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Boniface Ruled Out Of Werder Bremen Vs Stuttgart
Victor Boniface will not be part of Werder Bremen’s squad for the clash with VfB Stuttgart, Completesports.com reports.
The Greens will host Stuttgart in their final home game of the campaign at the
Weserstadion on Sunday.
Boniface is currently nursing a knee injury, according to manager, Horst Steffen.
Steffen is not certain when the Nigeria international will return to action.
Read Also:‘A Good Performance’ — Crystal Palace Coach Lavishes Praise On Uche After Win Over Shelbourne
“It happened in a challenge, knee to knee, and it really hurt,” Steffen told the club’s official website.
“Unfortunately, the recovery hasn’t been as quick as we’d hoped. I can’t yet say whether he’ll be available for us again this year.”
Boniface is on loan at Werder Bremen from another Bundesliga club, Bayer Leverkusen.
The 24-year-old has provided two assists in 11 league outings for the club this season.
By Adeboye Amosu
Liverpool have brought Mohamed Salah back into the fold for Saturday afternoon’s Premier League meeting with Brighton following what club sources described as constructive discussions between the forward and head coach Arne Slot on Friday.
The decision comes at a time when Liverpool are stretched by injuries, and Slot is understood to have opted for a pragmatic approach as the Reds look to steady their league form.
Although tensions have not fully disappeared, the club and Mohamed Salah’s agent, Ramy Abbas, are continuing to work through the unresolved issues while the Egyptian prepares to leave for the Africa Cup of Nations.
Salah, 33, was omitted from the travelling party for Tuesday’s Champions League match at Inter Milan after publicly claiming that his relationship with Slot had deteriorated and that he had been “thrown under the bus”.
His remarks followed the 3-3 draw at Leeds, where he was left on the bench for the third match in a row.
In the same interview, Salah hinted that Saturday could serve as his farewell to Anfield and revealed that his mother had been invited to attend the match.
Naija News reports that Slot, who faced questions about the situation during his Friday press conference, insisted there were “no reasons not to want Mohamed Salah to stay” at Liverpool. Asked about the player’s longer-term prospects, he said: “I will have a conversation with Mo. The outcome of that conversation determines how things will look.”
Liverpool hosts Brighton at 15:00 GMT, aiming to bounce back after consecutive league draws.
Salah has not started a match since the Champions League loss to PSV Eindhoven on 26 November, and his most recent appearance came off the bench in the 1-1 draw at Sunderland on 3 December.
He has been an unused substitute in two of Liverpool’s last three league fixtures.
Slot added: “After the Sunderland game, there were a lot of conversations between his representatives and ours, between him and me.”
Salah leaves for international duty on Monday and, should Egypt progress all the way to the final in Morocco on 18 January, he may be unavailable for up to eight Liverpool matches.
Salah has scored five goals in 18 appearances across the Premier League and Champions League this season and has netted 250 goals in 420 games for the club.
© 2025 Naija News, a division of Polance Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]
Former boxing heavyweight champion, Tyson Fury, has predicted that Jake Paul will take Anthony Joshua all the way in their bout next week.
Joshua and Paul will fight next Friday in Miami.
The controversial contest is billed for eight three-minute rounds, with the fighters wearing 10oz gloves.
“I think it will go the distance,” Fury told OOOsch TV.
“I think it will be a move around and a points job, absolutely.
“I understand people’s concerns but they have to start believing in Jake.
“They don’t believe because they can’t get their head around how he beat those guys.”
Fulham head coach Marco Silva says the team will cope with the absence of Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey and Samuel Chukwueze during the Africa Cup of Nations, reports Completesports.com.
Iwobi, Bassey and Chukwueze will join their Super Eagles teammates in camp after Fulham’s away clash with Burnley on Saturday.
The trio could be away for one month depending on Nigeria’s performance at the competition.
Read Also:Moyes: AFCON Must Be Respected
Silva said he will not panic over the players departure.
“We knew it was going to happen. We will not panic about its impact,” Silva told a press conference on Friday.
“We are talking about three starting XI players. We know Alex is a key player in any position he plays. The importance of Calvin, and what Chukwueze has been doing in recent games. You have to find solutions. If you know any other way to handle it [AFCON], let me know.”
The biennial competition will run from Sunday, 21 December, 2025 to Sunday, 18 January, 2026.
By Adeboye Amosu
Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker TJ Watt underwent surgery on Thursday to repair a partially collapsed lung after falling ill at team practice this week.
Watt was rushed to hospital with the troubling health issue on Wednesday, before having the procedure the following day, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
It is believed the 31-year-old will be discharged from hospital on Friday, yet he still won’t be fit in time to face the Miami Dolphins on Monday night after being ruled out by Pittsburgh.
