Injured Haaland to Miss Euro 2024 Qualifiers for Norway

Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the English FA Cup quarter final match between Manchester City and Burnley at the Etihad stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, March 18, 2023. (AP)
Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the English FA Cup quarter final match between Manchester City and Burnley at the Etihad stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, March 18, 2023. (AP)
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Injured Haaland to Miss Euro 2024 Qualifiers for Norway

Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the English FA Cup quarter final match between Manchester City and Burnley at the Etihad stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, March 18, 2023. (AP)
Manchester City's Erling Haaland celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the English FA Cup quarter final match between Manchester City and Burnley at the Etihad stadium in Manchester, England, Saturday, March 18, 2023. (AP)

Erling Haaland has left Norway’s training camp because of a groin injury and will miss the team's upcoming European Championship qualifying games, the national federation said Monday.

Haaland felt pain from a slight groin injury after playing for Manchester City in the FA Cup quarterfinals against Burnley on Saturday and will return to his club for treatment, the Norwegian federation said. He scored three goals in a 6-0 win against Burnley, raising his total to a club-record 42 this season.

Man City next plays Liverpool in the Premier League on April 1. The English title holder also hosts Bayern Munich on April 11 in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals.

Norway begins its Euro 2024 qualifying group program at Spain on Saturday and travels to face Georgia three days later. Group A also includes Scotland and Cyprus.

Haaland has scored 21 goals in 23 games for Norway but has yet to play at a major tournament.

The top two teams in Group A will advance to Euro 2024 in Germany. Norway could also have a qualifying route through the playoffs next year based on its Nations League standing.



Rafael Nadal to Be Honored with a Tribute at the French Open

FILE PHOTO: Tennis - French Open - Paris, France - June 6, 2022 Spain's Rafael Nadal poses on the Alexandre III bridge in front of the Eiffel Tower with the trophy after winning the men's singles French Open title REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - French Open - Paris, France - June 6, 2022 Spain's Rafael Nadal poses on the Alexandre III bridge in front of the Eiffel Tower with the trophy after winning the men's singles French Open title REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo
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Rafael Nadal to Be Honored with a Tribute at the French Open

FILE PHOTO: Tennis - French Open - Paris, France - June 6, 2022 Spain's Rafael Nadal poses on the Alexandre III bridge in front of the Eiffel Tower with the trophy after winning the men's singles French Open title REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - French Open - Paris, France - June 6, 2022 Spain's Rafael Nadal poses on the Alexandre III bridge in front of the Eiffel Tower with the trophy after winning the men's singles French Open title REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo

Retired 14-time champion Rafael Nadal will receive a tribute at the French Open on Court Philippe-Chatrier on May 25, the tournament’s opening day.

“Rafa has left his mark on the history of the French Open in so many ways, that’s why a tribute ceremony will be held in his honor,” French Open director Amélie Mauresmo said on Thursday. “We want the tribute to be special, exceptional. We want it to be a surprise for everyone.”

Nadal, a 22-time Grand Slam champion who retired in November, already has a statue rising in the alleys of the clay court Grand Slam. He will also feature in an exhibition in the tournament museum and lend his voice to the official French Open trailer, The Associated Press said.

“We wanted to do the tribute last year, to be transparent, but he refused at the time,” Mauresmo said. “He wasn’t sure that it was his last Roland Garros. Now that he is retired, he is happy to receive it.”

Nadal holds the record for the most French Open titles with 14. His last appearance at the tournament was in 2024 when he lost to Alexander Zverev in the first round.

“Rafael Nadal and Roland Garros are inseparable. We have a strong history together,” said Gilles Moretton, president of the French Tennis Federation. “Amélie and I went to see him not long ago because we wanted to do something important for him. We still had some frustration from last year.”

Organizers also plan to build on the success of the 2024 Paris Olympics by setting up a fan zone with giant screens showing matches. Located at Place de la Concorde in central Paris, the venue will be free and open to up to 5,000 fans.

“We saw an incredible atmosphere last summer in Paris. We plan on surfing on this success,” Mauresmo said.