• Champions League

Valencia suffers double fracture of the ankle

ESPN staff
September 15, 2010
Antonio Valencia is expected to miss the rest of the season © Getty Images
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Antonio Valencia suffered a double fracture to his left ankle during Manchester United's 0-0 draw with Rangers at Old Trafford.

Valencia required urgent attention during the second half at Old Trafford following a challenge from Kirk Broadfoot. Sky Sports, showing the game live, chose not to show a replay of the incident, and the winger was instantly taken to hospital.

Ecuador's national team doctor, Patricio Maldonado, has been kept informed about Valencia's situation, and he confirmed the injury to Ecuadorian sports website Equavisa.com.

"It is a double fracture to the tibia and fibula in his left ankle," Maldonado was quoted as saying. "He will be operated on."

Ecuador have made an initial prediction of a five-to-six month period of recovery, and Sir Alex Ferguson admitted after Tuesday's match that he does not expect to see the winger in action again this season.

"It is a dislocation or a fracture and he gets operated on tomorrow morning [Wednesday],'' Ferguson said. "It was an innocuous challenge but when you saw the Rangers player waving, you knew it was a bad one.

"It is a bad blow for the boy. It is similar to the injury Alan Smith got and you are talking about the rest of the season."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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