Lakis to miss out for AEK

AEK Athens FC's preparations for the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round have suffered a blow after Vassilios Lakis was forced to undergo surgery on his collarbone.

Seven weeks out
The Greek international will miss the two-legged tie against Grasshopper-Club of Switzerland and is expected to be out of action for at least seven weeks. However, AEK coach Dusan Bajevic is confident his team can overcome his absence. "Last year, we used almost all the players in our squad," he said. "Most of them, even coming off the bench, have proved their worth. We can count on them."