Melbourne Victory star Luis Nani ruled out for the rest of the A-League season

Melbourne Victory’s rollercoaster campaign in the A-League has reached another devastating low, with confirmation that star recruit Luis Nani will miss the remainder of the season with a serious knee injury.

The 36-year-old former Manchester United superstar was touted as one of the biggest signings in A-League history when he joined Victory in July last year after four English Premier League (EPL) titles and a Champions League victory for the Red Devils, as well as a host of other honors in his storied career.

Victory confirmed the winger tore his ACL in a leg clash with Brisbane Roar’s Connor Chapman late in Victory’s 1-0 defeat on Friday night at an eerily quiet AAMI Park.

Melbourne Victory superstar Nani has been ruled out for the remainder of the A-League season after suffering an ACL tear on Friday night.

During his 147-game career at Manchester United, Nani won four EPL titles (pictured celebrating in 2009 with Christiano Ronaldo) and one Champions League, among many other honours.

Nani lies dejected and sore on the grass at AAMI Park after suffering a season-ending knee injury.

Scans on Nani’s right knee confirmed the club’s worst injury fears, and in a statement, Victory manager Tony Popovic said he was devastated by his lead signing.

“We are all disappointed in Luis,” he said in the statement, which was released Sunday morning.

Luis has been a huge influence on the club through his leadership and experience, and it will be an incredible loss for our team.

“The whole club will support Luis and will support him during his recovery.”

Nani joined Victory to much fanfare ahead of the 2022/23 A-League season, but unfortunately for the club he has not lived up to expectations.

After delighting fans with his blinding speed and silky dribbling during his seasons in Portugal, England, Spain, England and the USA, and starring Portugal during their Euro 2016 victory, Nani was left without goals in his nine starts for the Victoria.

The 36-year-old arrived in Australia along with former EPL striker Charlie Austin, who has signed with Brisbane, and the pair gave A-League fans high hopes that it would be their best season yet.

Nani made 147 appearances for Manchester United between 2007 and 2015, during which time the club enjoyed enormous success.

But both players are now lost in the competition, with Austin citing family reasons for his return home to the UK, where he rejoined League Two side Swindon Town.

It was the third straight loss for Popovic’s side, who dropped to 11th in the standings, just ahead of bottom-placed Perth on goal difference.

The streak of terror has come with Victory still awaiting full penalties from Football Australia for last month’s violent pitch invasion during the abandoned Melbourne derby.

17 people have now received lengthy bans, some for life, for their part in the mayhem that was called the “darkest day in Australian rules football”.

Nani was billed as a BIG signing for Victory after joining ahead of the 2022/23 season, but the former Manchester United superstar disappointed and is now sidelined with injury.

The Victory have also been forced to play in front of only valid club members, and are unable to sell tickets, with AAMI Park looking more like a ghost town than a hive of football-related excitement.

It hasn’t exactly been a blessed year for players, either.

Only Perth have scored less than Victory’s tally of nine in 10 games.

Fortunately for the basement dwellers, they will have the chance to bolster their squad in the January transfer window, with Nani’s injury meaning they now have two spots available for foreign recruits.