This archive report was first published on 25 July 2019.
On July 24, 2019, Real Madrid winger Marco Asensio suffered a devastating injury during a friendly match against Arsenal in the United States.
Just minutes after scoring an equalizing goal in Real's 2-2 draw, Asensio ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and external meniscus in his left knee.
"After tests carried out on our player Marco Asensio by the Real Madrid Medical Services he has been diagnosed with a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament and the external meniscus of his left knee," the club said in a statement.
Asensio, 23, will undergo surgery in the next few days and is expected to miss most if not all of the next La Liga season, according to Spanish media reports.
The injury could have significant implications for Asensio's teammate Dani Ceballos, who was reportedly close to being traded to Arsenal.
However, with Asensio's injury, Real Madrid may now hold on to midfielder Ceballos, who was also linked to a potential transfer.