Uruguay’s Edinson Cavani joined his squad for a training session at the team’s training ground on Thursday, as he sweats on a calf injury that could keep him out of Friday’s World Cup quarter-final against France.
Cavani scored two brilliant goals against Portugal in Uruguay’s 2-1 last 16 victory on Saturday, before limping off with the assistance of Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo. Now he is fighting for a full recovery so he can again lead the line with Luis Suarez at the Nizhny Novgorod stadium.
France will have to find a way past the tournament’s joint-meanest defenders. The South Americans kept Ronaldo at bay in their 2-1 win, and that goal conceded was the only one against them so far in Russia – a defensive feat only matched by Brazil, who play Belgium later on Friday.
‘Les Bleus’ will be inspired by the two-decade anniversary of their only World Cup win in 1998, while double winners Uruguay’s modern generation are desperate to recreate the black-and-white-era glories of their 1930 and 1950 trophies.
The winners will play Brazil or Belgium, who meet in their quarter-final in Kazan on Friday evening, for a place in the July 15 final.
