Iran forward Sardar Azmoun could be set to miss the World Cup with a torn calf muscle.
Bayer Leverkusen announced this week that Azmoun would be out between six and eight weeks after he suffered the injury during warm-ups ahead of Leverkusen’s Champions League match against Porto on Tuesday.
Iran faces England on November 21 to kick off its World Cup campaign, seven weeks after Azmoun suffered the injury. Following the England match, Iran will face Wales on November 25 and the U.S. on November 29.
The striker’s fitness will be vital to Iran’s World Cup hopes. The 27-year-old is one of his country’s biggest attacking threats, scoring 41 goals from his 65 international appearances.
Azmoun joined Leverkusen in January from Russian club Zenit St. Petersburg. He has scored one goal in 17 Bundesliga appearances so far.
The forward has also been in the news recently for showing solidarity with protesters in Iran, a move he admitted could see him kicked off the national team.
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