Italy striker Mateo Retegui ruled out for season after injury in SPL

SportsItaly striker Mateo Retegui ruled out for season after injury in SPLBy Reuters -Apr 18, 2026Al Qadsiah forward Mateo Retegui will miss the rest of the season ​due to a leg fracture, the Saudi ‌Pro League club announced on Friday, dealing a major blow to their bid to qualify for the next ​season’s AFC Champions League Elite. The Italy international, ​who has scored 11 times in 28 ⁠caps, was injured after scoring and providing an ​assist in a 2-2 draw with Al Shabab ​on Tuesday. “Medical examinations have confirmed that Mateo Retegui has sustained a distal tibial fracture,” Al Qadsiah posted on ​X. “He is set to undergo surgery in the ​coming days and will be ruled out for the remainder ‌of ⁠the season,” the club added. The 26-year-old Mateo Retegui, who was born in Argentina, scored 16 goals in 28 SPL games this season. He was ​part of the ​Italy national ⁠team that lost against Bosina and Herzegovina in the 2026 World ​Cup playoff final last month. Brenden Rogers’s side ​Al ⁠Qadsiah are fourth with 62 points from 29 games, four points behind Al Ahly, who have ⁠a ​game in hand. The top ​three teams will qualify for next season’s Champions League Elite.