LIGA MX
América derailed by new injuries
The Águilas now have four players in the casualty room just as club competition is set to resume with the Liga MX and CONCACAF Champions League.
The weekend friendly against Cruz Azul, which had been organized to keep players active during the international break, proved to be an expensive exercise for América. Álvaro Fidalgo and Alejandro Zendejas were both injured during the game and join an injury list that is starting to look very concerning for André Jardine. The Coapa team could have up to four absentees for the next match, against Atlético San Luis on Friday as well as the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarter final against the New England Revolution next week.
Anxious wait on pair
América gave an update on the respective situations of Zendejas and Fidalgo on their social media platforms: “Club América reports that our players Álvaro Fidalgo and Alejandro Zendejas presented a first degree semitendinosus muscle injury. The recovery time will be dependent on how both players evolve.” a club statement read.
Elsewhere, ESPN have reported that both players could have suffered a Grade I hamstring injury would be in the grade one, - an injury which could take approximately 10 to 15 days to heal. If that is the case, América will be without both players for the Week 13 against San Luis, and also the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarter final on Tuesday 2 April - and possibly the next game, away at Santos Laguna on Saturday 6 April.
Losing Fidalgo and Zendejas is a headache for Jardine who is already without Diego Valdés and Julián Quiñones. Valdés suffered an injury to his right hamstring after coming off the bench in the Clásico Nacional, while Quiñones was injured while on duty with Mexico in the CONCACAF Nations League semi-final against Panama. It is reported that he is suffering a muscular overload and it is not known how long he will be out.
It wasn’t all bad news for Jardine. The Brazilian coach will be relieved that Israel Reyes has returned to full training. The right-back suffered a nasty gash to his right knee in the second leg of the Champions Cup Round of 16 clash against Chivas which needed cleaning and stitching.