Former Swansea teammate Leon Britton backs new signing Bafetimbi Gomis to become an Al-Hilal hero

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Bafetimbi Gomis signed for the Riyadh giants this summer for $16.2 million. (Al-Hilal)
Updated 10 September 2018
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Former Swansea teammate Leon Britton backs new signing Bafetimbi Gomis to become an Al-Hilal hero

  • Britton claims former France international has what it takes to score a sackful of goals for the Riyadh giants.
  • Out-and-out No. 9 is Gomis' best position, former teammate says.

LONDON: A former teammate of Al-Hilal’s new star signing Bafetimbi Gomis said he is not surprised the former French international has moved to the Middle East and that the Saudi Pro League title favorites have signed a No. 9 with real pedigree.
Leon Britton, the Swansea City legend, spent two seasons playing with Gomis in the Premier League and got to know the striker’s game inside out. He said it did not come as a shock when it was announced the 33-year-old was moving to the Kingdom.
“It’s funny really, as he very nearly left Swansea for Dubai or Qatar — somewhere like that,” Britton told Arab News.
“He was very close to going there and we all thought it was done. We’d said our goodbyes but it fell through. So it doesn’t surprise me he has gone to the Middle East now as it was on the cards three or four years ago.”
Gomis signed for Al-Hilal last month in a deal that saw the Riyadh giants pay Galatasaray a reported €14 million ($16.2 million), making the 33-year-old the league’s second costliest ever player. He made his debut against Al-Feiha, playing just over an hour of the 1-0 win and he is expected to lead the line again when they travel to Al-Raed on Saturday.
Al-Hilal coach Jorge Jesus will hope the striker will quickly capture the form that earned the player 12 international caps and 16 goals in 64 games for Swansea.
“It’s difficult to assess his time at Swansea, really,” said Britton.
“It was a success and it wasn’t, I suppose. He was fighting against Wilfried Bony for that starting place in the team as we weren’t playing two up front. It was either Bony or Baf. When he did play, he proved his quality.”
Only 28 of his 64 league appearances for Swansea did not come from the bench, but he still managed to score 13 league goals, despite a lean start that saw him open up with just one in his first 11 matches.
“A lot of top players find it difficult coming to the Premier League and getting used to the pace and intensity of the game,” said Britton. 
“I remember being quite surprised when we signed him, because he’d come from Lyon where he’d been scoring in the Champions League, so it was a big coup for the club. He definitely took a while to adjust to the English game, but you could always see his quality in training.”

Gomis enjoyed his time in the Premier League for Swansea City, seen here terrorizing Chelsea's John Terry. 

Gomis eventually got up to speed, scoring a winner against Manchester United and finishing the season with five in his last six games to end his first season as the club’s top-scorer, inspiring the team to a record eighth-place finish.
He then got four in four at the start of the following season, including the winner again against United, but things then tailed off and he only managed three for the rest of the campaign and was loaned to Marseille in the summer of 2016.
“His opportunities were limited and we didn’t quite give him the service he needed,” said Britton.
“But he’s very good in and around the box and a very good finisher.”
Al-Hilal played him as a lone striker in their opening league game and that is where Britton feels he is best suited, as an out-and-out No. 9.
“He’s always playing on the last shoulder and looking to get in behind,” said Britton. “He’s not lightening quick but he’s got a bit of pace. He gets caught offside a few times as he’s always on the shoulder rather coming to feet.
“He’ll always look to stretch the defense and his best work is in the penalty box rather than coming short and linking. He’s strong in the air and his hold-up play is good. He’s a powerful boy.”
Britton said he was sad when Gomis was loaned from Swansea to Marseille in 2016 and then eventually sold to Galatasaray, as the Swans fans did not quite see the best of him.
“I know he was growing a bit frustrated as he wasn’t getting the minutes he would like,” Britton said.
“Someone of his quality and the type of lad he is, he wants to be playing all the time. It’s understandable he wanted to get out and play, but we were disappointed to lose a good player.”
Gomis spent 14 years playing in Europe but the Middle East is now his arena and he now shares a dressing room with attacking talent Carlos Eduardo, Omar Khribin and Omar Abdulrahman. 
“Baf is a lovely guy,” said Britton.

Leon Britton is a big fan of Gomis and backs him to do well for Al-Hilal in the Saudi Pro League. 

“In fairness, he didn’t speak much English, but he made a massive effort to learn the language as quickly as possible. He is a really good guy, very pleasant, very happy and was never a problem, even when he wasn’t playing he didn’t cause any issues. When I retired (in May) he put something on Twitter so that showed his character.”
Al-Hilal fans hope it will not be long before they see Gomis’ trademark panther goal celebration, a move that sees him crawl demonically toward the fans like a big cat.
“He got a bit of stick from our lads when we first saw it,” said Britton. “But he took it in good jest and I think you know you are going to cop a fair bit of banter from the lads when you do something like that. It’s certainly unique.”


