Qatari club Al Sailiya have announced that its Iraqi international Muhannad Ali “Mimi” will undergo surgery next week and will miss a period of up to 9 months after tearing his cruciate ligament in his knee for the second time after he was injured 10 months ago during a his participation with his former team Portimonense in the Portuguese league.

Mimi was injured in the opening minutes of his team’s match against Al Shamal on 10 August, his second match since returning from a first cruciate ligament injury that kept him out of action for most of last season.

The club said in a statement: “The management of Al Sailiya Club expresses its deep regret and huge loss due to the injury of Iraqi international forward Muhannad Ali, striker of the first team. We have been informed that the player has suffered a cruciate ligament injury and needs surgery at Aspetar Hospital next week.”

“This is the same previous injury that the player suffered last season and had surgery in Austria at the time,” he added.

Al Sailiya revealed that the player would be out for a period of 7 to 9 months, which is a “big loss for the club”.

Behavior / Donia Haddad