Real Betis midfielder Isco faces another lengthy spell on the sidelines after fracturing his leg in a pre-season friendly against Malaga, dealing a cruel blow to the Spanish club who qualified for the Europa League.

The 33-year-old was caught near the ankle and forced to limp off the pitch during Saturday's match, with medical tests confirming a broken fibula. Isco had suffered a broken leg in May last year which needed two surgeries to fix.

"Following medical tests, he has a new, non-displaced fracture in the middle third of his left fibula. This is a new traumatic injury unrelated to the previous injury, which has been resolved," Real Betis said in a statement on Sunday.

"The player will undergo conservative treatment in the coming weeks, and his return will depend on the progress of

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