AITOR KARANKA has confirmed Alex Baptiste suffered a suspected broken leg in Saturday afternoon’s pre-season friendly with York City.

Baptiste was stretchered from the field at Bootham Crescent, after he collapsed to the turf in agony following a first-half challenge with York trialist Danny Johnson.

The defender only joined Middlesbrough from Bolton Wanderers last week, but he now faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines that could well see him sitting out the vast majority of the campaign.

Baptiste was immediately taken away to hospital for X-rays and scans, but Boro’s medical staff fear a break to both the tibia and fibular bones.

Karanka said: “This is the kind of day where I don’t want to speak about football. We are all very disappointed, and after Alex was injured, I left the game.

“Sometimes, it’s difficult for me to understand how unfair football is. One week ago, I was together with Alex in my office. Now, he is in the hospital. If the feeling from Wembley is a motivation, then we have another motivation now to dedicate it to him.

“I don’t know exactly what has happened, but it is going to be a serious injury and he will be out for a long time. I think it is a complete break, although we will have to wait and see.”

Bradley Fewster scored the only goal of the game, slotting home following a through ball from Lee Tomlin with 12 minutes remaining.