Korea calls Park Ji-sung despite his knee injury

By Oh Kyu-wook



Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-sung was ruled out of Tuesday`s clash against CSKA Moscow in the Champion League Group B tie.



The United manager Alex Ferguson said Park has been put on a two-week fitness program due to fluid on his right knee where he had an operation two years ago.



The 28-year-old reportedly picked up the problem on the plane to Manchester from Seoul last month after playing a national team friendly game with Senegal.



"He had no problem with the game but traveling back has given him a swollen knee which we don`t quite understand so there are some issues with that," Ferguson said.



He added, "We are having a little issue with him at the moment. His fitness has been poor since he came back from Korea."



Reports speculate that with a crucial Premier League clash with Chelsea on Sunday, Ferguson will not want to take any risk as United requires just one more win to qualify for the Group stage.



Meanwhile, Korean national team manager Hur Jung-Moo has called up Park for a European trip which is scheduled on next week. The national team play Denmark on Nov. 14 and face Serbia four days later in a preparation of the 2010 World Cup.



Hur said "I haven`t consulted with Ferguson, but I had a good talk with Park. What is important is him not the manager, and he wanted to play."



"It would be very difficult to manage the team if we considered every single word from a club manager."



On Monday, Hur announced a 25-man roster to play the European friendly games. Eleven players, including Park, who played against Senegal, were named. Lee Dong-guk, the K-league top scorer, and former Premier Leaguer Kim Doo-hyun were also named.



Park is in his fifth season in Manchester United since his move from PSV Eindhoven in 2005.

So far this season he has only made two starts for the United with no goal or assists. (kyuwook.oh@gmail.com)