Valladolid.

Bayern Munich stretched their lead at the top of the Bundesliga to six points and extended their unbeaten league start to 13 matches with a 4-2 home win against Heidenheim.

Mathias Honsak cancelled out Dayot Upamecano’s first-half opener for Bayern, for whom Jamal Musiala struck twice in the second half, either side of Leon Goretzka’s effort, while Niklas Dorsch netted the visitors’ second.

First-half goals from Florian Wirtz and Jonathan Tah were enough to seal Bayer Leverkusen a 2-1 home win against St Pauli, which lifted Xabi Alonso’s reigning champions up to third.

Eintracht Frankfurt remain second after being held 2-2 at home by Augsburg and RB Leipzig climbed up to third after a 2-0 win at Holstein Kiel.

Borussia Dortmund sit fifth after drawing 1-1 at Borussia Monchengladbach and Werder Bremen won 1-0 at Bochum.

Juventus missed the chance to make up ground on the Serie A pacesetters after they came back from 2-0 down to snatch a point in a 2-2 draw at home against Bologna.

Teun Koopmeiners and Samuel Mbangula’s stoppage-time equaliser spared Juve’s blushes after they had trailed to goals from Bologna pair Dan Ndoye and Tommaso Pobega.

Roma halted a run of four straight league defeats with a 4-1 home win against Lecce.
In France, Monaco cut Paris St Germain’s lead at the top of Ligue 1 back to five points with a 2-0 home win over Toulouse, Stephane Singo and Breel Embolo netting in the second half.
Lyon were 3-0 winners at Angers, extending their unbeaten league run to nine matches in the process, while Nice overcame Le Havre 2-1.

West Ham United have announced that Michail Antonio is stable, conscious and communicating in hospital after he was involved in a road traffic accident earlier on Saturday. The Irons confirmed earlier this afternoon that the Jamaican striker had been involved in an incident, although neither they nor local authorities disclosed any further details.

A report from the Daily Mail included a picture of a totalled silver Ferrari in a woodland, supposedly showing the aftermath of Antonio’s horror crash, but that has not been verified.

West Ham’s statement was met with an outpouring of support from the footballing community, as several of the Irons’ Premier League rivals sent their well-wishes to Antonio and his family. Now, the Irons have released a reassuring update on X – formerly known as Twitter – saying that the 34-year-old is stable in hospital and they will not make another statement for the rest of the day.

“West Ham United can confirm that Michail Antonio is in a stable condition following a road traffic accident this afternoon in the Essex area,” West Ham said in a social media statement.

Michail is conscious and communicating and is currently under close supervision at a central London hospital. At this difficult time, we kindly ask everyone to respect the privacy of Michail and his family. The Club will make no further comment this evening, but will issue a further update in due course.”

Antonio has made 15 appearances for Julen Lopetegui’s side across all competitions in the 2024-25 season, including 11 starts in the Premier League, where he has scored one goal and set up one more.

The striker played 28 minutes off the bench in Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to Leicester City at the King Power Stadium, his 323rd appearance for the Irons in all competitions since joining from Nottingham Forest in 2015.

Antonio has amassed 83 goals and 41 assists for the Irons over the past nine years, winning one trophy in the form of the 2022-23 Conference League, prior to which he won the Championship title with Reading in the 2011-12 season.

The 34-year-old has also represented Sheffield Wednesday, Southampton, Colchester United and Cheltenham Town in his senior career, while netting five goals in 21 games for the Jamaica national team.

West Ham return to Premier League action against fellow relegation-threatened outfit Wolverhampton Wanderers on Monday night, where either Niclas Fullkrug or Danny Ings will start up front in Antonio’s place.

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim continues to experience the roller coaster that is this Red Devils team, and he was visibly upset at several points in Saturday’s 3-2 loss to Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford.

Amorim’s men trailed after two minutes but responded through Rasmus Hojlund in the 18th minute. They would’ve been justified to feel a halftime lead would’ve been reasonable, but the 1-1 score line was quickly changed after the break.

Unfortunately for Amorim, the scoring was a goal and an assist for Morgan Gibbs-White as Forest opened up a 3-1 lead.

Bruno Fernandes, partly-responsible for the second Forest goal, started and finished a play to bring United back within a goal and set up a solid final half-hour at Old Trafford but no equalizer arrived even after seven minutes of stoppage time.

Real Madrid could potentially explore a significant player swap involving Aurelien Tchouameni and Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch, as per recent reports from Defensa Central.

