Atletico Madrid's defender Cesar Azpilicueta would be sidelined for around three months after he tore the external meniscus ligament in his knee during Thursday's 4-2 win over Real Madrid in the last-16 of the Copa del Rey. Azpilicueta had only been on the pitch for 10 minutes after replacing Rodrigo de Paul. The injury forced him to be replaced by Stefan Savic with five minutes left to play, reported Xinhua. Athletic Bilbao vs FC Barcelona, Atletico Madrid vs Sevilla Standout Ties in Copa del Rey 2023-24 Quarterfinals.

The 34-year-old had tests on Friday morning and the club confirmed the injury on their official website. Azpilicueta's injury comes at a bad time for Atletico whose summer signings Caglar Soyuncu is on the verge of completing a loan deal to Fenerbahce, and Stefan Savic is struggling for form.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 20, 2024 12:17 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).