Source: Eurosport
Modric expects to be out for six weeks
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Luka Modric will be out for at least six weeks after breaking a bone in his right fibula in Saturday's 2-1 win over Birmingham City, the Premier League club said Sunday.[LNB] The 23-year-old Croatian midfielder, who has been in inspired form as Spurs have won their opening four league matches of the season, was hurt in what seemed an innocuous collision with Lee Bowyer at the start of the second half of Saturday's match.[LNB] He told the Croatian daily Jutarnji List: "It's like my whole world has crumbled because I will be out for at least six weeks. I am terribly sad.[LNB] "It wasn't a ferocious tackle but it hurt awfully and I knew something was wrong the moment it happened.[LNB] "The worst feeling is knowing that I will be watching both my club and country from the sidelines for a while."[LNB] A Tottenham club spokesman said that initial reports the injury would take months to heal were wide of the mark.[LNB] "This is not the case with a fractured fibula," he said.[LNB] However, Modric will miss Croatia's World Cup qualifiers at home to Belarus on September 5 and away to England four days later and at least five Spurs league matches including games against Manchester United and Chelsea.[LNB] It is the second time in 18 months that a key Croatian player has been hurt playing against Birmingham with the country's Brazilian-born Arsenal striker Eduardo da Silva suffering a horrific leg injury in a Premier League match in February 2008.[LNB] That injury kept Eduardo out for a year but Modric should return much sooner and he ought to be fit to play in next year's World Cup finals in South Africa if Croatia qualify.[LNB] Spurs manager Harry Redknapp said after the game that he hoped he had suffered only damage to his calf.[LNB] However an X-ray showed he fractured his right fibula and it could lead to Modric being out of action for months.[LNB] The injury comes just as Spurs have made their best start to a season for 49 years and is a major blow to the club who are currently second in the table with a maximum 12 points from their opening four games. Chelsea are top on goal difference.[LNB] Redknapp said after the match he was concerned about a growing injust crisis at the Lane, with skipper Ledley King (groin) joining the walking wounded who include centrebacks Jonathan Woodgate and Michael Dawson, Goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes and midfielder Jermaine Jenas.[LNB] (Additional reporting by Zoran Milosavljevic in Belgrade)[LNB] (Editing by John Mehaffey)