This development reflects a noticeable shift in the club’s stance on Tchouameni, who might no longer be guaranteed a future at the Santiago Bernabeu if his performances do not improve drastically.

The club’s plans for the French midfielder seem to have changed dramatically this season. Following Toni Kroos’ departure, Real Madrid have been struggling to find a reliable leader in the midfield.
 
Tchouameni, who was expected to take on greater responsibility both defensively and strategically, has failed to meet expectations so far. Despite being a key figure for Carlo Ancelotti, his performances have not lived up to the standards required, particularly at the start of this season.

Having signed for Real Madrid in the summer of 2022 for a hefty fee of €80 million, Tchouameni’s future at the club now appears uncertain. 

Reports suggest that Real Madrid are not entirely ruling out the possibility of parting ways with the player next summer. This has opened the door for potential deals, with Premier League teams reportedly maintaining strong interest in the midfielder.

One possible solution could be a swap deal involving Gravenberch, who has been performing impressively at Anfield. 
While Liverpool may value Tchouameni at around €80 million, Real Madrid could negotiate a deal that includes Gravenberch as part of the exchange

The Dutch midfielder, valued at €40 million, could fit into Madrid’s plans to strengthen their midfield pivot role, which has been lacking defensive stability this season.
Tchouameni, under contract until 2028, will need to significantly improve if he hopes to remain a part of Real Madrid’s long-term project. 

While Ancelotti still values him, the Frenchman is no longer viewed as untouchable. His recent performances, including a lacklustre return from injury against Athletic Club, have left much to be desired. 

Lionel Messi vowed to “come back stronger” next season with Inter Miami CF as he looks to build on a historic year that culminated in the 2024 Landon Donovan MLS MVP award.

The legendary Argentine No. 10 was crowned the league’s best player of 2024 on Friday after captaining the Herons to their first-ever Supporters’ Shield title and the MLS single-season points record (74). His 36 goal contributions (20g/16a), the fifth-highest single-season total in league history, came despite only playing in 19 matches (1,485 minutes) amid injuries and Copa América duty.

Messi received the award during a special ceremony at Chase Stadium, where IMCF’s academy players and MLS Commissioner Don Garber honored the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and FIFA 2022 World Cup champion with the league’s top individual prize.

Messi saluted Miami’s academy youngsters in his first official statement as MLS MVP.
As successful as 2024 was for Messi and Miami, the iconic superstar admitted the club fell short of the ultimate goal of winning MLS Cup presented by Audi.

As successful as 2024 was for Messi and Miami, the iconic superstar admitted the club fell short of the ultimate goal of winning MLS Cup presented by Audi.

New head coach Javier Mascherano will lead Miami next season, reuniting Messi with a former Argentina and FC Barcelona teammate. Fellow Barça legends Sergio Busquets, Jordi Alba and Luis Suárez will also return to the Herons in 2025.

Messi closed his acceptance speech by urging Miami’s academy youngsters to strive for excellence as he and his fellow first-team superstars look to reach new heights next year.

“That’s what it’s all about, and especially now that you’re young. Fight for your dreams, work hard, and fight for what you want. In the end, sacrifice and effort are rewarded,” he said. “So, keep going this way, because the club continues to support you, as you are in a time of great growth, with many possibilities.

“I believe you’ve seen how much the academy has changed in this last year and a half. And don’t doubt that it will continue like this, and you’ll have all the opportunities to fight for your dreams. So, once again, thank you very much, and it’s an honor to be here with you. Thank you.”

All Serie A officials will take to the field with a smudge of black paint on their cheeks in matches across the 15th week of 2024-25 fixtures in a stand against violence towards referees.

The AIA, the Italian equivalent of the PGMOL, recently announced that they will take a firm stance against a worrying, yet growing issue in Italian football: Abuse towards match officials across all levels of the game.

According to reports from Il Messaggero, a young referee recently suffered a fractured elbow as a result of a confrontation and subsequent brawl during a category three match near Perugia.

“Showing this symbol to everyone, from Serie A to amateur and youth levels, is aimed at raising awareness among players about this real social plague,” AIA President Carlo Pacifici said.

Referee Rosario Abisso is the first top-flight official to wear the black mark on his face, as he takes charge of Inter’s match at home against Parma on Friday evening. He is expected to be followed by all of his Serie A colleagues over the weekend.

Two weeks ago, players wore red marks on their faces in a completely separate campaign promoted by the Lega Serie A, which was intended to take a stand against domestic violence.