Sebastien Haller has given a positive update on his tumour treatment, but the Borussia Dortmund striker says it will be "a few months" before he can consider a playing return.
His diagnosis followed a July move to the Bundesliga heavyweights, after a superb 2021-22 season with Ajax saw Haller finish as the Eredivisie's top scorer.
Hopes of a flying start in Germany were checked after a testicular tumour was found, with the 28-year-old forced to step back from the field to undergo chemotherapy. Dortmund have since signed Anthony Modeste as back-up.
Former West Ham player Haller has said he is in good spirits and does not feel his body has been significantly affected since starting his course of treatment.
"I walk every day and check my body," Haller told ESPN. "I haven't lost that much after two weeks. I'm even at the same level as a few months ago. That's a good sign and I hope it stays that way. I feel very well."
The Ivory Coast international was reluctant to put a time-frame on his return to competitive football, saying: "Let's just say now is not the best time to take that step, because it will take me a few months.
"The important thing is that I don't lose too much muscle mass. I have to stay fit, and a month before I return on the field I will do some work with the ball again. Now the most important thing is that my body feels good.
"My first goal is to be back on the field, to play for [Dortmund] and score my first goal. That will be a beautiful and emotional moment."
Dortmund have enjoyed a solid start to the new campaign in Haller's absence, with three wins from four Bundesliga games, as they aim to mount another title challenge against holders Bayern Munich.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta feels he still has something to prove in Europe
Mikel Arteta admits he still has something to prove as a manager in European competition as he aims to lead Arsenal into the Champions League knockout stages on Wednesday night.
The Gunners host Lens at the Emirates Stadium knowing a point would secure safe passage into the last 16 while victory will seal top spot in Group B.
Arteta led Arsenal back into the Champions League after a seven-year absence but – other than a run to the semi-finals in 2020-21 – he struggled in Europa League knockout games earlier in his tenure.
Asked if he has something to prove in Europe, he replied: “For sure.
“I think it is not that we have to prove, we had to come back into Europe being the club we want to be, have that presence and the results that tell them we are back in a strong way, we haven’t done that yet and it needs to be done.”
While Arsenal are on the verge of qualifying for the latter rounds, Premier League rivals Manchester United and Newcastle are still uncertain if their European campaigns will extend beyond Christmas this season.
“100 per cent not,” Arteta replied when asked if qualification should be taken for granted.
“You have to sweat, dig in a lot and play well in games to deserve to win them. We are playing against really tough opponents.
“PSV have won all of their games in their league, they have only lost against us. Sevilla is a very tough place to go and tomorrow is going to be a really difficult game but hopefully we can be better than them.
“I am enjoying it, is a great feeling. It makes you proud, it makes you feel that it is the level the club should be at and we are competing really well so let’s continue to do so.”
With Arsenal on the cusp of making the knockout rounds, Arteta could be tempted to shuffle his pack against their Ligue 1 opposition.
Kai Havertz will be pushing for a start after coming off the bench to score a late winner at Brentford on Saturday to send Arsenal top of the Premier League.
Others will also be knocking on the door but one player who will definitely not feature is Fabio Vieira.
Arteta revealed the midfielder has gone under the knife to fix a niggling groin issue and could not offer a return date when pressed.
“Yes, we’ve got a problem with him,” he said.
“He’s been having some discomfort. We tried to have some conservative treatment with him.
“It wasn’t improving so we sent him to see a specialist and the advice was to have an operation in his groin. We expect him to be out for weeks now.
“We don’t expect him to (be back before January). Let’s see how he evolves. The job it was done yesterday so we’ll have to wait and see. It will take weeks I think.”
Vieira joins Thomas Partey, Jurrien Timber and Emile Smith Rowe on the sidelines with the potential that the quartet all miss the busy festive schedule.
Bayern Munich to keep ‘hunger high’ in Champions League top spot – Thomas Tuchel
Thomas Tuchel insists Bayern Munich do not see it as job done in the Champions League despite having secured top spot in their group with two matches remaining.
