Carl Rushworth says it will be a proud moment to wear the names of grandparents Francis and Isobelle on his warm-up T-shirt as Swansea raise cancer awareness on Saturday.
Rushworth, the on-loan Brighton goalkeeper who was part of England’s Under-21 European Championship-winning squad last summer, lost two of his grandparents to cancer and Plymouth’s visit to South Wales carries special significance for the 22-year-old.
Swansea have joined with the charity Maggie’s for a ‘Tackling Cancer Together’ campaign and players will warm up ahead of the Sky Bet Championship clash with names of family and friends impacted by cancer printed on their shirts.
The English Football League has approved Swansea wearing the Maggie’s logo on the playing shirt as a one-off, while supporters have shared stories of a disease that now sees one in every two people diagnosed with it at some stage of their lives.
“Everybody knows somebody who’s been affected by cancer or someone who has sadly passed away because of it,” Rushworth told the PA news agency.
“Wearing the shirts and having names of loved ones on the back of them is massive for the players, and also for the fans in bringing the community together.
“It shows we’re all in the same boat and cancer affects everyone. I’ve seen fans telling their stories on social media and the Plymouth game will touch the hearts of the lads.”
Rushworth’s own story is a common tale of loss and tears that devastates families: his grandmother Isobelle died when he was a few months old, his grandfather Francis when he was 12.
“I was really close to my grandad, he was always around the house treating me and my sister when my mum and dad probably didn’t want him to,” said Rushworth.
“He was more into rugby but he was always there at the park when I was diving around the place. He probably pushed me into being a goalkeeper.
“He was a massive part in my upbringing and I was in shock really when he died. As I was growing up it hit me more that he wasn’t there.”
Rushworth has arguably been Swansea’s player of the season after previous loan spells away from the Seagulls at Worthing, Walsall and Lincoln.
Released by Huddersfield at the age of 15 – “it was tough because I felt like I was going to get a new contract and I was confused by that rejection” – Rushworth rebuilt his career at hometown club Halifax before joining Brighton in 2019.
He has since played over 100 games in the EFL, made his U21 international debut and kicked on again at Swansea while working alongside former England and Wales goalkeeping coach Martyn Margetson.
“Every time I’ve been with England it’s been a pleasure, to be around the quality of players there,” said Rushworth.
“I want to see where I’m at, realising that’s Premier League quality or Championship quality and where do I fit in.
“If I do well I can hopefully be in the conversation with England in a few years’ time.
“The peak of any career is to play at international level and it would be foolish if I wasn’t aiming for that. That’s my dream, to play in the Premier League and for England as well.”
Girona 4-2 Barcelona: Hosts secure Champions League football while ending Blaugrana's title hopes
Girona beat Barcelona 4-2 to secure Champions League qualification and gift Real Madrid their 36th LaLiga title.
Madrid, who have lost only once in the league this season, hold a 13-point advantage over second-placed Girona, while Barca dropped to third after Saturday's loss.
The victory saw Girona seal European football for the first time in their history.
A brace from substitute Portu helped LaLiga's surprise package Girona to humble their Catalan rivals.
Andreas Christiansen scored in the third minute to give Barca the lead but Girona hit back a minute later, with LaLiga's top scorer Artem Dovbyk heading in the equaliser.
Robert Lewandowski put the visitors back ahead from the penalty spot just before the break.
However, in his first action after coming off the bench, Portu restored parity before Miguel Gutierrez scored from a rebound two minutes later to turn the match on its head.
And that paved the way for a stunning volley from Portu in the 74th minute to secure the win.
Real Madrid's LaLiga joy must be 'contained' ahead of Bayern meeting
Carlo Ancelotti knows Real Madrid's LaLiga title celebrations must be "contained" as they prepare to take on Bayern Munich.
Madrid were crowned LaLiga champions for a record-extending 36th time on Saturday, after Barcelona lost 4-2 to Girona.
The Blaugrana's defeat followed on from Madrid beating Cadiz 3-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Brahim Diaz, Jude Bellingham and Joselu were on target for Los Blancos, whose coach Ancelotti knows restraint is needed in his team's celebrations, with the Champions League semi-final second leg against Bayern coming up on Wednesday.
"It's obviously a contained joy, because the most important game of the season is also very close, but we have to be happy," Ancelotti told Movistar Plus+ before the Barca game had been played.
"These games are difficult to prepare for, because you have Wednesday on your mind. But so far it's been spectacular, our team was steady, with hardly any mistakes. The advantage we have is well deserved.
"A big part [of Madrid's success] was achieved when we started to defend better, with a collective commitment.
"The effort put by the players up front was great, but the injuries early in the season helped us to realise that it wasn't about individuals but putting on a collective effort, and we did great."
Speaking to reporters in the mixed zone, Ancelotti said: "We are very good. It is the seventh victory in a row in the League, a spectacular one as a whole.
"We are very close to winning it and I think we are going to do it with merit.
"It is a celebration taking into account what has to happen on Wednesday. We are all happy with the match, but let's think about Bayern."
Thibaut Courtois, meanwhile, returned from his long injury lay-off to feature for the first time this season.
Ancelotti added: "Thibaut is a very important piece for this team, although [Andriy] Lunin has had a spectacular season and that is a lot of credit to Andriy. But Courtois has returned very well and was decisive. He is doing very well."
Haaland 'back to business' as Guardiola lauds four-goal Man City star in Wolves win
Pep Guardiola says Erling Haaland is "back to business" after his four-goal demolition of Wolves that kept Manchester City in touch of Premier League leaders Arsenal.
The Gunner dispatched Bournemouth 3-0 earlier on Saturday but Haaland's first-half hat-trick – including two penalties – started a roaring response from City at Etihad Stadium.
Haaland added his fourth after the interval before Julian Alvarez wrapped up the scoring, with Hwang Hee-Chan's second-half strike a mere consolation in a 5-1 hammering of Wolves.
Victory extended Man City's unbeaten run in the Premier League to 20 games (W16 D4), while they have won each of the last six in a row, netting 4+ goals on five occasions in that run.
Moving just a point with Arsenal and still boasting a game in hand, Guardiola was relieved to see a firing return to form for Haaland, whose April was hampered by injury issues.
"It looks comfortable but it was not," the City manager told Sky Sports. "In the end we created more chances but in the transition we were not precise in the last pass.
"But Erling is back to business. Penalties are a guarantee but the second and fourth [goals] were unbelievable.
"The 20 minutes he [Haaland] played against Nottingham Forest was really good and today as well. We won, but it was so long an injury.
"It is welcome he arrived in the right moment, but we arrive together because Erling and Kevin [De Bruyne] have been out."
Having scored a hat-trick in this exact fixture last season, Haaland became just the third player to score a home treble against the same opponent in consecutive Premier League campaigns.
The Norway talisman also became the third player to score multiple first-half hat-tricks in Premier League history (also against Forest last season), along with Andrew Cole and Michael Owen (two each).
Yet the City forward appeared somewhat annoyed with his late substitution for Alvarez.
"He's a little bit frustrated, but I understand," Guardiola added. "He was frustrated with the referee. With the long balls sometimes they push him and he is pulled. Yes, it is like that."
City will play their game in hand against Tottenham on May 14, with that their chance to move clear of Mikel Arteta's side.
Guardiola insists his team must win all their remaining fixtures to lift the top-flight trophy once more.
"Goal difference is not possible, we cannot draw," he added. "The way Arsenal have been playing has been so good and consistent.
"It's three games, hopefully we win the first and the second and arrive to the third with our destiny in our own hands."
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