Copa Sudamericana: Why Cavani will not play against Fortaleza?

The Uruguayan striker has not been called up for the match against Fortaleza and will stay in Buenos Aires to rest
by
Josué Seixas
2024-04-24 14:42:20

This Thursday, April 25, a crucial match will be played in Group D of the 2024 Copa Sudamericana. Fortaleza, the absolute leader of the group with two victories in two matches, will face their immediate pursuer, Boca Juniors, the reigning runner-up of the Copa Libertadores, and the Argentinians will face this encounter without their main offensive reference: Edinson Cavani.

On their social media, Boca Juniors has already confirmed that the 37-year-old veteran forward will not travel to Ceará for the match against Fortaleza, triggering alarms due to rumors of a possible injury. However, the Argentine press assures that his absence in this match is not related to a physical problem.

READ MORE

++ Vinicius Junior scored his 100th professional goal in the game against Barcelona
++ Romário’s name has been published in the Daily Information Bulletin (BID) and he is eligible to play
++ Casemiro opens up about CR7, Messi, and praises Mbappé’s potential

Cavani has not been called up for the match against Fortaleza

On their official Twitter account, “X”, the xeneize team has published their list of called-up players for the match against Fortaleza, and as mentioned, the absence of Edinson Cavani stands out.

This would be Cavani’s second absence in the 2024 Copa Sudamericana, as he also missed the debut match against Nacional de Potosí due to a minor thigh injury.

In the second match, against Trinidense, the Uruguayan played for 77 minutes but could not have an impact on the final score of 1-0 in favor of his team. Now, against the group leader, the absence of the Uruguayan is expected to be quite significant, but it would be a calculated and assumed risk by the coaching staff.

Is Cavani injured?

According to reports from reputable media outlets such as TyC Sports, no. The Uruguayan forward is only suffering from severe muscle fatigue due to the string of matches he has played in recent weeks, and his absence for this match in Ceará would be purely to allow him to rest and regain his good sensations.

In this same year, Cavani has already missed a total of five matches due to various muscle discomforts and minor injuries, so this absence against Fortaleza would aim to pace him in order to avoid a setback or a major injury in such an important stretch of the season.

Zagallo documentary

Sambafoot Series has launched a new documentary about the football legend Zagallo. Known as ‘Velho Lobo’ and as superstitious as it gets, Zagallo helped shape what Brazilian football is nowadays – as a player and as a coach. The first and second episodes is available in Sambafoot’s Youtube channel and the series will receive weekly releases to tell this legend’s life story.