Serero is ruled out of Barca clash

21 October 2014 - 02:01 By Nick Said
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Thulani Serero says his coach likes to develop younger players and hopes he stays.
Thulani Serero says his coach likes to develop younger players and hopes he stays.

There is bitter disappointment for Bafana Bafana attacking midfielder Thulani Serero as he misses out on what would have been one of the great occasions of his career.

The Ajax Amsterdam star has been ruled out of his side's Uefa Champions League clash against Barcelona at the Camp Nou tonight with a hamstring injury picked up in the league draw at FC Twente at the weekend.

Serero scored against Barça in Amsterdam last season, and featured in the return fixture that ended 4-0 in the Catalans' favour.

He would no doubt have relished the opportunity to play against Lionel Messi, Neymar and company, especially if used in the deep-lying number six position, where he would have been confronted with the pair head-on.

Serero has started both of Ajax's two matches in the Champions League this season, a credible 1-1 draw with Paris St Germain and the same scoreline away at Cypriot side APOEL last time out.

Serero is the only South African in the Champions League, but Steven Pienaar will be hoping to feature for Everton in their Europa League tie away at French side Lille on Thursday night.

Also, Bongani Khumalo's Tottenham Hotspur side play Asteras Tripoli from Greece on Thursday.

TV Highlights

Today

Baseball: World Series, game 1, Kansas City Royals vs San Francisco Giants at 2am (tomorrow) on SS2

Soccer: PSL, Black Aces vs Orlando Pirates at 7.30pm on SS4; European Champions League, CSKA Moscow vs Man City at 6pm on SS3, Chelsea vs Maribor at 8.45pm on SS3, Roma vs Bayern Munich at 8.45pm on SS5, Barcelona vs Ajax at 8.45pm on SS6, APOEL vs Paris St Germain at 8.45pm on SS7, FC Porto vs Athletic Bilbao at 8.45pm on SSMax

Tennis: ATP Valencia Open at noon on SS6; ATP Swiss Indoors from Basel at 4pm on SS5, 8pm on SS8

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