Spain’s Victor Valdés not going to World Cup

FC Barcelona’s Victor Valdés saw his 12-year career with the club come to a bitterly cruel end on Wednesday night.

The veteran goalkeeper was ruled out for at least six months due to a serious knee injury that he sustained during Barca’s 3-0 win over Celta Vigo.

Valdés, 32, has played his last game for the Catalan club and will now miss playing at this year’s World Cup for Spain.

The goalkeeper has a ligament injury to his right knee that will require surgery, meaning he will miss the rest of what is his final season with the Spanish giants.

The player was visibly upset as he was carried off on a stretcher in the 22nd minute of last night’s match.

Barcelona coach, Gerardo Martino, lamented his team’s bad luck in suffering the loss of one of their most reliable players during the final phase of the season.

Currently, Barcelona are still fighting to win the league, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League.

Martino said: “At this stage of the season I thought everything bad had already happened, but I was wrong.”

Martino has also had to deal with lengthy injuries to striker Lionel Messi and big purchase Neymar in his first season in charge of the Spanish champions, along with the announcement that defender Carles Puyol will be leaving the club this summer.

Martino said: “This is a terrible blow but this team has got used to dealing with setbacks for a long time and we will keep going.”

After last night’s win Barcelona moved to second place in the La Liga table. Argentine Messi scored once and new recruit Brazilian Neymar managed two goals to secure victory.