Shakhtar Donetsk winger Gleiker Mendoza will leave the Venezuela national team camp ahead of schedule. According to information obtained by Sport RBC.UA from an official statement by the national team, the Venezuelan medical staff determined that the player is not ready to participate in the November matches. The coaching staff made this decision following an examination of the player.
As specified by the press service of the Venezuela national team, the injury was sustained during a training session as a result of an accidental on-field collision. Details of the incident and the medical conclusions were published in the national team's official statement.
Medical Verdict: Ankle and Calf Muscle
Based on the examination results, Mendoza revealed problems with his left ankle and calf muscle. It was precisely on the basis of these findings that the medical and coaching staffs decided to release the player from the national team squad. Thus, the Pitmen winger will not be included in the roster for the upcoming friendly matches of the national team.
Match Against the Basque Country and Sparring with Russia
Due to the injury, Mendoza is guaranteed to miss Venezuela's friendly match against the Basque Country team, scheduled for November 14. Another November fixture also deserves special attention: on November 17, the Venezuelans will hold a sparring match against the Russian national team. However, the Shakhtar footballer's participation in this encounter was ruled out even before the injury occurred—it was previously reported that the management of the Donetsk club refused to release its player for the match against the Russian national team.
Shakhtar Statistics This Season
In the current season, Gleiker Mendoza has played 12 matches in all tournaments for Shakhtar Donetsk, scoring three goals and providing one assist. Thus, the injury sustained while with the national team interrupts his playing rhythm at the club in the middle of the season.
Context: Personnel Losses in the November Reporting Cycle
The situation with Mendoza fits into the general context of the November reporting cycle, during which a number of national teams faced personnel losses. In particular, it was previously learned that the Ukraine national team suffered new losses ahead of the meeting with Northern Ireland. For Venezuela, the absence of the Shakhtar winger means losing one of their attacking players in friendly matches.
