French international Lucas Digne helped the injured in the aftermath of last week’s van attack in Barcelona that killed 13 people and injured over 100 others, Spanish media reported on Monday.
The 24-year-old Barcelona defender, who lives near the central Las Ramblas boulevard where the attack took place, raced to the scene with napkins and water, daily newspaper El Pais reported.
“Digne helped the injured, applied tourniquets to arms and legs and cooperated with first aid until ambulances arrived and police requested, as a precaution, that Las Ramblas be evacuated,” the newspaper said.
Tourniquets are used to apply pressure to stop bleeding. Makeshift versions can be fashioned out of napkins, shirts or shoelaces. “The Frenchman does not want to talk about it. He does not consider himself to be a hero for applying tourniquets to treat injured arms and legs,” sports daily Mundo Deportivo reported.
A white van ploughed through crowds on Thursday for more than 500 metres on Las Ramblas, leaving bodies strewn along the boulevard as others fled for their lives. Police on Monday shot dead the suspected driver of the van, 22-year-old Younes Abouyaaqoub, at a village about 60 kilometres (37 miles) west of Barcelona. Digne joined Barcelona from Paris Saint-Germain in July 2016 on a five-year contract.
Uruguay, Argentina to announce 2030 World Cup bid next week
Uruguay and Argentina will officially launch their joint bid for the 2030 World Cup next week at a ceremony involving the country’s two leaders, Uruguay President Tabare Vazquez said Monday.
Vazquez said the formal announcement of the bid would take place during a visit to Uruguay by Argentine counterpart Mauricio Macri on August 30. The move coincides with Uruguay’s 2018 World Cup qualifier against Argentina in Montevideo on August 31.
The joint bid between the two South American neighbours had long been signaled. Uruguay, the hosts of the inaugural World Cup in 1930, is hoping to win the rights to the tournament with Argentina to mark the centenary of the event.
Both Uruguay and Argentina have won the World Cup twice before, with Uruguay taking the inaugural tournament and again in 1950. Argentina won the tournament in 1978 on home soil, and again in Mexico in 1986.
South America last staged the World Cup in Brazil in 2014 and any bid for 2030 is likely to face stiff competition from the Asian region, where China is expected to be the front-runner to stage the finals.
The next World Cup takes place in Russia, with Qatar staging the event in 2022. A joint United States-Mexico-Canada bid is the favorite to win the 2026 tournament, with only one other country, Morocco, so far expressing an interest in entering the bidding race.
Robben, Thiago back in training for Bayern
Bayern Munich received a timely boost yesterday when Thiago Alcantara, Arjen Robben and Javi Martinez all returned to training ahead of Saturday’s German Bundesliga match at Werder Bremen.
The trio sat out last Friday’s opening match of the season when the defending champions eased to a 3-1 win at home to Bayer Leverkusen.
Robben pulled up in training on Saturday with a thigh strain, while this was the first time Martinez and Thiago have trained this season.
Thiago is returning after a calf problem and stomach muscle injury, while Martinez missed the past two weeks with a leg injury, after breaking his collarbone towards the end of last season.
Germany defender Jerome Boateng and new signing James Rodriguez both trained separately as they continue their recovery from thigh injuries.
Portugal defender
Cancelo loaned to Inter
Portuguese right-back Joao Cancelo has joined Inter Milan on loan from Valencia after French midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia moved in the opposite direction, the Italian club announced.
Cancelo, 23, will spend the 2017-18 season in Milan while Inter have the option to make the transfer permanent, matching the agreement Valencia have with Kondogbia.
Milan buying spree continues with Kalinic swoop
Croatian international striker Nikola Kalinic has completed a move to AC Milan from Fiorentina, both clubs announced. The 29-year-old joins Milan on a season-long loan in a deal that will eventually become permanent and has signed a contract with the club until 2021. The transfer will be worth 25 million euros ($29.4 million) as Milan continue to strengthen their squad.
Lucas Digne
