Pepe to be sidelined for long spell

 ROME, Dec. 7 (Xinhua) -- Juventus club announced on Friday that their utility player Simone Pepe will be "out of action for a long time" after suffering a second tear to his left thigh¹ muscle.

Juve said in a statement, that Pepe, 29, who had returned to make a 20-minute against Lazio last month following months on the sideline with the first injury, had suffered a setback².

"Pepe will have to be out of action for a long time yet. Over the last few days, the player suffered a new muscular³ problem at the semi-membrane level of the left thigh," the statement read.

"It is a I-II degree lesion in the area of the previous lesion, which had healed. To avoid further setbacks, he will have a period of complete rest and treatment, so will only return when his condition is completely healed," said the statement.

The injury will be a blow to Juve coach Antonio Conte, because Pepe had been set to deputise for Kwadwo Asamoah when the Ghanaian heads to the African Nations Cup next month.

1 thigh   

n.大腿；股骨

参考例句：

• He is suffering from a strained thigh muscle.他的大腿肌肉拉伤了，疼得很。
• The thigh bone is connected to the hip bone.股骨连着髋骨。

2 setback   

n.退步，挫折，挫败

参考例句：

• Since that time there has never been any setback in his career.从那时起他在事业上一直没有遇到周折。
• She views every minor setback as a disaster.她把每个较小的挫折都看成重大灾难。

3 muscular   

adj.肌肉发达的，强壮的，（有关）肌（肉）的

参考例句：

• He is a muscular young man.他是个健壮的年轻人。
• The player is tall and muscular.那名运动员身高力大。