Diakhaby Faces Season-Ending Injury Setback

Valencia defender Mouctar Diakhaby is facing yet another unfortunate setback, as he may have said goodbye to the current season. The club confirmed yesterday that Diakhaby has sustained a muscle tear in his hamstring. Although the official medical report provides limited details, further examinations have revealed that the injury is severe. It is highly probable, although not yet officially confirmed, that the player will need to undergo surgery, which means he could miss more than four months of play. The injury occurred during the match against Celta, and it is likely to sideline him for the remainder of the season.

This is a continuation of a troubling trend for the Frenchman, who has struggled to regain his form since a serious incident with compatriot Aurélien Tchouaméni at Mestalla on March 2. That event nearly forced him into early retirement, leading to over a year of rehabilitation. Now, he faces another significant injury. While this latest injury is not as severe as the knee issue that required multiple surgeries, it will nevertheless necessitate another operation before he can begin his recovery process.

Diakhaby started the season with caution and showed promise in several matches, but this latest injury has abruptly halted his progress. Unless there is a last-minute change of plans, he will undergo surgery, forcing him to start from scratch and leaving the team vulnerable in defense. This injury strikes the same area that caused issues against Girona, from which he took two months to recuperate, and now he finds himself injured again. While this is not precisely a relapse, the situation remains critical.

Valencia is already stretched thin in defense and was in urgent need of a new center-back even before Diakhaby’s injury. With only Copete and Tárrega available, the third option, Comert, has played just 100 minutes and is not trusted by coach Corberán. Diakhaby’s injury could impact the club’s financial fair play situation since a prolonged recovery period would allow them to utilize 80% of the freed-up resources. The club’s initial plan was to recruit one center-back, but given the circumstances, two may now be necessary.