Ayoub El Kaabi Faces Lengthy Recovery After Leg Break
Olympiacos have been dealt a brutal blow, with Moroccan international Ayoub El Kaabi set for a long spell on the sidelines after suffering a serious leg fracture against Volos.
The striker broke the tibia and fibula in his left leg shortly before the end of the first half of the 1-1 draw with Volos in the third round of the Greek top flight, Greek outlet Sportal reported. The incident silenced the stadium and immediately raised fears of a season-defining injury.
Olympiacos moved quickly. According to Sportal, surgery took place in Athens, performed by club doctor Christos Theos and his medical team, and was “completed successfully.” The operation was carried out at the B. Valeriou clinic, part of the Athens Medical Centre, as confirmed by Sport 24.
The club’s official statement, cited by Sport 24, stressed that the procedure “was carried out smoothly” under the supervision of chief doctor Theos. The same statement underlined that the immediate post-operation phase is unfolding “according to the plan laid out,” a crucial first step in any long-term recovery.
Rehabilitation Process
The next battle starts now.
Olympiacos have already begun El Kaabi’s rehabilitation programme, with the club noting that the recovery period “begins today, with the aim of El Kaabi's gradual, safe and full return to competitive activity.” The words are careful, but the objective is clear: get their leading forward back without risking his career.
Timeline for Recovery
The timeline, though, is harsh.
Greek newspaper Protothema reported that early estimates put El Kaabi’s absence at between six and seven months away from competitive football. That projection would rule him out for the bulk of the season and potentially push his return towards the final stretch of the campaign.
Protothema added an important caveat: the exact duration of his layoff will depend heavily on how his body responds to treatment and the demands of rehabilitation. For a striker who relies on sharp movement and explosive finishing, every stage of that process will be scrutinised.
For Olympiacos, it is a devastating setback. For El Kaabi, it is a fight to reclaim his place and rhythm in a season that has suddenly changed course. The surgery is done, the plan is in motion — now the clock starts ticking on one of the club’s most important recoveries of the year.
