BEIRUT: Shining young Lebanese footballer Celine Haidar is refusing to let a critical head injury she sustained after an Israel airstrike keep her down, and is determined to recover and return to the pitch.
“No pain, no gain … I am very gratified with where I’ve reached in my rehabilitation. Actually I’m surprised … I want to return to football once I complete my physiotherapy and retain my fitness,” Haidar, a 20-year-old youth international, told Arab News on Saturday.
Speaking at Mgr Cortbawi Institute and Rehabilitation Hospital, where she has stayed since waking up from a two-month coma in January, Haidar said she does not recall what happened on the ill-fated day of Nov. 16.
Her father, Abbas Haidar, said his daughter was hit in the head by a piece of flying shrapnel while fleeing their home in Beirut’s southern suburb during Israeli airstrikes.
Haidar, who captains her club, Beirut Football Academy, said: “I don’t remember exactly what happened. All I’m confident of is that I am determined to return to football once I am done with my treatment here in the best rehab center in Lebanon.”
The footballer, who was 19 when she got injured, says her treatment has been a “long and hard journey,” but now “it’s getting better.
“I’ve made a big improvement. I thank Allah the almighty. There’s nothing that could kill faithful people, and I will never give up because only losers do,” Haidar said when asked if she would return to the sport.
Speaking about her teammates’ support, she added: “The team have been caring about my health, and constantly check on me. They all support me and have faith in me rejoining them.”
Haidar, dubbed by her coach Samer Barbary as “Lebanon’s Sergio Busquets,” is described as a skillful and gifted midfielder, inspired by international stars Toni Kroos and Luka Modric.
“Coach Samer is the one who improved my skills and worked on getting me to where I am today,” said the Real Madrid fan, whose football icon is Cristiano Ronaldo.
The 20-year-old footballer also studies physical education at a private educational institute in Beirut.
“I am fascinated by the smartness of Kroos and Modric, and they both have made me love playing in midfield. Ronaldo is my forever idol … his football mentality is the best,” she said.
Meanwhile, Barbary told Arab News that the whole BFA team are “with her in her recovery and she is doing great, thank God.”
He admitted that the treatment is a long road, but that Haidar “is determined and fighting to get back on her feet.
“We are waiting for her and hopefully she can come back to us, but the focus is on her to come back to her full strength, and then we will think about football,” he added.
Haidar’s father told Arab News that his daughter has surprised the family with her strong determination in working on her recovery and treatment. “I cannot say anything more than we thank God,” said Abbas, who expressed his hopes to see Celine “livelier and healthier” than before.
Following her November injury, Haidar was admitted to Saint Georges Hospital, where she entered a coma. She could not speak and remained under extensive treatment for months, her father said.
According to video footage that Haidar shared on her recovery, she can now walk, though with a limp in her left leg. She can also climb stairs with some difficulty.
Haidar, a rising star in Lebanon’s football scene, represented her country as a member of the under-19 women’s side who won the 2022 West Asia Cup, hosted by Lebanon. She was also selected to play for the senior national team before her injury.
“Celine played a major role in us winning the 2024 league unbeaten,” Barbary said.
Before joining BFA in 2021, she played for Safa Club and with them won the Lebanese National League.
Lebanese youth footballer injured in Israeli strike determined to return to the pitch
https://arab.news/w7nmh
Lebanese youth footballer injured in Israeli strike determined to return to the pitch
- ‘No pain, no gain … I want to return to football once I complete my physiotherapy and retain my fitness,’ Celine Haidar told Arab News
- ‘I’ve made a big improvement. There’s nothing that could kill faithful people, and I will never give up because only losers do’
Liverpool rocked by Brighton’s late fightback
BRIGHTON: Brighton’s Jack Hinshelwood sealed a dramatic 3-2 victory against Liverpool on Monday to leave the Premier League champions without a win since clinching the title.
Arne Slot’s side took the lead through Harvey Elliott’s early opener before Yasin Ayari equalized at the Amex Stadium.
Dominik Szoboszlai restored Liverpool’s advantage just before the interval, but Brighton staged a late fightback as Kaoru Mitoma levelled before Hinshelwood came off the bench to net with his first touch.
Liverpool have taken just one point from their three matches following the title-clinching rout of Tottenham on April 27.
The Reds have lost at Brighton and Chelsea and squandered a two-goal lead in a draw with Arsenal since their record-equalling 20th English crown was confirmed
They can now look forward to receiving the Premier League trophy in Sunday’s season finale against FA cup winners Crystal Palace at Anfield before an open-top bus parade through the city 24 hours later.
