BERLIN: Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso said Friday Nigeria striker Victor Boniface was “close to getting back on the pitch” and could return in March.
Boniface injured his adductor while preparing for the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria in January and has been out since.
Originally scheduled to return sometime in April, Alonso said the 23-year-old could be fit for Leverkusen’s home clash with Hoffenheim on March 30.
“He’s not ready yet, but next week we have an international break and we’ll use the time to take a step forward with him.
“Maybe for Hoffenheim if everything goes well, but we’ll see.
“We need to have a bit more patience but he’s close to getting back on the pitch.”
Moving from Union Saint-Gilloise in the summer, Boniface has had an excellent start to life in Leverkusen, scoring 16 goals and laying on eight assists in 23 games in all competitions.
Boniface was called up to the Nigeria squad for the first time this season but missed the Super Eagles’ run to the final, where they lost to Ivory Coast.
Leverkusen are on track for a maiden German top-flight title, sitting 10 points clear of Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga with nine games remaining.
Alonso’s side on Thursday qualified for the quarter finals of the Europa League where they will face West Ham and have made it to the final four of the German Cup where they host second-division Fortuna Duesseldorf.
Boniface ‘close’ to return, says Leverkusen coach Alonso
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Boniface ‘close’ to return, says Leverkusen coach Alonso
- Boniface injured his adductor while preparing for the Africa Cup of Nations with Nigeria in January
- Alonso said the 23-year-old could be fit for Leverkusen’s home clash with Hoffenheim on March 30
Dembele nets 2 and Donnarumma injured as PSG beat Monaco to increase French league lead
- Ousmane Dembele scored a brace and striker Goncalo Ramos put PSG back in the lead with seven minutes left as he headed in a corner
- The match was brought forward because of a scheduling conflict with the Trophee des Champions between the two clubs on Jan. 5 in Doha
MONACO: Runaway leaders Paris Saint-Germain opened a 10-point lead at the top of the French league standings before the yearend break with a 4-2 defeat of Monaco on Wednesday in a match marred by Gianluigi Donnarumma’s injury.
Ousmane Dembele scored a brace and striker Goncalo Ramos put PSG back in the lead with seven minutes left as he headed in a corner after coming in as a substitute in the lively encounter at the Stade Louis II.
Monaco remained in third place, level on points with second-place Marseille, who have one match in hand.
Donnarumma’s face was bloodied after being hit by an opponent’s cleat. The Italy international took the studs of Wilfried Singo’s cleat in the 17th minute. Singo, whose shot had been blocked, tried to jump over the sliding Donnarumma but instead struck his face.
Pictures showed that Donnarumma was cut below his right eye. Singo, who had already been warned, was lucky to avoid a red card.
Donnarumma was left lying on the pitch while receiving treatment. He finally stood up and walked away to be replaced by Matvey Safonov.
Desire Doue had put PSG in front in the first half before Eliesse Ben Seghir leveled from the penalty spot after the interval and Breel Embolo gave Monaco the lead at the hour mark.
Dembele then scored his first goal of the evening from a rebound in the 64th minute. He added more luster to PSG’s win deep in stoppage time when he completed his brace.
The match was brought forward because of a scheduling conflict with the Trophee des Champions between the two clubs on Jan. 5 in Doha during the weekend that the French league resumes.
Atalanta dominant again with 6-1 win over Cesena in Italian Cup, Roma rout Sampdoria
- Roma also eased through against lower-league opposition, beating Sampdoria 4-1 to secure a last-eight match against AC Milan
- The quarterfinals will be played in February
MILAN: Serie A leaders Atalanta continued their domination of domestic soccer this season with another hefty victory in the Italian Cup albeit against second-division Cesena.
Charles De Ketelaere and Lazar Samardzic both scored twice as Atalanta cruised to a 6-1 win to book a place in the quarterfinals against Bologna.
Roma also eased through against lower-league opposition, beating Sampdoria 4-1 to secure a last-eight match against AC Milan.
The quarterfinals will be played in February.
Fresh from a club record 10th straight league victory, Atalanta — which lost the cup final to Juventus last year — showed no signs of easing up, even against lower league opposition.
Atalanta coach Gian Piero Gasperini opted for a surprisingly strong starting lineup and Atalanta was 2-0 up in less than 10 minutes and 4-0 up by halftime following goals by Davide Zappacosta, De Ketelaere’s double and Samardzic’s first.
Marco Brescianini added a fifth early in the second half and Atalanta finally eased off the gas, although Samardzic doubled his tally in the 71st.
Substitute Joseph Ceesay netted a consolation goal in the final minute for Cesena.
Ranieri beat former club
Roma coach Claudio Ranieri steered his side to a morale-boosting victory over one of his many former clubs and avoided a potential upset against Sampdoria, who had already knocked out two Serie A teams.
