Real Betis star Nabil Fekir has been ruled out for the rest of the season ahead of their Europa League tie with Manchester United.
Fekir, who infamously came close to signing for Liverpool in a failed £53million transfer deal almost five years ago, has suffered a serious anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury for the second time in his career. The French midfielder, 29, is one of Betis' most important players and has performed well for Manuel Pellegrini 's side in Europe ahead of the round-of-16 clash which he'll now miss.
Having first damaged the ACL on his right knee while playing for Lyon in 2015, the World Cup -winning playmaker went down clutching his left during Betis' chaotic 3-2 comeback victory over eight-man Elche last Friday. After playing through the pain to help his side score a 95th-minute winner and keep themselves well in the hunt for a top-four finish in LaLiga, it emerged on Monday that Fekir would be forced to undergo surgery and miss the remainder of what's been a strong campaign for the Seville-based club.