Dembele sinks Arsenal as PSG seize edge in Champions League semifinal

Updated 15 sec ago
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Dembele sinks Arsenal as PSG seize edge in Champions League semifinal

  • Arsenal’s first defeat in 18 home European matches was a painful blow to their own bid to win a first Champions League crown

LONDON: Paris Saint-Germain seized the advantage in their Champions League semifinal against Arsenal as Ousmane Dembele sealed a 1-0 win in the first leg on Tuesday.
Dembele struck in the opening minutes at the Emirates Stadium and Luis Enrique’s side held on to the lead with a composed display that kept Arsenal at bay.
PSG will head into the second leg at the Parc des Princes on May 7 as favorites to reach the final against Barcelona or Inter Milan as they look to win the tournament for the first time.
But the French champions should take nothing for granted given their history of epic European collapses.
Arsenal’s first defeat in 18 home European matches was a painful blow to their own bid to win a first Champions League crown.
Mikel Arteta had labelled Arsenal’s run to the semifinals a “beautiful story.”
The last chapter might make for frustrating reading, but they aren’t dead and buried just yet.
The Gunners had beaten holders Real Madrid 5-1 on aggregate to reach their first Champions League semifinal since losing to Manchester United in 2009.
They could not replicate the swaggering display that blew Madrid away 3-0 in the first leg, despite a frenzied atmosphere as kick-off approached.
When Arsenal’s players gathered for a pre-match huddle in the tunnel, Declan Rice implored his team-mates to give everything as he roared “if we don’t have the ball we die.”
A video message from Arteta played on the Emirates screens struck a similarly rousing chord as the Spaniard urged fans to raise the roof.
But PSG had already eliminated Premier League champions Liverpool in the last 16 and Aston Villa in the quarter-finals, after coming back from two goals down to beat Manchester City in the league phase.
Arsenal were the one English side they had failed to conquer, losing 2-0 in north London in October.
However, PSG were without the influential Dembele for disciplinary reasons on that occasion and Luis Enrique insisted his side were “more complete” seven months on.
Dembele took just four minutes to prove the point as the France star started and finished a ruthless raid.
Taking possession in the center circle, Dembele worked the ball out to Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and he drove at Jurrien Timber with intent.
Dembele had carried on his run into the Arsenal area and Kvaratskhelia’s perfectly weighted pass picked him out for a clinical finish that went in off the far post.
Having seized the momentum, PSG went for the kill and Marquinhos rose to meet Achraf Hakimi’s cross with a header that was just too close to Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya.
Kvaratskhelia had a strong penalty appeal waved away when Timber appeared to halt the forward’s burst into area with an arm around his chest.
Kvaratskhelia was undeterred, forcing Raya to save after attacking Timber again.
Dembele was proving equally hard for Arsenal to handle, his clever run and pass reaching Desire Doue for a low strike that Raya saved at full stretch.
Arsenal had been out-gunned but they should have equalized just before half-time when Myles Lewis-Skelly’s sublime pass found Gabriel Martinelli, whose shot was superbly saved by Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Arsenal thought they had drawn level two minutes into the second half when Mikel Merino headed home from Rice’s free-kick, yet their celebrations were premature as VAR disallowed the goal for offside against the Spain midfielder.
Arteta’s men had the momentum and Leandro Trossard was inches away from equalising when Rice’s pass sent him bursting into the PSG area for a shot that Donnarumma brilliantly tipped away.
Feeling the shift in the balance of power, PSG looked to take the sting out of the game by playing at a slower pace.
The tactic almost worked to perfection when Bradley Barcola sauntered through, but with just Raya to beat he dragged his shot wide of the far post.
It was a woeful miss, leaving Luis Enrique holding his head in disbelief.
The PSG coach was in the exact same stunned pose moments later when Goncalo Ramos fired against the bar from close-range.


Impressive Al-Ahli down Al-Hilal to move into Champions League Asian final

Updated 29 April 2025
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Impressive Al-Ahli down Al-Hilal to move into Champions League Asian final

  • Firmino, Toney, Al-Buraikan score in Greens’ 3-1 win
  • Jeddah club will face Al-Nassr or Kawasaki Frontale in Saturday’s final

JEDDAH: Al-Ahli beat Al-Hilal 3-1 on Tuesday to move into the final of the AFC Champions League Elite.
After an incident-filled semifinal showdown, the Jeddah club will face either Al-Nassr, another Riyadh giant, or Kawasaki Frontale of Japan in Saturday’s final, where one thing is for sure — there will be a new continental champion.
It was a deserved win for Al-Ahli who were on top for most of the 90-plus minutes in Jeddah. Now they prepare for their third Champions League final and in this form few would bet against them landing a first title.


