Arsenal midfielder Granit Xhaka expressed relief after getting good news about a training ground injury that threatened to scupper his World Cup chances for Switzerland on Thursday.
Xhaka hobbled off the pitch fearing he had damaged ligaments in his knee. But the 25-year-old, who suffered a bone contusion injury that will sideline him for Sunday's friendly against Spain in Villarreal, is expected to return to action quickly.
"I'm very relieved," Xhaka said via a statement issued by the Swiss football federation. Xhaka underwent an MRI scan which ruled out a more serious injury.
IRAN-GREECE BREAK TIES
TEHRAN, Iran: Iran's football federation has suspended all relations with its Greek counterpart after a friendly between the two nations scheduled in Istanbul was abruptly cancelled amid ongoing Greece-Turkey tensions.
A statement on the federation's website, first reported by the official IRNA news agency and other media outlets late on Thursday, said the cancellation has inflicted "serious damage" to the Iranian national team's preparations for the World Cup in Russia.
The statement said Iran will take "legal action" through world soccer governing body FIFA to force Greece to financially compensate the Iranian players and sport over the cancellation.