Abergel suffers ACL tear before Nice debut

Laurent Abergel has suffered a frustrating start to his Nice adventure. The experienced midfielder, who arrived this summer from Lorient after seven seasons with the Breton club, suffered a serious injury on Saturday during a friendly match against Cagliari without having played any official game yet with the French side.

According to L'Équipe, Abergel ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the 7th minute of play, leaving the pitch in the 17th. Medical examinations over the weekend confirmed fears: the 33-year-old player will need surgery and be sidelined for several months. Bad news for coach Olivier Pantaloni, who was counting on the experience of the former Lorient captain, who had committed to the French club for three seasons.