Bayern lose Santa Cruz
Friday, September 10, 2004
Article summary
FC Bayern Munchen's Paraguayan international striker Roque Santa Cruz will be missing for the next six weeks.
Article body
Right knee injury
The 23-year-old hurt his right knee during Paraguay's FIFA World Cup qualifying match against Venezuela last Sunday. After returning to Munich he had the injury checked by club doctor Hans Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt yesterday, who diagnosed cartilage damage and ordered immediate surgery.
Maccabi opener
If Santa Cruz is absent for fully six weeks, he will not appear in the UEFA Champions League before November at the earliest. Bayern's European campaign begins on Wednesday with a visit to Group C rivals Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC.
Options limited
Bayern coach Felix Magath has seen his striking options limited by injuries so far this season. Claudio Pizarro returned to training today after recovering from a fractured skull, but will need time to get fully fit. Alexander Zickler is still recovering from a broken leg and youngster Paolo Guerrero has torn a knee ligament.
Partner for Makaay
Santa Cruz has started two of Bayern's three Bundesliga matches to date alongside Roy Makaay and in the Paraguayan's absence the most likely partner for the Dutch striker appears to be either Iranian international Vahid Hashemian - Bayern's €2m summer signing from VfL Bochum 1848 - or the veteran Mehmet Scholl.