Espanyol lose Zabaleta
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Article summary
RCD Espanyol's UEFA Cup hopes have taken a blow after their Argentinian midfielder Pablo Zabaleta was sidelined for two months with a shoulder injury.
Article body
RCD Espanyol's UEFA Cup hopes have taken a blow after midfielder Pablo Zabaleta was sidelined for two months with a shoulder injury.
Livorno looming
The 22-year-old Argentinian international requires surgery after hurting his shoulder in a training-ground collision with team-mates David García and Gorka Iraizoz. Zabaleta's likely eight-week lay-off will rule him out of the UEFA Cup Round of 32 tie against AS Livorno Calcio, and possibly also any Round of 16 matches – to be staged between 8 and 15 March.
Sánchez loan deal
Zabaleta has made 15 Primera División appearances this term, his second with the Catalan club who defeated FC Barcelona 3-1 at the weekend, and his absence has been compounded by the departure of 20-year-old defender Sergio Sánchez. The latter, a potential deputy for Zabaleta, has joined Real Madrid Castilla on a six-month loan. The Segunda División side are the B team of Real Madrid CF. Sánchez has played 14 times for Espanyol since his 2005 breakthrough.
