Uruguay counting on Suarez's presence at Copa America

Montevideo, May 24 (IANS) Uruguay's football team are hopeful that Luis Suarez will be present during the 2016 Centennial Copa America after suffering a muscular injury which will leave him out of action for three weeks, the team's medic, Alberto Pan, has said.

"He will need approximately three weeks to recover," said Pan on Monday regarding the Spanish league's highest goalscorer in view of the upcoming continental tournament which will take place from June 3 to 26 in the United States, reports Xinhua.

The doctor said "Luis' tremendous desire to participate" as well as "his support from medics in Barcelona so that if he decides to play in Copa America, he will have all the support (he needs) and we can plan a strategy for his rehabilitation."

"The coaching staff considered this amount of time (three weeks) to be acceptable and they considered the possibility of counting on Luis" and offering him all he needs "such as therapeutic strategy so as to have him in the Copa (America)," said Pan.

Suarez will travel directly to the United States from Spain because "it is more convenient that he undergoes the first phase of his recovery in the club (Barcelona)," he added.

"Travelling increases bleeding and pains and will slow down his progress," said Pan.

Uruguay's first match in the competition will be on June 5 against Mexico in Phoenix. Both teams are in Group C along with Venezuela and Jamaica.

Barcelona confirmed in a press release that Suarez was injured "in the semimembranosus muscle of his right leg" during the Copa del Rey final against Sevilla on Sunday.

--IANS

sam/vm