Abidal out for two months

February 10, 2010

Media reports in Spain indicate that Barcelona’s French defender, Eric Abidal, will miss the next two months due to a torn leg muscle.

Abidal, 30, had to come off midway through the first half of Saturday’s 2-1 La Liga win over Getafe, and scans on Tuesday proved worse than previously thought by club personnel.

The injury to Abidal’s left leg will mean he may be able to return by the start of April at the absolute earliest. Barça currently sit five points above Real Madrid at the top of the La Liga table.

Abidal’s injury leaves manager Pep Guardiola with massive problems in defense for this weekend against Atlético Madrid as Rafa Márquez and Gerard Piqué (suspension), and Dani Alves and Yaya Touré (injury) are already ruled out.

Guardiola will call in two youth players, Marc Bartra and Andreu Fontàs, from Barcelona’s youth squad to fill the holes in the team. Carles Puyol, Dmytro Chygrinskiy, Gabi Milito and Maxwell are the only healthy first-team players that have experience playing in defense.

Tags: andreu, atletico madrid, Barcelona, bartra, carles puyol, dani alves, eric abidal, five points, gabi milito, Gerard PiquÃ, getafe, holes, la liga table, left leg, leg muscle, MADRID, Marc Bartra, massive problems, maxwell, pep guardiola, rafa, real madrid, Spain

Uruguay tops Costa Rica 1-0 in first leg of World Cup playoff

November 16, 2009

Uruguay damaged Costa Rica’s hopes of qualifying for a third straight World Cup, scoring a first-half goal and holding off the 10-man Ticos 1-0 Saturday night in the first leg of their inter-confederation playoff.

Diego Lugano capitalized from the second chance off the same corner in the 22nd minute and Uruguay will return home on Wednesday for the second leg with a clear advantage.

Randall Azofeifa all but sealed Costa Rica’s fate in the 53rd minute, arriving late for a challenge on Alvaro Fernandez, tripping him with a lunging left leg and drawing his second yellow card from Spanish referee Alberto Undiano.

Costa Rica, playing without manager Rene Simoes on the bench due to his expulsion from the Ticos’ final CONCACAF qualifier on October 14 against the United States in Washington, had the better possession early. Walter Centeno had a chance from distance in the 19th and it created a number of set piece situations that appeared to give it the early momentum.

But Uruguay, which trained in Guatemala to get accustomed to Estadio Saprissa’s artificial turf pitch, adjusted and scored with a second effort on Nicolas Lodeiro’s corner kick.

Lugano headed Lodeiro’s offering at goal, which had to be headed off the line at the right post by Azofeifa. The ball sailed to the top of the area, where Fernandez sent it back in and Lugano reacted, getting enough of a high right leg to push it inside the right post, where goalkeeper Keilor Navas could reached while being blocked by Azofeifa.

Uruguay had better possession after the goal, but Costa Rica had its best chance in the 43rd when Azofeifa’s ball out of the midfield was flicked high past Uruguayan goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, who had come off his line, but sailed just over the bar.

Costa Rican felt it should be offered the chance to equalize in the 48th when Uruguayan defender Sebastian Eguren appeared to settle a high ball at the top of the area with his right arm. Television replays appeared to indicate Eguren clearly hit the ball with his upper right arm, but Undiano allowed play to continue and five minutes later Azofeifa was sent off.

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica

Concacaf

Tags: 53rd, alvaro fernandez, artificial turf pitch, confederation, corner kick, eguren, estadio saprissa, Fernando Muslera, keilor, left leg, midfield, Rene Simoes, replays, right arm, second chance, second effort, straight world, uruguayan, Walter Centeno, yellow card

Eduardo back for next season after more surgery, say Arsenal

May 20, 2009

LONDON (AFP) – Arsenal’s Croatian striker Eduardo Da Silva, who suffered a horrific leg break last year, has undergone fresh surgery but should be fit for the start of next season, the club said Wednesday.

The operation, carried out in Amsterdam, involved the removal of metal screws that were placed in his left ankle following the injury.

“Eduardo underwent simple revision surgery on his left ankle,” Arsenal said in a statement. “The operation went well and Eduardo will follow a dedicated rehabilitation programme throughout June.

“He is expected to return to full training in pre-season with the rest of the squad.”

Da Silva, 26, suffered a compound fracture of his left leg as a result of a tackle by Birmingham defender Martin Taylor at St Andrews in February 2008.

He spent over a year on the sidelines and has been plagued by a series of minor niggles since his return. The latest surgery means the Brazilian-born striker will miss Croatia’s World Cup qualifier against Ukraine on June 6.

Tags: Amsterdam, arsenal, Birmingham, compound fracture, croatia, croatian, Eduardo, Eduardo da, eduardo da silva, English Premier League, left leg, london, martin taylor, metal screws, sidelines, st andrews, striker, ukraine, world cup qualifier

Valencia´s Fernandes breaks leg, out for season

April 7, 2009

MADRID (AFP) – Valencia’s Portuguese international defender Manuel Fernandes will miss the rest of the season after he broke his left leg during a weekend Spanish league match, the club said on Monday.

The 23-year-old played more than 75 minutes of Valencia’s 4-1 win over Getafe on Sunday with the injury, which was only confirmed on Monday after he underwent medical tests, it said in a statement.

“I could finish the game because it was not hurting a lot,” Portuguese media quoted him as saying.

Fernandes, who has spent spells on loan to English premierhsip sides Everton and Portsmouth, will undergo surgery on Tuesday.

He is the second Spanish league player to be sidelined for the rest of the season after breaking a leg over the weekend.

Villarreal midfielder Santi Cazorla broke his right leg during his side’s 3-0 Spanish league defeat to Almeria on Sunday

Written by: AFP