Ayoub El Kaabi carried off after distressing leg injury in Olympiacos match

Ayoub El Kaabi was taken to hospital after suffering a serious-looking injury to his left leg during Olympiacos’ Greek Super League match against Volos on Saturday evening.

The Morocco international was hurt shortly before half-time after challenging Volos goalkeeper Marios Siampanis for the ball. El Kaabi reached it first, but Siampanis fell heavily onto the striker’s leg, which twisted violently under the force of the collision.

The incident left players and supporters visibly shocked. El Kaabi immediately went to ground in pain as medical staff ran on to treat him.

Television footage and images circulated after the incident appeared to show the severity of the twist to his left leg. The forward was unable to continue and was carried from the pitch on a stretcher to applause from the crowd.

Armando Gonzalez replaced him for Olympiacos.

The incident also led to a penalty for Olympiacos. Jota Silva took responsibility from the spot and converted, before celebrating emotionally and dedicating the goal to El Kaabi.

His reaction reflected the concern within the Olympiacos team following the injury, with players and supporters left waiting for further information about the Morocco striker’s condition.

El Kaabi was taken directly to hospital after leaving the field, where he was due to undergo the necessary medical examinations. Those tests will determine the exact nature of the injury and how serious it is.

Olympiacos and Morocco supporters are awaiting the official diagnosis, which is also expected to clarify how long El Kaabi could be unavailable. The initial images prompted fears that he may have suffered a significant fracture to his leg, although no definitive assessment had been announced at the time of the report.

The injury occurred during the third round of the Greek Super League, as Olympiacos hosted Volos. El Kaabi had moved towards the ball before the collision with Siampanis, making contact with it just before the goalkeeper arrived.

The force of the goalkeeper’s challenge caused El Kaabi’s leg to bend awkwardly, creating a distressing scene at the stadium. Medical personnel spent time attending to him before carrying him away from the pitch.

The striker’s condition and prospective recovery time will depend on the results of the hospital examinations. A formal medical update is expected to provide details of the damage and indicate whether El Kaabi faces a prolonged absence from football.