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On February 25th, on matchday 24 of the Greek League, Olympiacos faced their classic rival, Panathinaikos. However, Colombian player James Rodriguez did not participate in the match or was included in the substitute list. For the second consecutive time, the player from Cucuta did not join the team in this important match against Panathinaikos, who was five points ahead of James' club in the league table. What was the reason for his absence?
Except for the last match, this player has been actively participating in the games and showing a good performance, which puts him in a good position to be considered for Saturday's match. So far, he has been part of 17 out of the 24 matches that the team has played.
Why couldn't James play against Panathinaikos?
According to several media reports in Greece, it was reported that James did not complete the training session on February 24th with the rest of the team, and they waited until the last minute to see if he could participate. The player also underwent medical tests on Saturday morning, but the medical team ultimately decided not to allow him to play.
Although it was reported that the player could not participate due to a calf injury, the severity of the injury has not been disclosed so far, and it is unknown if his recovery time will be prolonged. This discomfort has been affecting the player since the beginning of this month.
So far, Rodriguez has contributed with 5 goals and 5 assists for his team this season. However, he has been absent in the last two matches, not even being called up. It remains to be seen if he will be able to return for his team's next match in the cup against AEK Athens.
James Rodriguez and the gesture that moved his fans
While the rest of the Olympiacos team rested after the previous Sunday's match, the former player of important teams such as Real Madrid and Bayern Munich decided to use the club's facilities to train. The fans of the red and white team quickly recognized him, and in a Twitter account of a media affiliated with the club, they highlighted the action of the football player.
The "senior" gave the team a day off yesterday to relax before the upcoming derby, but James went to Rentis [club center] and trained! He wants to be fully prepared for this important game. #Red_White #OlympiacosFC #JamesRodriguez pic.twitter.com/tRpusazQkN
— Red & White (@Red_White_7) February 21, 2023
"The coach gave the team a day off yesterday to relax before the upcoming derby, but James went to Rentis [club center] and trained! He wants to be fully prepared for this important game." reads the tweet.
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