Man Utd's rival in the Europa League received bad news
Fekir played the full 90 minutes of the match Betis won 3-2 at Elche in round 23 of La Liga on February 25. The French midfielder touched the ball 63 times, passed with 94% accuracy with two key passes, crossed twice, shot once and created a chance.
After the game, Betis reported that Fekir had strained his left knee from a late-game collision. Subsequent examinations revealed that the 29-year-old midfielder had injured the anterior cruciate ligament of his knee, required surgery and was out for the rest of the season.
According to Transfermarkt, Fekir will sit out for 202 days and miss at least 17 Betis matches, including two rounds of the Europa League round of 16 against Man Utd. The two teams will play the first leg at Old Trafford on March 9 and then rematch at Benito Villamarin on March 16. The number of matches that Fekir sits out will increase if Betis overcomes Man Utd to advance in the continental tournament.
In the summer of 2019, Fekir joined Betis and was a key factor in Manuel Pellegrini's squad this season. He scored six and assisted three goals in 20 games in all competitions, helping Betis finish fifth in La Liga and qualify for the Europa League group stage. The 29-year-old midfielder was the only scorer to help Betis beat Man Utd 1-0 in a friendly match in December 2022. At that time, many key players of Man Utd did not play because of the 2022 World Cup.
The Football Espana site believes that Borja Iglesias' role will be more important when Fekir is absent. Iglesias is Betis' top scorer this season with ten goals in La Liga. However, the Spanish striker has not opened fire in four games in the Europa League.
On the opposite side, Man Utd is without the services of Donny Van De Beek and Christian Eriksen because of long-term injuries, while striker Anthony Martial can be back in time for two meetings with Betis.
Fekir joined Lyon's academy and was promoted to the first team in July 2013. The following season, he was a key player in the squad and was named Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year. Fekir scored 69 goals in 192 appearances for Lyon, and was also named captain in 2017. In the 2015-2016 season, the French midfielder also suffered a torn cruciate ligament injury and had to take 213 days off.
At the national team level, Fekir scored twice in 25 matches and was a member of France's 2018 World Cup-winning side. In that, he played in the final nine minutes of the final against Croatia 4-2 at Luzhniki Stadium, after taking his place. Olivier Giroud.
