FC Zurich have stated legal proceedings after their midfielder Gilles Yapi-Yapo was badly injured following an appalling tackle by Aarau’s Sandro Wieser during a Swiss Super League game at the weekend.

Doctors treating Yapi-Yapo, a former Ivory Coast international, said he would be out of action for a long period. Yapi-Yapo, was reported to have suffered extensive damage including torn anterior and interior cruciate ligaments, serious cartilage damage, meniscus tear, a torn kneecap and deep bruising in his thigh as a result of the challenge.

Wieser stamped forcefully on Yapi-Yapo’s right knee, forcing the 32-year-old to be stretchered off in the 19th minute of the match and prompting the FC Zurich president, Ancillo Canepa, to commence criminal proceedings for intentional injury.

Wieser, a Liechtenstein international, expressed remorse via his Facebook page, after the match.

“I totally regret what happened,” the 21-year-old posted on his Facebook page.

“There was absolutely no intent on my part.

“I’ve had a lot of experience with injury and I don’t wish that on anyone.”

He said that Yapi-Yapo was a former teammate of his (at FC Basel) and described him as “a great guy”.

The dreadful challenge comes in the wake of several cimilar incidents in recent weeks, including two in Romania which resulted in 16-match bans for the perpetrators.

The challenge was so bad it would not have looked at all out of place in this gruesome collection of X-rated tackles.