Immobile set to miss rest of 2022 with thigh injury

Ciro Immobile is unlikely to return action for Lazio until next year after the Serie A club confirmed on Wednesday that the Italy striker has suffered a thigh injury.

Immobile left the field on the half-hour mark of Sunday's goalless draw with Udinese and Lazio said in a statement that the 32-year-old had picked up a "mid-degree injury to the femoral bicep of his left leg".

Lazio, who sit fifth in the Italian top flight, did not say for how long Immobile would be sidelined in their statement.

But Italian media report that he will almost certainly miss Lazio's remaining fixtures of 2022, including Sunday's clash with fellow high-flyers Atalanta.

He will also be unavailable for Lazio's final two Europa League group matches with Feyenoord and Midtjylland, as well as their derby with Roma.

Serie A stops in mid-November for the World Cup in Qatar and doesn't return until early January.