Roma will be without Edin Dzeko, Francesco Totti and Seydou Keita when the Italians face BATE Borisov in the Champions League on Tuesday after the trio were ruled out through injury on Sunday.
The trio all hobbled off during a 5-1 romp over Serie A newcomers Carpi on Saturday.
Roma confirmed Dzeko has suffered a “grade one tear” in the collateral medial ligament in his right knee, while Totti has suffered a thigh injury that requires further tests “in 10 days time” to determine the length of his absence.
Malian Keita was thought to have suffered a hip flexor injury but was diagnosed with an “injury to his right thigh”. Like Totti, he will undergo further tests in 10 days but could be out for several weeks.
“Edin Dzeko will be sidelined for three to four weeks after suffering injury to his right knee during Roma-Carpi,” said a club statement.
Italian media reports claim Totti will also be out for up to a month. After leaving hospital, the club icon — who scored his 300th Roma goal last week — admitted the injury had put a dampener on his 39th birthday celebrations.
“It could have gone better on my birthday, but that’s football,” Totti told reporters.
“All I’m thinking about now is getting better.”
It means all three players are out of Tuesday’s clash in Belarus, which comes two weeks after Roma battled to a 1-1 draw with defending European champions Barcelona at the Stadio Olimpico.
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Szczesny is sidelined after sustaining a finger injury against FC Barcelona
Roma are already missing their first-choice goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, who suffered a finger injury in the draw against Barcelona.
Second choice ‘keeper Morgan De Sanctis has stepped in, and despite fans’ reservations he saved a penalty, and the rebound, on Saturday as Roma claimed their third win of the campaign to move to within four points of early pace-setters Inter Milan.
Coach Rudi Garcia, who could welcome back right-back Alessandro Florenzi and winger Iago Falque — both of whom sat out Saturday’s fixture — for the trip to Belarus was left counting the cost.
“It was a pyrrhic victory,” said the Frenchman as he weighed the positives of their league win against the negatives of losing three key players.
The only positive to come out of Saturday’s win was a lively performance by Gervinho which suggests the Ivorian striker has found his scoring boots.
Gervinho had not hit a league goal since November 30, 2014 but got back on the scoresheet when he banged home the rebound from a Maicon shot in the first half on Saturday.
Garcia said: “He’s been working really hard in training. All he wants is to do well for Roma.”
Although BATE have never beaten Italian opposition, they are bidding for a fourth consecutive home victory in the competition having accounted for Dundalk, Videoton and Partizan Belgrade in the qualifying rounds and play-offs.
Previous matches against Serie A opposition finished in draws – 1-1 with AC Milan in 2011/12, and 2-2 with Juventus in 2008/09.
By AFP