Deportivo will be without Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for an estimated six to eight weeks after the Gabon striker suffered damage to the lateral meniscus in his right knee, dealing Antonio Hidalgo a major selection problem at the start of the campaign.
Aubameyang, Deportivo’s leading scorer with five goals from seven appearances, is due to undergo arthroscopic surgery in Madrid on Thursday 24 September. The procedure will be performed by trauma specialist Manuel Leyes at the Olympia Centre, with the forward expected to leave hospital later the same day before returning to A Coruña to begin rehabilitation.
A knee problem confirmed after Betis draw
The 36-year-old featured as a substitute in Sunday’s 1-1 match against Betis, entering in the 65th minute. He had not been fit enough to start after a virus affected Deportivo’s dressing room, but felt pain in his right knee after the final whistle.
Medical examinations subsequently identified the meniscus injury and confirmed that surgery was required. Deportivo said Aubameyang’s return to full training would depend on how his recovery develops.
The club’s initial expectation is that a minimally invasive arthroscopy will shorten the lay-off compared with a conventional knee operation. Leyes also operated on David Mella’s knee earlier this year, although Mella’s more traditional procedure kept him out for more than four months.
Hidalgo must reshape his attack
Deportivo hope Aubameyang can return in time for their December fixtures, but Hidalgo must now plan without one of the central figures in his side’s early-season form. Casadó, another of the club’s high-profile arrivals, is also currently injured.
Zakaria is now Deportivo’s only recognised centre-forward, while Nsongo Bil, who had started six of the seven league matches alongside Aubameyang, will need a different attacking partner if the coach keeps his current shape.
Hidalgo could instead alter the system and use a lone striker, as Deportivo seek to absorb the loss of their most reliable goalscorer during a demanding stretch of the season.
