Barcelona are preparing to go over a month without one of their key players and alarming numbers have shown they can ill-afford to go without him. 

Xavi Hernandez’s side have enjoyed a fast start to the season, and the LaLiga titleholders currently sit atop the table after six match days. 

Saturday’s tie against Celta Vigo saw them claw back a win from two goals down, after an efficient brace from Robert Lewandowski sparked a comeback capped by a late winner courtesy of Manchester City outcast Joao Cancelo. 

But an injury to Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong will have cast a pall around the Blaugrana, as will news that the former Ajax player could be out for up to seven weeks. 

De Jong was replaced by wonderkid Gavi during the first half of the home tie, and the club has released a statement confirming an injury to the ‘tibiofibular syndesmosis in his right ankle’. 

Barcelona must go without one of their key players for over a month after he picked up injury

Frenkie de Jong was substituted in the first half against Celta Vigo and has been diagnosed with an ankle injury

The Blaugrana have won just six matches that De Jong has been unavailable for since 2019

Whilst there is no specific timeframe for his recovery, the player’s absence could spark concern for his head coach. 

As per Spanish outlet Sport, Barca have won just six of the matches that De Jong has been unavailable for selection for since his 2019 move to Ajax. 

The Dutchman has only missed 16 matches due to injury in total since his transfer across the four seasons he has spent in Catalonia, and without him, the side has registered seven draws and three defeats. 

Over the ties, Barcelona have also struggled for goals, scoring just 18 over the ties where he has been unavailable for selection, whilst conceding 13. 

The lion’s share of the wins without the 26-year-old came in his first season, when he was struggling to settle into the side, with four wins and three draws coming during his seven absences. 

De Jong was available for the entirety of the 2020/21 season, but in 2021/22, Barca won none of the three games he was unavailble for, drawing two and losing one. 

During the club’s title-winning season last term, he missed seven games in october and April, with the team frustrated during the period to see out two wins, two draws and two defeats. 

The midfielder has started every match during the Blaugrana’s campaign this season, scoring a crucial goal during the team’s 4-3 showdown with Villarreal at the end of August.    

Despite a tumultuous start to his time at the Camp Nou – which saw him frequently linked to a move away from his ‘dream club’ to join Manchester United – De Jong has settled under Xavi and become a stalwart in the club legend’s side. 

Head coach Xavi Hernandez described his midfielder’s injury as a ‘big loss’ to the titleholders

The head coach had an understandably pessimistic response to his injury on Saturday, calling De Jong ‘a key player’. 

‘It’s a big loss,’ he shared after the final whistle. ‘It’s a tough one because of the way we play and the level he has been at. He’s a key player for us, he has been really good since last season.’

But Xavi looked for the silver lining after the incident, adding: ‘We have options to come in for him, so hopefully we won’t suffer too much. 

‘We will see how he is after the (October) international break. That’s all we can say for now.’

NFL star Chandler Jones, of the Las Vegas Raiders, has claimed he was taken against his will to a mental health hospital by the Vegas fire department last week.

In an alarming social media post on Monday night, Jones said he has been injected against his will and forced to sleep on the floor. It comes a week after Jones went on a disturbing rant accusing Raiders owner Mark Davis of protecting the identity of a man he claims molested his goddaughter. Jones later said that he had been hacked. 

In a post on X, captioned ‘First day out but I’m still aligned’, Jones wrote: ‘First day out, if my fans and friends were wondering, I was taken in by the Las Vegas fire department last week against my will.

‘I was injected with I don’t know what. They say it was a court hold and the Las Vegas police put me on it. I hadn’t done anything wrong. The police said people were concerned about me because of my posts online.

‘I answered my front door and a group of 5 to 7 were there to put me in an ambulance where I was later injected and I asked them not to. I had no cell phone or no communication. I was taken to Southern Hills hospital and then transferred to Seven Hills where they tried to force me to take meds and injections.

Chandler Jones has claimed that he was taken to a mental hospital against his will 

Jones took to X and posted a written account with alarming claims about his treatment 

The NFL and Raiders star Jones, 33, added that ‘whoever put me in here had bad intentions’

‘I called Raiders GM 6 to 7 times asking for help and wondered if he had put me in here, but he never answered. I even left him voicemails. I was just trying to figure out why I’m not allowed in the building still and why do I have to continue to watch my brothers suffer every Sunday. But no answer.

