Pompey star in hospital with malaria

Portsmouth striker Lomana Lua Lua has been hospitalised after he collapsed in training today and it is thought that he has contracted a nasty disease called malaria. The 24 year old caught the disease on a return to Africa to play for DR Congo and it is thought that he willl miss several weeks of the season for Pompey. The form of malaria is thought to be serious but not life-threatening and a hospital spokesman described his condition as "stable and satisfactory". LuaLua missed Pompey's Carling Cup exit at Gillingham and the Premiership defeat at Bolton with what was initially thought to be a virus.


The £1.8m signing from Newcastle is Pompey's top scorer this season with two goals and his loss is another blow for boss Alain Perrin. Former Pompey team-mate Yakubu was twice laid low by malaria during his time at Fratton Park - before his £7m close-season move to Middlesbrough.

This is a blow for Pompey but the blow for Lua Lua is even bigger because this is a very serious disease and I just hoping we see back in action as soon as possible. Lua Lua has been in fine form this season for Pompey in a side that has struggled under Portsmouth's new manager Alain Perrin. My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Lua Lua and himself right now.