INTERNATIONAL
Guillermo Ochoa and the other players injured during the FIFA international window
The Mexican goalkeeper was among seven top players who picked up injuries while representing their respective national teams this week.
The FIFA international window has been very costly for several clubs - especially European clubs and Barcelona in particular with Gavi set for a long layoff. The Spanish midfielder ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and will be out of action for approximately eight months. Others, including Guillermo Ochoa, Marc-André Ter Stegen and Vinicius Jr also picked up injuries of varying severity representing their respective national teams.
Ochoa out
Fortunately, in the case of the Mexican goalkeeper, things don’t appear to be so serious. Ochoa is expected to be out for less than a month after spraining his right shoulder - an injury which rules him out of Tuesday’s CONCACAF Nations League quarter final against Honduras. His club, Salernitana will call on second choice goalkeeper Vincenzo Fiorillo or recent arrival Benoît Costil to cover for Ochoa while he is recovering.
Elsewhere, Erling Haaland suffered an ankle injury during Norway’s friendly against the Faroe Islands and while national team coach Stale Solbakken described it as “not career-threatening”, the striker could miss Saturday’s Premier League showdown with Liverpool.
Madrid lose Vinicius and Camavinga
Real Madrid have not been enjoying the best of luck with injuries with Thibaut Courtois and Eder Militão both out with long-term injuries. Vinicius has joined them after rupturing his left hamstring while on duty with Brazil - half an hour into Friday’s World Cup qualifier against Colombia. The Madrid winger is expected to be sidelined for two and a half months.
Eduardo Camavinga faces between two to three months out after tearing the lateral internal ligament in his right knee during training with the France squad.
Players injured during the November international break
- Guillermo Ochoa (Mexico) sprained shoulder
- Vinicius Jr (Brazil) hamstring tear
- Alessandro Bastoni (Italy) right calf
- Erling Haaland (Norway) ankle
- Gavi (Spain) torn ACL right knee
- Marc-André Ter Stegen (Germany) back
- Eduardo Camavinga (France) torn lateral ligament right knee
World football’s organizing body FIFA will have to compensate the clubs for each day that a player is injured. For players who face a while on the sidelines, FIFA face big compensation payments - Barcelona, for example, could receive around six million euros to compensate for losing Gavi.