Schalke new boy Coke suffers knee injury, expected out for months

Berlin (AFP) – Schalke’s new signing Coke is expected to miss the rest of 2016 after the Spanish right-back suffered suspected torn cruciate knee ligaments in a pre-season friendly.

The Bundesliga club are waiting on an exact diagnosis to hear how long they will be without the Spanish defender, full name Jorge Andujar Moreno but known as Coke, who suffered the injury in Thursday’s 2-1 win over Bologna.

Sporting director Christian Heidel says the ligament in his right knee is “at least torn” and that the player may not return until January.

“He’ll be out until the second half of the season at the latest, hopefully sooner,” added Heidel.

“It depends on whether he needs an operation or not.”

Coke only signed last Wednesday from Europa League winners Sevilla for a reported three million euros ($3.3m).

Schalke finished fifth in the table last season and have qualified for the Europa League, which Coke won three times with Sevilla.

They begin the new Bundesliga season on August 27 away to Eintracht Frankfurt.