Barcelona midfielder Rafinha will undergo surgery after damaging the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in Wednesday’s 1-1 Champions League Group E draw at Roma.
The Brazil international had only been on the pitch for a few minutes when he was injured by a robust tackle from Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan.
Barca said yesterday Rafinha, the younger brother of Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara, would have the operation in the next few days.
Spanish media reported that Rafinha is likely to miss the rest of the season.
Ghent coach refuses to see red
Champions League debutants Ghent declared themselves satisfied with a first point and had no qualms with the dismissal of two of their players in their 1-1 home draw with Lyon on Wednesday.
“It could have been three points but there were a lot of circumstances that contrived against that,” said coach Hein Vanhaezebrouck.
“I think we must be satisfied we came away with at least one.”
Ghent had two great chances in the first half before Brecht Dejaegere was sent off. They then came from a goal down in the second half to equalise only to give away a penalty two minutes from the end and earn another red card – this time for defender Thomas Foket.
No time for self-pity, says Valencia coach
Valencia must quickly put their disappointment at losing Wednesday’s Champions League Group H opener at home to Zenit St Petersburg behind them and switch their attention back to La Liga, according to coach Nuno.
Brazil forward Hulk struck twice for the Russian champions in a 3-2 victory at the Mestalla.
“The most important thing is that we pick ourselves up very quickly, put the Champions League to one side and draw some swift conclusions,” Nuno said ahead of tomorrow’s match at home to last season’s second-division champions Real Betis.
“We will work on individual aspects because we want to grow and improve.”
Everton’s Euro miss
Everton’s absence from the Europa League will benefit the team’s Premier League prospects this season but the Toffees are keen to break back into Europe next year, manager Roberto Martinez has said.
“You don’t just need to prepare for the Europa League now, you think about it when you are assembling your squad, making the signings and looking at the physical outputs in training,” Martinez was quoted as saying by the Liverpool Echo.
“It affects everything.
“When you are in Europe, the reality is that it takes some focus away from the league fixtures.”
Real’s Bale sidelined by calf muscle injury
Real Madrid midfielder Gareth Bale damaged a calf muscle in his left leg during Tuesday’s 4-0 Champions League Group A victory at home to Shakhtar Donetsk, tests confirmed yesterday.
The Wales international had to come off in the first half and was replaced by Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic.
“Following the tests carried out on Gareth Bale today ... the player has been diagnosed with a soleus muscle injury in his left leg,” Real said on their website.
“His condition will be evaluated.”
Lampard breaks MLS duck in New York win
Former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard scored his first goal in Major League Soccer as New York City FC beat Toronto FC 2-0 at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday night.
The former England international, in his fifth appearance with New York, scuffed home a right-footed shot in the 20th minute to give his team the lead.
It hardly rated with the best of the 211 goals the 37-year-old midfielder scored for English Premier League side Chelsea, but it was enough to set up a New York victory.
The result kept New York in play-off contention in the Eastern Conference, two points behind sixth-placed Montreal (33 points), who drew 1-1 with San Jose.
Dinamo Zagreb coach thanks Bilic
Dinamo Zagreb coach Zoran Mamic thanked his compatriot and West Ham manager Slaven Bilic for helping the Croatian title holders beat Arsenal 2-1 in their Champions League Group F match on Wednesday.
Bilic, whose side beat London rivals Arsenal 2-0 in the Premier League’s opening round, passed on valuable advice to Mamic ahead of the clash.
“We scouted Arsenal well and we found information given to us by Bilic and his assistant Nikola Jurcevic very useful,” Mamic told reporters. “But my players did a great job too.
“I knew we could stay on the same par physically with a team uncomfortable against rivals who can keep possession.”