Villarreal star suffers devasting ACL injury during pre-season friendly

Villarreal are preparing for the start of the 2025-26 season, which will see them return to the Champions League. But they have been dealt a major injury blow only three weeks before the start of the new campaign.

It has been a rather difficult summer so far for Villarreal, who sold Alex Baena and Thierno Barry to Atletico Madrid and Everton respectively in the space of a couple of weeks. And things have now got worse for the Yellow Submarine, with the news that they will be without one of their starting defenders for the foreseeable future.

On Monday, Villarreal confirmed the news that Logan Costa had ruptured his ACL during the 3-3 draw against FC Basel, which took place over the weekend.

“The medical tests that Logan Costa has undergone confirm that the Villarreal defender has suffered a complete rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. The Cape Verdean was injured last Saturday, July 19, in the Submarine’s first pre-season match against FC Basel.

“The club will soon release information about the surgery that the player will undergo.”

Costa, who made 34 appearances in his first season at Villarreal after joining from Toulouse last summer, is facing a lengthy lay-off, expected to be in excess of six months. He has chances to play during the 2025-26 campaign, although that will depend on his recovery process.

Where do Villarreal go from here?

Fortunately, Villarreal have already signed a central defender this summer, that being ex-Real Madrid man Rafa Marin. However, he was essential before this situation with Costa, so it would be no surprise to see another centre-back targeted for Marcelino Garcia Toral’s squad.

Villarreal will be with Costa every step of the way in his recovery, but a decision will need to be made on signing a temporary replacement. Fortunately, money is there to be spent, with €90m having been raised from the Baena and Barry sales.