Villarreal confirms Roberto Soldado tore ACL; reportedly out 6 months

Villarreal, renowned for its patience when it comes to youth-team products, will be forced to be patient with one of its older players.

After Roberto Soldado suffered an injury only moments after entering the pitch in Villarreal's preseason friendly against Deportivo La Coruna, the Yellow Submarine announced Wednesday that the Spanish forward tore the anterior cruciate ligament and lateral meniscus in his right knee, meaning he will undergo surgery in the coming days.

While Villarreal didn't publish a timeline for Soldado's recovery, Marca is ruling out the 31-year-old for six months.

Soldado evolved into something of a playmaker during his inaugural season at Villarreal, tallying five goals and 10 assists in La Liga as the Yellow Submarine finished fourth and qualified for the Champions League. The campaign marked a drastic turnaround for the Spaniard, who couldn't score to save his life during his time at Tottenham Hotspur.

Among the first to provide words of support for Soldado upon hearing of the injury was Denis Suarez, who took to Twitter, writing: "It hurts when a friend suffers and today it's touched you Soldado. You're strong, lots of encouragement brother."