Italy coach Marcello Lippi fractured his ankle in a Serie A match against Empoli at the weekend.

The Roma captain underwent surgery on Sunday evening after going down under a heavy challenge by Empoli defender Richard.

Early estimates put the striker's recovery time between two and three months, leaving him with a race against time to regain fitness in time for the Azzurri's pre-World Cup training camp, which starts on May 22.

"I hope the recovery time proves to be a bit shorter," Lippi was quoted as saying in La Gazzetta dello Sport on Monday.

"We will do everything possible. Totti is a great player, one of the most important in the national team. It would be a shame not to have him with us."

In the meantime, Lippi will have to do without Totti in the pre-World Cup friendly with Germany in Florence on March 1, informs Reuters.



Publication date: 20 February 2006    
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