Nabil Bentaleb could not have scripted his comeback any better after the Lille midfielder marked his return to the side following a heart attack last year with a goal in Sunday’s 2-0 win at Stade Rennais.
The former Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United player suffered a cardiac arrest on June 18 and there were doubts about the 30-year-old’s future in the game.
However, he was given the green light to return to competitive football on Wednesday when the French Football Federation (FFF) cleared him to play after a medical commission met to assess his condition.
The Algeria international scored the opener in the 80th minute – four minutes after coming off the bench – and ran to the Lille bench to celebrate his first Ligue 1 goal for his hometown club with teammates and coaching staff.
“It’s worthy of a film,” Lille coach Bruno Genesio told reporters. “He deserved it … it’s an incredible, wonderful story.
“Nabil’s goal put us on cloud nine, it’s hard to describe … that will remain engraved in the history of the club, of this season. And in Nabil’s mind, of course.”
Lille, fifth in the table, host fourth-placed Monaco on Saturday.
(Reuters)
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