‘This place is NOT a place for high profile athletes. My first night I slept on the floor and was not offered a bed. 

‘My brothers had to bring me decent meals to eat and clothes. My dad comes and reads me bible verses. Every day that I miss is one million dollars. I’m still confused on what I did wrong. I’m still here. I’m very sane.

‘I workout in my room every day. Even down the hallway at 3am if you ask the staff here.

‘All I know is whoever put me here had bad intentions. I’m to (sic) strong of a person to be mentally broken. For all of my friends that know me, THEY KNOW!!!’.

The Raiders put Jones on the non-football illness list last week, ruling him out for the team indefinitely.

‘It’s a personal situation and a private matter,’ Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels said at the time. ‘We have dealt with it, and I am not going to talk about it.’ 

The Las Vegas Raiders have been approached for comment in light of the new post from Jones, who is 33. 

The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported last week that ‘Raiders players and others around the league have shared concerns’ over Jones and his wellbeing.

It comes after another social media rant on September 5, in which Jones claimed he didn’t want to play for the team if head coach Josh McDaniels and GM Dave Ziegler were in place.

In that same outburst, Jones also claimed that he was not allowed in the Raiders’ facility. ‘They won’t let me in the building tho, tryna provoke a n****,’ he wrote on his Instagram story.

‘And they had direct contact to my (baby momma) and we ain’t been together for five years.’

Jones is a four-time Pro Bowler who won a Super Bowl (in 2015) with the New England Patriots

Jones also shared texts that appeared to be sent to McDaniels and another member of the Raiders organization in which he complained about being shunned from the team.

‘It’s a shame that I am a top athlete with 112 sacks in the NFL and I have to go to a local gym to workout during the season for no apparent reason,’ he said in one purported message. ‘This is wild to me Josh and you know it you need to do what’s right.’ 

Jones signed a three-year, $51million deal with the team last year and will bring home $17million this year.

MORE TO FOLLOW 

The Kelce and Swift partnership has got the whole of America talking this week but it was a different pairing of the same names that caught the eye for the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night.

A day after Taylor Swift went to see her rumored boyfriend Travis Kelce play for the Kansas City Chiefs, Jason Kelce – Travis’s older brother – was combining with his Philadelphia Eagles teammate D’Andre Swift.

The irony was not lost on football fans nor the Eagles themselves – they shared a video of Kelce and Swift high-fiving before the game with the caption: ‘Our favorite Kelce x Swift duo’.

Swift himself carried the ball 26 yards on one play, jumping over Antoine Winfield in the process, after Kelce made a crucial block to keep his path clear. 

Taylor herself may well be cheering the two on from home, as well. While she was celebrating a Chiefs victory on Sunday she has previously made no secret of the fact that the Eagles are her team.

Philadelphia Eagles saw the funny side with a Kelce and Swift lining up for them on Monday

It comes after Taylor Swift was seen for the first time with rumored boyfriend Travis Kelce

She even recently confirmed that the lyrics in her song ‘Gold Rush’  – ‘padding ‘cross your wooden floor with my Eagles t-shirt hanging from the door’ reference being an Eagles fan.

Some fans thought Swift, born in Pennsylvania, was referencing the band The Eagles but she clarified the lyric at a show in the Eagles stadium this year.

‘I don’t know how large the debate was, but I did see the debate,’ Swift said. ‘I have a lyric that says, ‘With my Eagles t-shirt hanging from the door.’ I saw some people wondering if it was the band the Eagles or the team the Eagles.

‘I love the band the Eagles, but guys, come on. I’m from Philly. Of course it’s the team.’

The NFL saw the funny side when Jason arrived for Monday night’s game with his headphones on, tweeting video with the caption: ‘Wonder what Jason Kelce is listening to…’

Travis’s Chiefs would have left Swift heartbroken in February when they beat Jason’s Eagles in the Super Bowl.

But now it appears that pop’s biggest star has a second team after watching Travis and the Chiefs on Sunday.

She was in a suite at the Arrowhead Stadium, next to his mom Donna, to cheer him on as the Chiefs beat the Chicago Bears 41-10. 