Roma had lost in the league 2-0 at Como, who were one of the top-flight teams Samp had beaten on its cup run — the other being city rivals Genoa.
However, an early double from Artem Dovbyk and a delightful solo effort from Tommaso Baldanzi had Roma 3-0 up inside 25 minutes.
Gerard Yepes pulled one back for Samp in the 61st but Roma restored its three-goal advantage through substitute Eldor Shomurodov, moments after he replaced Dovbyk.
Holders Liverpool reach League Cup semis, Arsenal advance
- At the Emirates Stadium, Brazilian striker Jesus finally found the back of the net on home turf for the first time in 2024
LONDON: Liverpool moved into the League Cup semifinals as the holders won 2-1 against managerless Southampton, while Gabriel Jesus ended his goal drought with a hat-trick in Arsenal’s 3-2 victory over Crystal Palace on Wednesday.
Rare goals from Darwin Nunez and Harvey Elliott at St. Mary’s sent the 10-time League Cup winners into the last four for a record 20th time.
Held to a surprise 2-2 draw against Fulham in the Premier League last weekend, Liverpool got back on track with a 20th win from 24 games in all competitions under Arne Slot, who has lost just once since arriving from Feyenoord to replace Jurgen Klopp.
Slot, who watched the quarter-final from the stands while he served a touchline suspension, opted to rest Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk as the Premier League leaders made eight changes.
Liverpool’s understudies were too strong for Southampton and Nunez ended his poor recent form with a clinical finish after Jan Bednarek made a hash of clearing Trent Alexander-Arnold’s pass in the 24th minute.
It was only Nunez’s fourth goal in all competitions in a difficult season for the Uruguay striker, who had gone six games without scoring.
Elliott doubled Liverpool’s lead in the 32nd minute, drilling low past Alex McCarthy from 12 yards for his first goal this season.
Cameron Archer reduced the deficit in the 59th minute with a superb curling strike from just inside the area.
Southampton were furious when a late Jarell Quansah challenge on Mateus Fernandes didn’t result in a penalty.
But there was no escaping yet another defeat for Southampton in caretaker boss Simon Rusk’s first game after Russell Martin was sacked following Sunday’s 5-0 thrashing by Tottenham.
“It was a very good and important win. We saw a lot of players that maybe don’t start,” Slot said.
“We handled it really well and only conceded one or two chances. We have to defend the trophy because the club won it last season.”
At the Emirates Stadium, Brazilian striker Jesus finally found the back of the net on home turf for the first time in 2024.
Jesus’ only previous goal in 20 appearances in all competitions this season had come against second-tier Preston in the League Cup.
The 27-year-old’s first goals in nine games were well-timed after Arsenal were booed off following Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Everton in the Premier League.
The Gunners, who last won the League Cup in 1993, are six points behind Liverpool and Mikel Arteta made eight changes as he prioritized Arsenal’s rematch with Palace in the top flight on Saturday.
Arteta’s gamble paid off after an early shock when Jean-Philippe Mateta punished weak defending from Jakub Kiwior to put Palace ahead in the fourth minute.
But Jesus equalized with a composed chipped finish in the 54th minute before lashing Arsenal in front after narrowly beating the offside trap in the 73rd minute.
Jesus sealed his treble with another clinical effort in the 81st minute and former Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah’s header four minutes later came too late to save Palace.
“Sometimes I have this problem with a lack of goals,” Jesus said. “I’m working a lot in training, finishing more, putting myself in a good position. I think my hard work has paid off.”
Sandro Tonali scored twice as Newcastle beat Brentford 3-1 at St. James’ Park.
Magpies boss Eddie Howe named a full-strength side and was rewarded with a comprehensive victory that moved his club a step closer to emulating their run to the 2023 final.
Newcastle, who have not won a major trophy since the 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, took the lead through Tonali’s fine finish from the edge of the area in the ninth minute.
The Italian midfielder netted again two minutes before half-time and Fabian Schar tapped in after 69 minutes.
Yoane Wissa’s stoppage-time strike was little consolation for Brentford.
The last quarter-final sees Tottenham host Manchester United on Thursday.
Barca overturn Man City to top Women’s Champions League group
BARCELONA: Holders Barcelona beat Manchester City 3-0 in the Women’s Champions League on Wednesday to pip their opponents to top spot in their group.
Claudia Pina opened the scoring for the dominant three-time champions late in the first half, before double Ballon d’Or winners Aitana Bonmati and Alexia Putellas assured Barcelona of first place in Group D.
Both sides had already qualified for the quarter-finals but the question of who would claim the kinder draw in the knockouts was still to be decided when the teams met in Catalonia.
The hosts dominated from the get-go with Salma Paralluelo, Ewa Pajor and Esmee Brugts going close.
