Pepe, Alves out of Portugal squad for Panama game

By foxsports
Published

Central defenders Pepe and Bruno Alves will miss Portugal's friendly game against Panama this week due to injury, weakening the Portuguese back line.

Portugal team doctor Henrique Jones said Monday that Real Madrid's Pepe has sprained his right ankle and Zenit St. Petersburg's Alves has a left thigh strain.

Midfielder Carlos Custodio also dropped out of Wednesday's friendly with a thigh problem.

Pepe and Alves were replaced by Braga's Nuno Coelho and Porto's Henrique Sereno.

Andre Santos of Deportivo da Coruna took Custodio's place.