Injured Batistuta to miss Germany match

AS Roma and Argentina striker Gabriel Batistuta was taken to hospital after receiving a kick to the head during Sunday's Serie A match against Parma AC and is likely to miss his country's friendly with Germany on Wednesday.

Overnight stay
Batistuta suffered no serious injury and is expected to be released from hospital after an overnight stay. But he is unlikely to be ready to take part in Wednesday's match in Stuttgart, which would have marked his return to the national side after a six-month absence.

Accidental kick
Batistuta was carried off on a stretcher in the 12th minute after he received an accidental kick in the head from Parma defender Fabio Cannavaro. He lost consciousness for a brief spell and after receiving attention in the dressing room he was taken by ambulance to Rome's San Pietro hospital.

'Absolutely fine'
But fears that Batistuta had suffered a serious injury eased when Ercole Brunetti, surgeon at the hospital, said he expected Batistuta would be released on Monday. "The player is absolutely fine," Brunetti said. "Tomorrow morning he will undergo some more tests and if everything is alright we will release him from the hospital."