Rabat — Ilias Akhomach had a dream start in his most recent match with Villareal against Deportivo Alaves. The Atlas Lion found the net in the 38th minute, slotting the ball into the far corner for his first La Liga goal. Villarreal fans erupted, but the celebration was short-lived.
Just five minutes later, Akhomach was down, clutching his knee. He was taken off on a stretcher, covering his face and clearly in pain.
After medical tests, Villareal confirmed the worst. “The striker has suffered a complete rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and a sprain of the internal lateral ligament in his right knee. The club will soon release information about the surgery the player will undergo,” they said in a statement.
The Moroccan winger’s exact recovery time is undefined, but football players often need six to eight months to recover and return to the pitch.
This is a big blow for Villarreal and for the Atlas Lions.
Akhomach was set to join the Moroccan national team for crucial Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Gabon and Lesotho.
Morocco’s coach, Walid Regragui, may turn to Zakaria Aboukhlal, who has returned strong from injury for Toulouse, scoring four goals so far this season.
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