Brazilian goalkeeper Diego Alves has been ruled out for up to five weeks after injuring himself whist on club duty for Spanish side Valencia at the weekend; the player had been linked with the possibility of making head coach Luiz Felipe Scolari’s World Cup squad for this summer’s tournament.
Alves, 28, injured a thigh muscle and had to be replaced by Victor Ruiz after 20 minutes of his side’s 2-1 win over Villarreal on Sunday evening and the news will come as a blow to a player that had genuine World Cup credentials as back up to Julio Cesar for the hosts.
Diego Alves, who moved to Spain with Almeria from Atletico Mineiro in 2007, joined Valencia four years later and has made seven appearances for Brazil thus far.
