SHANGHAI - Demba Ba's surgeon arrived in Shanghai and declared he was confident the former Chelsea striker would return to competitive football. Without Ba, Shenhua lost 2-1 at Shijiazhuang Ever Bright in the Chinese Super League on Thursday night. Striker Obafemi Martins, who posted pictures on social media visiting Ba in hospital this week, put Shenhua ahead after 18 minutes. "I'm sure he will be able to recover and play football again," Bringer was quoted Friday as saying by the Shanghai Daily newspaper. Ba is due to go under the scalpel on Saturday morning when Bringer's team of French doctors will be bolstered by medical staff from Shanghai's Huashan Hospital.

Source: Bangkok Post July 22, 2016 05:48 UTC