Inter striker Rodrigo Palacio looks set to miss the forthcoming Coppa Italia semi-final meeting with Roma after further tests revealed the extent of a thigh injury suffered on Thursday.

The 31-year-old, who scored both goals in Inter’s 2-0 Serie A victory at Sampdoria this week, pulled up in a training session with medical staff confirming he had damaged his left thigh.

A club statement released yesterday read: “The most recent examinations on striker Rodrigo Palacio showed a second-degree lesion to his left hamstring.

“The time needed to recover from this injury will be evaluated over the coming days.”

Wright-Phillips out for season

Relegation-threatened Queens Park Rangers ruled winger Shaun Wright-Phillips out for the rest of the Premier League season yesterday after he underwent ankle surgery.

The former England inter-national had the operation on his right ankle earlier in the week and the club said that he would play no further part in their battle to escape the drop.

“Shaun has had an operation,” manager Harry Redknapp said.

“It needed doing, we tried to keep him going. He’s played with the pain and not felt 100 per cent.”

“We had wanted to try and keep him going but he couldn’t carry on.”

Lennon wants Celtic swagger

Celtic manager Neil Lennon wants to see “a bit of swagger” from his players as they edge closer to clinching the Premier League title.

The Hoops could be crowned champions as early as this weekend if they defeat Hibernian at Parkhead and Motherwell lose to St Mirren.

He said: “First of all we have to beat Hibs and then see what the Motherwell v St Mirren game brings. We are at home and our home form has been sensational for the last seven or eight games.

“We’ve won 10 in a row at home and I want to maintain that.

“I want us to play with a bit of swagger that’s been missing for the last couple of weeks.”

Allen keen to return better

Joe Allen hopes Liverpool fans will see the best of him next season after undergoing surgery on his troublesome shoulder.

The 23-year-old Wales midfielder will miss the rest of this campaign having gone under the knife to correct the long-standing issue with his left shoulder.

He told the club website: “The fans have definitely not seen the best of me yet.

“It’s no secret that recent months haven’t gone great for me. I am confident and faithful that next season I can perform a lot better.”

Torres backed to keep scoring

Chelsea interim manager Rafael Benitez has backed Fernando Torres to kick on after scoring twice in the Europa League win against Rubin Kazan.

The 29-year-old has often looked burdened by his £50-million price tag, but on Thursday night showed glimpses of his old self in the Blues’ 3-1 victory at Stamford Bridge.

Benitez said: “We could see on Thursday the confidence, that he can work hard, so physically he is fine.

“I think he will play well and score goals until the end of the season.”

Simoni laughs off West age claims

Former Inter coach Gigi Simoni has laughed off suggestions that Taribo West was 35, not 23, when he signed for Inter.

Partizan Belgrade chief Zarko Zecevic claimed on Thursday that the Nigerian defender was actually 40 years old when he joined the Serbian side in 2002.

That means that the full-back was 35 in 1997 when he arrived at San Siro, not the 23 he reported to be.

“How can he remove four or five years, let alone 12?” the 74-year-old said.

“I just cannot believe it. His running, shooting and closing down was that of a man in his 20s.

“With Inter he played 65 games. He was good, reliable.”

PSG’s Lavezzi eyes move to Milan

Paris Saint-Germain forward Ezequiel Lavezzi has admitted that he would consider returning to the Italian Serie A in the future.

The Argentine striker left Napoli for the Ligue 1 club last summer but the 27-year-old has conceded that playing for one of the Milan sides appeals to him.

“It is not easy to forget a city like Naples,” he told Sport Week.

“I was there for five years. I have a lot of friends in Serie A. At some point I would think seriously (about going back to Italy).

“The Milan teams could be a good solution for me.

“The charm of Milan is more than that of Inter.”

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