Zakaria El Ouahdi’s European evening came to a premature end on Thursday during the 2nd matchday of the Europa League between Genk and Ferencvaros. A quarter of an hour before the final whistle, the Moroccan international fell heavily on his shoulder and had to leave the pitch on a stretcher, to the applause of the crowd at the Cegeka Arena.
Quickly taken to the hospital, the right-back underwent tests to determine the severity of his injury. While there were initial fears of a broken collarbone, the results turned out to be less serious: the player’s shoulder was dislocated and a few ligaments were damaged..
Racing Genk eventually fell 0-1 at home to Ferencvaros on this 2nd matchday of the Europa League group stage. A goal from Barnabás Varga in the 44th minute was enough to secure victory for the Hungarians. This win lifts Ferencvaros to 11th place with 4 points, while Genk drops to 18th with only 3 points.
El Ouahdi is currently enjoying an excellent start to the season, with four goals and one assist in twelve appearances. The length of his absence is still unknown, but he is expected to miss the upcoming league match against Dender.
Despite this setback, the medical staff remains optimistic about a quick return for one of the key players of the Limburg club.