The Steelers confirmed his medical scare in a statement on Thursday while revealing he would not take further part in practice and his status for Week 15 was in question.
The team said: ‘T.J. Watt is currently in a local hospital for further medical evaluation of his lung after experiencing discomfort at the practice facility on Wednesday.
‘He will not be at practice on Thursday, and his status for Monday night’s game vs. Miami is in question. Coach [Mike] Tomlin will provide more updates at the appropriate time’.
Steelers linebacker TJ Watt underwent surgery on Thursday to repair a partially collapsed lung
Watt has established himself as one of the best pass rushers in the league since being drafted
Schefter later reported that Watt’s injury occurred during treatment at the team facility before he was taken to hospital.
Back in the summer, Watt signed a three-year, $123million deal with the Steelers – making him the NFL’s highest-paid defender in the process.
The four-time All-Pro’s contract also includes $108m guaranteed, while he is set to earn $21m this season in the final year of his previous deal.
Watt’s issue comes just days after his Steelers teammate, receiver DK Metcalf, was hospitalized after experiencing stomach pains on a journey back to Pittsburgh.
Metcalf boarded a flight home with the rest of the Steelers team after their win over the Baltimore Ravens, only to begin suffering from stomach issues.
Pittsburgh medical staff removed the 27-year-old from the plane and sent him to a hospital in Baltimore ‘out of an abundance of caution.’
After being evaluated, he later spent the night in a hotel and is set to fly back to Pittsburgh on Monday.
Metcalf was on the wrong end of a hard hit during the win at M&T Bank Stadium and medical staff sent him for tests in a bid to rule out serious internal injuries, NFL Network reported.
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NFL star TJ Watt undergoes surgery to repair collapsed lung and will not play this week
Werder Bremen have been dealt a fresh setback ahead of Sunday’s Bundesliga meeting with VfB Stuttgart, with Victor Boniface ruled out after suffering a knee injury in training.
The Nigerian striker, on loan from Bayer Leverkusen, picked up a painful knee contusion earlier in the week. Head coach Horst Steffen offered clarity on the situation on Friday, telling Bremen t-online: “It was a knee-to-knee incident in a challenge. And that really hurt.”
The club has yet to confirm how long the 24-year-old will be out for, though he is expected to miss more than just the weekend fixture. Boniface has endured a difficult spell at Bremen, struggling for rhythm and still waiting for his first goal of the season.
His omission from Nigeria’s final 28-man squad for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, announced on Thursday, added to what has been a frustrating campaign for the forward. He had earlier been named in Eric Chelle’s provisional 54-man list but failed to make the final cut.
Boniface is not the only absentee troubling Steffen. Mitchell Weiser, Felix Agu and Maximilian Wöber remain out with long-term injuries, leaving the coach short of options during a crucial phase of the season.
The growing injury list is likely to force tactical adjustments as Bremen attempt to keep pace in the league.
© 2025 Naija News, a division of Polance Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]
Rivers United technical adviser, Finidi George, has described his team’s away victory over Plateau United as an important one for his team.
The Pride of Rivers moved to second position in the league table with 30 points from 15 matches after a 2-1 win over Plateau United in Jos.
Finidi commended his players for playing with determination in the game.
“It’s an important win,” Finidi told Rivers United media after the game.
“I felt in the first half we struggled a little bit. Coming in the second half, we pushed a little more, pressed a bit higher, forced them to kick the long balls and look for the second ball which gave an edge. While we won the second balls we had the whole field to operate.”
Rivers United will battle with Wikki Tourists in their next league encounter on Sunday.
Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has declared the duo of Cole Palmer and Wesley Fofana fit to face Everton in Saturday’s Premier League clash.
Chelsea, looking for its first win in the English top-flight since last month’s trip to Burnley, is aiming to shake off a midweek Champions League loss at Atalanta where centre-back Fofana was forced off with an eye injury.
In a chat with the club’s website, Maresca stayed that Palmer and Fofana are fit enough to face Everton.
“(Palmer) is okay. He’s better. He is, at the moment, available… yesterday he finished the session with us with mixed feelings. But overall he’s fine,” Maresca said on Friday.
Read Also:Bundesliga: Boniface Ruled Out Of Werder Bremen Vs Stuttgart With Injury
“Wesley is fine. He completed the session yesterday.”
Maresca said consistency was the “next step” for Chelsea as they sit fifth in the Premier League.
“How do we do that, it’s just one week, it’s not a long time, but for sure when something happens, the next game you are more prepared and you can avoid that,” he said.
