Hyderabad FC have confirmed that their goalkeeper, Laxmikant Kattimani, sustained a knee injury earlier this month and will miss the rest of the Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2022-23 season. The reigning Hero ISL champions were pitching against Jamshedpur FC on November 9 at JRD Tata Sports Complex in Jamshedpur when the incident happened.

Kattimani had to be substituted in the 38th minute as Hyderbad FC went on to win the match by a solitary goal. The official statement from the club read, “Goalkeeper Kattimani is ruled out for the remainder of the season after picking up a knee injury in the match against Jamshedpur FC!”

The shot-stopper has been crucial for Hyderabad FC in their table-topping run, having kept four clean sheets in six matches. The side would now bank on Anuj Kumar and Gurmeet Singh but it would be a difficult task for the defending champions to replace one of their longest-serving players, who was a vital cog in their title triumph last season.

Hyderabad FC face off against ATK Mohun Bagan in their next fixture at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharti Krirangan in Kolkata on Sunday in matchweek 8 of the Hero ISL 2022-2023.