Rio Ferdinand Hospitalized, Misses Major European Matches

Rio Ferdinand, former Manchester United and England defender, has been hospitalized with a sickness bug, which has also affected some of his family members. As a result, Ferdinand missed TNT Sports' coverage of key European matches, including Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final against PSG and Manchester United’s Europa League semi-final against Athletic Bilbao. Ferdinand shared a hospital bed photo on social media, expressing disappointment at being absent and confirming he would watch the matches remotely. Fans and TNT Sports have wished him a speedy recovery. Despite his illness, Ferdinand remained active online, notably criticizing a controversial penalty decision during Arsenal's defeat to PSG. Manchester United are strong favorites to reach the Europa League final after establishing a 3-0 first-leg lead over Bilbao.