Sydney FC forward Trent Buhagiar will be out of action for a number of months after suffering a tear to his anterior cruciate ligament in training this week.
The 20-year old injured his right knee during a routine training game on Sunday.
Buhagiar, who was beginning his first season with the Sky Blues having signed a two-year deal from Central Coast Mariners in May, is remaining upbeat.
“It’s a blow for me being this close to starting the season but I’m determined to stay positive and do all of the right things to make a full recovery,” said the Umina based attacker.
“I’ve had a lot of support from the boys and the staff, a few of whom have been through similar injuries and their help and positive words will be of enormous encouragement for me over the next few months.
“It’s a long road but I am looking forward to the journey and being back playing as soon as possible.”
Head Coach Steve Corica expressed his disappointment for the Olyroos striker but backed him to return and go onto big things.
“Trent is a fantastic young player and has been great for us since coming in, so to lose him is tough for both him and the club,” he said.
“He is a good person, with excellent character and will return an even better player having gone through this experience.
“We are fortunate that we have some great depth in our squad with Alex Brosque, Adam Le Fondre, Milos Ninkovic, Siem de Jong, Danny de Silva and Charles Lokoli N’goy all able to fill the void.
“However, we still have room to bring in another player and the fact we still have an international spot available is a bonus for us.”
Buhagiar has scored four goals in four FFA Cup games for the Sky Blues this season helping Sydney FC to reach the FFA Cup Final later this month.
