As predicted, the injury suffered by Aimar Olaizola in his opening Manomanista match against Patxi Ruiz on Saturday is a serious one.

Top orthopaedic specialist Mikel Sanchez today confirmed what Aimar and his connections feared, with the diagnosis of the so called ‘terrible triad’, a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament coupled with damaged lateral meniscus. He will undergo surgery within the next three weeks before embarking on a recovery period which is expected to last around seven months.