Doctors Ramon Cugat and Ricard Pruna have operated this Monday on FC Barcelona player Ibrahim Afellay to repair the torn cruciate ligament the player suffered on the 22nd of September during a training session with FC Barcelona.

“The player was operated on ten days after his injury because we considered the reasons as it was painful and with a lot of blood, things must be cooled down when you have arthroscopic surgery,” commented the Club’s doctor Ricard Pruna.

Doctor Ramon Cugat confirmed upon examining the knee: “We did the arthroscopic and we can certify that there was a total rupture of the cruciate ligament … For the player we’ve placed two biodegradable screws and he’s resting in his room.”

“The operation lasted 50 minutes and the player will spend four or five days in the clinic,” added Cugat.

Speaking about the recovery process for the player, Ramon Cugat commented that “there might be pain or discomfort while he’s in the clinic” and after six days “the bandage will be removed and he will be able to move.”

Cugat also confirmed that the period before Afellay could reappear on the pitch is “about six months“, although he recognized that the player will not be at 100%: “Not until two years have passed would one be 97-98% [recovered] but for a footballer you cannot ask him to stop playing for two years.”

Source: Sport; Image: Miguel Ruiz