Tonel injury is a Sporting setback
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Article summary
Sporting Clube de Portugal defender Tonel will miss next Tuesday's UEFA Champions League match against FC Shakhtar Donetsk and is a major doubt for the game against FC Barcelona after suffering a shin injury.
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Bad news
The 28-year-old limped off 71 minutes into Sporting's 0-0 Liga draw at FC Paços de Ferreira on Sunday, and scans have shown that Tonel has a hairline fracture to the fibula, or calf bone, in his left leg. He is expected to be out of action for about four weeks.
Ever present
Tonel scored Sporting's only goal in the 3-1 defeat at Barcelona on Matchday 1 and played in the subsequent Group C wins at home to FC Basel 1893 and away to Shakhtar. He will be missed in the home game against the Ukrainian champions as second-placed Sporting continue their bid to reach the knockout phase for the first time. Capped once by Portugal in 2006, the centre-back will also skip the Portuguese Cup encounter with FC Porto on 9 November.
