Crystal Palace’s defensive lineup is facing a major setback as Chadi Riad, the young centre-back, has reportedly suffered a suspected anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

This serious knee problem is expected to keep the 21-year-old out for a significant period, leaving manager Oliver Glasner with a major challenge in his defensive options.

Blow to Crystal Palace’s Defense

The injury news broke on Friday when manager Oliver Glasner confirmed that Riad was unavailable for their weekend match against Brentford.

It has since been confirmed that this knee injury is serious enough to sideline the player for an extended period.

For Palace, this injury comes at a particularly difficult time, as the club is already facing defensive struggles.

Defensive Crisis Deepens with Riad’s Injury

With Riad’s injury, Glasner’s already limited defensive choices have been further reduced.

The manager had already been dealing with the setback of losing Trevoh Chalobah, who was recalled by Chelsea earlier this month following the injury to Wesley Fofana.

This leaves Palace with just three fit, recognised centre-backs: Marc Guehi, Maxence Lacroix, and Chris Richards.

Given that Glasner’s tactical setup relies heavily on a back-three system, Riad’s injury adds another layer of concern for the manager.

It seems likely that Crystal Palace will be forced to dip into the transfer market to bring in reinforcements before the window closes.

Additional Injury Concerns for Crystal Palace

Adding to Palace’s worries, there are also growing concerns about midfielder Cheick Doucoure, who is dealing with his own knee issue.

Glasner revealed that Doucoure’s injury could keep him sidelined for a while, compounding the club’s difficulties with injuries.

Riad’s Season So Far

Riad, who has struggled with injury throughout this season, has only featured in three matches for the club so far.

His most recent appearance was in the FA Cup against Stockport earlier this month, but it now seems his injury woes will keep him out for the foreseeable future.

For Crystal Palace, the next few weeks could prove critical as they try to navigate through this defensive crisis.