Liverpool are starting to become concerned about the injury Darwin Nunez picked up against Real Madrid.
Nunez was substituted just before the hour in Madrid, although there was no apparent cause for concern at the time. However, it some became clear that the 23-year-old had sustained a cut ankle, which has ruled him out of representing Uruguay this month.
As a result of that, the Liverpool Echo report that there is now ‘mild worry’ over Nunez. Good news comes in the shape of Luis Diaz reportedly being prepped for a return to training next week. But fingers will need crossing over his South American colleague.
Darwin in fitness race to face City
On the face of it, a cut ankle shouldn’t be too much to worry about. In the rigours of 5-a-side, I’m sure a lot of us have suffered worse and battled through.
But this is elite level football we’re talking about. Perhaps the cut is inconveniently placed enough to stop Darwin doing doing the ‘outstanding’ job he’s capable of doing.
It must be something relatively serious, otherwise he wouldn’t have withdrawn from the Uruguay squad. Sporting boots with the flag of his country blazoned down the side, Nunez is clearly fiercely proud to play for his country.
Just like Luis Suarez before him, you get the impression that our No.27 would do anything he can to play for the Celeste. So, he wouldn’t have dropped out for nothing.
Having said that, there has been a pattern of niggly annoying injuries for Darwin this campaign. Despite his robust-looking frame and seemingly relentless nature, the forward does seem to frequently pick up these little knocks. Suarez would famously do anything to get out on the pitch, injuries be damned. Nunez doesn’t seem to have quite the same will-power.
Either way, the forward now has 11 days to recover before Liverpool face Manchester City. There sounds like good reason to believe that Diaz will finally be back to play some part in that massive game. Let’s hope he has his partner in crime there with him. Get well soon, Darwin.
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