Brazil’s Luis breaks leg

MADRID: Brazil’s World Cup preparations have suffered a blow with serious injury to Atletico Madrid defender Filipe Luis.

He had been preferred over Juventus’ Alex Sandro in Brazil coach Tite’s squad released Thursday for the upcoming friendlies against France and World Cup hosts Russia.

But hours later he suffered a broken leg in Atletico’s Europa League tie at Lokomotiv Moscow. He underwent surgery in Madrid on Friday and returned home on Saturday. “His absence is estimated at eight weeks,” Atletico said in a press release. That would put his return some time in mid-May, meaning he would not play for Atletico again this season and giving him little time to rediscover his form and fitness ahead of the World Cup which begins on June 14.