Juventus midfielder Pirlo out for three weeks - Sky Italia

(Reuters) - Juventus playmaker Andrea Pirlo will be out for three weeks after suffering a right calf muscle strain, Sky Sports Italia reported on Thursday. The 35-year-old went off injured in the 37th minute of Juve's 2-1 Champions League last 16, first leg victory over Borussia Dortmund in Turin on Tuesday. Pirlo will miss the return against Dortmund on March 18 as Juventus try to qualify for the quarter-finals for the first time since 2006. The Italian international will also be forced to sit out Serie A games against second-placed AS Roma, Sassuolo and Palermo as well as the first leg of the Coppa Italia semi-final against Fiorentina. Juve lead the standings by nine points from Roma. Coach Massimiliano Allegri could recall 21-year-old midfielder Stefano Sturaro in Pirlo's absence. Sturaro played 13 games for Genoa during a loan spell at the start of the season before being recalled by Juventus on the final day of the last transfer window. (Reporting by Jacopo Lo Monaco; Editing by Michael Hann)