Llull injury damages Spain's Eurobasket hopes

MADRID, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) - Reigning champions Spain's chances of retaining this year's Eurobasket suffered a serious setback on Thursday when the Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB) confirmed that point-guard/shooting guard Sergio Llull has suffered an injury to his right knee and will miss the tournament.

Llull, who plays for Real Madrid, broke his cruciate knee ligament in Wednesday night's surprise 711-89 defeat to Belgium in a warm-up game in Tenerife and will be out of action for between six to nine months, meaning he will not only miss the Eurobasket, but most of the coming season.

"He will return to Madrid on Thursday, to have new tests in order to determine his recovery time," said the FEB in a communique in which they also expressed their support for the 29-year-old.

Llull has been a fixture on the Spanish side in the past decade, winning three Eurobasket gold medals in 2009, 2011 and 2015, as well as silver in 2013 and an Olympic Silver medal in London 2012 and a bronze at Rio 2016.