Roque’s injury is raising big concerns…

May 22nd, 2006 | by: Daniel |

Roque Santa Cruz (Bayern Munich, GER) who six months ago suffered a knee injury and since last April returned to the field will rest in the first friendly games that the national team will play in Europe. The medical team said that because he is felling a little of pain in the knee he will rest the next days and probably won’t play these games.

With this news the fans are getting really worry because if he could not make it we will be in the World Cup without one of the most important players of the team and with one less player.

Now the gambling of who is going to replace him in the opening game had started. Jose Cardozo probably has more chances because of his experience and considering that Salvador Cabanas normally plays a little more backward.

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chuck

Where can we get updated info about how the team is doing?
http://ecuador.worldcupblog.org/ Trent

I’ve been saying this all over the place, but, man, I hate it when top players get injured just before the tournament. Maybe for selfish reasons.

Anyway…Daniel, if Cardozo or Cabanas replace Roque…what will that mean for the team? Obviously it’s a set-back, but can they forge ahead without too much of a hiccup?
Daniel

Trent, Roque is one of those players that all the fans watched his evolution from being just a youngster thru becoming a real good player. After the match in Asuncion against Argentina he had shown that he is a very dangerous stricker. If he is out, I think the fans will felt more his absence than the actual team.

Jose Cardozo is an “old wolf” that had battled thousands of games, he with Acuna and Gamarra are the most experienced players, he knows how to handle the pressure, so he won’t have any trouble filling his shoes. The thing is that we believe that Cardozo at his age cannot play the whole game, he will need to be replace, and Cabanas and Cuevas are player that start more in the back than Roque or Cardozo…
Daniel

Chuck the best way to update the information is reading the websites of the three major newspapers of Paraguay, they have journalist with the team, but all they are in spanish. The other source I use is espnsoccer.net

http://abc.com.py
http://lanacion.com.py
http://ultimahora.com.py
Daniel

The other thing is that all of us wanted to see our “Panzer Offensive” with Roque and Nelson together. They are both young, fast and strong, that combination considering that both are “locals” is one of our hopes to go as further as we can in this World Cup.
kaiser

this sucks. i was so excited to see valdez and roque play together. im going to the denmark game and wished they would both play:(
http://www.worldcupblog.org/world-cup-2006/group-b-the-group-of-doctors.html Group B: The Group of Doctors – FIFA World Cup 2006 – World Cup 2006 Blog

[...] Paraguay’s injury concerns are slightly higher on the body. Star striker Roque Santa Cruz is trying to recover from severe tendonitis in his right knee following surgery on said knee. Santa Cruz thinks that he should be able to play in Germany but Paraguay fans have a right to be concerned if he isn’t feeling up to par. Defenders Julio Cesar Caceres and Denis Caniza and midfielder Carlos Paredes are all hobbling around with leg injuries that aren’t expected to keep them from playing in Germany. [...]
Chuck

The latest report from Roque is that the diagnosis is tendenitis and he will be able to play againt England. Apparently he gave a radio interview and advised that the MRI showed that the knee was intact but tendenitis was present. Apparently, according to the team doctor he willdo phisiotherapy for 6 days followed by jogging and will begin working with a ball after 9 days so he might even be able to see action for the final friendly against Georgia. The bottom line is that it appears that he will be available for the England match.
Daniel

Aparenttly Roque had an inflammation caused by an overcharge of trainning. It is not severe, but he will need to rest to be full recover for the World Cup.
Junior

Come on Roque. Paraguay have got a solid team and he is the one that can score a majority of their goals.

I’m sure he will be good and ready when the time comes. I like what Ruiz is doing. Packing the midfield with five players will frustrate england.

As long as the defence is in good shape you have every chance of qualifying to the second round.
jack

Roque is my idol. I want to grow up to be just like you. I hope Paraguay wins the World Cup.
http://paraguay.worldcupblog.org/1/roque-is-out-of-all-the-friendly-matches.html Roque is out of all the friendly matches… – FIFA World Cup 2006 – Paraguay World Cup Team Blog

[...] Roque Santa Cruz will rest during the whole preparation for the World Cup. The medics suggested that he doesn’t play in the friendly matches that Paraguay had booked before the World Cup starts because they don’t want to risk Roque’s recovery. Although this situation they believe that he will be available for the first match against England. [...]