Keane faces Champions League fitness race
Manchester United captain Roy Keane is unlikely to play in next month’s Champions League qualifying round, manager Sir Alex Ferguson has claimed.
Keane has been out of action for the past fortnight after picking up a hamstring injury early in pre-season training.
Ferguson last week expressed a hope that he and fellow injury victim Wes Brown would be available for the tour of the Far East, but with both set to stay behind when the squad departs for China on Thursday, the Cork man faces a race against time for the beginning of United’s competitive campaign against as yet unspecified opposition on August 9th or 10th next.
“I dearly want them on the trip as I need all my players playing as many warm-up matches as possible before the Champions League,” said Fergie. “If they don’t play in the Far East it will be hard for them to make the Champions League."
There remains a possibility that the 33-year-old will be summoned for the final two games of United’s tour in China and Japan, but that depends on the injury responding to intensive treatment over the next seven days.
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I hope he's ok for Ireland/France game. He would be a major loss :(
