Guillermo Molins - Dared to be Zlatan

One player who dared to Zlatan and paid the consequences is Guillermo Molins. The Malmö captain tore the ACL in his right knee June 27 during a friendly match against Partizan Belgrade. Molins injured his knee trying to whirl out of the way of a challenge from a Belgrade player.

”I won a ball far down the midfield. I dribbled past a player and he ball got away from me. Then there was a sliding challenge and I walked away, but when I put the foot down, it's my last step in a few months,” said Molins at a June 30 press conference. “My knees are not as strong as my head.”

It is the second time Molins has had to go under the knife for a knee. The former Under-21 international tore the meniscus in his right knee in 2011 in his first match for Belgian side Anderlecht. He never found his form again and Anderlecht released him last summer. He rejoined Malmo and was crucial to the team clinching the Allsvenskan title season. His eight goals in the first 12 games helped propel Malmö to the top spot in the league.

Molins’ injury cound not come at a worse time for Malmö, which opens its quest to qualify for the UEFA Champions League on July 15. Malmo is short several players who are injured and expects to lose at least two players when the European transfer opens.

Malmo manager Åge Hareide said he expects the club to look outside Sweden for a replacement. Malmo recently sold striker Pontus Jansson to Torino and Miko Albornoz to Hannover, leaving the team with no viable replacement within the club.

Molins spent two unhappy years at Anderlect after leaving Malmö in 2011 for the Belgian club. He jumped at the chance to return and was enjoying arguably his best season ever this year. 

(nordstjernan.com)