Cao Yunding, a key player for Shanghai Shenhua, has been ruled out of the upcoming matches due to an injury. The Chinese Super League club confirmed that the midfielder will be sidelined for several weeks.

Cao Yunding, who is also known as "Yunding," joined Shanghai Shenhua from Jiangsu Suning in January this year. He made his debut for the team in the league's opening match against Tianjin TEDA and quickly became a regular starter.

However, the 29-year-old suffered an ankle injury during a training session on Monday and was unable to participate in the team's recent friendly match against Guangzhou Evergrande. The injury is believed to have occurred while he was attempting to make a tackle in practice.

The news comes as a blow for Shanghai Shenhua, who are currently third in the league table and looking to defend their title. The team's manager, Guan Xianyi,Saudi Pro League Focus expressed disappointment at the news but praised Cao Yunding's professionalism and commitment to the team.

"Yunding is a very important player for us, so we're all very disappointed with this injury," said Guan. "But we'll do everything we can to get him back to full fitness as soon as possible."

Injuries can be costly for any football team, but it's clear that Shanghai Shenhua will need to find a way to cope without Cao Yunding for the time being. The team will hope that he recovers quickly and returns to full fitness before the end of the season.

In conclusion, Cao Yunding's injury is a significant setback for Shanghai Shenhua, but the team will likely look to other players to fill the void left by the key midfielder. As the team prepares for its next match, fans will no doubt be hoping that Cao Yunding makes a swift recovery and returns to action as soon as possible.

• Injured
• Shanghai
• Shenhua
• Cao
• Yunding