Bonmati nearly caught out Khiara Keating on 27 minutes with a chipped effort from distance, but the ball just skipped wide of the far post with the goalkeeper stranded.
Keating was on form and kept City level with a fine save to tip over Brugts’ curling effort just after the half-hour.
The visitors nearly caught Barcelona with a sucker-punch when Jill Roord found space 30 yards out and rattled the crossbar.
But Keating was again soon called into action to deny Pajor one-on-one as City tried desperately to keep the hosts at bay going into half-time.
Pina finally made the breakthrough with a clinical finish after the ball ricocheted to her in the box one minute before the break.
Even at 1-0 down, the English side were still set to go through as group winners thanks to their 2-0 victory in the reverse fixture at the start of October.
Bonmati, a day after claiming her second FIFA Best award, showed her class in the 57th minute as she raced clear, held off a defender and slotted through the legs of Keating to send Barcelona top of the group on goal difference.
Substitute Putellas made the victory safe for the Catalans shortly after coming off the bench with a deflected strike from outside the box on 69 minutes.
In Vienna, Hammarby of Sweden beat Austrians St. Poelten 2-1 to finish third in the pool.
Later, Arsenal host Bayern Munich with top spot in Group C at stake.
Vinicius and Bonmati named FIFA Best players of the year
- The award comes two months after 24-year-old Vinicius was second in the Ballon d’Or, with Real electing to snub the ceremony when they found out beforehand that Manchester City midfielder Rodri was set to win the trophy
- The 26-year-old Spaniard Bonmati picked up the Best women’s player award for the second year running, adding to the two Ballon d’Or trophies she already boasts
DOHA: Real Madrid attacker Vinicius Junior won the FIFA Best men’s player of the year award at a ceremony in Doha on Tuesday, while Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati picked up the women’s prize for the second time.
The award comes two months after 24-year-old Vinicius was second in the Ballon d’Or, with Real electing to snub the ceremony when they found out beforehand that Manchester City midfielder Rodri was set to win the trophy.
But the Brazilian was this time on hand to collect the prize in person as he is in Qatar with his club ahead of their Intercontinental Cup final clash with Mexico’s Pachuca on Wednesday.
“Thank you very much. I don’t know where to start. It was impossible to think of getting here. I grew up in a world of poverty, of organized crime. It’s for all the children who grow up in that world. I thank everyone who voted for me,” Vinicius said on stage.
“(Thank you) To my family, to the club, to my teammates, to Carletto (Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti), who always helps me.
“To everyone who helped make my dream come true. I hope to be at Madrid for many years, because it is the best club in the world. To Flamengo (his first club in Brazil). To my teammates in my national team. And to my country, which always supports me in my work.”
Vinicius succeeds Lionel Messi as the FIFA Best men’s player after the Argentinian scooped up the last two editions of the award.
The live wire forward scored 24 goals and laid on 11 assists in 39 matches across all competitions as he led Real to a La Liga and Champions League double last season.
Having already wrapped up his third La Liga title in May, Vinicius secured the second Champions League trophy of his career as Real beat Borussia Dortmund 2-0 on June 1.
Vinicius was on the scoresheet at Wembley with a pinpoint finish inside the final 10 minutes to make the game safe for his team.
If Vinicius at times played second fiddle to clubmate Jude Bellingham in La Liga, he was undoubtedly the main man for Madrid in Europe once the going got serious.
He was the top scorer for the Champions League winners with six goals in the competition, including the strike in the final and a brace in Madrid’s 4-3 aggregate win over Bayern Munich in the semifinals.
He also scored a hat trick in a 4-1 victory in the final of the Supercopa against arch-rivals Barcelona in January.
But it was not all plain sailing last season for Vinicius as he endured a disappointing Copa America with the Brazilian national team over the summer.
He scored two goals in a group-stage win against Paraguay, but his side ultimately crashed out on penalties to Uruguay in the quarter-finals.
The 26-year-old Spaniard Bonmati picked up the Best women’s player award for the second year running, adding to the two Ballon d’Or trophies she already boasts.
“I’m grateful, I’m proud to receive this award,” Bonmati said via video link from Barcelona’s Olympic stadium.
Last term, Bonmati led Barcelona to a historic continental quadruple of titles and claimed the Nations League with her national team.
She won every trophy available to her in club football in 2023/24 — the Spanish league, the Copa de la Reina, the Supercopa de Espana and a second successive Women’s Champions League.
Bonmati scored a goal and put in a player-of-the-match performance as Barcelona beat Lyon 2-0 in the final of the Champions League to claim their third title in four seasons.
Manchester United’s Argentine forward Alejandro Garnacho won the Puskas award for the best goal of the year for his spectacular bicycle kick against Everton in the Premier League.
