Brendan Rodgers has labelled the horrific tackle which ruled Leicester City youngster Will Alves out for the rest of the season "one of the worst" he's ever seen.
17-year-old midfielder Alves suffered a torn ACL during a heated FA Youth Cup clash with Wolves Under-18s on Wednesday and could be sidelined for nine months. Leicester went through as 3-1 winners after extra-time, but the match was marred by a malicious lunge on Alves from Wolves' Caden Voice.
It occurred 24 hours after Alves made his first-team debut for Leicester as a late substitute in their 3-0 EFL Cup victory over MK Dons on Tuesday. After helping the seniors secure a place in the quarter-finals, the Foxes starlet swiftly re-joined his youth team-mates.
Alves, who's of Portuguese descent, was probing the Wolves defence in the second half when centre-back Voice raised his leg - with clearly no intention of winning the ball - and appeared to stamp on his opponent's right knee at a near 90-degree angle.
Chaos ensued on the pitch as Leicester were horrified by the challenge, sparking a mass brawl. Both sets of players went at it before they were eventually separated and the referee showed Voice a straight red card - all while Alves was stretchered off with his season in tatters and Rodgers furious.
"It's a sad one for us," the Foxes manager bemoaned ahead of his side's return to Premier League action against Newcastle on Boxing Day. "We lost one of our young talents, Will Alves, who came on in the MK Dons game. He wanted to play in the Youth Cup game the night after and played in that.
"They went through in the tie, our under-18s, but he was taken out with one of the worst challenges I've seen on a football field. It's such a shame for a young player who's 17, who's really making his way in the game and making his mark in training and the way he's been.
"It's a real disappointing one for us. We wish him a speedy recovery in getting back. It'll be the rest of the season he'll be out for. His rehab will start over these next few weeks and he'll have an operation after that."
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Alves confirmed fears that he'd excruciatingly torn his anterior cruciate ligament as a result of the challenge on Instagram. "A week full of ups and downs, devastated to announce that I have torn my ACL," the highly-rated playmaker wrote. "I will give everything to get back on the pitch to do what I love the most. I'll be back stronger."
He received a wave of support in the comments section, as Leicester first-team ace Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall replied: "Get well soon mate. Support here if you need it."
Alongside a host of fellow Premier League hotshots, Manchester United prodigy Kobbie Mainoo added: "Back stronger my bro."
