TWO Real Madrid stars, a Spanish wonderkid and a two-time Bundesliga winner… as Gavi joins the long list of stars out with an ACL injury, who else makes an XI of players with a similar ligament issue?

• Gavi was risked against Georgia despite qualification already being sealed 
• Barcelona may have to sign a replacement for the midfielder this January 
• Everton players will be fed up with the owners – listen to It’s All Kicking Off 

Barcelona’s Gavi has become the latest in a growing list of stars to suffer a serious ACL injury, with several leading players across the game also facing a long time out on the sidelines with the knee issue.

The 19-year-old sustained the season-ending injury against Georgia while in action for Spain – with qualification for Euro 2024 already sealed – pulling up and clutching his knee after 26 minutes. 

Reports have even emerged that the player could miss Euro 2024 as a result, with Barca already linked with potential replacements in the upcoming January transfer window to fill the hole left by one of their key stars. 

But who else across the game has suffered a similar injury already this season, with the games coming thick and fast for every team across all competitions?

Here, Mail Sport take you through some of the biggest names to be out on the sidelines with the long-term knee problem.  

Gavi has become the latest in a string of A-list stars to suffer a long-term ACL injury this term

The 19-year-old had to be taken off after 0nly 26 minutes of Spain’s clash with Georgia 

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First off is the defence, and this five-person unit – including the goalkeeper – sees not one but two Real Madrid superstars make the cut alongside a Premier League trio. 

In goal is of course Belgium No 1 Thibaut Courtois, considered the rival to both Alisson and Ederson for the title of the world’s leading shot-stopper. 

The Real Madrid keeper suffered the agony of an ACL injury at the start of the season, with Los Blancos drafting in Spanish stopper Kepa Arrizabalaga on loan from Chelsea to cover for Courtois. 

In front of the Belgian is the centre back pairing of Wesley Fofana of Chelsea and Tyrone Mings from Aston Villa right holding down the fort. 

Fofana has once again been ruled out for an extended period with injury heartbreak, having only made 20 appearances for the Blues since his big-money arrival in summer 2022. 

He missed 126 days of action last term with a knee injury but looked to have put the worst of his fitness issues behind him, before undergoing ACL surgery in pre-season. 

England international Mings managed just over half an hour of Premier League action this season before his campaign with Unai Emery’s side was cruelly curtailed in the 5-1 defeat to Newcastle. 

Another to suffer first-day-of-the-season heartbreak was Jurrien Timber, newly arrived at Arsenal from Ajax, but after trying to run off a knock in the first half against Nottingham Forest he was unable to come off, and fills in at left-back for the team. 

Thibaut Courtois injured his knee before the season even kicked off, with Kepa Arrizabalaga loaned in as cover

Jurrien Timber was taken off 50 minutes into his Arsenal career and has been on the sidelines ever since 

Tyrone Mings’ participation in Gareth Southgate’s squad for the Euros next summer is doubtful

Wesley Fofana suffered yet another heartbreaking injury setback in pre-season with another knee issue

Eder Militao ruptured his ACL on the first day of the season after an impressive 2022-23 campaign

On the other flank is Real Madrid’s Eder Militao, again leaving the field just 50 minutes into his first game of the season, after suffering a ruptured ACL. 

The Brazilian – capable at the right of a defence or through the middle – has come through the ranks at the Bernabeu to become one of the first-choice centre halves, but is now set to watch from the sidelines as Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba fill in.  

Gavi then slots in on the right of a midfield three, although he is just as capable in a forward line coming in off one of the flanks or even dropping in from central positions as something of a false nine. 

It may be strange to see the 19-year-old without his ever-present partner Pedri – very much the new-gen Xavi and Andres Iniesta – but in this ACL XI there’s no room for his fellow Blaugrana star. 

Instead, in the middle of the park at the base of the midfield is another Villan Emiliano Buendia, who has been out since August 9 with a ruptured ACL of his own. 

Another just as capable in a front three, Buendia fills in at the base of the midfield, having suffered his first serious knee injury in a career that has seen him largely untouched by the ravages of a prolonged spell on the sidelines. 

On the left of the trio is Tottenham’s Ivan Perisic who, at 34, is already nearing the end of his career and will have perhaps wanted to play as many games as he could until the end of his Spurs contract this summer, rather than sit on the bench. 

Perisic at least managed five games in the Premier League this term – already playing under his third permanent manager after less than two seasons – but faces a race against time to make it back in time to feature again before potentially departing. 

On the right of the front three is Villarreal and Spain wonderkid Yeremy Pino, who has emerged as one of the biggest attacking talents in recent seasons in La Liga. 

The 21-year-old has however had his season cut short 10 games in, managing just half of the 3-1 defeat on the road to Atletico Madrid before the international break, and has since undergone surgery. 

Through the middle is Monaco’s Swiss forward Breel Embolo, who fell to his ACL rupture in early August, and has so far sat out on 12 occasions for his club, naturally also missing out on both Switzerland squads since the injury. 

Emiliano Buendia injured his knee in early August – his first such issue in his career so far

Gavi leaves a huge hole in midfield for Xavi’s Barcelona – with a replacement potentially set to be drafted in this winter

Ivan Perisic now faces a race against time to play for Tottenham again before the end of his contract this summer

Yeremy Pino managed only 10 games of the current season before his ACL rupture against Atletico Madrid

Breel Embolo has already missed 12 games this season after his injury in early August for Monaco

Neymar Jnr’s move to Al-Hilal in Saudi Arabia is yet to get off to a real start with just one goal from five games

Out on the left is perhaps the biggest name on the list – Neymar. 

The Brazilian joined Al-Hilal in a big-money move this summer after falling out of favour at Paris Saint-Germain, and has since Managed just one goal in his five appearances in all competitions. 

His time in Saudi Arabia has of course been hampered by the likely season-ending injury to his knee, which was sustained in October, having arrived in the Saudi Pro League with a muscular issue that delayed his start.  

ACL injury XI in full: Courtous; Militao, Mings, Fofana, Timber; Gavi, Buendia, Perisic; Pino, Embolo, Neymar. 

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