Suarez expected to make Copa America trip despite injury

Posted May 23, 2016 7:00 am

By TALES AZZONI

Barcelona's Luis Suarez, next to Lionel Messi, reacts as he leaves the pitch during the final of the Copa del Rey soccer match between FC Barcelona and Sevilla FC at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid, Sunday, May 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) The Associated Press

MADRID (AP) - Luis Suarez is expected to travel to the United States to join Uruguay's national team for the Copa America, though he is likely to miss the start of the tournament because of a hamstring injury.

Barcelona said tests on Monday confirmed that Suarez sustained a right-leg muscle injury in the Copa del Rey final against Sevilla on Sunday. The club said the striker will begin his rehabilitation in Barcelona before joining the Uruguayan squad on June 1 in the United States, where "he'll continue with the second phase of his recovery."

The club did not specify how long Suarez will need to be sidelined, but similar injuries usually require about a month of recovery time.

Uruguay opens in the Copa America Centenario against Mexico on June 5. It then plays Venezuela on June 9 and Jamaica on June 13.

Suarez was in tears after being substituted in the 56th minute of Barcelona's 2-0 extra time win over Sevilla at the Vicente Calderon Stadium in Madrid. He later said on Twitter that he hoped the injury was "nothing so I can be with my national team next week."

The striker got hurt while trying to reach for a ball crossed into the area early in the second half. He tried to continue after putting his hand on the back of his leg, but eventually dropped to the ground requesting medical assistance.

Suarez slowly walked off the field and was shown crying on the bench while being comforted by his teammates.

Suarez had been crucial for Barcelona in the final stages of the season. He scored 14 goals in the last five matches entering Sunday's Copa del Rey final. He finished the season with 59 goals in all competitions and was the top scorer in the Spanish league with 40, five more than Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo.

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Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni. His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/tales-azzoni

Barcelona's Luis Suarez, next to Lionel Messi, leaves the pitch during the final of the Copa del Rey soccer match between FC Barcelona and Sevilla FC at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid, Sunday, May 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) The Associated Press

Barcelona's Luis Suarez leaves the pitch during the final of the Copa del Rey soccer match between FC Barcelona and Sevilla FC at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid, Sunday, May 22, 2016. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco) The Associated Press

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