Auckland FC star Nando Pijnaker will miss the start of the season after undergoing surgery in a big blow for the reigning Isuzu UTE A-League premiers.
The Black Knights revealed Pijnaker is expected to be sidelined for 12 weeks due to an ankle injury that required surgery, with the New Zealand international set to miss the start of the 2025-26 campaign.
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It is a blow for Auckland, who revealed the news after Pijnaker was not included in New Zealand’s squad to face the Subway Socceroos for the Soccer Ashes trophy next month.
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Pijnaker played a key role in Auckland’s history-making inaugural A-Leagues season in 2024-25.
The 26-year-old helped the league’s newest club clinch the Premiership as the narrowly missed out on a Grand Final berth.
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Steve Corica’s Auckland are also gearing up for Saturday’s Australia Cup quarter-final against Sydney FC.
