Elber ends Lyon stay

Injury woe
Earlier this month, Lyon cut Elber from their squad because of his battle with an ankle injury, which has plagued the player since August. French clubs are only allowed a maximum of four non-EU players, and Lyon decided to give Elber's place to his 20-year-old compatriot Nilmar.

Successful career
The 32-year-old Elber joined the French champions from FC Bayern München in August 2003 after nine years in the Bundesliga. He helped them win the 2003/04 title in his first season and played a total of 39 matches overall, scoring 14 goals. Lyon face Werder Bremen in the UEFA Champions League first knockout round next month.