Morata limps off against Vidi FC with scary-looking knee injury

More often than not, injuries picked up without contact end up being some of the worst possible. And so I fear could be the case with Alvaro Morata — and I should emphasize that I’m just speculating on what I saw happen — who limped off at half-time against Vidi FC on Thursday with an apparent knee injury picked up while attempting a tight angle flick on goal and then landing awkwardly just prior to the half-time whistle.

He immediately stayed down and was clearly upset and in pain, eventually hobbling down the tunnel to replaced by Olivier Giroud.

At best, it’s a minor knee strain that would rule him out for a few weeks.

At worst, it’s a ligament tear with a minimum 6-month recovery, possibly a year or more. ACL injuries are relatively common in football, and can often change or derail careers (and sometimes improve, like for early-stage Cesar Azpilicueta).

That would certainly be the darkest timeline for Morata, so hopefully it’s just something minor and the substitution is just a precaution...