Barely four months after recovering from a lengthy knee surgery recovery, US Lecce winger Lameck Banda has undergone another surgery, this time in the ankle.
The 24-year-old sprained his ankle in Lecce’s Serie A match against Empoli early in November. The injury ruled him out of the final Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Ivory Coast and Sierra Leone.
However, despite the injury, Lecce complained that Banda was told to join the Chipolopolo squad against their will and it delayed his recovery.
“Lameck Banda, although medical visits with diagnostic tests had been immediately scheduled following the injury that occurred in the Lecce – Empoli match on November 8, the following morning, in compliance with FIFA regulations, as requested by the Zambian National Team, had to leave Lecce to respond to the call-up,” Lecce announced on November 18.
“The Zambian Football Federation requested the presence of the footballer despite the club’s expressed desire not to let the athlete leave due to said injury.”
After the Chipolopolo team doctor confirmed his injury, Banda immediately returned to Italy where it was revealed that he suffered a fracture of the medial malleolus of his left ankle.
Lecce on Wednesday last week confirmed that Banda “underwent surgical reduction and synthesis with screws of the fracture of the left medial malleolus.”
He will now be out for three months.
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