Fiorentina’s Khouma Babacar ruled out for the season

Rome: Fiorentina’s Senegalese striker Khouma Babacar will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, the Serie A club announced on Tuesday.

Babacar, 22, was on the pitch for just seven minutes in Fiorentina’s 1-0 home defeat to Verona on Monday before being forced off, and a scan on Tuesday showed he had suffered ligament damage.

A Fioretnina statement said: “Tests revealed a grade-two strain to the medial collateral ligament in Babacar’s right knee.”

Boubacar’s absence is a blow for Vincenzo Montella’s side, who have been without Giuseppe Rossi all season after he ruptured knee ligaments in the summer.

Fiorentina’s attacking options for the remainder of the campaign now rest on Germany’s Mario Gomez, Egypt’s Mohammad Salah and former Spain international winger Joaquin.