Cape Town - Hector Moreno has been ruled out for up to six months after
suffering a broken tibia during Mexico’s World Cup last-16 defeat to the
Netherlands.
The Espanyol defender suffered the injury following a collision with Arjen Robben during the Mexican's 2-1 loss at Estadio Castelao on Sunday.
The news comes as a massive blow to the La Liga side, who will now be without their first-choice centre-back until December, ruling him out of five months worth of league action.
A statement on the club's website read: "Espanyol's medical team and Hector Moreno decided that the best option to begin his recovery from a fractured tibia is to undergo surgery.
"The defender will be operated on in Mexico, Tuesday afternoon local time, having been injured in the World Cup match which saw Mexico eliminated at the hands of Holland.
"Moreno will then begin his initial recovery in his homeland, which includes the post-operative and early rehabilitation stages.
"Later, he will return to Barcelona to fully complete the recovery process, which has been set between four and six months depending on how the treatment goes."
The Espanyol defender suffered the injury following a collision with Arjen Robben during the Mexican's 2-1 loss at Estadio Castelao on Sunday.
The news comes as a massive blow to the La Liga side, who will now be without their first-choice centre-back until December, ruling him out of five months worth of league action.
A statement on the club's website read: "Espanyol's medical team and Hector Moreno decided that the best option to begin his recovery from a fractured tibia is to undergo surgery.
"The defender will be operated on in Mexico, Tuesday afternoon local time, having been injured in the World Cup match which saw Mexico eliminated at the hands of Holland.
"Moreno will then begin his initial recovery in his homeland, which includes the post-operative and early rehabilitation stages.
"Later, he will return to Barcelona to fully complete the recovery process, which has been set between four and six months depending on how the treatment goes."