Aaron Ramsey sustained the thigh injury at club side Juventus; midfielder will miss Wales' World Cup qualifiers against Belgium and Czech Republic; St Pauli defender James Lawrence will replace Ramsey in squad due to cross-border quarantine restrictions
Sunday 21 March 2021 22:04, UK
Aaron Ramsey has been ruled out of Wales' opening two World Cup qualifiers against Belgium and Czech Republic with a thigh injury.
Ramsey will miss Wednesday's trip to Belgium and the Czech Republic's visit to Cardiff six days later after picking up the injury at his club Juventus.
"Aaron Ramsey is unable to join up with the squad due to injury," the official Wales Twitter account posted.
The 30-year-old former Arsenal midfielder has missed Juventus' last two games and it was reported in Italy that he would not be fit until after the international break.
But Wales named Ramsey in the squad for their opening 2022 World Cup qualifiers on Monday, and caretaker manager Robert Page said the Football Association of Wales wanted to make its own examination of the player.
Ramsey's fitness, or rather the lack of it, has been a huge source of frustration among Wales fans.
He has started only three of Wales' last 20 games and played just once since Wales qualified for the delayed 2020 European Championship in November 2019.
Wales have confirmed that Germany-based St Pauli defender James Lawrence will meet up with Page's squad in Belgium due to cross-border quarantine restrictions.
