Lazio suffer Siviglia setback

S.S. Lazio have received a setback as they gear up for the new season after veteran defender Sebastiano Siviglia suffered a knee injury that is likely to rule him out of the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round.

Key player
The well-travelled 34-year-old sustained the knock in a 4-0 friendly win against Austrian side SV Thal on Wednesday and returned to Rome to undergo surgery today. The prognosis is not good, however, and the former AS Roma, Parma FC, Hellas-Verona FC and Atalanta BC centre-back is likely to miss the first leg of next month's UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie. Siviglia will be sorely missed having established himself in the Lazio starting XI last term, making 32 league appearances as the team finished third.