Mathis compounds Auxerre anxieties
Monday, November 29, 2004
Article summary
AJ Auxerre's Lionel Mathis will miss Wednesday's UEFA Cup fixture against KS Amica Wronki with a knee injury.
Article body
Ligament damage
The 23-year-old had to leave the pitch in the 73rd minute of Saturday's 2-1 defeat at Olympique Lyonnais. After undergoing scans yesterday, club doctors revealed that Mathis suffered ligament damage and could be out of action for at least six weeks.
Crucial fixtures
It means Mathis will miss Auxerre’s final two matches of the UEFA Cup group stage, at home against KS Amica Wroncki this Wednesday and at Rangers FC on 15 December. The club are fourth in Group F, with just one point from their opening two fixtures. Mathis had appeared in both those games along with 15 of their 16 Ligue 1 matches to date, scoring three goals.
Kalou hope
To make matters worse for Auxerre, Finnish international midfield player Teemu Tainio is still sidelined with a virus and may well not return in time to face Amica. Coach Guy Roux will definitely be without Younes Kaboul (ankle) and Johan Radet (knee), but Ivory Coast striker Bonaventure Kalou is making good progress in his battle with a hamstring injury.
