Midfielder is‘devastated’after knee injury
‘Devastated’ Scotland star Lewis Ferguson is set to miss Euro 2024 after suffering a cruciate ligament injury playing for club side Bologna.
The midfielder, who hails from Hamilton, suffered a knock in a 0-0 draw with Monza in Italy’s Serie A at the weekend and was forced off early on.
Now medical examinations have determined the former Hamilton Accies and Aberdeen hero will require surgery to his cruciate ligament on his right knee.
The 24-year-old was likely to be named in Steve Clarke’s squad for the European Championships in Germany this summer, but with a huge clash against the hosts in the tournament opener under two months away, he is set to be ruled out of the showpiece.
The severity of the injury is not yet known, but the average recovery time for a cruciate ligament injury can be six-tonine months.
If the damage is minimal, he could be back in action sooner and the club say they will provide an update on his recovery time in due course.
After the news broke, Ferguson took to social media saying: “Devastated with today’s news, but that’s life.
“I will do everything to come back better and stronger than before.
“Thank you all for the support. See you soon.”
A statement from Bologna read: “The tests Lewis Ferguson underwent following the sprained trauma to his right knee highlighted the cruciate ligament injury.
“The player will undergo surgery after which recovery times will be defined.”
Lewis looked set to achieve what his dad Derek and uncle Barry never managed, by playing at a major tournament for Scotland, but those hopes look dashed.
Ferguson has won 12 caps for his country since making his debut against Denmark in 2021 and his last outing came in the 1-0 defeat to Northern Ireland at Hampden last month.
His club form had led to calls for him to feature more prominently for the national side, with Ferguson also being chased by a host of clubs including Juventus, Napoli and AC Milan after an impressive season for Bologna.
Ferguson is a graduate of Hamilton’s renowned youth academy and went on to play 13 games for them before progressing to the Dons in 2018 and then Bologna in 2022, where he is now club captain.