Andrade relapse jolts Juventus

Juventus have been dealt a major blow with the news that defender Jorge Andrade has suffered a repeat of the knee injury that decimated his last campaign.

Summer transfer
The 51-cap Portuguese international joined the Turin club from RC Deportivo La Coruña in July 2007 and played in their first four Serie A matches last term but endured a fractured kneecap in the last of those contests against AS Roma and subsequently missed the rest of the season. The 30-year-old will remain sidelined after a recurrence of the injury during a training session on Thursday.

'Serious injury'
An official statement from Juventus, who enter the UEFA Champions League in the third qualifying round after finishing third in the league last season, said: "Jorge Andrade has suffered another serious injury to his left knee. The diagnosis is one of 'kneecap fracture relapse' – the same knee bone operated on twice last season. A new surgery will be necessary to repair the bone tissue and it will probably be carried out on Monday in Lisbon. The player is expected to remain out of action for a few months."