Monday 22 October 2012

EMENIKE fit for BENFICA clash

Spartak Moscow star Emmanuel Emenike is fit for Tuesday’s Champions League tie against Benfica after he was rested at the weekend.

Emenike said that he was asked to relax a waist pain so as to be fully fit for the crucial Benfica clash.
He also said he sustained the injury in the second half of the 2013 AFCON qualifier between Nigeria and Liberia in Calabar. 

"I was rested for the waist pain to heal before Benfica match," said Emenike.

“For sure, I will play on Tuesday. That was why I missed the Anzhi match even though I would have managed it to play.

“I sustained the injury against Liberia. I played with a waist pain in the second half and I started feeling the pains in my waist, that was why I was replaced in the game.

“So, my club decided to allow the pain to subside ahead of the Champions League game. But it was a big loss for us against Anzhi."

Spartak have lost their first two matches in the Champions league and Emenike said they are hard pressed to win against Benfica if they are still nurse any hopes in the lucrative competition.

"Benfica game is a must-win for us and we are not taking it lightly.”

"We need total focus against Benfica. We have not been consistent of recent, it’s a bit worrying to me but I believe we can still achieve our target of qualifying to the next stage of the Champions League.

"To beat Benfica would restore our confidence, and it could also give us more fighting spirit.

"We lost concentrations against Barcelona and Celtic, and that is why we have found ourselves in this situation. The Celtic defeat was very painful even though that does not mean we can't repeat the same against them in Scotland.”

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