Mexico national team defenders Nestor Araujo and Carlos Salcedo underwent successful surgeries for injuries suffered in Tuesday's friendly match, the Mexican federation announced Wednesday.
Araujo left the 1-0 defeat to Croatia in the 16th minute after suffering a knee injury while attempting to make a tackle in the penalty area. He was taken to the hospital in Arlington, Texas, where the game took place, but returned to Mexico with the domestic-based players Wednesday.
He was re-evaluated in Mexico City and underwent successful surgery to repair his meniscus injury. His club, Santos Laguna, announced Wednesday that it expected Araujo would be able to return during the Clausura as the first-place Guerreros look to qualify for and find success in the playoffs.
"The integrity of the Anterior Cruciate Ligament was determined to be in tact, resulting in the determination by knee specialist Dr. Arturo Almazan that the player would be available for the club as it continues to seek qualification for the Liga MX Liguilla," the release read.
Salcedo took a hard fall on his shoulder and broke his clavicle in Tuesday's contest.
He traveled to Houston, Texas, Wednesday to undergo evaluation and it was determined he needed surgery to repair his left clavicle because of a distal third fracture. The procedure, needed because it is unlikely to rejoin, was carried out with success as well.
The federation released no timetable for the return of the center backs, with Salcedo likely in a race against time to be able to take part in this summer's World Cup. If healthy, they'd likely form the right half of Mexico's top back four with Salcedo regularly playing right back for El Tri despite playing at center back for his club, Eintracht Frankfurt.
"A huge setback, two injuries that at the moment are very serious with the chance to become worse, so if you ask me, I can digest the result, but the injuries?" Mexico boss Juan Carlos Osorio said after the match. "I’m very concerned and very unhappy.
"I think that when a professional player in any sport has an injury, it’s a setback, never mind two or three months before the World Cup. For these guys the World Cup means so much. I can honestly say that I am deeply sorry for what happened today."
