ELANO SIDELINED FOR QUARTERFINALS MATCH

in World Cup by Itai — June 30, 2010 at 3:47 pm | 3 comments

Brazil national team midfielder Elano will be sidelined for the quarterfinal match against the Dutch due to a right ankle injury, and may be out for the rest of the tournament if his injury does not improve.

“He has been undergoing intensive treatment which can take a few days, weeks or a month, there is no timetable,” a team doctor said. “Each day we will make an evaluation. We have to see if nature will be on our side.”

Elano suffered a bone bruise during Brazil’s second match of group play against the Ivory Coast in the 67th minute, that won’t allow him to train with the rest of the squad until at least Friday.

“It was a spectacular start after scoring two goals in the first two matches,” Elano said. “Of course I’m sad, but I remain positive. I’m hopeful that I will still be able to play. I have to be patient now, that’s all I can do.”

Elano stated that he hopes referees will make better efforts to protect players from such injuries.

“I don’t like to complain, but this type of violence needs to be analyzed,” Elano said. “People talk about the ball, about using video to see if it was a goal or not, but I wanted to go to the referee and say, ‘You didn’t even call a foul?”

Elano also said that how he was tackled by Ivory Coast’s Ismael Tiote could have resulted in a more serious injury.

“If I had my foot planted he would have broken my leg,” the 29-year-old Elano said.

Brazil will next take on the Netherlands this Friday morning at 10am EST.

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