Empoli, season marked by injuries: Kouamé breaks his cruciate ligament

by Simone Cioni EMPOLI A quote from the Italian writer and musician Roberto “Freak“ Antoni says: "luck is blind, but bad luck sees very well". Now they will start thinking that at home too Empoli after yet another serious incident accident of an unfortunate season from this point of view. Yesterday, in fact, the medical report from the club arrived to confirm what many unfortunately feared after seeing the Ivorian striker go out in the 70th minute of last Sunday's match against Cagliari, after falling badly on his right leg following an aerial jump: the instrumental tests he underwent Christian kouamé they have in fact highlighted the lesion of the cruciate ligament anterior of the right knee. Short and long stop operation for the 1997 class who thus closes the season prematurely with 8 appearances and a goal for the Azzurri since his arrival at the end of the winter transfer window at the beginning of February. This is the fourth cruciate ligament injured in the last seven months: the same fate had in fact befallen Saba Sazonov at the beginning of September (the Georgian defender should however return to the field in the last matches of this championship), in November to Nicolas Haas and the following month to Pietro Pellegri. The first two in training, the former Milan and Torino striker and Kouamé in the match. Ironically, the 27 striker who arrived from Fiorentina had been purchased precisely to replace Pellegri.

A huge blow for D'Aversa who at least had a few more choices up front, with Kouamé who, despite a few too many errors in front of goal, was proving to be very useful especially on high balls. Now Esposito and Colombo will have to get back to pulling the cart with greater continuity, given that apart from the return from suspension of a Fazzini who has recovered one hundred percent after the injury, the Italian coach will only be able to count on the young Konate and Campaniello in addition to the more experienced Solbakken, who is still not at his best after the long stop due to a dislocated shoulder.

And there is also concern about the knees of Maleh and Zurkowski, who will both undergo a specialist examination in the next few days. The Moroccan midfielder has been out since the away match in Genoa on March 2nd due to a problem with his collateral ligament, while after returning from ankle surgery last year, the Polish midfielder also had to deal with persistent discomfort in his knee. Both are at risk of surgery, which would end their season here. So now more than ever it will be essential to recover at least Ismajli and Anjorin, starting with the Easter clash at home against Venezia.