Donato blow to Deportivo

RC Deportivo La Coruña defender Donato Gama is set to miss the rest of the season after damaging his achilles tendon against Villarreal CF on Sunday.

Hospital case
The former Spanish international was stretchered off eleven minutes into the Riazor stalemate - with what his club described as a serious injury. "It's a bad one which will require a recovery period of about three months - probably the rest of the campaign," Deportivo doctor César Cobián said.

Here to stay
It was not all bad news for the 39-year-old, though, with Deportivo announcing after the match that they would give him a one-year contract extension. Club president Augusto César Lendoiro said: "He's been having a great season."

Ever present
Donato's current deal, which expires in the summer, was renewable on the proviso that he appeared in 50 per cent of Deportivo's games this term. The Brazilian-born player has started 17 of 20 Primera División matches, and been ever-present in the Galician team's UEFA Champions League campaign.

Defensive woes
The injury is a blow to Javier Irureta's side who are already without another central defender, broken-leg victim Manuel Pablo García.