Nabil Fekir ruptures knee ligament in friendly vs. Portugal
France midfielder Nabil Fekir looks set for a long stretch of time on the sidelines after suffering a ruptured ligament in his right knee during Friday's friendly against Portugal, the French national team confirmed on Twitter.
Fekir, who left 13 minutes into the match, went down clutching his knee. He was soon replaced by Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann.
Très mauvaise nouvelle : rupture du ligament croisé du genou droit pour Nabil Fekir #PORFRA
— Equipe de France (@equipedefrance) September 4, 2015
It was Fekir's first start for France.
The 22-year-old has exploded on to the scene with Lyon. He scored 13 goals in Ligue 1 last season, along with nine assists. A hat trick against Caen last weekend only confirmed his rise in European football.
But the setback will keep Fekir out for at least a few months.
"A big thought to my brother," Lyon teammate Alexandre Lacazette wrote on Twitter. "You'll come back stronger."