Argentine Fernando Gago may miss World Cup with knee injury

Buenos Aires: Argentina midfielder Fernando Gago could miss the World Cup after his club Boca Juniors said on Monday that he would need up to 60 days to recover from a knee injury.

A scan revealed ligament damage after Gago suffered a hard knock during Boca's 0-0 draw at Colon in Santa Fe in an Argentine first division match on Sunday.

"The midfielder suffered a grade two sprain in his left knee, with partial lesion of the collateral medial ligament," Boca said on their official website (www.bocajuniors.com.ar).

Club doctors recommended the knee be immobilised for a fortnight and that Gago, who will miss the rest of the Argentine season which ends in mid-May, should then begin rehabilitation.

Argentina play Bosnia-Herzegovina in Rio de Janeiro in their opening Group F match on June 15. They also face Iran and Nigeria in the group.