Boca Juniors have suffered a double blow to their title hopes with injury forcing Juan Roman Riquelme to join Lucas Viatri on the sidelines.
Both players had to be taken off in the club s 0-0 draw with Belgrano on Sunday, as Boca missed the chance to open up an eight-point lead at the top of the Argentine Primera standings.
Viatri s injury immediately looked the more serious as he failed to reappear after half-time, but there was also concern over Riquelme when he was unable to play out the 90 minutes.
Tests carried out by the club on Monday have confirmed early fears, with Viatri will miss the rest of the season after being forced to undergo cruciate ligament surgery.
To add to the club s woes, Boca team doctor Jose Veiga revealed an Achilles heel complaint will leave Riquelme on the treatment table for at least one game although he could not give a definitive return date.
Riquelme has an inflamed achilles tendon, Veiga said. It is a very complicated injury.
If you have a problem in the calf or quadriceps, you rest the leg and it s fine. Now, if it is the heel that is causing you trouble, you are hurting it all the time, walking, standing, whatever. It is very difficult to treat.
The injury is the same one Riquelme suffered on a recurring basis during 2009, when he played just 26 games.
He is already ruled out of the club s visit to Colon on October 26, and further tests will determine the exact severity of this latest injury setback.