Bloomberg’s sign language interpreter becomes breakout star of Superstorm

By Daily Mail Reporter

Published: 22:03 EDT, 31 October 2012 | Updated: 18:35 EDT, 28 November 2012

When New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has been addressing anxious citizens about storm damage and safety issues, all eyes have been on his sign language interpreter Lydia Callis, 30.

Callis’s larger-than-life facial expressions and dramatic gestures have provided a rare moment of pleasure during the unfolding natural disaster during which at least 55 people have lost their lives and millions are still without power.

Her performances have turned the petite, impeccably-dressed Callis into a viral web sensation and she has won a legion of fans on social media sites including Twitter and Tumblr.

Scroll down for video

Quietly brilliant: For many, interpreter Lydia Callis (left) has been the best thing about Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s Hurricane Sandy briefings

Ms Callis in action: Viewers have praised her impressive range of facial expressions

New York Magazine wrote that Callis has given people ‘a legitimate reason to smile’ during these hard times.’

‘Unlike Bloomberg’s own stilted Spanish, another highlight of the updates, Callis’s signing is both lightning-fast and emotive, her animated face lighting up and contorting happily as she goes, not unlike a guitarist during a blistering solo.’

‘Lightning-fast and emotive’: Ms Callis seems unwilling to embrace her newfound fame, and has declined requests for interviews, saying simply, ‘I’m honoured that I was able to get the message out there’.

‘I tell ya, the real star of Mayor Bloomberg’s press conferences is that animated sign language translator he’s got. Can’t look away,’ Twitter user @JCamm_ wrote Oct. 29.

‘I love that lady,’ wrote a commenter on a YouTube video of her performance. ‘Stupid news is blocking her on TV so they can show footage of something. But this lady is amazing.’

Callis has so far declined requests for interviews, although she recently told the New York Post: ‘I’m here to serve the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. I’m just glad, and I’m honored, that I was able to get the message out there… that’s what it’s all about.’

There are at least seven schools for American Sign Language and the deaf in New York City and Long Island.

VIDEO: Watch footage of Lydia Callis combined with the Ace of Base song ‘The Sign’:

Qualifying in Japan was brought to a halt on Saturday after American Logan Sargeant shunted into the barriers, a sentence all too familiar for the despondent rookie this season.

Sargeant’s Williams was left a crumpled mess after locking up on the final turn at Suzuka, failing to prevent it from hitting the wall of tyres on the home straight.

The 22-year-old is the only driver remaining on the grid not to have his 2024 seat confirmed, although early indications are that his position is not under threat.

However, yesterday’s crash – one of several seen this season – will do his confidence no good.

He emerged from his car in one piece but has left his Williams team with a huge overnight reparation job for Sunday’s race.

Logan Sargeant shunted into the barriers during qualifying at the Grand Prix in Japan

Sargeant’s Williams was left a crumpled mess after locking up on the final turn at Suzuka

Sargeant is yet to secure a point this season. 

Williams Team Principal James Vowles spoke immediately after the crash as he said: ‘Heartbreaking for Logan, just on the grass and that’s game over.

‘Logan built up to this weekend and had some good pace, just can’t get it all together.

‘For a number of races Logan has been on an old aerodynamic package. We’ve had attrition. We have enough to deal with the accident today. Overnight we’ll have plenty to rebuild the car.’

Nick de Vryies lost his seat at AlphaTauri for failing to register.

While his replacement, Liam Lawson, made a top-ten finish in Singapore in just his fourth Grand Prix.

The session resumed 13 minutes after Sargeant’s crash, with Verstappen hunting down pole position after his Singapore disappointment last week.

World champion Aussie boxer Michael Zerafa has no doubt NRL star Nelson Asofa-Solomona will be an instant hit in the ring at next month’s Battle On The Reef fight night in Townsville.

The Melbourne Storm enforcer – who was powerless to stop Penrith marching into yet another NRL Grand Final on Friday night following a thumping 38-4 victory –  will don the gloves against Titans veteran Jarrod Wallace.

Zerafa revealed to Daily Mail Australia he trains in the same gym as the towering Kiwi international, and backed the 27-year-old to win his debut bout.

‘He is an absolute unit, I wouldn’t want to get on his bad side,’ Zerafa said. 

‘I’m good mates with Nas, it has been a pleasure to see him grow.

