Di Maria to miss Juventus' Champions League deciders but back for World Cup

By Sports Desk October 13, 2022

Angel Di Maria is out of action for the next 20 days but is expected to be fit for the World Cup, Juventus have announced.

The 34-year-old left the field in tears during Juventus' shock Champions League defeat to Maccabi Haifa on Tuesday, sparking fears about his availability for Argentina's World Cup campaign.

La Albiceleste are already sweating on the fitness of Roma's Paulo Dybala, out for four to six weeks with a quadriceps injury, while Lionel Messi has missed Paris Saint-Germain's past two matches.

Juventus shared a positive update on Di Maria's situation on Thursday, however, outlining the expectation that he will be fit for Argentina's campaign in Qatar.

"The diagnostic tests that Di Maria underwent this morning at the J| Medical showed a low-grade lesion of the femoral biceps of the right thigh," a statement read.

"It will take about 20 days for its complete recovery."

Di Maria will miss Juventus' next two Serie A fixtures, against Torino and Lecce, as well as the crucial Champions League clash against Benfica in Lisbon, where Massimiliano Allegri's side need a victory to keep their hopes of reaching the knockout stages alive.

The 20-day timeframe provided by Juventus runs until November 2, the date of their final Champions League group-stage clash against Paris Saint-Germain, but Di Maria could return for the Serie A showdown with Inter on November 6.

Argentina begin their World Cup campaign on November 22 against Saudi Arabia, before then facing Mexico and Argentina in Group C.

Related items

  • Juventus hit back from two goals down to salvage a draw at Cagliari Juventus hit back from two goals down to salvage a draw at Cagliari

    Juventus fought back from two down to salvage a 2-2 draw at Cagliari but the result did little to dispel speculation over the future of manager Massimiliano Allegri.

    Allegri has faced heightened scrutiny over his long-term prospects at the Turin club after a poor run of form.

    The Old Lady hit the Serie A summit in January but have struggled for victories in recent months and almost suffered a painful defeat to old boss Claudio Ranieri.

    Cagliari raced into a two-goal lead after they were awarded two first-half penalties, which Gianluca Gaetano and Yerry Mina dispatched.

    However, Ranieri was denied a victory as Dusan Vlahovic pulled one back before Alberto Dossena put through his own net with three minutes left to leave Juventus in third position with Bologna and Roma breathing down their neck after winning only two of their last 12 league matches.

    Allegri made two changes in an attempt to arrest Juve’s stuttering form with Carlos Alcaraz and Timothy Weah handed starting opportunities.

    It failed to have the desired impact with Cagliari able to quickly take control of the contest with away stopper Wojciech Szczesny the busier of the two goalkeepers.

    After a strong start, the hosts were rewarded with the chance to go ahead on the half an hour mark when Bremer was penalised for handball after a header by Dossena.

    Gaetano fired into the bottom corner from 12yards but not long after the celebrations had finished at Stadio Unipol Domus the hosts were awarded a second spot-kick.

    Szczesny was the guilty party on this occasion after he brought down Zito Luvumbo and received a caution for his foul. Former Everton defender Mina stepped up and sent Szczesny the wrong way to spark jubilant celebrations in Sardinia.

    Juventus did have the ball in the net before half-time, but Vlahovic’s tap-in was ruled out for offside and the deficit remained at two.

    Kenan Yildiz was sent on by Allegri for the second half and the visitors did pull one back in the 61st minute.

    Federico Chiesa and Vlahovic stood over a free-kick and the latter curled a delivery around the wall for his 17th goal of the season.

    It provided hope for Juve and the next roll of the dice by Allegri was the introduce Weston McKennie and Arkadiusz Milik.

    Juve upped the ante during the final exchanges but when Vlahovic volleyed over from close range, it looked like time might run out.

    However, Allegri’s side found an equaliser with three minutes left when Dossena put the ball into his own net after a dangerous cross by Yildiz.

    Yildiz almost produced a stoppage-time winner too but fired straight at Simone Scuffer late on as the points were shared.

