Artem Stepanov, the young striker called up to the Ukraine national team by Andrea Maldera, will be sidelined for a longer period than initially expected. This was confirmed by his club Utrecht in an official statement.
Stepanov started in the lineup against Feyenoord but had to leave the pitch in the 31st minute due to an ankle injury. He was unable to continue playing. After further examination, it became clear that the 19-year-old Ukrainian’s injury was far more serious than Utrecht’s medical staff had first assumed. He will undergo comprehensive medical tests over the coming week, after which both the club and the player will have a clearer idea of his expected recovery timeline.
This injury interrupts what had been a very promising season for Stepanov. Since joining Utrecht, he immediately found the net, scoring 5 goals in 7 matches—ranking him fourth in the Eredivisie goal-scoring charts—and caught the attention of the national team coaches. Unfortunately, his debut for Ukraine will now have to be postponed…
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