Dani's World Cup hopes dashed
Wednesday, January 23, 2002
Article summary
FC Barcelona striker Dani García will be out for four months with a fractured right fibula.
Article body
FC Barcelona have confirmed that striker Dani García fractured his right fibula and tore ankle ligaments during training on Wednesday and will be out of action for around four months.
Undergoing surgery
The Primera División club said the player was undergoing surgery at a local clinic after suffering the injury in a challenge with team-mate Gerard López in an evening training session.
World Cup hopes dashed
The injury effectively ends the player's hopes of making a case for inclusion in the Spain squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. Dani, 27, has played five times for the full international side, scoring once, although has not been included in José Antonio Camacho's squad since the World Cup qualifier against Bosnia-Herzegovina in September 2000.
Struggled for a place
A €16m signing in July 1999, Dani has struggled to secure a regular slot in the Catalan side's starting lineup, making just one appearance in this season's UEFA Champions League. He began his career with Catalan club CF Damm before moving to Real Madrid CF. He made only a handful of appearances in the capital before he was on the move again, this time to Real Zaragoza, for whom he scored regularly. Dani's career really took off at RCD Mallorca, though, prompting a move to the Camp Nou.