“In terms of human beings, it’s impossible to be at the same level for the whole season but we need to learn things for the future.”
Christantus Uche enjoyed a brilliant night in the UEFA Europa Conference League, scoring his first goal for Crystal Palace and playing a central role in their 3–0 victory over Shelbourne.
Uche opened the scoring in the 11th minute, finishing calmly after connecting with a precise pass from Eddie Nketiah.
The Nigeria international was involved in the second goal 14 minutes later.
After receiving a through ball from Yeremy Pino, Uche burst past his marker and unleashed a right footed strike from the centre of the box.
His effort rattled the inside of the bar, falling perfectly for Nketiah to tap home and double Palace’s advantage.
Pino added a third in the 37th minute, sealing a dominant first half performance and securing all three points for Oliver Glasner’s side.
Beyond his goal, Uche delivered an outstanding all round display 20 completed passes, with three into the final third, two chances created, and 100% dribble success.
Crystal Palace’s Christantus Uche attempts a shot. (Photo | Getty Images)
After the match, manager Oliver Glasner praised his team’s mentality and execution despite difficult conditions. Speaking to Palace TV, he said:
“It’s a credit to the players, their attitude today, but the circumstances were not really great, and the weather was also not the best. But they focused and concentrated on playing this game.
“We scored three great goals in the first half and created many more chances in the second half. For me, it was a little bit unlucky that we missed a few chances.
Also read: ‘Chelle Shock’! Super Eagles Final AFCON Squad Leaves Fans Lamenting
“But we played against a team that defended so deep. It was our best performance when it comes to creating so many chances against the low block.
Oliver Glasner, Manager of Crystal Palace. (Photo by Sebastian Frej/Getty Images)
“It gave us the opportunity to make three substitutes and rest some players, while keeping others in the rhythm. So it was a perfect night for us.”
The victory lifts Crystal Palace to 9th place in the Europa Conference League standings, just one point shy of the automatic qualification spots.
Palace now shift their focus back to the Premier League, where they will welcome Manchester City to Selhurst Park in what promises to be a high intensity fixture.
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Mo Salah to return to Liverpool squad after Arne Slot showdown talks: Star and manager shake hands after player threatened to plunge club into civil war with sensational outburst
Mohamed Salah held positive peace talks with Liverpool boss Arne Slot this afternoon and the pair have shaken hands after a week that threatened to plunge the club into civil war.
The Reds head coach said on Friday morning that he would speak to the star man, who sensationally claimed he had been ‘thrown under the bus’ by the club and had ‘no relationship’ with Slot.
It led him to be dropped on Tuesday for Liverpool’s win at Inter Milan with Salah not even travelling to Italy and many suspected his future was in firm doubt.
But Daily Mail Sport understands talks on Friday were positive and Salah is back in contention to play against Brighton on Saturday.
He has not started any of the last four games.
This is not to say the situation is resolved but representatives of both Salah and the club will hold further talks during the Egyptian’s upcoming time at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Mo Salah, pictured in Liverpool training on Friday, engaged in positive talks with Arne Slot
The Liverpool star will be in contention to play Brighton on Saturday afternoon
More to follow…
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Mo Salah to return to Liverpool squad after Arne Slot showdown talks: Star and manager shake hands after player threatened to plunge club into civil war with sensational outburst
John Obi Mikel believes the Super Eagles have what it takes to lift the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after head coach Eric Chelle released his final squad for the tournament.
Naija News reports that the former Nigeria captain made his position clear on Thursday shortly after Chelle confirmed the 28 players who will travel to Morocco.
Mikel Obi, who played a pivotal role in Nigeria’s 2013 triumph, reacted to the squad announcement on Instagram with the message, “Bring it home lads.”
Nigeria will head into the tournament looking to secure a fourth continental title. Their preparations have taken place under the shadow of a disappointing end to the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, but many supporters hope an AFCON victory can restore confidence around the team.
Chelle had earlier revealed a 55-man provisional list before trimming it to the required 28 on deadline day.
Five uncapped players made the final squad, while notable names such as Christantus Uche, Maduka Okoye and Tolu Arokodare were excluded.
Despite Nigeria’s wealth of individual talent, recent performances have been inconsistent. The Super Eagles have struggled in matches where they were heavily favoured, which has caused some fans to lower their expectations ahead of the competition.
Even so, Nigeria’s tendency to rise to the occasion at major tournaments keeps optimism alive.
With stars like Victor Osimhen and several in-form players in the squad, many believe the team can still mount a strong challenge in Morocco.
© 2025 Naija News, a division of Polance Media Inc. Contact us via [email protected]