Baturina injury hurts Grasshoppers
Wednesday, October 23, 2002
Article summary
Grasshopper-Club could be missing Mate Baturina for up to three months because of a knee ligament injury.
Article body
Grasshopper-Club's injury problems have worsened with the news that Mate Baturina could be missing for up to three months with a knee ligament injury.
Costly success
Baturina suffered the injury in the 4-0 win over Neuchâtel Xamax FC last weekend that maintained Grasshopper's position at the top of Swiss Nationalliga A. It was a costly success as in the same match Marc Hodel sustained a cartilage problem to add to Grasshopper's long injured list.
UEFA Cup strike
Baturina scored the late goal in Russia that took Grasshoppers past FC Zenit St. Petersburg in the UEFA Cup first round, and earned them a second-round meeting with FC PAOK Thessaloniki.
Internationals injured
With that tie approaching, however, Grasshoppers have several first-team regulars struggling with injuries. Swiss international Ricardo Cabanas and F.Y.R. Macedonia's Aleksandar Mitrevski both suffered knee injuries on international duty last week and will be out for at least a fortnight.
Spycher in training
Pascal Castillo (knee) and Sebastian Rozental (back) are also sidelined, while Christoph Spycher is back in training after a long lay-off but not yet ready for first-team action.
