Republic of Ireland coach Vera Pauw admits her players “feared for their bodies” in their abandoned Women’s World Cup warm-up match against Colombia on Friday. Midfielder Denise O’Sullivan was taken to hospital with a shin injury and the game was halted after just 20 minutes following a number of rough challenges, with the Football Association of Ireland describing it as “overly physical”. Scans have revealed the North Carolina Courage captain has not sustained any fractures but the extent of a soft tissue injury has still to be discovered. “It was something I had never experienced before in my 47 years being involved in football, not as a player, not as a coach,” Pauw told Sky Sports. “It started lively, a good game, normal, and then the atmosphere built up to becoming over-physical. “Then there came a huge challenge on Denise, a challenge not within the rules of the game and she was in awful pain. “I went to the coach of Colombia and I said: ‘I need help from you, we need to calm this down. We all want to go to the World Cup’. The players were extremely upset and had fear for themselves. Republic of Ireland manager Vera Pauw “The players were extremely upset and had fear for themselves. We are not a team who fear tackles or challenges. “I took them away to calm things down, brought them to the bench. We discussed it and there was contact with the president and the CEO of the FAI. “Collectively we knew it would not come right any more and if it went on we would put our players into a potentially-serious situation. “We had a calm discussion with the ref and they called off the game.” Ireland open their World Cup campaign against Australia and Pauw remains optimistic O’Sullivan will be fit. “We have hopes she can make the game but we need to see, the first 48 hours are very important in these soft tissue injuries,” she added. The Colombian Football Federation (FCF) released a statement which said, while the training of its teams was “framed within the rules of the game, healthy competition and fair play”, it respected Ireland’s decision. “The Colombian Football Federation informs that the friendly match… between the Colombia women’s national team and Ireland was suspended because the Irish national team preferred not to continue playing when 23 minutes of the first half had elapsed,” said the statement from the FCF, which has been contacted for further comment. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Declan Rice confirms ‘tough’ West Ham departure with Arsenal move imminent Declan Rice leaves West Ham for record fee with Arsenal move imminent Alex Greenwood happy with ‘humble’ England’s chances at Women’s World Cup

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Pep Guardiola believes changes to gruelling playing schedules will only happen when players themselves take action. The Manchester City boss pointed to the example of the Spain’s women’s team and the changes that have occurred at the country’s football federation after its now-former president Luis Rubiales kissed forward Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the medal ceremony after they won the World Cup in August. At his press conference ahead of City’s Premier League trip to Wolves on Saturday, Guardiola was asked about comments made by Burnley manager Vincent Kompany, his former captain, who said appearances within a season should be capped for top players. “There is only one solution to change something - the players decide for themselves, (to say), 'Stop, we have to change something' Pep Guardiola Guardiola said: “I would say every idea that you reduce a little bit the amount of games for the players would be nice. But there’s not going to be change. “There is only one solution to change something – the players decide for themselves, (to say), ‘Stop, we have to change something’. And after, FIFA and UEFA will maybe react a little bit. “This business, the show must go on. Without Pep? Keep going. But without the players, the show will not go on, that’s for sure. So it depends on them, they decide if they accept. “Look what happened in Spain with the women’s team. The players decided they had to change something and they changed it. They did it. The best legacy they have done is that. “The women’s team in Spain did it. I don’t know (if), in world football, the men’s, they are able to do it.” He added: “When we have a break it has to be a proper break. This is my point of view. “I always use the example of the NBA. They play 80 games in a few months but then have three or four months off. You can regenerate. Then after, full (on). “The problem here is it is full (on) and after we have three weeks off. For me it’s a lot. But it’s my personal opinion. “I don’t want to influence, because I’m not going to influence anyone. I think it has to be the players. If the players want to change something, they are the only ones who can do it.” Saturday’s match at Molineux could see Matheus Nunes face his old club after leaving Wolves to join City last month. It was reported at the time that Nunes had stopped training with the midlands outfit ahead of the move, but Guardiola said on Friday: “When I spoke to him…he said to me, ‘I never, never, ever said I’m not going to train’.” On the reception Nunes might receive from the crowd on Saturday, Guardiola added: “Hopefully he is strong to accept the situation.” Guardiola was also asked for his thoughts on the allegations surrounding his old club Barcelona. In March, Spanish prosecutors filed a complaint and UEFA announced it was opening an investigation into Barca after it was reported the club had made payments to companies owned by Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, the former vice-president of Spain’s referees committee, between 2001 and 2018. Police on Thursday searched the headquarters of the committee in relation to the case. Barcelona deny any wrongdoing. Guardiola, who was Barcelona boss from 2008 to 2012, said: “Wait and see…let the justice, the process (run). “So far what I heard…I didn’t see or read, because I’m out of that, but I didn’t see Barcelona really, really, really, really pay a referee to take a benefit. I didn’t see that, I didn’t read it. “That’s why I want to wait before have an opinion, because Barcelona is going to defend what they have to do, and we will see. “What I’m pretty sure is when Barcelona won, it was because they were better than the opponents. That I’m pretty convinced about right now – in our day. “We won because we were far better than our rivals. And when they were not, they don’t win, they lose. But justice will decide what really happened.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Ange Postecoglou had a love of Liverpool as a youngster but says ‘things change’ It is the food – Mikel Arteta suggests reason behind string of Basque coaches Ben Earl raised eyebrows when he first arrived at Saracens, says Maro Itoje

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