Superleague
PAOK counts his wounds one by one
Tsoushis and Lyratzis undergo tests to determine the amount of damage taken. Injuries are a problem.
PAOK managed to salvage the draw against Arkades, but they expect losses and significant ones at that. This Monday () both Lefteris Lyratzis and Marios Tsaoussis, who left the Asteras game crying injured, will undergo an MRI.
The former is at risk of a second degree adductor contusion which, if confirmed, will keep him out of training for 4-6 weeks. Tsaoussi’s problem is in the knee and more specifically in the medial collateral ligament. The first estimates speak of an absence of about a month.
The two young full-backs miss the derby with AEK next in the PAOK squad, which Andrija Zivkovic and Omar El Kaduri are also doubtful for.
The Serb had an X-ray of his big toe on Sunday which came back clear. However, he was in great pain as after a blow he received his entire nail was gone. Omar El Kaduri was substituted at half-time as he felt a stiffness in his leg and Lucescu didn’t want to risk keeping him on the pitch.
The condition of both will be assessed daily in training until the coaching staff are satisfied they are available for the double header derby.
Activating Rafa Soares is a possibility
How Razvan Lucescu will deal with all these problems is a matter of concern in the coming days. At the back, Rafa Soares’ activation appears to be a one-way street.
The Portuguese, who also sustained a muscle injury, admitted he was unprepared for complaints during talks with the Romanian coach ahead of the derby against Olympiacos but can only be considered a stopgap a week later.
Finally, the only full-backs currently available are Rafa Soares and Yoan Sastre.
Muscle injuries are problematic
However, the issue of muscle injuries should concern Razvan Lucescu and his colleagues.
There are currently three football players with concussion (Brandon Thomas, Vieirinia and Lyratzis) on the biceps medical record. The three have completed a long injury chain since the start of the season, with Kanduri, Rafa Soares, Nesberg and Koulierakis all having been on the pitch for more than one game with muscular problems.
Source: sport 24
I am a writer at Sportish, where I mainly cover sports news. I’ve also written for The Guardian and ESPN Brasil, and my work has been featured on NBC Sports, SI.com and more. Before working in journalism, I was an athlete: I played football for Colgate University and competed in the US Open Cross Country Championships.