Juninho in injury blow

MIDDLESBROUGH have been dealt a massive blow as World Cup winner Juninho misses the start of the new season with a cruciate ligament injury.

The 29-year-old Brazilian damaged his left knee in Saturday’s friendly clash with Italian side Modena in Mantova.

Boro were not putting a timescale on his recovery yesterday, but it could prove to be a matter of months rather than weeks.