Slot had admitted that motivating the champions for the final two matches of the season was a tricky task and his fears were confirmed by this sloppy display.
Slot’s players had a celebratory trip to Dubai this week and only returned to training on Friday, while the Reds boss was seen partying in Ibiza for several days, as they soaked in a title victory secured in April.
“Did you see me on social media!” Slot said with a laugh in reply to a question about how focused he had been on the Brighton game.
After being given a guard of honor by Brighton’s players before kick-off, Liverpool initially showed signs of rebuking the doubters who claimed their minds were elswhere.
Ahead of his widely-expected move to Real Madrid when his contract expires in the close-season, Trent Alexander-Arnold was left on the bench for a second successive game.
Conor Bradley featured at right-back instead and showed why he is a contender to replace Alexander-Arnold with his role in Liverpool’s ninth minute opener.
When Mohamed Salah rolled a pass to Bradley, he shifted gears with a dynamic burst into the Brighton area before clipping a precise pass toward Elliott, who slotted home from close-range.
The goal meant Liverpool had scored in every away game of a league season for the first time in their history.
Bradley’s attacking runs had more than a touch of Alexander-Arnold about them, but his finishing wasn’t up to scratch when he took Federico Chiesa’s pass and fired wide from 10 yards.
Ayari grabbed Brighton’s eye-catching equalizer in the 32nd minute.
The Sweden midfielder eluded Bradley and drilled a fine low finish past Alisson Becker from the edge of the area after Brajan Gruda’s lofted pass prised open the Liverpool defense.
Liverpool regained the lead on the stroke of half-time when Szoboszlai caught out Brighton keeper Bart Verbruggen with a swerving strike from wide on the right flank that whistled into the top corner.
Szoboszlai’s bemused grin as he celebrated suggested the midfielder’s effort might have been a miscued cross rather than a shot.
Brighton went close twice at the start of the second half as Alisson clawed away Danny Welbeck’s free-kick and kept out Gruda’s 20-yard blast.
Salah was captaining Liverpool for the first time in the Premier League to mark his 300th appearance in the competition.
But the Egypt forward missed an open goal when he flicked Cody Gakpo’s cross wide from five yards.
It was a costly mistake from Salah as Brighton equalized in the 69th minute.
Welbeck’s shot was pushed out by Alisson and Japan winger Mitoma hammered in the rebound.
Hinshelwood completed Brighton’s thrilling comeback in the 85th minute, the substitute slotting home from Matt O’Riley’s cross.
SPL announces five nominees for Player of the Season award
- Winner will be determined through a voting process distributed as follows: 40% from coaches, 40% from team captains, 15% from sports media professionals, and 5% from fans
RIYADH: The Technical Committee of the Roshn Saudi League has selected five nominees for the Player of the Season award as announced by the league’s official account on the social media platform X, SPL_EN.
The shortlist includes French striker Karim Benzema from Al-Ittihad, Al-Hilal winger Salem Al-Dawsari, Portuguese star Cristiano Ronaldo — the captain of Al-Nassr — Brazilian defender Roger Ibanez from Al-Ahli, and Argentine midfielder Cristian Guanca of Al-Shabab.
The selection was based on the league’s eligibility criteria, which require nominees to have participated in at least 40 percent of their team’s total league matches, regardless of position or nationality.
The winner will be determined through a voting process distributed as follows: 40 percent from coaches, 40 percent from team captains, 15 percent from sports media professionals, and 5 percent from fans.
In terms of performance stats: Benzema played 28 matches, scoring 21 goals and providing 9 assists; Ronaldo also played 28 matches, recording 23 goals and 3 assists.
Al-Dawsari contributed 15 goals and 14 assists in 30 matches, while Guanca appeared in a team-high 32 matches, scoring 10 goals and assisting 11.
Ibanez stood out defensively, leading Al-Ahli’s backline in 30 matches, helping the team keep 8 clean sheets, making 121 clearances, and achieving a 75 percent success rate in tackles.
Al-Nassr unveils new crest to mark club’s 70th anniversary
- New look unveiled in video showcase with the caption ‘A great legacy and history, and a promising future’
- The crown atop the crest has gone, the name of the team is now simply ‘Nassr,’ and ‘Riyadh’ is added along with ‘1955,’ the year the club was founded
RIYADH: Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr on Monday unveiled a new official crest, which club officials said is part of a refreshed visual identity in celebration of the team’s 70th anniversary.
A message posted by the team’s official account on social media platform X included a video showcasing the new design with the caption: “A great legacy and history, and a promising future. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary, here is the Al-Nassr logo.”
