Elber forced on to sidelines
Tuesday, January 13, 2004
Article summary
Giovane Elber may miss Olympique Lyonnais's first knockout round first leg against Real Sociedad de Fútbol.
Article body
Giovane Elber may miss Olympique Lyonnais's UEFA Champions League first knockout round first-leg match against Real Sociedad de Fútbol after being ruled out for up to six weeks.
Torn hamstring
The Brazilian striker suffered a thigh injury in the 25th minute of last Friday's 3-0 league defeat by AS Monaco FC and had to be substituted. A scan has since shown that Elber has a torn hamstring and he will be out for at least a month. Lyon travel to Spain to meet Real on 25 February, with the return following on 9 March.
Le Guen dismayed
"It's bad luck for us," said Lyon coach Paul Le Guen, who may now look for a replacement in the transfer market. However, the coach has the option of replacing the 31-year-old Elber with Péguy Luyindula in an advanced position alongside Sidney Govou. This season, Elber has scored only five league goals and two in the Champions League, but he is highly regarded for his support play and experience
Berthod problem
Le Guen also has injury concerns over defender Jérémie Berthod. The 19-year-old suffered an ankle injury against Monaco although it is not yet known how long he will be out of action.
