Rayon Sports center-back Abdoul Rwatubyaye will be out of action for at least five months following a serious knee injury that he sustained last season, it has emerged.

Rwatubyaye underwent surgery on his right knee at King Faisal Hospital in Kigali last week and according to Rayon Sports team doctor, Charles Mugemana, the 21-year-old will start rehabilitation immediately but will only begin light training in March, 2018.

It means he can play the later stages of the national league as well as the Peace Cup. "We are not expecting him to return soon. It will take him at least five to six months to play again but everything regarding his surgery went really well,” Mugemana said.

The Rwandan international damaged his knee ligament during a league game last season against Bugesera at Nyamata ground, which Rayon Sports won 1-0.

"The operation went well. The doctors did a great job, and I feel much better now,” said Rwatubyaye, who joined Rayon Sports from archrivals APR FC, last season but only played a handful of games before his knee gave way.

It is reported that the operation cost Rayon Sports Rwf4m. The injury is a major setback for a player who is highly rated.

The former APR center-back is one of the few players, who have grown from one national team level to another, from U17, U20 to U23 and finally to the senior team.

He earned his first national team call-up for the U-17 team in 2012. Rwatubyaye has a total of 16 caps and scored once for the senior national team.

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