In the early hours of Tuesday morning (22nd), the AFC Champions League Group B was once again graced by the presence of Brazilian superstar Nima, who has been out of action for more than a year since tearing a cruciate knee ligament last year. After a year's absence since tearing his cruciate ligament in his knee last year, the 32-year-old striker returned to action for Saudi giants Hilal, where he showed in just 10 minutes that he is still a charismatic player, with his slick dribbling, precise shooting and smooth running. With Hilal playing with 10 men, Nima led his team to a 5-4 victory over previous champions Aaan, leading the group with three wins in three matches.
Last year, Nima joined Hilal for a huge transfer fee but played only five matches due to injury. After 369 days of waiting, he finally returned to the field on Tuesday. Hilal took a 3-1 lead in the first half, and although Nima did not start, he came on after the change of sides, and the team's offense gained momentum. 77 minutes in, Hilal extended their lead to 5-3, and Nima's figure was in the spotlight once again.
Bruna's parents and girlfriend, Biancardi, were in the audience to witness this. Although Nima was injured midway through the match, another of Hilal's stars, Ebrich, was red-carded and Nima performed exceptionally well. A long-range shot from a counter-attack almost broke the net and the goalkeeper could only keep the ball out with his fingertips, and another clever cross was fouled. In extra time, Aaan scored a number of goals, but with Nima back in the game, Hilal's victory was a foregone conclusion.
After the match, Nima was excited to say, "I feel great... I'm very happy to be able to play for such a good team again, I'm finally back! Since joining Hilal, Nima has appeared in 6 matches, contributing 3 goals and 3 assists. His contract with the team will expire next summer, but the club has the right to automatically extend it for more than one year.