The redesign features several notable changes, the most obvious of which is the removal of the crown that previously sat atop the crest. The name of the team in English is now stated simply as “Nassr,” the prefix “Al-” used in previous iterations now dropped. “Riyadh” has been added at the bottom of the logo, referencing the club’s home city, along with the year in which the team was founded: 1955. The map of the Arabian Peninsula at the center of the crest remains.
The most recent significant update prior to this came on Oct. 15, 2020, when a laurel wreath around the sides of the crest and a yellow ribbon at the bottom were removed.
Al-Nassr was founded on Oct. 24, 1955, and grew to become one of the most prominent clubs in Saudi Arabia and the wider region. With two matches left to play in the league this season, they sit in fourth place, 13 points behind confirmed champions Al-Ittihad.
SPL announces Best Saudi Player nominations
- To be eligible, a player must have participated in at least 40% of their team’s total league matches
RIYADH: The Roshn Saudi League has announced the preliminary list of nominees for the Best Saudi Player award in the current season.
The list, published Monday on the league’s official account on platform X, @SPL_EN, features Al-Ittihad winger Abdulrahman Al-Aboud—representing the reigning champions—alongside Al-Hilal’s Salem Al-Dawsari, Al-Shabab midfielder Musab Al-Juwair, Al-Khaleej striker Abdullah Al-Salem, and Al-Qadisiyah winger Turki Al-Ammar.
These five players fulfilled the nomination criteria announced by the league on May 5.
To be eligible, a player must have participated in at least 40 percent of their team’s total league matches, regardless of position or age. The award is also open to players born in Saudi Arabia, in addition to Saudi nationals.
Al-Aboud appeared in 27 matches, scoring 7 goals and providing 7 assists, playing a key role in Al-Ittihad clinching the title with two rounds to spare.
Al-Dawsari featured in 30 matches, recording 15 goals and 14 assists.
Al-Ammar took part in 29 games, contributing 4 goals and 6 assists.
Al-Juwair, on loan at Al-Shabab from Al-Hilal, was involved in 14 goals—scoring 5 and assisting 9.
Al-Salem also contributed to 14 goals, with 10 goals and 4 assists.
The nominees were selected by the league’s technical committee, comprising Turki Al-Sultan, Sultan Al-Luhaiani, Khaled Al-Shanif, Manaf Abu Shaqeer, and Obaidullah Al-Eisi.
The list will be narrowed down to three finalists. The winner will be determined through a voting process divided as follows: 40 percent from coaches, 40 percent from team captains, 15 percent from sports media professionals, and 5 percent from fans.
UAE’s HM Alchahine triumphs in Rome
- Victory claimed in fifth leg of UAE President’s Cup Series for Purebred Arabian Horses
ABU DHABI: The UAE’s HM Alchahine delivered a standout performance to capture the title in the fifth leg of the prestigious UAE President’s Cup Series for Purebred Arabian Horses, which was held at the historic Capannelle Racecourse in Rome on Sunday. The race formed part of the 32nd edition of the globally recognized series.
The UAE President’s Cup continues to make its mark across major European racing circuits, further strengthening its presence and impact in the international Arabian racing landscape.
The series is held under the patronage of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, vice president, deputy prime minister, and chairman of the Presidential Court.
The series aligns with long-term goals to support breeders, owners, and the Arabian horse industry worldwide.
HM Alchahine, which is owned by Hilal Al-Alawi and trained by Elisabeth Bernard, was ridden to victory by Cristian Demuro. The colt surged into the lead at the final turn and then accelerated powerfully to secure a decisive win, his eighth victory out of nine career starts.
The Group 2 turf race was contested over 2,000 meters and drew a field of 16 of the finest Arabians from across Italy and Europe. The total prize purse was almost $338,000.
Second was Afjan, representing Al-Shaqab Racing, which was trained by Jean de Mieulle and ridden by Olivier D’Andigne, while third place went to Extra Time.
The race was attended by Abdulla Ali Al-Saboosi, UAE’s ambassador to the Italian Republic, and Faisal Al-Rahmani, secretary-general of the Higher Organizing Committee of the UAE President’s Cup Series. Also present was Mattia Cadrobbi, president of the Italian Arabian Horse Association, along with distinguished diplomatic representatives from various nations.
Al-Rahmani said: “We are proud of the success of the Italy leg (of the series), which continues to embody the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan.
“We extend our deepest gratitude for his generous support and pioneering role in advancing the Arabian horse legacy.
“Italy has become a key destination for champions and a gateway to elite European and Gulf races. Congratulations to Hilal Al-Alawi for this distinguished UAE victory with HM Alchahine, which reflects the outstanding capabilities of Emirati stables on the global stage.”