World champion Aussie boxer Michael Zerafa has no doubt NRL star Nelson Asofa-Solomona will be an instant hit in the ring at next month’s Battle On The Reef fight night in Townsville

Michael Zerafa (left) revealed he has been training in the same Melbourne gym as the Storm enforcer

Zerafa labelled his close friend a ‘unit’ and tipped the Kiwi international to win his debut bout against Titans veteran Jarrod Wallace

‘I’m sure he will be disappointed that his [NRL] footy is over for this season, but he can’t dwell on it too much, he has to change his focus.

‘From what I’ve seen, he is super dedicated and super competitive when it comes to his boxing.

‘He will want to make a statement and get the win.’

Other NRL players fighting include Eels front-rower Junior Paulo, the recently retired Tevita Pangai Junior plus former greats Justin Hodges and Matt Cooper.

Meanwhile, Storm coach Craig Bellamy says it is time for Melbourne to learn from Penrith, who marched into their fourth successive Grand Final.

He labelled Ivan Cleary’s men the benchmark of the competition and believes it will take a special performance from either the Broncos or Warriors to deny them a historic three-peat of titles.

‘They are so good at what they do,’ Bellamy said. ‘They know what works for them and what their job is and they are so consistent.

‘We just seem to go up and down, sometimes we’re good and then not so good and that’s what we need to learn to do.’

The only place to watch the complete card of Battle On The Reef on October 7 is Stan Sport. 

Love Island star Ellie Spence left almost nothing to the imagination as she attended the ME London Fashion Week closing party on Tuesday evening. 

The 25-year-old stunned in the completely sheer sparkly silver dress which showcased her figure as she went braless underneath the dress.

The star was joined by the founder of Cult Naked Mary Furtas who also donned a sheer dress similar to Ellie’s but in nude. 

Ellie was attending the closing party at the ME London hotel with Cult Naked and By Rotation. 

Wearing only a pair of grey underwear underneath the dress the star paired the statement piece with some high black leather boots and a bright red small handbag. 

Wow: Love Island star Ellie Spence, 25, left VERY little to the imagination in completely sheer naked dress as she attended a London Fashion Week closing party on Tuesday evening

Show stopping: The 25-year-old stunned in the completely sheer sparkly silver dress which showcased her nude figure as she went braless underneath the dress

Matching: The star was joined by the founder of Cult Naked Mary Furtas who also donned a sheer dress similar to Ellie’s but in nude

Arriving at the event, Ellie covered her modesty in an oversized black blazer which disguised her lack of clothes underneath. 

Clearly confident in the ensemble, the star beamed in snaps as she showcased her incredible physique. 

Taking to her Instagram the reality star was seen catching up with fellow islanders Samie Elishi and Nikita Gautam.

Back in May Ellie detailed the terrifying moment she almost died after impaling herself on a huge spiked gate.

The Love Islander opened up about her near-death experience on Instagram as she  showed some graphic images of her injuries after a drunken night out went very wrong.

The beauty, who was 18 at the time, said while returning to a friend’s home at 3am she impaled herself on a spike – which embedded itself 3mm from a major artery.

The business development executive, who entered the villa as a bombshell, explained: ‘Around this time just before summer when I was 18, I impaled myself on a steel speared gate and almost accidentally killed myself.

‘I’d just finished my A-level exams and me and one of my best friends Livvy went out on a night out, we got back to her house in the early hours of the morning and the gate in front of her house was locked.

Stylish: Arriving at the event, Ellie covered her modesty in an oversized black blazer which disguised her lack of clothes underneath

Fashion: Wearing only a pair of grey underwear underneath the dress the star paired the statement piece with some high black leather boots and a bright red small handbag

Friends: Taking to her Instagram the reality star was seen catching up with fellow islanders Samie Elishi and Nikita Gautam

‘After climbing the gate and reaching the top, I put my foot on the bar in-between the spears, my foot slipped and one of the spears impaled me directly in the joint of my leg.

‘I somehow spun around and found myself hanging backwards off the gate, 10ft in the air.’

She revealed her friend ‘had no idea she was impaled’ due to the darkness and she kept passing out from the pain and blood loss.

Ellie admitted she ‘knew she was about to die’ and had given up when a ‘voice’ began screaming at her to wake up.

The reality star continued: ‘I could barely get my words out from the pain and panic I was in and Livvy had no idea I was impaled.’