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Tuesday Kickoff: Torres suffers thigh injury; Totti’s return to Roma pushed back; and more

FernandoTorresChelsea1-ManCity (Getty)

By DAN KARELL

Chelsea fans learned on Tuesday that Fernando Torres is sidelined with a thigh injury that will keep him out for the next couple of weeks.

With three goals in his last three games, it looked as though Torres was finally rediscovering the form that made him arguably the world’s best striker back in his days with Liverpool and Atletico Madrid. However, this injury slows down any of that progress.

“Fernando has a muscular injury,” Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said to the Guardian at a press conference. “We don’t know the dimension but we await the scans tomorrow, but tomorrow out and out for the weekend too. After that comes an international break. Let’s see if he can recover after that.”

Chelsea next face Schalke 04 in UEFA Champions League play and West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League on Saturday. Either Samuel Eto’o or Demba Ba are likely to start in place of Torres.

Here are some more stories to start your Tuesday:

TOTTI’S ROMA RETURN PUSHED BACK

A week ago, AS Roma were hoping that star forward Francesco Totti would return by the end of this month. On Tuesday, according to reports in the Italian media, those hopes were a bit premature.

Totti’s return to the field after suffering a thigh injury last month has been pushed into December. The club is now looking at December 8 against Fiorentina or December 16 against AC Milan as the soonest that the former Italian international can return.

The 37-year-old suffered his thigh injury in the first half of Roma’s game against Napoli on October 18. The club has continued their unbeaten start to the Serie A season with no losses through 11 games played, though they did draw for the first time last Sunday against Torino.

FIFA ALLOCATES HIGHEST NUMBER OF TICKETS EVER IN FIRST PHASE OF WORLD CUP SALES

Nearly 900,000 tickets were allocated by FIFA in the first phase of World Cup ticket sales, a new record.

A total of 889,305 tickets were sent to fans in 188 different countries around the world, with Brazil leading the pack with 625,276 tickets. Behind Brazil was the United States (66,646), England (22,257), Germany (18,019), and Australia (15,401).

FIFA announced that they received 6.2 million applications for tickets. The second phase of World Cup ticket sales begins on November 11 and ends on November 28.

QUICK KICKS

Fulham defender Sascha Riether has been charged by the FA for violent conduct following a stamp on Manchester United midfielder Adnan Januzaj. (REPORT)

AS Roma are keeping an eye on Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye as a potential winter signing. (REPORT)

Kevin-Prince Boateng has earned a recall to the Ghanian National Team ahead of their second-leg match against Egypt on November 19. (REPORT)

The FA of Ireland have confirmed the appointments of Martin O’Neill as manager and Roy Keane as assistant manager. (REPORT)

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What do you think of these reports? Do you see Torres’ injury hurting Chelsea? Do you see Totti returning before Christmas? Impressed with the ticket allocated numbers?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

    • Did you check your credit card online account? I was charged $700 dollars from FIFA on my Chase Account. I haven’t receive a formal email but I already paid off the balance for the tix. BTW, My gf and I are going to Manaus.

      Reply
      • Well, at this point it doesn’t look good. Given the US pop tix demand, US games would be in high demand. Other factors include what category you chose (the most expensive increase your odds due to the lower price ones are in high demand AND there’s more expensive seats in the stadium)

      • I would advise all fans to not freak out. Believe it or not, there are always more tickets available closer to the WC. Sponsors return the ones they can’t allocate and such.

  1. Come on you guys, Torres is a good guy. He’s not a media whore or a cheat type player. Only bad thing he ever did was leave Liverpool and join Chelsea. Cost him lots of fans but he won trophies so give and go I suppose. don’t understand all the hate he gets.

    Reply
    • There’s almost a mob-like mentality to join the crowd and hate certain players. Torres, Valdes, Suarez (ok, that one’s justifiable), Rafa Benitez

      Reply
      • but why?

        why Valdes?

        I don’t get why no hate for RVP. He’s a known primadonna and left Arsenal for Man U.

        or Rooney. Dude threatened to leave Man U twice in 3 years and yet no hate for that?

    • I don’t hate him, but (like most soccer players) he’s no saint. Go watch his face claw on Vertonghen from earlier this season.

      Reply
  2. “The FA of Ireland have confirmed the appointments of Martin O’Neill as manager and Roy Keane as assistant manager.”

    What could go wrong?

    Reply
    • I was going to write something, but I shouldn’t insult you. I will say, that I do not understand your motivations for your comment above. If it was meant to be funny to any other person but yourself, it failed.

      Reply
      • I didn’t get the pirate reference, either. But, Torres has been a hard luck soul of late.

        Roma might get really tough in the 2nd of their league season if Totti comes back at close to 100% and stays reasonably healthy.

      • these steps might help, and if it doesn’t I’m sorry…

        1. watch Pirates of the Carribbean, first movie of the trilogy.
        2. try getting up on the other side of bed next time, Mr. Grumps.

      • Pirates is too mainstream. He totally got it but just too mainstream.

        Okay… I had no idea what was going on either. =(

    • he may not have luck but he has TALENT and he’s gotten this far.

      oh recall 2010 WORLD CUP he was injured and still played a role in SPAIN
      ‘s world cup victory.

      Torres has 39 goals in 142 matches for Chelsea. Little more than 1 every 4 games. That’s not a great record for a striker especially compared to Liverpool when he would score 2 every 3 games. His confidence took a dent, yet his assists have dramatically risen at Chelsea.

      Reply

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