The Wellington Phoenix will be without Francisco ‘Chico’ Geraldes for the remainder of the 2024-25 Isuzu UTE A-League.
The Portuguese midfielder has injured the meniscus in his left knee and will be sidelined for the next three months.
Geraldes joined the Phoenix on loan in February and has started the men’s past five A-League matches, quickly showing his quality.
He provided the final pass for Kosta Barbarouses’ equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Sydney FC last month before scoring his first goal for the club in the 2-2 draw with Western Sydney Wanderers at Sky Stadium last Saturday.
The injury is a major setback for Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano.
“It’s very disappointing because for a large part Chico’s given us a different dimension,” Italiano said.
“We were starting to build a bit of continuity and were starting to look very dangerous moving forward.
“That’s not to say we can’t get the job done without Chico, but it does put a dent in our preparation.”
Italiano is keen to extend Geraldes’ stay in the capital beyond this season.
“I think he’d be a great addition, not only to our team but the A-League in general.
“You can see what kind of skill he has. He’s a great dribbler of the ball, he’s very composed on the ball, he’s not scared of taking players on and he can score.
“I’d love to have him next year. I think he’d be great. If we can make it happen, we’ll make it happen, but unfortunately it’s not straightforward.
“There’s a lot of water to go under that bridge, but the intention is if I can make it happen I will make it happen.”
