LISBON, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Croatian international striker Tomislav Sokota will miss the World Cup finals and be out for at least six months after undergoing Achilles tendon surgery on Wednesday, his club Benfica said on Wednesday.
Club doctor Bernardo Vasconcelos told journalists Sokota had
surgery to his right Achilles on Wednesday morning in
Switzerland.
'It looks like he will be out for more than six months,'
Vasconcelos said.
The Portuguese club signed Sokota from Dinamo Zagreb for an
undisclosed fee in June 2001. But after a promising start to the
season he has been ruled out through injury since September 30
when he was taken off at halftime in a league match against
Alverca.
Croatia are in Group G of this year's World Cup finals along
with Italy, Mexico and Ecuador.
Vasconcelos confirmed the two-hour operation, carried out at a hospital in Basle,
Switzerland, had been a success.
'The operation went as planned, and went well. The recovery
will be slow and it looks like he will be out for more than six
months,' Vasconcelos told the sports daily Record.
Vasconcelos added that the 24-year-old Croat developed
tendonitis shortly after he joined Benfica signed Sokota from
Dinamo Zagreb for an undisclosed fee in June 2001.
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