VANCOUVER, BC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC confirmed on Tuesday that midfielder Matías Laba suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear in his right knee during the first half of last Saturday's match at New England Revolution.

Laba will have surgery to repair the ACL in the next one to two weeks and will miss the remainder of the season. He is expected to make a full recovery by next spring.

"Mati is an important member of the club and we wish him a speedy recovery," said Whitecaps FC head coach Carl Robinson. "Our priority now is to support Mati and help him get back on the field as soon as possible. It's a big loss for us, but we have confidence in our group as we enter the final third of the season."

This year, the native of Villa Raffo, Argentina started 19 MLS regular season matches and all four CONCACAF Champions League matches for Whitecaps FC. The 25-year old, who joined the club prior to the start of the 2014 season, ranks fourth all-time for Vancouver in MLS regular season appearances with 113.