The extent of Achraf Hakimi’s injury has been revealed, with the Paris Saint-Germain defender reportedly set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
The right back was on the receiving end of a horror tackle from Bayern Munich winger Luis Diaz just before half-time of their Champions League clash on Tuesday night.
As Hakimi – who turned 27 on Tuesday – sprinted down the flank with the ball, Diaz flew feet first into a full-throated challenge which floored the Moroccan and trapped his left foot uncomfortably under his body.
The wild tackle from Diaz, which saw him get sent off, left Hakimi in tears and unable to walk off the pitch unaided.
Hakimi underwent a scan on Wednesday and according to RMC Sport journalist Fabrice Hawkins has avoided a fractured ankle.
However, he did state that the full-back has suffered a severe sprain to his ankle ligaments and faces between six-eight weeks out as a result.
Achraf Hakimi will miss the next six to eight weeks after suffering a severe left ankle sprain
Luis Diaz skittled the Morocco international during the Champions League clash
The defender eventually left the pitch in tears after the impact of the full-throttled tackle
Taking to X, he wrote: ‘No fracture for Achraf Hakimi. Severe sprain. Internal ligaments of the left ankle affected. Unavailability period between six-eight weeks.’
That timeframe will be of major concern to Hakimi who now faces a race against time to be fit for his country’s participation at the Africa Cup of Nations next month.
Hakimi is the captain of Morocco who are the tournament hosts for this year’s edition. They kickstart the showpiece on December 21 against Comoros in Group A before face Mali on Boxing Day and Zambia three days later.
Tuesday’s events saw Diaz go from hero to zero for Bayern Munich – who left the French capital with a 2-1 victory.
They were dominating proceedings before his red card and were 2-0 up courtesy of his first-half brace before a second-half rearguard effort saw them emerge with victory.
And Diaz has broken his silence about his eventful first-half, taking to social media to address it.
Writing on Instagram, he put: ‘It was a night full of emotions. Football always reminds us that in 90 minutes, anything can happen – the best and the worst.
‘I was sad not to finish the match with my team-mates, but proud of their incredible effort. I wish Hakimi a quick recovery.’
