SAO PAULO: Former Chelsea midfielder Oscar is in stable condition in hospital after falling ill with a heart issue, his club Sao Paulo has said.
Brazilian media reported that Oscar was doing tests on an exercise bicycle when he collapsed and was unconscious for about two minutes.
The 34-year-old was then taken to hospital in an ambulance.
“During tests carried out on Tuesday morning, at SuperCT, as part of pre-season preparation, athlete Oscar presented a complication with cardiac changes, and was promptly treated by the club’s professionals and the medical team from Einstein Hospital Israelita, who were present at the scene,” Sao Paulo said in a statement.
“The player was then taken to the hospital, where he is clinically stable and remains under observation for further tests to clarify the diagnosis.”
Oscar has a contract with Sao Paulo until 2027. He returned to his boyhood club on a free transfer last December after a long spell in China.
Oscar won one Europa League title and two Premier League trophies with Chelsea, which he joined in 2012.
He moved to Shanghai in the middle of Chelsea’s 2016-17 season for a transfer fee reported to be $73 million. He won three Super League titles in China and became a fan favorite in Asia.
Oscar played for Brazil at the 2014 World Cup where he scored the only goal in its 7-1 semifinal defeat to Germany, which went on to win the tournament.
Former Chelsea midfielder Oscar hospitalized after cardiac complications in pre-season testing
https://arab.news/cek3j
Former Chelsea midfielder Oscar hospitalized after cardiac complications in pre-season testing
- The 34-year-old was then taken to hospital in an ambulance
- Oscar has a contract with Sao Paulo until 2027
Benzema grabs hat-trick on Al-Hilal debut as Blues cruise to victory over Al-Okhdood
RIYADH: Karim Benzema had a debut to remember on Thursday, just days after completing a blockbuster move to Al-Hilal from Al-Ittihad.
The Frenchman, who had scored eight goals for his former side this season, took his tally to 11 as he grabbed a hat-trick against home side Al-Okhdood.
Benzema, wearing the No. 90 jersey, led the line in Najran as Al-Hilal sought to hit the 50-point mark in the Saudi Pro League and maintain their lead at the top. With Al-Ahli just three points behind and playing at the same time against Al-Hazem, victory was imperative.
Flanked by Malcom and Salem Al-Dawsari, Benzema enjoyed a comfortable first outing with the Blues. As he dropped deep to overload the midfield and drifted intelligently between attacking channels, a goal on his debut always felt inevitable.
After a goal resulting from slick combination between Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Al-Dawsari was ruled out because of a foul by Ali Lajami in the build-up, the game remained goalless in the opening half hour.
But then Benzema, targeting the same channels as Milinkovic-Savic and Al-Dawsari, dropped deep to initiate a move before advancing into the six-yard box to backheel the opener in the 31st minute.
Fifteen minutes after the break, Kalidou Koulibaly won possession high up the pitch before releasing Malcom into space, who squared for Benzema to tap home his second.
Al-Dawsari created Benzema’s third just three minutes later, after Milinkovic-Savic carried the ball toward the box and gave the winger a chance to pick out Benzema with a low cross.
Pundits on official broadcaster Thmanyah highlighted the role Benzema was playing in helping Al-Hilal diversify their attacking play. With the trio of Malcom, Milinkovic-Savic and Al-Dawsari missing a consistent, clinical striker to provide for until now — 10 players in the league have scored more goals than Al-Hilal’s top scorer Marcos Leonardo — Benzema provided the final piece of the puzzle and completed it with full marks on his first appearance.
With the clock ticking down, Al-Hilal capitalized as Al-Okhdood tired, and Malcom grabbed his side’s fourth goal in the 70th minute, before Al-Dawsari added a brace to complete an emphatic 6-0 rout.
Over in Jeddah, Al-Ahli faced a visiting Al-Hazem side led by the last striker to guide the Greens to a league title, Omar Al-Somah. The Syrian striker failed to make much of an an impact on his return to Al-Inma Stadium, however.
After a difficult first half against resilient opponents, Ivan Toney finally broke the deadlock in the 58th minute to extend his tally at the top of the Pro League goal-scoring chart to 19. It came when veteran keeper Ibrahim Zaid, deputizing in goal for Bruno Varela who was forced off in the 33rd minute due to injury, spilled a corner, allowing Toney to pounce and tap in from close range.
Any hope of a comeback was extinguished in the 76th minute when Sultan Tanker bundled the ball into his own net following a low cross from Mohammed Abdulrahman.
Earlier, Al-Fayha defeated Al-Najma 3-0 at home to move ahead of Al-Hazem into 11th place in the league. The visitors continue to endure the worst start to a season in Pro League history, becoming the first team to go 20 matches without a victory.
On Friday, NEOM host Al-Riyadh at 5:25 p.m. and Al-Ettifaq face visitors Damac at 6 p.m., before the weekend’s blockbuster match-up as Al-Nassr host Al-Ittihad at 8:30 p.m.
