Swiss club FC Zurich have filed a criminal complaint against Aarau midfielder Sandro Wieser for a tackle in a match last month which saw him sent off and left Gilles Yapi-Yapo with a career-threatening knee injury.
Zurich said in a statement they asked the public prosecutor of Lenzburg-Aarau canton (state) to consider bringing charges of assault, having begun legal proceedings last month. The club say they have acted to help protect the health of professional players.
The challenge, which happened during Zurich's 1-0 Swiss Super League win at Aarau on Nov. 9, saw Wieser appear to stamp down on Yapi-Yapo's right knee.
The 32-year-old was carried off on a stretcher in the 23rd minute, and Zurich said he had suffered torn cruciate ligaments, serious cartilage damage, a meniscus tear, a torn kneecap and deep bruising in his thigh.
The former Ivory Coast international has been out injured since the tackle, and it is unclear if he will recover to play again.
Wieser, a 21-year-old Liechtenstein international who is a former teammate of Yapi-Yapo's at Basel, later apologised and was suspended for six matches by the Swiss league.
"I totally regret what happened," Wieser said in a post on Facebook after the incident. "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."
Zurich are currently second in the Swiss Super League table, level on points with Young Boys Bern and eight points behind leaders Basel. Aarau sit eighth in the 10-team division.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
