Małecki and Melikson out for Wisła
Monday, September 26, 2011
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Wisła Kraków's UEFA Europa League hopes have been hit by injuries to key striker Patryk Małecki and midfielder Maor Melikson to add to the absence of forward Tsvetan Genkov.
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Wisła Kraków's UEFA Europa League hopes have been hit by injuries to key men Patryk Małecki and Maor Melikson.
Striker Małecki, 23, limped off during Sunday's 3-2 Polish top flight defeat of Ruch Chorzów with a twisted ankle, which coach Robert Maaskant described as "looking like a balloon". Małecki will definitely miss Thursday's Group K trip to FC Twente and, with extensive swelling, no date has been set for the Poland player's return.
The 26-year-old midfielder Melikson suffered a foot injury in the same game. "Our doctors are carrying out tests, but it could be worse than Małecki's case," Maaskant said of the Israeli international. "Maor has a bad feeling. He had a similar injury when he played in Israel and had to undergo surgery. If it's the same, he will be out until December."
The pair's absence comes on top of that of Bulgaria forward Tsvetan Genkov, who remains sidelined with a hamstring problem. "It's a big blow for us as we have lost our two most creative players plus Genkov," added Maaskant, whose side lost 3-1 at home to Odense BK on matchday one. "This is half our strike force. It's not going to be easy to replace them."