Benzema medical report

Following tests carried out today on Karim Benzema by Real Madrid's medical services, a muscle injury in the biceps femoris in his left leg has been confirmed. His recovery will continue to be assessed.

Source: realmadrid.com 

QUARTERLY REVIEW: THE LATIN AMERICAN CONTINGENT

In today's edition, we take a closer look at the impact of some of the German top flight's Latin American stars...

ARTURO VIDAL

Billed as the missing piece in Pep Guardiola’s FC Bayern München puzzle, Arturo Vidal has not disappointed on his hotly anticipated return to the Bundesliga. The former Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Juventus box-to-box specialist has started six of the defending champions' eight Bundesliga outings, opening his account in a 3-0 success at SV Darmstadt 98 and grabbing assists in further wins over Leverkusen and 1. FSV Mainz 05. As is to be expected of all Guardiola's players, the Chile international regularly hits the 90-per-cent mark in the per-game pass completion department.

              JAVIER HERNANDEZ

Bayer 04 Leverkusen made headlines with the transfer deadline day signing of Mexico international Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez from Manchester United FC. The 27-year-old had become accustomed to warming the bench in recent seasons, but appears to be enjoying a new lease of life under Roger Schmidt at the BayArena. Predominantly at the expense of veteran forward Stefan Kießling, he has already made five starts in seven outings in all competitions, scoring twice and chipping in with one assist.

                 DOUGLAS COSTA

'Immediate impact' personified, Douglas Costa is fast becoming the root cause of all Bundesliga right-backs' nightmares. The Brazilian winger put in some electrifying displays in pre-season and has continued to improve by the game in 2015/16. After netting a debut pearler and assist in the 5-0 rout of Hamburger SV on Matchday 1, the 24-year-old wing wizard has since laid on a further nine goals for his teammates, only failing to do so in one of Bayern's eight Bundesliga assignments so far this term.

               EDUARDO VARGAS

With TSG 1899 Hoffenheim winning just one of their eight Bundesliga matches so far in 2015/16, the performances of Chile international Eduardo Vargas have not received anywhere near as much attention as many of his Latin American contemporaries. The 25-year-old took his maiden Bundesliga strike brilliantly, albeit in an eventual 3-1 defeat to SV Werder Bremen, and it is his deft touch, clever movement and all-round reading of the game that have since yielded four assists, two of which came in the much-needed 3-1 win away to Augsburg on Matchday 7.

Source: Bundesliga.com

International breaks, scorn of fans and club managers!

This is precisely the period that helped spawn the word "FIFA virus", the spanish media term used to describe the costly injuries clubs sides are left to deal with following international breaks.

The stakes here aren't only the physical fitness of these players but mental too. Players in the top-flight sometimes travel 581,938 miles to represent their countries in friendlies or qualifying matches across the globe.

Luis Suarez once had to travel 16,859 miles to play in Uruguay's qualifier against Jordan in Montevideo on Wednesday and was expected to feature for liverpool the saturday of that same week in a merseyside derby. 

It is a time when club managers are frustrated that they are not in daily contact with their players.

Chelsea manager, Jose Mourinho, once said: "because of the international break, the next match is in 15 days," the chelsea trainer told reporters.

"I don't know what happens in days; every player goes away with their national team and i stay for two weeks with four players.

"I can't work, I can't improve at this moment, I can't do anything during these two weeks to improve my team.

Mourinho's sentiments is one shared by many club manager across the world. 

This is also a period when club managers go back to God in prayers against a constant backdrop of injury worry.

Arsenal coach, Arsene Wenger is concerned the international break could add to the club's injury list.

"My plan is to pray now that everyone comes back from the international games without injure because we have a small group," he said, according to Arsenal official website. 

A quick rundown of the players who got injured in this international break: Shay Given, Lorenzo Insigne, Rooney, Trapp, Pogba, Benzema, Gotze, Aguero, David Silva, Morata, Ivanovic, Matic, Conentrao, David Luiz, Schweinsteiger and this is just the first week of the international break, no wonder international breaks are the scorn of club managers. 

