Football manager Will Still has opened up about his partner Emma Saunders' health struggles and how she was in a coma. Sky Sports presenter Saunders confirmed on Friday she had suffered a brain infection while recovering from cancer treatment. She expressed gratitude towards her partner Still, who is the head coach at French club Lens . Still, 32, guided his team to a victory against Marseille in Ligue 1 over the weekend, with Neil El Aynaoui scoring the game's only goal in stoppage time, stunning Roberto De Zerbi's side. Following the win, the Lens boss was questioned about his team's performance. However, he confessed that Saunders' health has been his main concern, reports the Mirror . "It's tough," Still told L'Equipe. "We realise that there are more important things in life than a football match or a shot that goes into the top corner. "I was honest with the guys. My partner was in a coma. We had to be with her, we had to take care of her. The group reacted admirably well. [She] is stable, she's fine. That's the most important thing. "When I came back last Saturday, I knew she was in the best possible place to get treatment. I asked her the question openly: 'Do I go, do I not go?' She said to me: 'You have to go'. "I thank the staff and my brothers who were there to do the work when I wasn't there. I felt like I had to give something back, hence the frustration and disappointment last week." Still's team celebrated a win that catapulted them to eighth place in Ligue 1, merely six points shy of a European qualification spot, currently held by sixth-place Lyon, who are on track for a Conference League position. Saunders recently shared an update on her Instagram account, revealing a sudden turn of events in her life. She wrote: "Hi folks... unfortunately life took a bit of an unexpected turn a couple of weeks ago and I'm now off work while I recover from Encephalitis - an infection of the brain. "I hope it won't be long until I'm back to see out the end of 2024/25 especially after missing part of the start of the season before this when I was treated for Thyroid cancer." As she embarks on her recovery journey, Saunders expressed her gratitude to her loved ones, colleagues at Sky and the NHS for their unwavering support and care. She also extended a special thank you to Still, for being a constant presence in her life. Saunders' update sparked an outpouring of support from the sports community, including a heartfelt message from Soccer Saturday host Simon Thomas, who wrote: "So sorry to hear you've gone through this Emma. You're missed! Look after yourself and hope you're feeling much better soon x"