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Sao Paulo - Uruguay have said on Wednesday that captain Diego Lugano is out of the key World Cup clash against England with a knee injury, deepening their selection woes after Maxi Pereira was suspended.
Central defender Lugano, released by West Bromwich Albion last month, is out with pain in the left knee, the Uruguayan Football Association (AUF) said.
"Lugano hasn't been feeling very well lately," said Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez.
"He had some pain so we just thought that it was better that he doesn't play, because he feels pain in his knee. We'll have to follow very closely how he improves over the next days."
Lugano, 33, did not take a knock to the knee and scans have also failed to detect the cause of the problem, but he does not appear to need surgery, the AUF said.
His withdrawal is another blow to Uruguay's defence, which has already lost right back Pereira through suspension after he was sent off in the 3-1 loss to Costa Rica.
But Uruguay look set to welcome back Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, who has been out after knee surgery, for Thursday's game where defeat is likely to spell doom for either team.
