The Mexican defender has undergone surgery on Saturday on the internal and external meniscus of his right knee. He will not be rejoining the first team until the preseason.
After getting
injured on Tuesday against Chelsea , Rafa Márquez underwent treatment on Saturday morning, which involved therapeutic arthroscopy
on the internal and external meniscus of his right knee. The surgeon, joined by first team doctor
Ricard Pruna, then appeared before the media to explain how the operation had gone.
Both meniscus
Ramon Cugat confirmed that both the inner and outer meniscus had been affected and that
“the broken and dislocated part of the inner meniscus has been removed, because suture was
not possible. The outer meniscus has been set straight”.
Recovery period
The
doctors also confirmed that Rafa Márquez will be out for between two and a half to three months,
meaning the final stages of his recovery will coincide with the team’s preseason training.
Next steps
Following surgery, Rafa Márquez will spend the weekend in hospital. Then “the first
stage of post-surgery will take three or four weeks” when he will be monitored by Doctor
Cugat.
After that, Rafa Márquez will be handed over the to the club’s Medical Service, and the
final stages of his programme “will be with his team mates in Barcelona”, just as the
preseason gets under way.
Swine fever
Asked that if Rafa Márquez
returns to Mexico, whether any special precautions will be taken against the flu epidemic, Ricard
Pruna said that in theory all of this intervention will take place in Barcelona, although he will
have a holiday period. “If he travels and comes back infected, we will take the right
measures with regard to his colleagues and himself” said the first team doctor.
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“We are working to get Milito fit for the preseason”
On May 13 a year will have passed since Gaby Milito received surgery on cruciate ligaments in his
right knee, an injury he picked up in the Champions League semi final at Old Trafford. The
Argentine defender has not played since, and the Doctor was asked to explain why.
Doctor Cugat said that the initial recovery period had been “very positive”, but
then the player noted problems that have caused a setback in progress. He has gradually been
returning to work both here and in Argentina, and “the player is making progress … he
has even been able train with the first team”.
“But the knee was still causing pain, and that was both a moral and physical setback
for him, because it meant he would not be back before the end of the season … he is being
tormented by pain.” Therefore, they decided “to continue with the treatment plan
without rushing things or setting deadlines” but nevertheless, the plan is for Milito
“to be ready in time for the preseason”.