Injured Paulinho out for six weeks

AL ARABI midfielder Paulinho suffered a foot injury during a pre-season training last week and will be unavailable for the start of new Qatar Stars League season, which starts on September 15.

Arabi take on Al Sailiya in their first match on the opening day.

The club’s medical team confirmed the 30-year-old Brazilian would be out for up to six weeks.

The news is a major blow to new coach Gerardo Pelusso. The 62-year-old Uruguayan, who replaced Gianfranco Zola in June, has previously been in charge of the Paraguayan national team and was most recently with Colombian side Santa Fe.

Under Zola, Arabi had finished eighth in the 14-team league, exactly the same position and with the same number of points, 35, as in the previous season.