Samuel could miss season with cruciate injury
Reuters - Sunday 07 November 2010, 14:19
MILAN - Inter Milan centre-back Walter
Samuel could miss the rest of the season after tests on Sunday
confirmed the Argentine had suffered serious damage to his
cruciate knee ligaments.
"In the coming days reconstructive surgery will be planned,"
an Inter statement said.
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Samuel, the latest in a string of Inter players to be
injured, went down in severe pain after landing on a
straightened leg in Saturday's 1-1 Serie A home draw with
Brescia.
The defender was out for almost a year after suffering a
similar injury in 2007.
Since coming back Samuel has formed a fearsome central
defensive partnership with Lucio which was key to Inter winning
the Champions League, Serie A and Italian Cup last term.
Ivan Cordoba looks set to deputise for Samuel in the short
term with Marco Materazzi and Cristian Chivu the other options
at centre-back, unless Inter decide to buy in January.
Right-back Maicon also went off injured against Brescia and
tests have shown the Brazilian has strained a thigh muscle,
meaning he could be out for some weeks.
Last term's treble winners were without five injured
midfielders against Brescia and the latest news comes as a big
blow to new coach Rafael Benitez, who has rejected criticism
that his training methods may be to blame for all the injuries.
Inter, gunning for their sixth straight scudetto this
season, suffered fewer injuries under former coach Jose
Mourinho.