Colombia lost its number 1 star before the big battle with England
James Rodriguez sat out Colombia's final training session before the match against England, signaling the risk that he will not be able to play in the 1/8 round match taking place at 1am on July 4.
Real Madrid star James Rodriguez is having trouble with a thigh injury, preventing him from joining his teammates in the final team assembly at Spartak Arena.
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| James Rodriguez is unable to train due to injury. |
While Colombia's players were actively practicing tactical moves with the ball, outside the pitch, James was only doing light warm-ups with a physical therapist.
Coach Pekerman shared: "We have good news after a thorough examination of James' injury. The MRI results show that the severity is insignificant.
James Rodriguez is still working hard to recover so he can play in the next match. However, whether he will play against England or not will only be decided at the last minute."
These are reassuring statements from the Argentine coach, because with his current condition, it will be difficult for James to play.
In the final group stage match against Senegal, James played only 30 minutes before leaving the field. On the opening day, he was also not named in the official squad due to a thigh problem.
However, the 2014 World Cup top scorer made a big impact in the 3-0 win over Poland, with two assists.
In case James Rodriguez cannot play against England, coach Pekerman will likely use young talent Quintero in the role of attacking midfielder to fill the gap.