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Marchisio blow for Juventus, Italy

Juventus' midfielder Claudio Marchisio is back from injury

Italy and Juventus midfielder Claudio Marchisio is expected to be out for several months after suffering a cruciate knee ligament injury, ruling him out of Saturday's Euro 2016 qualifier away to Bulgaria. Fellow midfielders Alessandro Florenzi and Manuel Pasqual will also take no part in the game after suffering knee and rib injuries respectively. Italy doctor Enrico Castellacci said Marchisio "suffered a right knee injury by himself during a warm-up" during training on Friday morning. "He immediately underwent an MRI (magnetic resonance image) scan which revealed a partially torn anterior cruciate ligament." Marchisio is expected to be out for the rest of the season and although his absence will not be welcomed, defending champions Juventus hold a 14-point lead over closest challengers Roma with 10 games remaining. Pasqual also left Italy's training camp complaining of a rib injury which he suffered in Fiorentina's last league game, a 2-2 draw at Udinese. Roma's Florenzi will travel to Bulgaria but has been excluded from the squad due to worries over a sore right knee. Castellacci said the player could return "in time for Tuesday's friendly against England".