clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Gonzalo Higuain out of Argentina friendly against Germany with hamstring injury

Napoli's leading striker picked up a minor hamstring injury while training for the friendly between Argentina and Germany and has been sent home.

Giuseppe Bellini

International breaks are the worst, especially international breaks that feature completely meaningless friendly matches. Why? Because no good comes of friendly matches. Only injuries and heartbreak.

Case in point: Argentina is preparing to face off against Germany today. Only they'll be playing that match without one of their leading strikers, because Gonzalo Higuain is on his way back to Italy. No, he's not leaving the Albiceleste because he really wants to go hug Rafa or something, he's heading back because he's injured.

Yippee.

Thankfully, the injury is believed to be relatively minor. Higuain pulled up in training this morning with a hamstring strain and while that obviously prevents him from playing today, the extra recovery time afforded him by the international break means that he should be plenty fit and ready to take on Chievo in a week and a half. Napoli's medical staff are going to give Higuain a full workup once he returns to the club's facilities in the morning, but this shouldn't be something that will set back either the player or the club.

Consider this something of a bullet dodged. It could have been a lot worse, and has been in the past, for Napoli and other teams.