Japan midfielder Naoki Yamada is almost certain to miss the start of the season because of an injury to his right leg, it was learned Saturday.
Yamada suffered a broken fibula in Japan's 3-2 win away to Yemen in a qualifier for the 2011 Asian Cup last Wednesday, and his club side Urawa Reds said on their official Web site on Saturday that he would likely need around three months to make a full recovery.
Yamada was the victim of a reckless challenge and had to be substituted midway through the first half of the Group A Asian qualifier in Sana'a.