France's Dembele to miss Euro 2020

MADRID • Ousmane Dembele will miss Euro 2020 after Barcelona announced on Tuesday that the France international footballer will be out for around six months following surgery on his right hamstring.

His absence also means he will miss the rest of this season for Barca, who will be without another attacker after losing Luis Suarez to a long-term knee injury last month. The 22-year-old Dembele has suffered a series of hamstring injuries since joining from Borussia Dortmund in August 2017 in a deal worth up to €147 million (S$222.3 million).

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

US' Rapinoe, Ertz head BBC's award shortlist

LONDON • Megan Rapinoe and Julie Ertz, key members of the United States' World Cup-winning side, were named among the five nominees for the BBC Women's Footballer of the Year award yesterday.

The American duo were joined by England defender Lucy Bronze, Dutch forward Vivianne Miedema and Australia's Sam Kerr. Rapinoe collected the Golden Boot and Golden Ball at the 2019 World Cup in France as the joint-top scorer and best player.

REUTERS

Budget cuts may put ruggers out of work

LONDON • An estimated 200 players face being unemployed after the Rugby Football Union (RFU) stunned second-tier English Championship clubs yesterday by informing them they were slashing their budgets by half next season.

A Championship club source told The Guardian that, with the budget slashes coming in next term, 200 players face being laid off while the RFU has also been accused of "ring-fencing" the top-tier Premiership.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE