Roma midfielder Muhammed Bah is set to miss the entire 2026/27 campaign after being stretchered off during his side's pre-season defeat to Cardiff City.
Injury during friendly
There were worrying scenes inside the opening 30 minutes of the friendly match in the Welsh capital on Saturday, as Bah fell to the ground in agony after landing awkwardly while attempting to close down Bluebirds goalkeeper Nathan Trott. The 19-year-old looked distraught as he was given treatment on the field before being stretchered off in tears.
Shortly after he was replaced by Mattia Mannini, Cardiff took a 2-0 lead through Yousef Salech on their way to a memorable 4-1 win that saw the Italian giants torn into by the media back home.
ACL rupture confirmed
Now, Roma have been dealt a further blow with the confirmation that Bah has ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee. The Gambian midfielder will now undergo surgery and is expected to spend at least nine months on the sidelines while he recovers.
Recurring setback
It is the latest cruel twist of fate in Bah's short career to date, with the teenager already rupturing the ACL in his other knee in 2024. That injury kept him out of action for practically an entire year, and he is now set for another lengthy spell out during what could have potentially been a breakout season for him.
In April, Bah signed a contract extension with the Serie A side, keeping him at the club until at least 2028. It came as a show of faith in the Gambian starlet's potential, with the teenager impressing since arriving at the club's academy in 2022. He won the Italian U17 championship during his first season in Roma colours, before joining the U19s side as a 16-year-old the following year and winning the Super Cup.
Reaction
Bah started for the senior side in their pre-season draw with Cannes at the end of last month before his campaign was ended prematurely against Cardiff. In their match report, Football Italia said that Bah's injury was worse than the result, with the teenager "utterly distraught" as he was carried off the field.
"The worst news was not the result, but the sight of midfielder Bah being stretchered off the field utterly distraught," the report read. "He was just returning from an anterior cruciate ligament injury, went into a challenge and crumpled to the ground clutching his right knee."
