Former Arsenal midfielder Francis Coquelin is set for a long lay-off after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
Just after the half hour mark during Villarreal’s 1-0 defeat to Barcelona, Coquelin went down after a coming together with Franck Kessie. The Frenchman’s knee twisted awkwardly and he was subsequently stretchered off after 36 minutes.
The worst fears have been confirmed. Coquelin was clearly in significant pain and Sport say that he has an ACL injury. He will undergo surgery shortly and miss the rest of the season, with recovery times varying between 6-10 months depending on the circumstances.
It is a blow to Quique Setien and his side, who are pursuing a European spot, but also have Conference League football to contend with in the near future. Villarreal’s squad looks increasingly thin in central midfield, with Giovani Lo Celso still missing. Only Etienne Capoue, Dani Parejo and Manu Trigueros are currently fit. That said, Alex Baena, Juan Foyth and even Alberto Moreno have all filled in there in the past year or two.
