Al Ittihad's Roger Fernandes out most of season with ACL tear

Al Ittihad have confirmed that winger Roger Fernandes suffered a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee during a training session on 8 August 2026, an injury set to sideline him for most of the 2026-2027 season. Medical examinations at a clinic in Jeddah confirmed the diagnosis.

The club issued an official medical update stating that the 20-year-old right winger will undergo surgical treatment followed by a structured rehabilitation program. His ACL reconstruction surgery is scheduled for 18 August 2026 in Lyon, France, with a specialist surgeon in cruciate ligament operations.

Ahead of traveling for the procedure, Fernandes has been following a pre-operative rehabilitation program at Al Ittihad's training facilities under the supervision of the club's medical staff. After surgery, he is expected to follow a long-term recovery plan involving physiotherapy, strength and conditioning work, and progressive return-to-play protocols managed by the club's medical and performance departments.

Injury listings for the Saudi Pro League show Fernandes with a cruciate ligament tear starting 8 August 2026 and an estimated absence until around 31 March 2027, meaning he is likely to miss a large number of competitive matches across league and continental competitions.

The setback is regarded as a significant one for Al Ittihad's domestic and continental campaigns. The club is expected to make line-up adjustments in attack to compensate for the absence of one of its young attacking options as the season gets underway.

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