Sevilla urge UEFA to intervene if Portugal select injured Andre Silva

Sevilla coach Joaquin Caparros has urged UEFA to intervene if Portugal try to include Andre Silva in their Nations League Finals squad against the Spanish club’s medical recommendation.

Silva, who is on loan from AC Milan, has featured 27 times in LaLiga this season but has not played since April 4, while his most recent start came on March 17.

The 23-year-old’s LaLiga stay began brightly with a hat-trick on his league debut against Rayo Vallecano, but the goals started to dry up in October.

A knee injury has kept him sidelined for almost two months, but Sevilla are reportedly concerned that he could be delaying his return to action in order to keep himself fresh for Portugal’s Nations League Finals campaign in early June.

Caparros believes Europe’s governing body should support the club that pays his wages and intervene if Portugal attempt to name him in their squad.

“Andre Silva won’t be ready [to play against Atletico Madrid on Sunday],” Caparros said in Saturday’s news conference.

“This a matter to discuss, because he had a good start to the season and now he’s gone two months without playing.

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“I imagine that for the good of the Portuguese national team they will not call him to play. It would be bad for him and his recovery.

“How would we – the fans, the board, sports management, and president – react if we saw him playing with his team at the beginning of June?

“I hope Portugal don’t call him and that they respect our reports. He has an issue with his patella that is being treated.

“I don’t think they’ll call him up. If this is the case [Portugal do include him], UEFA should intervene so the medical report of the team that is paying him prevails.

“The only thing that would see the player’s reputation called into question is whether he ends up with his national team at the beginning of June. We are not stupid.”

Although Caparros insisted earlier in the season that Sevilla were almost certain to trigger the reported €35million purchase option they have on Silva, that now looks unlikely given his form, the club’s frustration with his injury problems and the impending arrival of Munas Dabbur from Salzburg.

Portugal face Switzerland in the Nations League semi-final on June 5.