Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago withdraws from Spain squad

By foxsports
Published

Thiago Alcantara has withdrawn from the Spain squad for Tuesday's friendly against Belgium after injuring his right knee in Friday's game against England.

The Bayern Munich midfielder was forced off midway through the first half of the 2-0 friendly victory in Alicante and a scan showed swelling on the medial collateral ligament.

A statement on the European champions' website read: "Given the player's surgical history and to maximize preventative measures he has left the squad to be treated by Bayern Munich medical staff."

The 24-year-old's career has been disrupted by a series of knee and ankle problems since moving to Bayern from Barcelona in 2013.

He has played 34 league games in three season for the German champions largely due to injury and missed last year's World Cup finals in Brazil after needing surgery to repair ligament damage in his right knee.

The Spanish handed Roy Hodgson's side their first defeat since the last World Cup after second-half goals from Mario Gaspar and Arsenal's Santi Cazorla.