Lo Celso suffers thigh injury, Finalissima place in doubt | OneFootball

Giovani Lo Celso has suffered a muscle injury, placing his involvement for Argentina in next month’s Finalissima against Spain in Qatar in serious doubt.

Real Betis said in a statement that the midfielder has a moderate proximal myotendinous injury to the right rectus femoris, sustained in the 22 January game against PAOK. He lasted only five minutes before being substituted, and the club added there is no fixed return date, with his recovery to be dictated by how he progresses.

Estimates in Spain put the recovery at around two months. The fixture falls only months before the start of the 2026 World Cup, and is viewed as a key test for Lionel Scaloni’s cycle.

Lo Celso has been an important part of Scaloni’s process, yet his Argentina career has been repeatedly interrupted by injuries. He missed the 2022 World Cup in Qatar due to a muscle problem, then lifted the 2024 Copa América and was recalled regularly in 2025, albeit without a sustained run.

With his availability uncertain, Scaloni will now weigh midfield alternatives while hoping the Betis player can accelerate his recovery and return to contention for one of the international calendar’s most anticipated dates.

Source: SuperDepor.com