Former Stoke City Man Suffers Horror Injury With Pisa SC

Pisa SC winger Mehdi Leris has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after sustaining a cruciate ligament injury during a training session, as reported by Pisa Today.

The Algerian international, who spent last season with Stoke City, suffered the injury during a friendly match with Pisa’s youth team, forcing the club to deal with another significant setback ahead of the upcoming Serie B fixtures.

Leris underwent an MRI scan shortly after the incident, confirming the severity of the damage. This injury marks a major loss for the team, as Leris had impressed in his first few appearances for the club following his summer transfer.

Leris joined Stoke City in August 2023 for an undisclosed fee, signing a three-year contract. He made an immediate impact, scoring on his full debut in a 6-1 win against Rotherham United in the EFL Cup. His first Championship goal came a month later in a 3-2 victory over Bristol City. Throughout the 2023–24 season, he made 33 appearances, contributing to Stoke’s survival in the Championship as they finished 17th.

Despite a promising start, Leris struggled for regular game time at Stoke, which led to his departure in August 2024. He returned to Italy, signing the Tuscan outfit. The move marked a return to familiar territory for Léris, who had previously spent significant time in Italian football with Sampdoria and Brescia.

I Nerazzurri have begun their season positively, maintaining a strong position near the top of the table. After the first few games, they have secured several important wins, including a 2-1 victory over Reggiana. They are unbeaten so far, having drawn two and won two of their opening four matches, positioning them at the top of the early table.

Their solid start is encouraging as they aim to push for promotion to Serie A, something now a little more challenging without their key player.

Site Opinion

This is the second major injury to hit Pisa in a short period. A couple of weeks ago, defender Tiago Esteves was sidelined with a ruptured patellar tendon, ruling him out for the foreseeable future. Leris, who was expected to fill in after Esteves’ injury, now joins him on the long-term injury list, leaving Pisa’s head coach, Filippo Inzaghi, with a depleted squad ahead of their next match against Salernitana on 15 September.

With limited options available, Inzaghi faces a tactical conundrum. Idrissa Touré is currently the only remaining player naturally suited to the right-back position. The coach must now consider either adapting players like Arturo Calabresi or Pietro Piccinini to fill the role or altering the team’s formation to a four-man defence.