Andrew Nabbout has suffered a season-ending ACL rupture while Marco Tilio will miss up to two months with his latest hamstring injury in hammer blows to Melbourne City’s attack.
Both capped Socceroos were injured in Monday night’s costly 1-0 win over Western United.
Nabbout will require knee reconstruction surgery after tearing both his ACL and the meniscus in his right knee.
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The 31-year-old’s injury is a devastating setback given he had scored two goals in three games this season after much of 2023 and 2024 were ruined by an achilles injury.
“This one’s a hard one to take,” Nabbout wrote on Instagram.
“Unfortunately I have ruptured my ACL and I’ll miss the rest of the season.
“No words can describe what I’m feeling right now, especially after feeling like I was getting back to my best.
“It’s hard to accept, but as I’ve done time and time again in my career, I’ll come back stronger from this.”
Central Coast midfielder Brad Tapp has also suffered the dreaded ACL injury.
Tapp is yet to receive specialist medical advice on whether to undergo surgery on his left knee, having previously suffered an ACL tear in 2022.
The 23-year-old had shaken off an earlier knock in wet conditions against Perth in their Round 3 clash before going to ground after changing direction in a contest just in front of goal.
Tilio, who is on loan at City from Celtic, will miss the next six-to-eight weeks with a partial tear to his left hamstring tendon.
City are likely to be conservative with a return date for the 23-year-old, who has had a horror run with hamstring and quad injuries over the past two years.
His injury likely effectively rules him out of Socceroos contention until the new year.
City can make an injury replacement signing for Nabbout, if they want, while also having some young attackers on the comeback trail from injury.
Arion Sulemani (calf) should be back after the international break while Max Caputo (leg) is expected to return within the month from a nasty pre-season injury.
City next play struggling Perth Glory away on Sunday.
© AAP
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