Benayoun out for months with ruptured Achilles
ESPNsoccernet - October 6, 2010
Premier League leaders Chelsea could be without Yossi Benayoun for a large portion of the season after the Israeli FA revealed he has suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon.
Benayoun, who joined Chelsea in a £5 million deal from Liverpool in the summer, initially suffered a torn calf muscle in the Carling Cup defeat to Newcastle United at Stamford Bridge on September 22.
The midfielder was only expected to be out for three weeks and had linked up with the Israel squad for the upcoming Euro 2012 qualifiers at home to Croatia on Saturday and in Greece next Tuesday.
But the national team's medical staff have discovered a more serious injury to the player's Achilles and it is now feared he will be out for several months.
The Israel captain told his FA's website: "I arrived with hope of helping the national team but unfortunately this is not a simple injury ... an additional test will reveal what needs to be done."
Benayoun will now return to England where Chelsea's medical staff will carry out further tests.
Benayoun, 30, made his Chelsea debut in the 3-1 Community Shield defeat to Manchester United and scored his first goal as the Blues thrashed Wigan 6-0 in the Premier League in August. He has yet to start a league match, making three appearances from the bench, but he was in the first XI for the 4-1 thrashing of MSK Zilina in the Champions League.
"I'm sitting here in the hotel quite sad about this," Benayoun added. "I'm eating myself up from inside when I think about how long I've waited to come to the national team and contribute. Right before the two important games, I suddenly get hurt. Since this is one of my few remaining opportunities to play in the Euro 2012 qualifying campaign, I really wanted to take part in these two games."
Meanwhile, Chlesea midfielder Frank Lampard, who has not played for the club since aggravating a hernia problem in August's 2-0 win against Stoke, is hoping to return from injury against Aston Villa next week.
Lampard underwent surgery last month and resumed training only to suffer a groin strain.
He said in the Evening Standard: "I don't really want to set dates but I'm hoping to return after the international break. I've got a good couple of weeks to work with the physios. Hopefully, I won't be too far away."