Soldado injury gives Villarreal problems ahead of CL qualifier

Spanish football club Villarreal will play their Champions League qualifying tie against Monaco on August 20 with just one fit striker after it was confirmed on Wednesday that Roberto Soldado will be out of action for around six months.

Soldado will need an operation after breaking the cruciate ligament in his right knee in a friendly game against Deportivo la Coruna on Tuesday night after landing badly following an aerial challenge, reports Xinhua.

His absence is an important loss for a side that is looking to become the fifth Spanish outfit in the group stage of the competition. But coach Marcelino Garcia is already without last season' s top scorer, Cedric Bakambu through injury, while recent signing Nicola Sansone is cuptied after having already played in Europe this season with Italian side Sassulio.

Meanwhile Leo Baptistao has moved to Espaanyol, while Adrian Lopez is now with Porto, leaving Marcelino with just Brazilian forward Pato for the key tie.

Elsewhere Atletico Madrid have confirmed that goalkeeper Miguel Angel Moya will have an operation on his right knee later this week in an effort to clear up a longstanding problem and will miss the start of the season on August 20.

--IANS

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