The international break has officially claimed another victim.
Juventus defender Martin Caceres, who played the entire 90 minutes in Uruguay's 2-1 win over Peru this past Friday night, will undergo surgery for a torn meniscus Tuesday, the club announced on Monday afternoon. Caceres, who did not appear in Juve's first two Serie A matches — wins over Sampdoria and Lazio — will reportedly miss the next 40 days as he recovers and rehabilitates.
International duo Mirko Vucinic and Martin Caceres today returned to Vinovo after picking up injuries during last weekend's World Cup qualification encounters.
The Montenegrin forward continued his recovery in the swimming pool following a heavy bruise sustained to his left knee during Friday night's draw with Poland.
Caceres, meanwhile, will require arthroscopic surgery after an afternoon MRI scan on his right knee revealed a torn external meniscus. The operation will be conducted tomorrow morning at Turin's Fornaca clinic by Professor Quaglia.
Caceres' injury leaves Antonio Conte with only one natural central defender, Angelo Ogbonna, behind the starting trio of Leonardo Bonucci, Andrea Barzagli — who himself has had injury problems lately and had to pull out of Italy's squad for the two World Cup qualifying matches against Bulgaria and the Czech Republic — and Giorgio Chiellini. Ogbonna, who Juventus signed from Torino this summer for €13 million, has played in one game so far this season, coming on for Barzagli in the second half of Juve's 4-1 win at the Juventus Stadium two weekends ago.