Nigerian striker Anthony Ujah will be sidelined for at least six months after suffering a serious knee injury during Botev Plovdiv’s UEFA Europa League second qualifying round 4-0 defeat to Panathinaikos on Thursday.
The 33-year-old was forced off the pitch on a stretcher in the first half after a collision with an opponent Joonas Tamm. Subsequent scans revealed a patellar tendon tear, requiring immediate surgery.
Ujah, who joined Botev this summer after leaving Eintracht Braunschweig, had made a promising start in Bulgaria with two goals in four games. However, his career has been plagued by injuries, with this latest setback set to keep him out of action for over half a year.
“During the meeting with Panathinaikos, two of Botev (Plovdiv) footballers, Anthony Ujah and Andrey Yordanov, were forcibly replaced due to injuries,” a statement on the club’s official website reads in part.
“After a nuclear magnetic resonance, it became clear today that Ujah has a patellar tendon tear. The Nigerian striker will undergo knee surgery and will be out of action for about half a year.
“Later in the match, the Bulgarian national Andrey Yordanov was also injured, and the problems for him were in his elbow. Scans today showed that the full-back has a fracture. He will be in a splint for the next 20 days, then recovery and training will begin.”
Botev have expressed their support for Ujah and teammate Andrey Yordanov, who also sustained an injury in the same match.
“Everyone in Botev wishes Ujah and Yordanov a speedy recovery so that they can both continue their performances with the “yellow-black” shirt.”
The former Super Eagles forward has previously spent a combined 495 days on the sidelines due to various injuries, according to Ttansfermarkt. His latest injury will see him miss over 182 football days.
