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Franco fit for Bolton clash
Franco Di Santo
FRANCO di Santo been declared fit for Wigan’s do-or-die showdown at Bolton.
The Argentine striker – Wigan’s joint top-scorer this season with four goals – limped off during the latter stages of the 1-1 draw with Everton with a calf problem.
It was the second match in succession Di Santo’s involvement had been curtailed due to injury, after he was almost cut in half at Tottenham by Benoit Assou-Ekotto.
Thankfully, scans have revealed Di Santo’s latest injury is not serious, and he’ll be ready to face the Trotters in what is shaping up to be the most mouth-watering of Lancashire hotpots.
“Franco is recovering well from his injury and he rejoined the group on Tuesday for full training,” boss Roberto Martinez told the Evening Post.
“It was a huge blow when he had to come off, but we are grateful it won’t affect his involvement for the weekend.
“It was a knock to the calf, which started to cramp up in the cold, and then it started to affect his hamstring.
“The back of his entire leg was a little bit tense and, when that’s the case, you are in real danger of sustaining a soft tissue injury.
“Fortunately we managed to get him off the field just in time.”
It’s not been the best few days on the injury front for Di Santo, who was fortunate to escape with cuts and bruises from Assou-Ekotto’s lunge the previous Tuesday.
“Franco is a whole-hearted player with an incredible capacity but, given the manner he plays, he is bound to pick up knocks and subject his body to positions where he’ll get hurt,” Martinez added.
“It was disappointing to see the way he had to come off at Spurs, but in many ways we were fortunate. Against Everton, it was a completely different situation – he picked up a knock when he tried to get a tackle of his own in.
“But he is a very fit boy, only 22, and at that age you can cope with those knocks better than at any other age.”
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 10 C to 23 C
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Comments
There are 3 comments to this article
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Ernie-Witwoo
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 01:52 PMFranco fit for Bolton clash! 6 goals in 89 english club appearances, no sleep due to worry for the Horwich team tonight.
Jack's dad
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 10:36 AMNoblot must be quaking in their boots at the thought of relegation rivals trying to play a lone striker with Di Santo's Premiership pedigree. No doubt there will be 'positives' unrelated to the final result.
BrazilianTic
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 07:50 PMWell thats some good news, another striker who couldnt hit a barn door from point blank range. for santo to be effective RM needs to play 4-4-2 or 3-5-2, franco & hugo could have formed a good partnership but we will never know now. Top goalscorer with 4, oh jeez i wouldnt be shouting about that lol.
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