Argentina's Mammana to miss 2018 World Cup with knee injury

Moscow, March 13 Argentinian central defender Emanuel Mammana will miss the upcoming FIFA World Cup, with Zenit St. Petersburg announcing that he tore the cruciate ligament of his left knee.

"In the very near future, Emanuel will have an operation on the injury and his expected recovery time is 6 to 9 months," the Russian club said on its website on Monday, reports Efe.

The 22-year-old Mammana hurt himself a few minutes into a league match against Rostov in a nasty fall while clearing off a ball on a header and being slightly pushed by a rival.

Mammana has been a regular starter under coach Robert Mancini, which gave him the right to take part in Argentina's friendlies against Russia and Nigeria last November.

Argentine coach Jorge Sampaoli had called him up for the upcoming friendlies against Spain and Italy.