"How bad is it?" Yves asked Michel, watching as Morientes gritted his teeth on the treatment table. The Spanish striker had gone down during a routine training drill, and his expression immediately indicated something more serious than the usual bumps and bruises that accumulate over a professional season. The medical staff had been working on him for twenty minutes while training continued around them.
Michel's face was grim as he reviewed the preliminary examination results. "Hamstring strain, grade two. The fiber damage is significant."
Yves felt a knot tighten in his stomach. The Coupe de la Ligue final against Marseille was just five days away, and Morientes had been their most reliable goalscorer throughout the domestic cup run. His experience and clinical finishing would be crucial against opponents specializing in disrupting attacking rhythm.
"What's the timeline?" Yves pressed, though he feared he already knew the answer.
