Sign up NOW for the latest Reds news and views direct to your inbox Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Juan Fuentes’ Nottingham Forest career took a severe blow on the night it had properly begun, as the Spanish defender sustained what the club fear is a serious knee injury on his debut for the Championship club.

The 28-year-old former Osasuna player was carried off the pitch during the half-time interval at the City Ground, during the 3-0 win over Barnsley.

The left-back sustained the problem in a committed challenge with Dimitri Cavare in injury time at the end of the first half – and the half-time whistle was blown while he was still receiving his lengthy treatment on the pitch.

Fuentes had had to be patient as he waited for his first opportunity – and he had looked solid enough when handed his first chance in the starting line-up, prior to a painful looking collision.

With Fuentes having signed a short-term deal until the end of the season – it has left his future in doubt.

(Image: Dan Westwell)

And Aitor Karanka admitted it had cast a cloud over an otherwise positive evening.

“In the second half the players were feeling down – I was feeling down,” said Karanka.

“He was playing well, he had his first chance to play. We are not optimistic for the future.

“The game was not secondary, but the main thing today is that injury.

“We do not know how bad it is, but it is not good. He is in the hospital now. We need to wait and hope it is as good as possible.

“He was doing well. He knew last week he would play. I wanted him to be ready. We have won today for him and we will try to win the next two games for him.

“I don’t know what will happen in the future. We need to know what his injury is and what will happen with that. Then we will think about the future.”