Nuno Tavares has been forced out of the March international break, seemingly picking up a new injury with Lazio.
ROME, ITALY: Nuno Tavares of SS Lazio during the SS Lazio training session at the Formello sport centre on October 17, 2024. (Photo by Marco Rosi - SS Lazio/Getty Images)
Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images
Arsenal loan left-back Nuno Tavares was named in the Portugal squad for the international break, but the defender has had to pull out due to injury.
Ahead of Thursday’s game between Portugal and Denmark, the Portuguese national team released a statement (via The Laziali):
“Nuno Tavares has been declared unfit by the Health and Performance Unit for the Nations League Quarter-Finals. The defender is suffering from problems that will prevent him from recovering in time for the match against Denmark.
“Nuno Tavares has returned to his club (Lazio) where he will continue his recovery process.”
ROME, ITALY: Nuno Tavares of SS Lazio attends during the UEFA Europa League 2024/25 League Phase MD4 training and press conference on November 06, 2024. (Photo by Marco Rosi - SS Lazio/Getty Images)
Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images
The good news is that Lazio sporting director Angelo Fabiani has reassured the fans that it’s nothing serious. However, he did suggest the problem is a new one, not a reoccurrence of the injury that sidelined Tavares earlier this month.
“All the national teams want their players in training camp, then they carry out the necessary tests,” Fabiani said.
“For Nuno Tavares, they have highlighted a small problem so he he returned to Rome. He wanted to play against Bologna, but he had a fresh issue.”
Tavares missed one game with a muscular injury on March 10th, but he was back in action on March 13th against Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League. It seems he then picked up a new injury before Sunday’s game against Bologna on March 16th.
TURIN, ITALY - SEPTEMBER 29: Nuno Tavares of SS Lazio during the Serie match between Torino and Lazio at Stadio Olimpico di Torino on September 29, 2024 in Turin, Italy. (Photo by Marco Rosi - SS Lazio/Getty Images)
Photo by Marco Rosi – SS Lazio/Getty Images
Tavares has returned to Lazio for treatment, with the team set to face Bodo/Glimt in the Europa League quarter-finals and to continue to push for Champions League football in Serie A.
The team are currently sixth, two points off the top four, but with the worst goal difference in the top nine following Sunday’s 5-0 defeat to Bologna without Tavares.
Tavares has made 26 appearances for Lazio, who have a purchase clause in the region of £7-7.5m for the Arsenal defender with a sell-on clause worth in excess of 25%.
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