Asian Champions League: Kitchee suffer injury blow after defender Dani Cancela ruled out of group stage
- Club says Cancela has pulled leg muscles during training camp in Thailand and will be out for 6 to 8 weeks
- Kitchee are expected to kick off their group stage against Chiangrai in 12 days
Kitchee have suffered a blow ahead of their AFC Asian Champions League campaign, with defender Dani Cancela ruled out of the group stage because of injuries.
The 40-year-old left back, who has been training with the squad in Bangkok ahead of their first game in 12 days, has returned to Spain after pulling leg muscles.
Kitchee are preparing in Thailand because the Hong Kong government shut all sports facilities in the city as part of its strict approach to battling the coronavirus.
The club said the injury would probably rule Cancela out for six to eight weeks, and as a result would not be available for the competition, which is scheduled to start in Buriram in less than two weeks.
In a social media post, Cancela said he was sorry to be leaving the team at such a crucial moment, ahead of their first group match against Thai League One side Chiangrai.
“It would have been nice to listen to the ACL2022 anthem one more time and play at the great Thunder Castle [nickname of the Buriram Stadium] in Buriram again,” he said.
“I won’t be able to do so, but I will support my teammates from home and I am sure they will make our fans proud once again.”