BURTON UPON TRENT, United Kingdom: Liverpool defender Joe Gomez said his return to the England squad for the first time in three-and-a-half years has closed the chapter on an injury-hit period of his career which took a “psychological toll.”
Gomez has been rewarded for a fine season at club level with a return to the international scene just in time to potentially go to his first major tournament at Euro 2024.
It was during a session while away with England in November 2020 when Gomez injured tendons in his knee, leading to surgery and an eight-month spell on the sidelines.
“I’d be lying if I said it didn’t have a psychological toll,” he replied when asked Wednesday how it felt to return to the same training pitch where he suffered his injury.
“I left in an ambulance quite abruptly from the training pitch. It meant a lot to me. Just even yesterday, doing the warm up. It was nice to feel like I could close that chapter, not to be over dramatic.”
“Everyone gets injured, it is part of the game but it being so sudden, the way it happened, just leaving and never really getting the chance to come back was tough to deal with,” he added.
Gomez was considered a favorite of Gareth Southgate earlier in his career, playing regularly under the England boss when he was in charge of the national Under-21 set-up.
Southgate also handed the now 26-year-old his senior international debut in 2017 and Gomez defended Southgate after Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp’s recent jibe about his wait for an England recall.
“Gareth has been good with me. I was with Gareth all the way through the (Under) 21s and he picked me for my debut,” said Gomez. “That was nice, to reunite with him and be back doing what I’m meant to be doing.
“Gareth’s great in that sense on an individual basis, keeping in touch and speaking to the players.”
During Gomez’s time away from the international scene, England have developed into regular contenders for major tournament glory.
Southgate’s men reached their first final for 55 years at the Covid-delayed Euro 2020 and were narrowly beaten by France at the quarter-final stage of the 2022 World Cup.
A squad containing the likes of Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham is among the favorites to win the Euros in Germany later this year.
And Gomez said watching the team from afar has made him even more desperate to be involved if and when England do finally end their wait for a first major tournament win since lifting the 1966 World Cup on home soil.
“Four years is quite a long time. I have probably spent a fair bit of that time wanting to be back in the mix, seeing the team do so well and having a taste of it when I was younger was special,” he explained.
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t spend time thinking that I wanted to be back with the boys and playing at this level. It has given me a new appreciation to be here, a different perspective now I know the flip side.”
England face Brazil on Saturday and Belgium three days later at Wembley in their final friendlies before Southgate names his provisional squad for the Euros.
Gomez feels England recall ‘closes chapter’ on injury torment
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Gomez feels England recall ‘closes chapter’ on injury torment
- Gomez has been rewarded for a fine season at club level with a return to the international scene
- It was during a session while away with England in November 2020 when Gomez injured tendons in his knee, leading to surgery and an eight-month spell on the sidelines
PSG move top with nervy 3-2 win at bottom club Metz
- PSG are on 36 points, two ahead of Lens who host Nice on Sunday
- PSG struggled to create any early chances against Metz who have the worst defensive record
LONGEVILLE-LES-METZ, France: Paris St. Germain moved provisionally top of Ligue 1 with a 3-2 win at bottom club Metz on Saturday where the champions twice had a two-goal cushion cut and Goncalo Ramos, Quentin Ndjantou and Desire Doue were all on the scoresheet for the visitors.
PSG are on 36 points, two ahead of Lens who host Nice on Sunday while Metz remain bottom of the standings with 11 points.
PSG struggled to create any early chances against Metz who have the worst defensive record in the league this season, conceding 34 goals in their 15 previous games, but finally found a way through in the 31st minute.
Lee Kang-in played a one-two from a short corner before floating the ball toward the six-yard area where Ramos steered his header into the bottom corner.
PSG scored their second eight minutes later. Ibrahim Mbaye played a pinpoint pass across the box for Ndjantou to slide in and net his first goal for the club. The 18-year-old became PSG’s 17th different goalscorer in Ligue 1 this campaign.
Ramos wasted a gilt-edged chance to score another goal minutes earlier when his touch let him down as he tried to round the keeper and, out of nowhere, three minutes before the break Metz pulled one back.
Habib Diallo had a shot blocked in the box and when the ball came out to Jessy Deminguet he smacked a half-volley into the roof of the net to set up a more intriguing second half.
Metz keeper Jonathan Fischer denied Ndjantou, Ramos and Lee as PSG looked to kill off any hopes of a Metz comeback after halftime but the hosts almost found an equalizer before the hour mark.
Diallo volleyed narrowly wide and moments later, PSG keeper Matvey Safonov got down well to parry away a Koffi Kouao strike.
But, just when the hosts were enjoying their best period, PSG launched a counter attack from the resulting corner which sent substitute Doue through on goal and he made no mistake with a composed finish in the 63rd minute.
Mbaye’s shot rocked the crossbar as PSG began to turn the screw and Fischer made another fine save from Doue’s ferocious strike.
METZ MOMENT OF MAGIC
Metz refused to bow and nine minutes from time the home side created a beautiful goal to set up a nervy ending for the visitors.
Giorgi Tsitaishvili made a bursting run with the ball into the box from the wing and although he momentarily lost possession, Gauthier Hein played a clever backheeled pass back to Tsitaishvili who rifled his shot into the far corner.
PSG held on, but Metz will take satisfaction from their performance and if they can produce this type of display against lesser sides, they might be able to avoid a swift return to Ligue 2.