Beating four-time winners Al-Hilal means that there is nothing to fear for Al-Ahli and it took just nine minutes for the fans to start celebrating. Galeno broke down the left, racing on to a fine pass and just about reached the ball before it went out of play. The Brazilian, signed in January from Porto, sent over a first-time cross for compatriot Roberto Firmino to sweep home from close range.
There were calls for offside but to the dismay of the Riyadh giants they were not upheld. There were more chances, such as Ivan Toney’s shot that went just wide after 18 minutes, as Al-Ahli continued to look the more dangerous.
Then, just before the half-hour, it was 2-0. Riyad Mahrez picked up the ball in a central position and slipped a perfect pass to the left side of the area. It was picked up by Toney who feinted past Yassine Bounou in goal and rolled the ball into an empty net.
For a while, that seemed to be that. The Greens were on top and heading into the final but Al-Hilal are not the most successful team in Saudi Arabia and Asia for nothing. This is a team, especially in continental competitions, that never knows when it is beaten.
Three minutes before the break, Salem Al-Dawsari, one of the best players in Asia, halved the deficit. For anyone who has watched Saudi Arabian football in recent years, it was a familiar goal. The ball bounced off a white-shirted defender and there was the 2022 Asian Player of the Year to pick up possession and sweep a low shot home for his 10th of the tournament. Al-Hilal were looking dangerous and just minutes before the break Malcom should have fired home at the far post to equalize from close range.
At halftime, it was anyone’s game but early in the second period, Toney saw two goals ruled out for offside.
Then, on the hour, a tough situation for Al-Hilal became a major problem. They were reduced to 10 men as Kalidou Koulibaly was red-carded for a second booking. Despite the Blues’ continental pedigree it was always going to be tough and while they poured forward in desperate search of the all-important equalizer, it was not to be. Al-Ahli continued to look the more dangerous and were denied by the woodwork on more than one occasion.
With five minutes remaining it should have been all over. Hamid Al-Yami was judged to have brought down Mahrez in the area. Up stepped Franck Kessie to seal the win but it was a tame shot from the Ivorian and was well saved by Bounou.
For once, Al-Hilal did not punish such a mistake. Eight minutes into added time, the victory — one of the most important in Al-Ahli’s history — was sealed thanks to substitute Firas Al-Buraikan.
It led to huge celebrations for many of the 50,000 crowd and the biggest prize in the world’s biggest continent is now just 90 minutes away.


Warren says Parker will fight winner of Usyk v Dubois

Updated 29 April 2025
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Warren says Parker will fight winner of Usyk v Dubois

  • Warren’s Queensberry Promotions represents both Parker and Dubois
  • The WBO agreed ‘in the best interests of boxing’ to Usyk fighting Dubois

LONDON: New Zealander Joseph Parker will fight the undisputed heavyweight world champion winner of the Oleksandr Usyk v Daniel Dubois fight in London in July, promoter Frank Warren said on Tuesday.
Unbeaten Ukrainian Usyk — the WBA, WBC and WBO champion — and Britain’s IBF champion Dubois are fighting a four-belt showdown at London’s Wembley Stadium on July 19.
Dubois, 27, had been set to face former WBO world champion and current interim champion Parker in Saudi Arabia last February but withdrew from the fight due to illness.
Warren’s Queensberry Promotions represents both Parker and Dubois.
“With Joe Parker, the WBO just put a mandate out saying that the winner of this fight (Usyk v Dubois) has to defend against the WBO mandatory challenger, which is Joe Parker,” Warren told Sky Sports television.
“People might be saying ‘Oh, Joe must be peed off he’s not fighting Daniel”.
“Well, he’ll be fighting for four belts now. Whoever wins it (the undisputed title fight), which I hope is going to be our man (Dubois), they’ll be challenging for four belts so he’s in a better place.”
The WBO agreed ‘in the best interests of boxing’ to Usyk fighting Dubois rather than its mandatory challenger Parker but has said the New Zealander remained top of the list of challengers once the titles were unified.


