Juventus
are facing an injury crisis ahead of their Champions League group game
with Manchester City - with midfielder Hernanes ruled out and the club
sweating on the fitness of Patrice Evra and Sami Khedira.
Brazilian
Hernanes will be sidelined for nearly a month with a thigh injury,
although he is already suspended for the club's next two European games.
Hernanes
was injured in Saturday's 1-0 win over AC Milan and, although he lasted
until halftime, the Brazil international did not come back out for the
second half.
Defender Patrice Evra (right) is a doubt for Juventus' Champions League clash with Manchester City
Sergio Aguero celebrates scoring during City's 4-1 destruction by Liverpool at the weekend
Juventus
says on Monday that tests have revealed 'a first-grade tear in the
adductor longus muscle in the midfielder's right thigh' and 'the
prognosis for a return to action is around three weeks.'
Hernanes
is unlikely to return before the new year, as Juve's last match before
the winter break is on December 20, away at Carpi.
The
Italian giants are also waiting to find if key players Khedira and
former Manchester United defender Evra will be available for Wednesday's
game.
Germany
international Khedira did not feature in the weekend's 1-0 victory over
AC Milan, with the club stating that he would 'train separately' from
his team-mates this week - effectively ruling him out of the game.
Brazilian midfielder Hernanes, who is already suspended in Europe, has been ruled out for three weeks
Germany international Sami Khedira (right) will train separately, effectively ruling him out of the game
Meanwhile,
Evra 'suffered a light twisted ankle during last night's game with
Milan and his condition will be monitored over the course of the coming
days,' said the club's website.
Coach
Massimiliano Allegri insists he is not to blame for the club's current
injury crisis. 'We have had a couple more injuries than last year and
we've analysed the players who have been struck, and things are pretty
clear,' he told reporters.
'We've had 16 injuries - 11 have been muscular and five due to being overburdened.
City stars James Milner and Gael Clichy pose with their partners at a gala event in Manchester
'Last
year, we had 11 injuries at this stage, of which 10 were muscular and
one due to being overburdened. Last year, we had five players out for
over 30 days. This year we have had only two.
'Looking
at this data, we're no worse off than anybody else - in fact we're in
midtable. But people like to say that Allegri's team work badly and are
full of injuries. Well, all I look at are the results.'
The four-time defending champions are sixth in Serie A, nine points behind league leaders Inter Milan.
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