West Ham’s star summer signing Edson Alvarez is ruled out of Europa League opener against Serbian side TSC Backa Topola.
West Ham are about to embark on their third consecutive season of European football for the first time in the club’s history.
The Hammers were rewarded for their unforgettable Europa Conference League triumph in June with a return to the Europa League.
The Hammers welcome Serbian side TSC Backa Topola to the London Stadium for their opening Group A clash.
And having made the semi-finals of that competition the season before, hopes are high.
El Machin is creating a buzz around West Ham after instantly impressing Hammers fans
Especially with the four excellent signings West Ham made in the summer in the shape of Edson Alvarez, James Ward-Prowse, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Mohammed Kudus.
It says everything about West Ham’s business that both Alvarez and Ward-Prowse have hit the ground running as the club’s Declan Rice replacements.
It is El Machin Alvarez, though, who many West Ham fans already feel is absolutely vital to David Moyes’ new look side.
West Ham’s star summer signing Edson Alvarez is ruled out of Europa League opener against Serbian side TSC Backa Topola
When he went off against Man City with the score at 1-1 many feared the worst.
And those concerns proved well founded because the visitors went and got two goals to turn the game on its head.
Many feel those goals, particularly the second, would not have happened had Alvarez been on the pitch.
Now West Ham’s star summer signing Alvarez is ruled out of Europa League opener against Serbian side TSC Backa Topola.
First start for Kudus as West Ham kick off Europa League campaign?
But it’s nothing to do with the issue which forced him off last time out – which was put down to fatigue.
It’s because the new West Ham hero is suspended after being sent off for Ajax in their Europa League defeat to Union Berlin back in February.
Alvarez was shown a second yellow in the last minute of that match to be given his marching orders and a one-game ban which carries over to this year’s competition.
That’s a shame for Moyes but given the fatigue he suffered against City, perhaps a rest is just what he needs.
Guess who scored Ajax’s goal in that match? Kudus, who else.
Let’s hope West Ham fans get to see the £38m man get his first start and carry on where he left off.
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