Bayern host Copenhagen on Wednesday knowing progress to the knockout stage is assured but they want to maintain their momentum, as well as extend their proud record of having won 17 consecutive group games.
“It’s still a Champions League game,” Tuchel told a press conference when asked if he would rotate his squad.
“We are on a roll and we are having results and we don’t want to interrupt this phase because the management of workload is not too difficult. We now have a longer break from Friday to Wednesday.
“We are discussing it. We’re certain of being top in the group but we don’t want to send the signal that it’s not that important to us.
“If we make changes then it is in order to keep that bite, to keep that hunger high and to give players an opportunity that were patient, that were really pushing for their places.”
Bayern announced ahead of the game that veteran goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who has made a strong comeback from a broken leg, and his understudy Sven Ulreich have both signed new one-year deals, keeping them at the club until June 2025.
Neuer, who joined the club from Schalke in 2011, said on fcbayern.com: “I’m happy to be staying at FC Bayern for another year. After my long injury, I’m back in full swing.
“It’s immense fun for me to be on the pitch with this team. I’m sure that, together with the fans, we can achieve our big goals in the coming years – and obviously the 2025 Champions League final in Munich is one of them.
“Knowing that I still have Sven by my side makes it even nicer.”
Tuchel was asked during his press conference about another long-serving Bayern stalwart, Thomas Muller, who has started only five games this season.
“He knows that he has the chance and he knows that I really rate him highly,” said Tuchel of the 34-year-old.
“He has my respect. Thomas is a playing legend at Bayern Munich. The players that play more really play very well at this time.
“Choupo (Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting) is a different type of player and we wanted to give him a chance. He is working hard to win games for us as well.
“Thomas should play from the start tomorrow. He’s obviously not happy, nobody’s happy at Bayern Munich when he’s sitting on the bench, but Thomas will be a special player.”
Copenhagen currently sit second in the group but are level on points with Galatasaray and only one ahead of Manchester United.
Carlo Ancelotti plays down Real Madrid injury woes ahead of Napoli clash
Carlo Ancelotti brushed off concerns Real Madrid’s growing injury crisis will prevent them from making it a perfect five Champions League wins from five when they host his former club Napoli on Wednesday night.
The Italian looks set to be without at least eight players when Los Blancos take on the Serie A champions in their penultimate Group C clash after Luka Modric sustained a thigh issue in the second half of Sunday’s 3-0 La Liga victory at Cadiz.
But Ancelotti, whose side secured qualification for the knockout phase three weeks ago with a 3-0 win over Braga, remains optimistic those fit for the midweek encounter at the Bernabeu will rise to the occasion.
He said at his pre-match press conference: “I really would not want to speak about all these problems that we have and players who are unavailable, because it’s a lack of respect for all those players who will be playing, who are also great professionals and can contribute great things and achieve great results.
“Obviously we didn’t expect something like that to happen, but considering that we have achieved great results. Despite all of these disadvantages, I can tell you that this squad is amazing. We have great strength and depth.”
Goalkeeper Kepa (muscle) stuck to an individual training plan on Tuesday while Arda Guler, Militao, Thibaut Courtois, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Vinicius Junior continue to progress following their respective injuries.
And there may be more bad news for the hosts, with midfielder Brahim still recovering from the intestinal issue that kept him out of Sunday’s squad.
Ancelotti feels Napoli will continue to feed off the freshness of new head coach Walter Mazzarri, who took over from Rudi Garcia earlier this month and oversaw a 2-1 triumph at Atalanta on Saturday.
“I think the fact that they changed the manager will serve as an additional source of motivation for the players,” the Real Madrid boss said. “They already showed that against Atalanta who they beat this weekend.”
Ancelotti, who has recently been linked to Manchester United and the Brazil men’s national team, refused to entertain questions about whether he feels his employer will soon offer him the opportunity to extend his tenure past next summer, when his contract is due to expire.
He said: “I stopped talking about my future quite a while ago and I’m not going to do it this time either.”
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