The injury of Gavi, Barcelona’s midfield star, tore the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee in the match between Spain and Georgia in the qualifiers for Euro 2024, sparked panic in the Blaugrana because it ended the young star’s season, but what is the injury that is disturbing the players? Will the player then return to his level?
It was clear that the young star was affected by the operation on the 28th of this month and missed important football events, especially the European Nations Cup in Germany and the Summer Olympic Games.
A cruciate ligament tear is a sprain, stretch, partial or complete tear in the anterior cruciate ligament, which is one of the main ligaments in the knee.
It is one of the most common knee injuries, and often occurs during sports that involve jumping, sudden changes in direction, and landing. Damage to the cruciate ligament causes instability and swelling and makes it painful to bear any weight.
Regarding the nightmare that befalls players when they learn that they have injured the cruciate ligament, Rafael Gonzalez Adreu, a specialist in trauma medicine and orthopedic surgery, says, “The injured person usually regains the ability to fully move the knee within 4 to 6 weeks, and we allow them to practice running after 4 months.” In order for him to start training, he needs 5 or 6 months after the operation.”
Always Gavi 💙❤️#EveryoneWithGavi pic.twitter.com/ZKJua1kdUS
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 21, 2023
A rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament of the knee is one of the injuries that football players fear most, because it may end their football career, but there are players who were able to come back and shine again.
The Spanish newspaper “Marca” reviews a number of players who returned strongly to the field after suffering the same injury as Gavi:
- Spaniard Xavi Hernandez: At the age of 25, Xavi, the former Barcelona player and current coach, tore the cruciate ligament in his knee in December 2005. Despite all the odds, he was able to compete in the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Xavi says that the confidence of the Spanish national team coach at the time, Luis Aragones, helped him return and shine with Barcelona and the Spanish national team, and he was also nominated to win the Golden Ball.
Xavi Hernández: “Luis Aragonés is the most influential person of my entire career, even more than Pep” #Speechless pic.twitter.com/vpqPYteKdo
— Miguel Ángel Peris (@MiguelPeris) September 17, 2014
- Spanish Oyarzabal: Real Sociedad striker Mikel Oyarzabal went through an ordeal when he tore his cruciate ligament in March 2022, but he returned to playing with the ball this season, at the same level as he was before his cruciate ligament tear.
Real Sociedad’s Mikel Oyarzabal has suffered a serious ACL injury which will end his season and almost certainly rule him out for the opening part of the next one too. May even make him a doubt for the World Cup which starts in November.
— SorareLALIGA (@SorareLaLiga) March 17, 2022
- Spanish Diego Costa: The former Spain international tore his cruciate ligament in December 2017 shortly after arriving at Atletico Madrid, and not only did he overcome the injury, but he showed his best version of himself afterwards. Diego Costa won the Spanish League with Atletico, performed brilliantly in the Champions League, and also carried the colors of the Spanish national team.
🔴⚪️🙌🏽🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/rv1v9Ejkei
— Diego Costa (@diegocosta) August 28, 2019
- Spaniard Sergio Canales: Perhaps among the names on the list is Canales, the player who had the worst time, having broken both his legs. The former Spanish international suffered 3 injuries of this kind in his career, including two with Valencia and one when he was at Real Sociedad. Despite all that, he played for the La Roja national team and joined Real Betis in July 2018 and stayed with them for 5 seasons, before announcing his move to Monterrey, Mexico.
Very proud of this team 💙! We continue @Rayados pic.twitter.com/43mRFMZidf
— Sergio Canales (@SergioCanales) August 9, 2023
- Spanish Camacho: In the 1977-1978 season, the legendary Real Madrid full-back suffered a cruciate ligament tear that prevented him from participating in the World Cup, and he was on the verge of ending his career. It took him 20 months to recover, and he returned to performing well with Real Madrid and the national team. Those who saw him at the time said that he had endured more than he had before he broke.
Jose Antonio Camacho doing his best to stop Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff in 1977. By all means possible 🇪🇸🔥 pic.twitter.com/74LnqmZW2L
– RICH. (@RIJKSPORTS) November 17, 2023
- Falcao: The Colombian striker suffered a “nightmare” injury when he was 20 years old. But the injury did not prevent the current Rayo Vallecano striker from shining and becoming one of the best scorers in football history.
2023-11-21 16:57:08
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