Villarreal midfielder Francis Coquelin out for the remaining season with knee injury

Villarreal midfielder Francis Coquelin is out for the rest of the season because of a knee injury, the Spanish club said Monday.

Coquelin was hurt in the first half of the 1-0 loss against league leader Barcelona on Sunday and had to be taken off the field on a stretcher.

Villarreal said tests on Monday showed that Coquelin sustained a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

“The French midfielder will undergo surgery in the coming days and will unfortunately miss the remainder of the current season," Villarreal said in a statement. “Further details of the operation will be released by the club in the near future.”

It was the third straight loss for eighth-place Villarreal, which has only one win in its last six matches in all competitions.