Maanoja suffers double leg break

Finland goalkeeper Tomi Maanoja is almost certain to miss this summer's UEFA European Under-21 Championship finals after breaking his leg in two places during a friendly for AIK Solna on Saturday.

Upbeat
The 22-year-old sustained the injury in a pre-season game against Assyriska FF and, according to club doctor Karol Zyto, could be sidelined for up to eight months, ruling him out of the tournament in Sweden. Maanoja, who made his debut for the senior side against Japan last month, said: "Of course this is frustrating with the Euro finals coming up. I will know more within a couple of days but I remain confident and trust the season is not over for me. Whether I will be back in time for the Euro finals, though, is another matter, but we will see."

'Mentally strong'
Finland U21 coach Markku Kanerva added: "I feel sorry for Tomi. Injuries are part of football and I know he is mentally very strong. I am certain he will come back even stronger, no matter how long it will take." Kanerva's team open the finals on 15 June when they play England in Halmstad.

Find out more about leg breaks, how they are caused and the time it takes to recover, in the Injuries section on the UEFA Training Ground by clicking here.