City fans will be cursing their luck as the derby would have been the perfect opportunity to demolish United’s faltering title winning hopes. Manchester United after their humiliating defeat against Arsenal have a tough run of fixtures which could make or break their season. Chelsea fans on the other hand have a reason to be happy as Ivanovic who easily has been their worst player this season has returned injured after playing for his country.

FIFA should looking into the scheduling as players are forced to travel long distance to play for their countries in the midst of an already jam packed season within their clubs.

                                                                         By Nzube Unachukwu

Oliseh must adress this issue, else.......

A lot has been happening in the camp of the super eagles lately but after enduring a frustrating night in the hands of DR. Congo, I feel the need to speak or rather write my honest opinion.

The super eagles suffered a 2-0 defect to DR Congo in an international friendly, a defeat which leaves Oliseh and his new captain with their first defeat. Apart from the fact the super eagles looked like a team that lacked cohesion, it was also vivid that the team lacked coordination in the field of play, which is the function of the team captain! 

"As a coach I have looked at the team and I have looked at Nigeria going forward. We need a captain who will think of staying with Nigeria for several years to come, who is regularly in front. And Musa did a great job for us in Tanzania under very difficult circumstance. He is a very responsible player and he is the captain of the team" the Nigerian trainer told brila fm.

Now I have few questions. What are the attributes of a great captain? Leadership, experience, dedication, decision making, the ability to motivate the players around them and Enyeama has retired with all these qualities.

This is nothing against Musa as a footballer. He is a superb professional, lighting pace, eye for goal and a very responsible player but does he have what it takes to be the captain of the super eagles? I don't think so.

Musa has never been a vice-captain and he has never really been a captain material throughout his impressive career, yet suddenly, he is the captain of our national team. Wow! 

Now let's take a look at some of the games greatest captains, Dunga, Cafu, Paolo Maldini, Zidane, Vieira, Totti, Puyol, Casillas, John Terry, Thiago, Steven Gerrard and am proud to add Enyeama to this list! A closer look at these great captains, one can easier point what they all have something in common and age and position of play are not part of it as pointed out by Oliseh, however these players have all displayed remarkable leadership, motivation and have inspired their respective teams to greatness, Musa still lacks that character! 

Dunga stripped his natural born leader Thiago, the captains armband and handed it over an exceptional young attacking talent Neymar, all in the quest to build a young attack minded team just like Oliseh. Brazil crashed out of coppa America quarter-finals aganist Paraguay with the team looking like they lacked passion and just yesterday, Brazil lost their first world cup qualifier against Chile 2-0. " Brazil looked best on counter attack but rarely troubled Bravo" -goal.com 

Now Enyeama is out of the picture, Oliseh must address this issue, else the super eagles with continue flying like a "headless chicken".       

I hope for the first time, am wrong!!!!!  

                                                                        By  Nzube Unachukwu

Nigerians comes for Oliseh.....(tweet)

Nigerians comes for Oliseh after the super eagles lost 2-0 to Congo DR… see tweets!

Chelsea fans happy about one their player ivanovic getting injured!

Chelsea fans happy about one of their player ivanovic getting injured.......... lol!!!! See tweet......

Messi goes Android: Barcelona star uses robot for recovery

Lionel Messi is doing everything possible to hit top form before Barcelona face Real Madrid in El Clasico on November 22.

And now the 28-year-old Argentina forward, who had netted six goals in 10 matches for Barcelona before sustaining a knee injury against Las Palmas at the end of September, has gone android in his recovery process.

Messi revealed on Thursday that he has been training with an electrical device called ‘Game Ready’ to help reduce the eight-week duration he was scheduled to spend on the sidelines.

The four-time Ballon d’Or winner uploaded an image of the robot wrapped up, acting as a form of compression on his left knee, while sat looking in a relaxed mood on a sofa. 

He accompanied the picture with the caption: “Step by step, I am working on recovering to come back stronger. I’d also like to send a big hug and a lot of support to my Argentina team-mates.”

Scientifically, Game Ready speeds up the process of recovering from muscle, tendon and ligament injuries as the device circulates water around the injured body part.

Source: all soccer planet