Pascali ruled out for rest of season

Kilmarnock have been dealt a major blow with the news that skipper Manuel Pascali’s season is over. The Italian defender is set for surgery on a hamstring problem next week that will rule him out of action for the remainder of the campaign.

Pascali was forced out of last weekend’s 3-0 win over Hearts before discovering the severity of the injury. Manager Kenny Shiels said: “He’s out for the season and it’s a big blow for us. We really feel for him because he is such a good person around the players and he’s a good captain.

“It’s really difficult to take in, the way we have been hit. We have taken a big hit since January. The boys have stepped up and we need them to step up again. It’s a big loss.”

Pascali endured a similar setback this time last year when he suffered a broken leg – a month before Kilmarnock lifted the Scottish Communities League Cup.