Bordeaux have confirmed forward Alberth Elis remains hospitalised after undergoing emergency surgery for a “significant head impact” sustained after colliding with an opponent on Saturday night.
The incident took place 34 seconds into his side’s 1-0 Ligue 2 victory over Guingamp when the Honduras international clashed with defender Donatien Gomis.
He was removed from the action on a stretcher after eight minutes of on-pitch treatment and later placed into an induced coma.
On Sunday the 28-year-old’s club issued an update, saying: “It is still impossible to comment on Alberth’s vital and functional prognosis” and called for “restraint” during the troubling time.
Their statement read: “Alberth Elis suffered a significant head impact last night at the very start of the match on the 26th day of Ligue 2 BKT.
“Supported by the medical team, he was quickly transferred to the CHU Pellegrin in Bordeaux where a surgical procedure was carried out during the night.
“Alberth Elis suffered a head trauma which placed the player in a protective artificial coma.
“We will follow the evolution of his state of health in the hospital in the coming days. At this moment, it is still impossible to comment on Alberth’s vital and functional prognosis.
“The club therefore expects not to be able to communicate new decisive information for a few days and will not make any further comments on Alberth’s state of health.
“We call for restraint regarding the dissemination of medical information, out of respect for him, his family and those close to him, at a time when nothing else is more important. A psychological unit will quickly be set up to support club employees in these difficult times.
“The club and all of its employees extend their full support to his family and loved ones during this terrible ordeal.”
Bordeaux president Gerard Lopez said: “We warmly thank all those who have shown their support for Alberth and those close to him, in particular the clubs across France.
“Your words warm our hearts and are a great strength in the fight that Alberth is waging.”
Bordeaux head coach Albert Riera paid tribute to Elis in his post-match press conference, saying: “My first words are for Alberth. We spoke with the doc and we can’t say anything.
“He is in the hospital and there is nothing we can say. The victory is for him.”
Elis’ international team-mate Luis Palma took off his shirt to reveal a ‘Fuerzas Elis’ (strength for Elis) message on his vest after scoring for Celtic at Motherwell on Sunday.
Cole Palmer 'one of the best in the world' - Reece James
Cole Palmer has been hailed as "one of the best in the world" by team-mate Reece James after playing his part in Chelsea's thrilling 3-2 win at Nottingham Forest.
England international Palmer superbly assisted Mykhailo Mudryk's early opener in Saturday's Premier League contest, before Willy Boly's swift leveller and Callum Hudson-Odoi's second-half curler put Forest in front.
Chelsea pulled off a remarkable late turnaround, however, as Raheem Sterling levelled up on 80 minutes and fellow substitute James assisted Nicolas Jackson's winner two minutes later at City Ground.
Palmer's assist means he has directly contributed to 31 goals in the Premier League this season, which is the joint-most in the division alongside Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the late win at Forest, captain James said: "Cole Palmer is one of the best in the world, I think personally.
"At [Manchester] City he didn't play as much as he would like but he has come here and taken the chance with both hands."
Palmer is just the fourth player in Premier League history to score 20 or more goals and provide 10 or more assists in his debut campaign for a club.
The others on that prestige list are Andrew Cole with Newcastle United in 1993-94, Jurgen Klinsmann with Tottenham in 1994-95 and Mohamed Salah with Liverpool in 2017-18.
The 22-year-old, stood alongside James, said of his colleague's comments: "I wouldn't go that far! But it's nice to hear.
"It's all new to me. This is my first season playing properly in the league. It was a very important win and now we focus on the next one."
Chelsea have now won three Premier League games in a row and are level on points with sixth-place Newcastle United.
Since Boxing Day, only Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool have picked up more points than Chelsea's 35 in the Premier League, while only leaders City have suffered fewer defeats.
James, who was making his return from a five-month absence, added: "We learn every day.
"We're still young but we are improving and we're coming strong at the end of the season. Slowly but surely we are finding our feet and reaching a level."
Granada 0-4 Real Madrid: Diaz stars in crushing victory for LaLiga champions
Newly-crowned LaLiga champions Real Madrid earned an emphatic 4-0 win over relegated Granada on Saturday, breaking a single-season club record after making it 29 LaLiga games unbeaten.
Carlo Ancelotti's side continued their superb form following their Champions League semi-final win over Bayern Munich, reaching 90 points in the league and moving 15 clear of second-placed Girona.
Fran Garcia broke the deadlock with an easy finish after a long series of passes in the 38th minute before he set up Arda Guler to slot home and extend the advantage just before half-time.
Brahim Diaz made it 3-0 in the 49th minute with a shot into the near post, and the former Manchester City attacker scored his second nine minutes later off a Luka Modric pass from the right.
A much-changed Madrid were in control throughout as Los Blancos moved to 29 league matches undefeated, surpassing their best unbeaten run in a single campaign under John Toshack in 1989-90.
Granada, meanwhile, were already relegated after Mallorca's 1-0 win at Las Palmas as their LaLiga stay came to an abrupt end on Saturday.
Nottingham Forest 2-3 Chelsea: Reds made to wait for safety after late collapse
Nottingham Forest must wait to make mathematically certain of their Premier League status after conceding two late goals in a dramatic 3-2 home loss to Chelsea.
Forest began Saturday's thrilling game knowing a point from their final two matches would be enough to secure safety after Luton Town's 3-1 loss at West Ham and Burnley's 2-1 defeat to Tottenham.
After Willy Boly cancelled out Mykhailo Mudryk's strike inside the opening 16 minutes, Callum Hudson-Odoi thought he had won the game with a delightful 74th-minute curler against his former side.
However, Chelsea silenced the City Ground through quickfire goals from Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Jackson in the final 10 minutes.
Chelsea's third win in a row keeps them seventh and level on points with Newcastle United in sixth, while Forest are three points better off than Luton with a game to go, but they are 12 goals better off in terms of goal difference.
Mudryk controlled Cole Palmer's defence-splitting pass and finished across Matz Sels to give Chelsea the lead, but Boly levelled for Forest with a free header from Morgan Gibbs-White's free-kick delivery – the ball taking a touch off Conor Gallagher on its way in.
Jackson had a chance to restore Chelsea's lead before the interval, but his effort was kept out by Sels when played through by Palmer.
Forest also created plenty of opportunities at 1-1 as Ryan Yates clipped the outside of the post and Gibbs-White did likewise from a close-range header, with the rebound dropping to Wood.
The Forest striker somehow blazed over in one of the misses of the season, which almost proved costly as Thiago Silva clipped the post at the other end soon after.
Hudson-Odoi was next to hit the frame of the goal, but it did not appear to matter when he cut inside Malo Gusto and curled the ball away from Petrovic.
Then came a late twist, though, as substitute Sterling scored a similar curler at the opposite end in the 80th minute, before fellow replacement Reece James – returning from a lengthy lay-off – crossed for Jackson to head home a dramatic winner.
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