The manager of Leicester City, Brendan Rodgers confirmed that his club’s center-back, Wesley Fofana would not be available for the club until 2022.
The 20-year-old French defender suffered a medial ligament injury earlier in the month during a pre-season friendly between Leicester City and Spanish La Liga side, Villarreal.
Wesley Fofana received a very harsh tackle from Villarreal forward Fer Nino during the second half of the friendly game which left Fofana’s left leg badly injured.
The injury was so bad that he was taken off the pitch through a stretcher after spending some minutes on the pitch receiving medical attention.
Then, it was not expected that Wesley Fofana would miss the first part of the 2021-2022 season. Recall that the Frenchman took to his Instagram account a few hours after the injury to share a picture of himself smiling on a hospital bed.
In the caption, he wrote: “Hello guys, many thanks for all your messages. It is a bad day today but I am in a tremendous club with a wonderful medical team. I will give you news as soon as I have a final diagnosis but we already know that I have a fibula fracture. I will come soon and stronger: do not worry”.
Less than two days before Leicester City played the Community Shield final against Manchester City on Saturday, August 7, which ended 1-0 in favor of Leicester, Fofana took to his Instagram page again to write: “Come back mood activate!”
Contrary to his Instagram posts, coach Brendan Rodgers confirmed that Wesley Fofana would undergo surgery and would not return to football until the coming year.
“At what point that will be, we’ll have to assess that in the next six months or so”, the coach said after his team’s Community Shield victory over Manchester City.
“In and around his medial ligament, there was a lot more damage there than we’d hoped. The scan showed up it was quite substantial damage there.
“He’ll have his operation, and then he’ll be back in the training ground on Thursday, Friday next week and begin his rehab then.
“It’s such a shame for us. An incredible talent. But he’s in really, really good spirits.
“It’s such a shame, for the Premier League not to have a talent like that. Certainly, for us, it’s a big blow.”
On Leicester triumph over Manchester City, coach Rodgers said: “Both teams are here on merit and it is at the end of a pre-season when players are still looking for fitness physically but you’ve seen over the last number of years it’s even more so become a prominent trophy,” said Rodgers.
“If you’re here you want to win it and that’s the mindset we tried to bring to the team and the club: that every game is to win. The guys showed great spirit, great quality at times, and eventually got the winning goal.”
