FC Hradec Králové captain Darida to undergo knee surgery after ligament tear

FC Hradec Králové captain Darida will undergo knee surgery next week after suffering a torn medial collateral ligament. The club confirmed the diagnosis and the planned procedure following medical assessments.

The injury occurred in the 77th minute of a league match against Jablonec. Darida collided with opponent Dominik Hollý during the game, which FC Hradec Králové lost 1-2.

Coach Horejš confirmed the severity of the injury after the team secured a 3-1 extra-time victory in Prostějov. He provided an update on the timeline for the captain's recovery following that cup match.

Horejš stated that Darida is expected to return to full training by the end of January. This timeline aligns with the start of the spring season, which is scheduled to begin on the last weekend of January.

The club hopes Darida will be available for selection when the spring campaign starts. His participation remains dependent on his recovery progress and fitness levels at that time.

Darida was the team's top scorer in the previous top-flight season with 11 goals. In the current league campaign, he has contributed two goals prior to this injury.

Tom Slončík emphasized that the squad must demonstrate they can compete effectively without their captain. The team faces the challenge of maintaining performance levels during his absence.