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As he's done all season long, Paulo Dybala (and Chris Smalling) inspired Roma to victory; an incredibly slim one, but a victory all the same. However, those three points may have come at a steep cost. After converting a decisive 48th-minute penalty, Dybala immediately clutched at his left leg as he began to celebrate his match-winning strike, leaving the pitch for Nemanja Matic shortly after that.
In the wake of yesterday's 2-1 win over Lecce, José Mourinho painted an ugly picture for Roma fans, suggesting that Dybala could be on the shelf for the remainder of 2022. "I say bad, but I think very, very bad. I am not a doctor, but in my experience, and speaking to Paulo, it's unlikely we'll see him this year."
Losing Dybala for any amount of time, let alone over two months, could spell doom for Roma, whose top-four chances already seem to be hanging on by a thread. While Mourinho's dour assessment was based on experience, Dybala's medical tests will reveal the true extent of his injury.
While initially scheduled for today, La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that the 28-year-old attacker will undergo an MRI on his left quadriceps tomorrow morning local time. Depending on the results of the scan, Dybala is likely to miss at least 30-45 days, according to reporting from the Gazzetta and Gianluca Di Marzio.
Losing Dybala for nearly a month and a half could halt Roma in her tracks, heaping further pressure on Lorenzo Pellegrini, Nicolo Zaniolo, Tammy Abraham, and Andrea Belotti to produce. Even if it's on the optimistic end, this stretch could also cost Dybala a spot in next month's World Cup.
You'll want to keep an eye on this situation. Stay tuned for further updates.
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