Melbourne Victory don’t know when stricken captain Carl Valeri will return to the pitch for the A-League champions after he was diagnosed with an inflammatory condition affecting part of his brain.
The affliction is a side-effect of a virus contracted last month, and leaves both his career and club in limbo.
Valeri, 31, is in good spirits and has responded well to treatment of his inflammation, but has no idea when he will be able to play again.
And his condition leaves coach Kevin Muscat a man down, not knowing whether he can turn to an injury replacement player given the circumstances.
A day before Victory’s mid-week match with Perth Glory, Muscat said he was focused only on his skipper’s health and recovery.
“He’s in the best possible care and he’ll have further tests,” he said on Tuesday.
“We’re very concerned but we’re optimistic he’ll be fine.”
But Muscat couldn’t guarantee Valeri would play again this season.
The championship-winning coach said he believed Valeri would “because I’m an optimist”.
Club doctor Krishant Naidu said the issues began with a viral upper respiratory tract infection.
“Carl had a progressive loss of balance and coordination and became unable to train,” he said.
“He has had specialist reviews with an ear, nose and throat surgeon and a neurologist with extensive investigations.
“Carl will reintegrate into training in a graduated program as he continues to improve.”
A full understanding of Valeri’s condition, and subsequent treatment program, is unlikely for another fortnight when test results are received.
With three matches in eight days, Victory must push on without their skipper, beginning with the visit to nib Stadium on Wednesday.
Muscat revealed veteran striker Archie Thompson was close to making the trip, three months after suffering a medial ligament injury that has delayed his start to the campaign.
The A-League’s all-time leading goalscorer will instead be left in Melbourne for a possible return in Saturday’s derby.
“Archie wanted to play last week, that’s how close he is,” he said.
Muscat said no other players had put their hands up for a break before their duel with Melbourne City.
He named an 18-man squad, adding young pair Scott Galloway and Jesse Makarounas to last week’s group of 16.
Only 16 travelled west, suggesting two first-teamers could be spared the mid-week match to keep their focus on the derby.
Muscat is in the unfamiliar position of needing to pick his squad up after consecutive losses but he refused to believe his squad was in a hole.
“The results haven’t gone our way but we were good in Western Sydney,” he said.
“On any other day that would have returned us three points.
“We didn’t win so there’s some areas to improve but the performance in general was very good.”
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