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Paulo Dybala suffered a freak injury while scoring for Roma in the 2-1 victory over Lecce on Sunday, with Jose Mourinho not expecting him to play again this year.
Dybala, who joined the Giallorossi on a free transfer after leaving Juventus in the summer, scored the winner shortly after half-time from the spot.
He rolled the penalty down the middle but while doing so, Dybala appeared to pull something and immediately started hobbling as he was mobbed by his teammates.
The former Palermo forward was substituted straight away and sat on the bench with an ice pack on his thigh, with tears in his eyes.
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But it wasn't just a precautionary action from the medical staff. After the game, Mourinho expressed serious concern over Dybala's injury.
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"I say [Dybala is] bad, not to say very, very bad," Mourinho told DAZN, as per the Daily Mail.
"Unfortunately, it is more very bad than [just] bad.
"I'm not a doctor and I haven't spoken to one, but from my experience, from what I understood from talking to Paulo, it [will be] difficult."
Dybala has been in fine form in the Italian capital, scoring seven goals in 11 outings in all competitions.
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Mourinho's comments would suggest that Dybala is a major doubt for the World Cup, which kicks off in Qatar next month.
Argentina are one of the favourites for the showpiece after an excellent run under Lionel Scaloni and are in Group C along with Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland.
Dybala faces a real test to be fit in time for La Albiceleste's opening group game against Saudi Arabia on November 22.
Topics: Paulo Dybala, AS Roma, Juventus, Argentina, Football World Cup, Jose Mourinho
Josh Lawless