  • Raith Rovers keep unlikely title bid alive with narrow victory at Inverness Raith Rovers keep unlikely title bid alive with narrow victory at Inverness

    Raith Rovers rode their luck to keep alive their slender cinch Championship title hopes with a smash-and-grab 1-0 win at third-bottom Inverness.

    Caley Thistle, looking for a third successive win to further boost their survival push, hit the goal frame four times and saw visiting goalkeeper Kevin Dabrowski produce a host of stunning saves.

    But in the end it was Lewis Vaughan’s 49th-minute strike that settled the contest as Raith, who could have seen leaders Dundee United win the league on Saturday if they had lost at Caledonian Stadium, close the gap on the pacesetters to three points.

    Duncan Ferguson’s Inverness created several good chances to take the lead in a one-sided first half, with Dabrowski keeping out Cammy Harper’s 25-yard free-kick before Alex Samuel was denied by a goalline block.

    The hosts came even closer in the 21st minute when Harper fired against the bar and then saw Dabrowski fling up a leg and somehow manage to block his follow-up.

    Rovers had done little to prove they were the team at the top end of the able in the first half but four minutes after the restart they took the lead, top scorer Vaughan getting on the end of a flick-on to coolly guide the ball past Mark Ridgers.

    That proved to be the game’s decisive moment as the Raith goal continued to lead a charmed life, Samuel seeing a curling shot come back off the far post and the brilliant Dabrowski turned over a shot from the same player.

    Inverness then hit the crossbar twice in quick succession, Danny Devine and James Carragher seeing headers come back off the goal frame, before Dabrowski tipped over a stoppage-time effort as Raith somehow held on for the three points.

  • Former Wales winger Leighton James dies, aged 71 Former Wales winger Leighton James dies, aged 71

    Former Wales winger Leighton James has died at the age of 71.

    James’ former clubs Burnley and Swansea – where he spent 13 years of a colourful 19-year senior career – were among those to pay tribute to a gifted player who won 54 caps for his country.

    “We are sorry to hear the news of Leighton’s passing,” Burnley chairman Alan Pace said of James, who had three spells at Turf Moor and scored 81 goals in 399 appearances for the Clarets.

    “He left an indelible mark on this football club and stories of his playing skills still echo around Turf Moor.

    “Our thoughts are with his family at this sad time.”

    Swansea-born James made his Burnley debut in 1970 – his pace and trickery quickly making him a Clarets’ favourite – before joining Derby for a then club-record fee of £310,000 and having a one-season stop at QPR.

    James returned to Burnley in 1978 before joining his hometown club two years later and helping their rise in to the old First Division under John Toshack.

    “Swansea City is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Leighton James at the age of 71,” read a club statement.

    “The gifted winger, widely-regarded as one of the Swans’ finest players, was a key figure in the side that secured a first-ever promotion to the top-flight in 1981, scoring a stunning goal in the victory over Preston North End at Deepdale to complete the club’s rise.

    “He went on to star the following campaign as John Toshack’s side took the fight to the elite of English football, eventually finishing sixth in the First Division.

    “The thoughts of everyone at Swansea City are with Leighton’s friends and family at this sad time.”

    After three years at Swansea, James went on to play for Sunderland, Bury and Newport before taking his career full circle with a third spell at Burnley.

    James’ 10 international goals included the match-winning penalty against England in the 1976-77 British Home Championship – Wales’ only ever victory against their neighbours at Wembley.

    The Football Association of Wales posted on X: “It is with great sadness that we share the news that @Cymru international Leighton James has sadly passed away.

    “Amongst his most famous moments with the dragon on his shirt was scoring a penalty in a famous win over England at Wembley in 1977.

    “He was a star of the only Cymru team to top a qualifying group before going on to reach the quarter-finals of Euro 1976.”

    James held various coaching positions in South Wales after his playing career and worked in the media, where he developed a reputation as a forthright columnist and pundit.

    Both Burnley and Swansea have confirmed they will wear black armbands in their respective matches against Sheffield United and Huddersfield on Saturday as a tribute to James.

© 2023 SportsMaxTV All Rights Reserved.