MADRID, Spain -- Real Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa will b

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MADRID, Spain -- Real Madrid defender Alvaro Arbeloa will be sidelined for nearly two months by a knee injury, putting the Spain internationals participation at the World Cup in jeopardy. . Arbeloa said his right knee is worse than he thought "but if everything goes well, Ill be out from six-to-eight weeks." The 31-year-old right back has been a regular for Spain since it won the 2008 European Championship, but was left out of coach Vicente del Bosques last squad list. Nevertheless, the former Liverpool player hopes to return by May. "Hopefully I make it back in time to play in the Champions League final if Madrid make it and the World Cup if Im picked," Arbeloa said. Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Friday that Dani Carvajal will take over for Arbeloa, who has one goal from 28 appearances for the Spanish leaders. "Arbeloas absence is a big loss for us," Ancelotti said. "Weve worked with Nacho (Fernandez) at the position in case Carvajal gets injured. Nacho is a quality player who can play that role, as can Sergio Ramos as a last option." Madrid leads Atletico Madrid by three points, and is four points ahead of Barcelona. Unlike former coach Jose Mourinho, Ancelotti is showing an ability to keep Madrids array of talented players and egos content despite having to relegate many to the bench. Spain midfielder Francisco "Isco" Alarcon and Spain under-21 talents Jese Rodriguez and Asier Illarramendi have been reduced to substitute minutes with Madrids attack of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale in great form. "All of the players are ready to play," said Ancelotti, who even compared Isco to former AC Milan player Clarence Seedorf. "I talk to them all and tell them they might just play one minute but it could be the most important minute of the season." The Italian coach also dismissed reports that forward Angel Di Maria preferred to sit out against Malaga rather than risk a booking and subsequent ban that would see the Argentine miss next weeks showdown with Barcelona. "Id be surprised if Di Maria didnt want to play against Malaga. Im not going to choose my teams worrying about bookings or things like that," Ancelotti said. "If Di Maria is shown a card then someone else will fill in for him against Barca, its not a problem." . -- Claudio Bieler hadnt scored since early September, and not from the run of play since mid-July. . Gustafsson controlled the first round after getting top position on a throw, and came out much more forcefully in the second, buckling Manuwa with a Muay Thai knee, and finishing him off with strikes on the ground. . -- C.J. Wilson parked his car and laughed while signing autographs for faceless fans who handed bats, balls and cards to the pitcher from the other side of a brick wall.TORONTO - Players on the U.S. mens soccer team have thrown their support behind the women fighting against artificial turf at the 2015 Womens World Cup.The U.S. National Soccer Team Players Association issued a statement Monday saying its members fully support the womens national team players from around the world in their efforts to play on natural grass at the 2015 Womens World Cup.We know firsthand the importance of playing the World Cup on natural grass and the ways playing on artificial turf changes the games fundamentals. the statement said. We have all played on artificial turf and we know there are circumstances where it is appropriate or conditions require its use, but the World Cup is not one of those circumstances.To play the Womens World Cup on artificial turf would be a serious mistake.The association represents the U.S. mens national team players on compensation, working conditions and other matters. It also is the membership organization for alumni members of the U.S. mens team.It has no link to the American womens team.A group of elite female players from around the world has launched a legal challenge to the use of turf with the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, arguing that it discriminates against women because the men do not play their showcase tournament on artificial surfaces.U.S. star Abby Wambach is one of several American women behind the challenge.FIFA and the Canadian Soccer Association have dismissed the claim, saying the laws of the game allow playing on turf as long as it is of a certain quality.Its not as much about the legal challenge. Its about the importance of the World Cup and the Womens World Cup is a World Cup, Mark Levinstein, acting executive director and general counsel of the U.S. National Soccer Team Players Association, said in an interview. And we think its important that whoevers playing in a World Cup, that the World Cup is treated with a certain amount of respect.That the U.S. men support playing on natural grass is not a surprise. But by doing so formally, they have injected themselves into the debate.There is much for the men at stake in this debate too, with FIFA secretary-general Jerome Valcke ssaying recently that a mens World Cup could be held on artificial surfaces sooner rather than later. . The statement from the U.S. mens team players gives the women another weapon in their arsenal, not to mention another headline. Both sides have taken turns firing salvos in the war of words, with FIFA using its website to strategically release information on its side of the argument.The association representing the U.S. mens team players also weighed in on allegations that FIFA and national associations have pressured women not to join the legal challenge.We support the right of the women players to stand up for what they believe, said the association. No player should ever be threatened with exclusion from their national team, damage to their career, or adverse consequences to their national team or the sport in their country (such as exclusion from the World Cup or damaging their countrys chances of hosting a World Cup) for exercising their legal rights, especially when they are trying to protect the sport, the fans, and their fellow players.The message is simple and unequivocal: the World Cup should not be played on artificial turf and the organizers and the players should work together to schedule the games on grass for the benefit of the sport, the players, and the fans who will be attending and watching this and future Womens World Cups.There seems no immediate solution, with the Canadian Soccer Association rejecting an offer of early mediation from the Human Rights Tribunal of Canada.The CSAs position is because the players claim has no validity, there is need to negotiate. And with the tournament starting in June, time is trickling away although the women say a solution — temporary grass surfaces or use of venues with real grass — could happen on relatively short notice.The Human Rights Tribunal rejected the players bid for an expedited hearing, offering up the early mediation instead and has several other matters on the issue to resolve before a full hearing can take place.The Canadian tournament runs June 6 to July 5 in Moncton, Ottawa, Montreal, Winnipeg, Edmonton and Vancouver.Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter ' ' '

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