By DAN KARELL
Uruguay has suffered a serious scare ahead of the 2014 World Cup.
Reports broke first from Uruguay on Wednesday night and then across Europe on Thursday morning that Luis Suarez has injured his meniscus just 20 days before the start of the World Cup. While the time that he will miss is disputed, reports in Uruguay claim that Suarez underwent an arthroscopic procedure early Thursday morning and will miss anywhere from 15 to 20 days.
It’s a similar injury to what Franco Baresi suffered in Italy’s first match of the 1994 World Cup, and he was able to make it back for the final in that tournament a month later. Uruguay hopes that Suarez will be fit enough to play in the group stage, though he might miss their opener against Costa Rica on June 14.
Despite missing the first four games of the 2013-2014 English Premier League season, Suarez only missed one other Premier League match during the season, and that was due to suspension, staying surprisingly injury free in a very tough and physical league. Suarez is expected to start alongside Edinson Cavani at the World Cup.
Suarez is coming off his best season in England, scoring 31 goals in 33 games and earning both the players and writers Player of the Year awards.
Here are some more stories to start off your Thursday:
KROOS COULD LEAVE BAYERN THIS SUMMER
As transfer speculation around Bayern Munich midfielder Toni Kroos continues to intensify, the club looks resigned to let the talented German international leave this summer.
Reports out of England claim that Manchester United have already agreed a 25 million euro ($34 million) transfer deal with Kroos. While the German giants continue to try and negotiate a new contract, they are realistic that if a contract agreement can’t be reached soon, there won’t be any time in the future.
“I believe that he is going, because if you can extend the contract when there’s only six months remaining, then you will not (extend) even after that point,” Bayern Munich chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told German publication BILD.
Kroos scored four goals last season in 51 games in all competitions for Bayern, playing mostly as one of the two pivot midfielders in Pep Guardiola’s 4-2-3-1 system.
QUICK KICKS
Bacary Sagna is set to move on a free transfer to Manchester City. (REPORT)
Celtic FC boss Neil Lennon has parted company with the club after four seasons in charge. (REPORT)
Atletico Nacional of Colombia, under the direction of former MLS coach Juan Carlos Osorio, have won their 14th league title, with Juan Pablo Angel playing a part in the title win on penalty kicks. (REPORT)
Mexico head coach Miguel Herrera has banned his team from eating beef, due to the Gold Cup 2011 scandal, as well as banning sex and alcohol while the team is in Brazil. (REPORT)
Argentina head coach Alejandro Sabella has cut Franco Di Santo, Fabian Rinaudo, Gabriel Mercado and Lisandro Lopez from his 30-man preliminary World Cup roster. (REPORT)
Benfica defender Ezequiel Garay is reportedly set to make a 20 million euros move to Zenit St. Petersburg. (REPORT)
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What do you think of these reports? Do you see Suarez recovering in time to play in the group stage? Think Kroos is heading to Man United?
Share your thoughts below.