Derby County boss Wayne Rooney has confirmed that Krystian Bielik is facing a long time out after damaging the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee for a second time, which has drawn an emotional response from many Rams fans.

Bielik was stretchered off in the 1-0 win against Bristol City on the weekend and, speaking after the defeat to Rotherham United last night, Rooney provided an update on the Poland international.

He said (via RamsTV): "Krystian has done his ACL again, which is sad, and we are all devastated with that news.

“He will have a long time to come back now, but he knows what to do. He has been there before and we will give him every bit of help we can for him to come back stronger.”

Rooney added: “It is a blow to everyone at the club, but more importantly a blow for himself. He came back into the team in December and did really well. He was giving himself a great chance of going to the European Championships in the summer with Poland.”

The 23-year-old is facing a significant period on the sideline and will undergo his treatment and rehabilitation after he's seen a specialist.

It's a heartbreaking blow for Bielik, who suffered the same injury last season but had returned midway through the 2020/21 campaign and become a key player for Rooney's Rams.

The midfielder's physical and all-action style has been integral to Derby's recent upturn in form and it will likely be a concern for their manager that their first game without him ended in a 3-0 defeat.

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Unsurprisingly, the Pride Park faithful have been left frustrated, sad, and concerned by the news with many taking to Twitter to share their thoughts.

Read their reaction here: