© EuroFootball.com
Spanish champion and UEFA Cup winner star Robert Fabian Ayala has suffered an injury that could keep him out of the game for up to two months.
The 31-year-old defender suffered the injury during the final match of the football tournament at the Athens Olympics on Saturday, where the Argentine national team defeated Paraguay 1-0. After returning to Valencia, tests were carried out on Ayala, revealing that he would need surgery on his right knee. After the operation, the Argentine player will be out of play for six to eight weeks.
This loss severely limits Valencia coach Claudio Ranieri's ability to manipulate the defensive line. Currently, the club has four center-backs: Ayala, 32-year-old Pellegrino, Spanish national team defender Carlos Marchena, and young David Navarro.
Ayala did not participate in Valencia's pre-season matches as he was representing the Argentine national team in the Copa America tournament and later was called up to the Olympic national team, which won the gold medal in Athens.
This caused great dissatisfaction at Valencia, and in order to reduce the tension, the Argentine Football Federation decided not to invite Ayala to play in the World Cup qualifying matches against the Peruvian national team.
Today, Valencia begins to defend their Spanish champion title in the first matches of the Spanish top division league ("La Liga") against the "Villarreal" team.
