Alarm in the National Team due to Alan Varela’s injury: he was taken off on a stretcher in Porto’s defeat against Arsenal in the Champions League

Alan Varela suffered a double upset this Tuesday at the Emirates Stadium in London. Due to injury he was unable to complete the match against Arsenal and his team, Porto from Portugal, was eliminated on penalties in the round of 16 of the Champions League.

After the 1-0 victory achieved in the first leg at home, thanks to Wenderson Galeno’s goal, the Dragones could not win as a visitor and after losing by the same difference due to Leandro Trossard’s goal, they said goodbye to the contest on penalties. . Alan Varela played a great game, but suffered an injury and had to leave the field at 94′. The former Boca Juniors midfielder was taken off on a stretcher with clear signs of pain and set off alarms in the Argentine Under 23 team.

Javier Mascherano, coach of the Albiceleste team, had included Alan Varela in the call for the two friendlies that the team will play in ten days against Mexico, which they will visit in Mazatlán (Friday, March 22) and Puebla (Monday, March 25) ). The next few hours will be decisive to know the severity of the injury and if the Little Boss will call another footballer to replace him.

The duel will be part of the FIFA date in March and will serve the Argentine team as part of its preparation for the Paris 2024 men’s soccer tournament, in which the albiceleste will seek to win its third Olympic gold medal in the competition. Argentina obtained its ticket to the Paris event in the South American Olympic Qualifiers last February along with Paraguay.

Alan Varela’s game against Arsenal was remarkable. Just as in the first leg, where he ended up being the figure, the 22-year-old footballer became master and lord in the midfield with surgical cuts. Together with his team, he withstood the attacks at the beginning of the match, but as the match progressed he added to his determination and sacrifice, moments of good football. He even had a fight with Declan Rice to defend a teammate.

The attempts to hurt the counterattack had no effect for Porto, who after losing by the minimum, did not become strong with the shots from the penalty spot either. With the presence of Alan Varela on the substitute bench, from where he continued to pay attention to the definition, Porto suffered a tough elimination.

The figure was Arsenal’s Spanish goalkeeper, David Raya Martin, who grew big under the three posts and contained the shots from Wendell and Galeno. Pepe and Grujic’s goals were of no use because the Gunners converted all their shots (Odegaard, Havertz, Saka and Rice) and celebrated qualifying for the quarterfinals after 14 years.