Assunção laments 'unlucky' injury

AS Roma midfield player Marcos Assunção is likely to miss the next two rounds of UEFA Champions League matches after being ruled out for a month with a knee injury sustained in Sunday's 2-0 victory over Piacenza FC.

'Knee puffed up'
Reports in Italy suggest Assunção will have an operation on Monday which will rule him out of Brazil's friendly against Saudi Arabia next month. "I'm very upset, I was unlucky," said Assunção. "I was extremely happy having scored, but I had to be substituted soon after. I don't know what happened, my knee puffed up all of a sudden. I felt pain and I knew I couldn't stay on the pitch. On 6 February Brazil have a friendly match and I felt I could be part of the team."

Fine free-kick
Assunção opened the scoring with a fine free-kick in the 14th minute, but was withdrawn three minutes later. Argentina striker Gabriel Batistuta doubled Roma's lead as they reclaimed top spot in Serie A from rivals Internazionale FC after the Milan side were suprisingly held to a 1-1 draw by AC Venezia.

Champions League dates
Roma's Champions League campaigns resumes on 20 February with a trip to the Camp Nou to face Group B leaders FC Barcelona. The Spanish giants are in the Italian capital the following for the return match, with Assunção likely to be watching from the sidelines.