Villarreal's Musacchio has successful operation after horror injury

BARCELONA (Reuters) - Villarreal's Argentina defender Mateo Musacchio has undergone a successful operation following a nasty ankle injury in his side’s draw with Getafe in La Liga on Sunday.

(Reuters)

He was carried off on a stretcher and taken to hospital after his ankle buckled when he was running for the ball.

“Musacchio has been successfully operated on tonight at the Cemtro Clinic in Madrid after having a dislocation and break of his left ankle,” read a club statement.

“The recovery time for the footballer will depend on the progress he makes.”

Musacchio has developed into a leader at the back for Villarreal and his tactical awareness coupled with physical strength has seen him linked in the media with a move to one of Europe’s top clubs.

However, his season has been blighted by injury and the 24-year-old missed most of the first half of the campaign with a hamstring tear and only made his return in January.

Musacchio was expected to figure in Argentina coach Gerardo Martino’s Copa America squad this year having been called up for recent friendly matches in the United States.

(Reporting by Tim Hanlon; Editing by Mark Meadows; [e-mail]; [phone]; Reuters Messaging:; [e-mail])