Iga Swiatek reaches Madrid Open quarterfinals after ‘relaxed’ day during blackout

Updated 29 April 2025
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Iga Swiatek reaches Madrid Open quarterfinals after ‘relaxed’ day during blackout

  • Swiatek said she took away food from the tournament site and relaxed at the hotel until the power came back on
  • “I just chilled and used that time to not think about what I should do”

MADRID: Power was restored at the Caja Magica tennis complex Tuesday and the Madrid Open resumed with a packed schedule that included second-ranked Iga Swiatek advancing to the quarterfinals after a “more relaxed” day because of the blackout.
Following the major blackout that prompted 22 matches to be postponed on Monday, Swiatek returned to the center court and defeated Diana Shnaider 6-0, 6-7 (3), 6-4 to stay on track to defend her title in the Spanish capital.
“I liked yesterday. I think the whole world was just more relaxed, kind of, obviously the people who didn’t lose because of this,” she said. “I enjoyed the time off, and I tried to just recover, because we need to savor these free days, for sure.”
Swiatek said she took away food from the tournament site and relaxed at the hotel until the power came back on.
“I just chilled and used that time to not think about what I should do,” she said. “There was no signal, so basically no one used their phones. It was nice, I liked it.”
Most parts of Madrid regained power overnight, but the Caja Magica was still without electricity early Tuesday, causing a delay in the opening of the gates for fans.
The power came back quickly, though, and organizers did not have to alter the day’s schedule of matches, although there was the possibility of the night session being delayed because of the high number of matches during the day.
Swiatek to face Keys
Swiatek cruised in the first set but had to save 11 of 13 break points to seal a hard-fought victory against the 13th-seeded Shnaider.
Swiatek has not lost before the quarterfinals in seven tournaments this season but hasn’t gone past the semifinals since Roland Garros last year. She will next face Madison Keys, who defeated Donna Vekic 6-2, 6-3.
It will be Swiatek’s first meeting with Keys since she lost despite having match point in the semifinals of the Australian Open that was won by Keys.
“We played last year here, but I think it was a night session or something,” Swiatek said. “I don’t know, I think it was like colder or a little bit different, so for sure we’ll watch that match.”
Berrettini out with injury
In the men’s side, 31st-ranked Matteo Berrettini withdrew with an apparent abdominal injury after losing the first set 7-6 (2) to sixth-ranked Jack Draper.
“I think he said his abs were pulling,” Draper said. “I’ve had injuries in the past. I believe he might have done it in his last match, so credit to him for coming out here and putting on a good first set. I saw his energy was a bit low in general.”
Sixth-seeded Alex de Minaur tied Carlos Alcaraz with a tour-leading 24th win this season by getting past Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 7-6 (3).
The seventh-ranked De Minaur will next face Lorenzo Musetti, who beat 2019 runner-up Stefanos Tsitsipas 7-5, 7-6 (3).
Americans Tommy Paul and Frances Tiafoe both won their matches. The 11th-seeded Paul defeated Karen Khachanov 6-3, 3-6, 6-2, while the 16th-seeded Tiafoe beat Alexandre Muller 6-3, 6-3.
Paul was among the players having to play doubles on the same day as their singles matches. Another was 19-year-old Jakub Mensik, who defeated Alexander Bublik 6-3, 6-2 before having to play his doubles match on the same court a bit later.
Tuesday’s schedule included second-ranked Alexander Zverev facing Francisco Cerundolo. On the women’s side, the remaining six fourth-round matches were scheduled, including top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka facing Peyton Stearns.
Refunds for ticket holders
There were huge lines outside the complex, and people with tickets for Monday’s matches were not allowed back in on Tuesday.
“Nobody said anything yet,” said Juan Duato, who was denied entry when he arrived on Monday during the power outage. “They said we couldn’t come in and asked us to contact customer support. Apparently they will send us an email.”
Organizers said later Tuesday that anyone who purchased tickets for Monday would receive a full refund for the purchase. That process would be carried out automatically over the next few days.
Fans already inside were asked to leave the Caja Magica a few hours after the outage happened shortly after 12:30 p.m. local time (1030 GMT) on Monday. Two ATP singles matches and one doubles match were underway at the time.
There were longer-than-usual wait times for players to be transported back to the hotel on Monday.


Napoli’s Buongiorno out with adductor injury

Updated 29 April 2025
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Napoli’s Buongiorno out with adductor injury

  • Napoli reclaimed the sole lead in the Serie A standings on Sunday
  • The 25-year-old has already begun his rehabilitation process

NAPLES: Napoli defender Alessandro Buongiorno is set to miss the rest of the season after suffering an adductor injury in his right thigh, the Serie A leaders said on Tuesday.
Napoli reclaimed the sole lead in the Serie A standings on Sunday with a 2-0 home win against Torino but the 2023 champions lost Italy center back Buongiorno and midfielder Frank Anguissa to injuries around the hour mark.
“Alessandro Buongiorno underwent instrumental tests today at the Pineta Grande Hospital, which revealed a destructive lesion of the long adductor muscle of the right thigh,” Napoli said in a statement.
The club added that the 25-year-old has already begun his rehabilitation process.
Italian media reported that the injury puts an end to Buongiorno’s season and manager Antonio Conte will not have him available for the last four games in the title race.
Napoli travel to relegation-threatened Lecce on Saturday before facing Genoa, Parma and Cagliari in their final matches. Conte’s side top the league standings on 74 points, three ahead of second-placed Inter Milan.