Knee Injuries, LIV Golf Exit and NBA Opener Headline Busy Day in Sport

Oct 21 – A string of significant injury setbacks, a high-profile departure from LIV Golf and the launch of a new NBA season headlined a busy Wednesday in world sport, according to reports from BBC Sport and The Guardian.

Paris Saint-Germain suffered the most serious of three injury blows when winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during the club's 4-2 Champions League victory over Barcelona on Tuesday, BBC Sport and The Guardian reported. The Georgian international twisted the knee just before the hour mark and was helped off the pitch unable to bear weight on his right leg. He will undergo surgery, according to both outlets. The Guardian reported that Kvaratskhelia responded to the diagnosis by asking "why me?", describing it as the most serious of three injuries sustained by PSG players in the match, with Ousmane Dembele and Marquinhos also sidelined for several weeks.

The PSG setback came on the same day that England rugby league head coach Stuart Barrow described the withdrawal of forward Jasmin Strange from the England squad as a "devastating blow" to the team's World Cup prospects, BBC Sport reported. Strange was ruled out with a knee injury. Separately, England's rugby union side made significant selection changes following their first defeat in four years, with BBC Sport reporting that star full-back Ellie Kildunne was dropped to the bench as the coaching staff reshuffled the squad.

In golf, former Open Championship winner Louis Oosthuizen became the latest high-profile player to quit LIV Golf, BBC Sport reported. No further details on his next move were provided by the outlet. Meanwhile, on the football transfer front, BBC Sport reported that Manchester United are revisiting a deal for Lewis Hall and are also targeting Adrien Truffert, while Real Madrid remain interested in Riccardo Calafiori and both Liverpool and Arsenal are keen on Xavi Espart. United also face a Champions League fixture against Italian side Como, managed by Cesc Fabregas, with BBC Sport describing the match as a historic occasion for the Serie A club, which has risen from the lower divisions to European competition.

On the opening night of the NBA season, LeBron James scored 14 points on debut for the Philadelphia 76ers as they defeated reigning champions the New York Knicks, BBC Sport reported. The result marked a notable start to James's tenure with his new club. Elsewhere, the Champions League set a new goals record this season, BBC Sport noted, following another high-scoring round of fixtures on Tuesday that included the PSG and Barcelona encounter. Lord's cricket ground also made headlines after digging up one of its pitches for the first time in more than 25 years, BBC Sport reported, though full details on the reasons and next steps were not provided in available reporting.