Roma Breath Sigh of Relief After Dybala Injures Knee | OneFootball

Paulo Dybala left the first leg of the Europa League playoff versus Porto late in the first half after banging knees with an opponent. La Joya took some tests on Friday, which revealed a simple bruise with some swelling and no structural damage, Adnkronos reported.

The Argentine striker will most likely be spared against Parma over the weekend but has a shot to recover for the second match against the Portuguese side. The first one ended in a nil-nil draw. The 31-year-old has been occasionally managed but has been healthier than usual. He missed his last game in early October. He’s up to 6 goals and 3 assists in 30 matches this campaign.

Coach Claudio Ranieri dished on Dybala in the post-game presser (via SOSFanta).

The Giallorossi will face Parma on the road before the return leg at home. La Joya was already likely to rest at least partially, with either Tommaso Baldanzi or Matias Soulé replacing him in the XI. The gaffer will also need to make a call on Artem Dovbyk, who has been soldiering through knee tendonitis for a few months, although he has rarely sat out altogether. The capital club needs all the points they can get since they are in 9th position in Serie A.

While waiting to know more on Dybala, Roma surely won’t have two men in the second Porto bout. Bryan Cristante was sent off on Thursday, while Alexis Saelemaekers picked up his third yellow card in the Europa League, triggering a one-game ban due to accumulation.