Fabio Vieira has withdrawn from the Portugal squad for medical reasons just a few days before they face Georgia in the opening game of the Under-21 European Championships.
The Arsenal midfielder, who is captain of his country at the under-21 level, received his call-up last week but will now return to London for further assessment. He has been replaced in the squad by Benfica’s Diego Moreira.
The specifics of Vieira’s injury and the recovery period are unknown at this point but we hope it’s not serious.
A statement from the Portuguese FA reads: “The captain presents a medical condition that, after evaluation and follow-up by the FPF’s Health and Performance Unit (USP), it was decided not to make the athlete available for the Under-21 Euro. Since he returned from England, the midfielder has been monitored by USP, having fulfilled the stipulated recovery plan. However, his situation is not having the expected evolution so that he can participate in the competition”
Vieira was named the tournament’s best player when it was last held in 2021 and had been hoping to bank playing time after a frustrating second half of his debut season in England.
While he featured regularly in the cup competitions, he was restricted to three starts in the Premier League. That he arrived at the club with an injury that meant he missed pre-season was cited as one of the reasons for his struggles.
It would be a blow were the same thing happened this year.
Arsenal’s first team are due to return to training (in drips and drabs) in early July before heading to adidas’ headquarters in Germany. The Gunners then travel to the States for a trio of fixtures before returning to London to face Monaco in the Emirates Cup and Manchester City in the Community Shield.
If you looked for the word fragile in a dictionary, you’ll see Viera face as an illustration
I just looked it up, and it had Harry Kane’s ego there instead. Word on the street is that he’s still petitioning the FA to get credit for that goal against Stoke in 2018.
Top post.
He looks like what Messi would have without the growth hormones they gave him
Ruled out of under 21s by quite clearly being over 21..
More time in the weights room?
He’s what Adama Traore uses for his arm curls.
I hear that Adama Traore heard that other teams might “park the bus” in front of him, so he’s practised for that.
Pick up the bus, move the bus, put down the bus. Pick up the bus…
He’s also heard that he’s supposed to “run through walls” for his team. He started with a picket fence and has worked his way up to two and a half feet of reinforced concrete.
He’s one of the players that really could do with a pre-season with us, so let’s hope it’s nothing much, or he’s just been pulled out.
Would really suck if he missed the pre-season second time in a row, that’s the sort of bad timing that can be the difference between a player finding his flow and confidence and making it at Arsenal or not. I can easily see him clicking into gear if all goes well and becoming a star for us, and I can also see him just as easily becoming the next Denilson. Hope it ends up being the former
This is a real shame.
I think he’s got serious potential. A great range of passing, an eye for goal, a good shot from distance. A talented player.
I think he’s got some way to go, but I hope he makes it here as I think he’s a great fit for our style.
Just like B. Silva in the city squad. Same built same country same favourite foot.. hope he is a great fit in the near future
*dribs and drabs
also thank you for the article sorry this was a low blow
I was going to highlight the same thing. What a pair of twats we are. 😀