Portuguese champions Benfica have suffered a blow ahead of their Europa League semi-final tie against Juventus with Argentinian attacking midfielder Eduardo Salvio ruled out through injury.
The 23-year-old fractured a bone in his left arm during Sunday’s 2-0 triumph over Olhanense that handed his side their 33rd league title.
A statement from the club read: “Benfica announces that Salvio underwent surgery to repair a fractured ulna in his left arm.”
Salvio, who has scored one goal in five appearances in the competition this season, will miss tomorrow’s home game against Juve as well as next week’s return leg.
Dortmund won’t fall into hole
Borussia Dortmund will not fall into a hole after striker Robert Lewandowski leaves for Bayern Munich at the end of the season, Dortmund’s chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke said yesterday.
Dortmund have survived the departure of other key players such as Nuri Sahin and Shinji Kagawa, Watzke said.
“There were predictions that we wouldn’t be able to cope with the loss of Nuri Sahin to Real Madrid,” Watzke said.
“The same was said when Shinji Kagawa went to Man U. We certainly won’t be able to fully replace Robert. But we won’t fall into a Lewandowski hole.”
Man. City sweat on Silva’s fitness
Manchester City face the unhappy prospect of being without David Silva for the Premier League title race run-in after the influential Spain midfielder was injured in their 3-1 win over West Bromwich Albion on Monday.
The victory got the club back to winning ways after defeat to title rivals Liverpool and a draw with Sunderland but it was tarnished by the sight of Silva being carried off the pitch on a stretcher with an injury to his right ankle.
Coach Manuel Pellegrini said the injury was a recurrence of a problem that caused the playmaker to miss last Wednesday’s match against Sunderland.
“We will see what happens with the doctor,” Pellegrini said.
“He couldn’t recover in three days from his problem and that’s why he didn’t play against Sunderland. It’s the same ankle.”
Cologne promoted
Cologne have won promotion back to the Bundesliga at the second attempt.
Peter Stoger’s men knew that victory over Bochum on Monday night would seal their return to the German top flight and goals from Marcel Risse, Patrick Helmes and Anthony Ujah booked a 3-1 win at the Rhein-EnergieStadion.
Cologne – three times German champions – were relegated from the Bundesliga in 2012 and could only finish fifth in the second division last season.
Astori offered new Cagliari contract
Cagliari are eager to retain pivotal defender Davide Astori beyond next season.
The Italy international is under contract with the Sardinian outfit until June 2015.
Astori, 27, who was a reported target of Manchester United and Southampton back in January, has enjoyed another solid campaign with Cagliari.
“We have offered Astori a contract extension and we are waiting,” Cagliari sporting director Nicola Salerno said.
“Obviously, he has a lot of admirers here in Italy and in England too.”
Astori, a former Milan youth player, is in his sixth campaign with Cagliari and has made 30 Serie A appearances for the club this season.
Veteran goalkeeper Palop to retire
Bayer Leverkusen’s veteran Spanish goalkeeper Andres Palop is planning to retire at the end of the Bundesliga season.
The 40-year-old, who featured in Sevilla’s UEFA Cup title triumphs in 2006 and 2007, left the Spanish club for Bayer Leverkusen in June.
“After 19 years living and enjoying my time as a professional footballer the time has come to hang up my gloves at the end of the current campaign,” Palop said.
The keeper also had spells with Sevilla’s La Liga rivals Valencia and Villarreal and was an unused member of his country’s Euro 2008-winning squad.
Argentine fans on the rampage
The burnt-out hulk of several cars, some still in flames, bore testimony yesterday to the continuing violence by fans that mars soccer in Argentina, particularly when teams face relegation.
Fans of Dock Sud, who were losing 1-0 to Deportivo Laferrere in the Primera C (fourth tier) championship, rioted near the end of their match setting cars alight and fighting with police, who responded with rubber bullets and tear gas.
The referee abandoned the match, the second such decision in a few days after Friday’s rioting by fans of San Carlos, who were losing 2-0 at home to Boca Unidos and doomed to relegation from the second tier Primera B Nacional.
The Argentine FA is expected to uphold the result of the match at San Carlos which would seal their relegation.