Major setback for Wu Lei's Espanyol as defender Lopez injures knee

MADRID, March 5 (Xinhua) -- Espanyol have suffered a major injury setback with the news that one of the most important players at Wu Lei's new club will be out of action for up to eight months after suffering a serious knee injury.

Central defender David Lopez had to limp out of his side's 3-1 win at home to Valladolid after landing awkwardly when trying to make a challenge, and tests have now confirmed he will need an operation after damaging the cruciate ligament in his left knee.

Although the game will go down in history as a result of Wu Lei scoring the first ever goal netted by a Chinese footballer in the Spanish league, Lopez's absence is a major blow to the club's ambitions for this season.

The 29-year-old missed just three games in the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 seasons combined and had made 21 league appearances this season before Saturday's injury.

More worrying for Espanyol is that Lopez's absence coincided with some of the team's worst results, with the club taking just four points from the games that he has missed.

However, his return from a muscle injury at the start of February coincided with a five-game unbeaten run which has lifted them into mid table, 10 points clear of the relegation zone.

Without Lopez's presence in the heart of the Espanyol defense, coach Joan Francesc 'Rubi' has struggled to find a solid defensive partner for the highly rated Mario Hermoso.

Rubi has further problems for Friday's trip to face Athletic Bilbao, who sit one place above Espanyol in the table, as top scorer Borja Iglesias and central midfielder Sergi Darder are both suspended, effectively leaving him without the backbone of his usual starting 11.