Veron out of Libertadores semi
Reuters - Monday 29 June 2009, 17:18
BUENOS AIRES - Estudiantes playmaker Juan Sebastian Veron will miss the second leg of the Libertadores Cup semi-final at Nacional of Uruguay on Wednesday with a leg injury, coach Alex Sabella said on Monday.
"Given how he is, it's not even justified to put him on the bench," Sabella told a news conference in La Plata.
Veron, who has a ligament injury in his left calf, had to come off at half-time during a 1-0 home win in the first leg last Thursday after starting the move that led to the goal.
Estudiantes will try to get the Argentina midfielder fit for the first leg of next week's final, should they qualify.
Argentina's Marcos Angeleri, one of a string of defenders on the club's injury list, will have surgery on a damaged cruciate ligament and cartilage in his left knee next week, the club said on its official website.
Estudiantes and Nacional are bidding for a fourth title as South American champions. The winners of the tie will meet either Cruzeiro or Gremio of Brazil in the final.