Lucho laid low for Marseille

Olympique de Marseille's new midfield signing Lucho is destined to miss the start of the Ligue 1 season after fracturing his collarbone in a friendly on Wednesday night.

Record signing
The Argentinian international, who joined from FC Porto for a club-record €17m fee earlier this month, fell awkwardly on his left shoulder while vying for possession with AS Saint-Etienne's Kevin Mirallas during the teams' meeting in Valence, southern France. Scans today revealed the full extent of the injury, which will sideline the 28-year-old until mid-September, meaning he could also miss OM's opening UEFA Champions League group-stage encounter. "It's a big blow but that's one of the risks," said coach Didier Deschamps. "It's a pity because Lucho was back to good fitness. What he needs now is to recover as early as possible and come back stronger."