Gavi avoids (for now) going under the knife again

BarcelonaGavi faced decisive moments for his recovery this Monday. As reported by the newspaper Sport and the ARA has been able to confirm, the possibility that the 21-year-old midfielder may have to undergo an arthroscopy has been assessed, if it is the final decision, to review and clean his right knee. However, the Barcelona club has downplayed this option for the time being. Privacy and the caution that accompany medical matters are the prevailing trend.

Gavi isn't just experiencing discomfort, although that's what was initially hinted at through the club's official channels when the player injured himself—and caused fear, amid screams and displays of pain—during training on Friday, August 29. The Barça number 6 only hurt himself on the same knee he seriously injured two years ago. The specifically affected area is the meniscus, and it's a new injury, not just discomfort, the extent of which remains uncertain depending on whether they opt to continue with a more conservative treatment—as has been decided—or, depending on how it progresses, opt for surgery later for arthroscopy. For now, the prevailing option is to continue conservative treatment to see how the footballer's knee responds, which will last at least two to three weeks.

Since his injury, Gavi, who attended the Catalunya MotoGP Grand Prix this Sunday as a guest of the Ducati team, has not been able to train with his teammates. He was ruled out for the match in Vallecas against Rayo Vallecano and was dropped from the Spanish national team squad, which has recently played two qualifying matches for next summer's World Championship.

Several absences against Valencia

For now, pending the progress of his injury treatment, in which care and caution are non-negotiable principles, he is ruled out of the Champions League opener against Newcastle this Sunday against Valencia and on Thursday the 18th. This adds to the problems for Hansi Flick, who will also be without Alejandro Balde against Valencia, who injured his left hamstring five days ago. He is also without Frenkie de Jong, who left the Netherlands squad on Friday with discomfort and has no intention of playing under pressure. Barça has announced that the Dutchman is suffering from "a minor injury to the external obturator muscle in his right leg" and has not specified how long he will be out.

The chronology of Gavi's injury has gone through several stages. The initial scare came on Friday the 29th, when Gavi was injured during training, and the club initially tried to convey, through official communication channels, that it was "nothing serious." In fact, there has been no statement from Barça. Despite this initial statement, the concern in the locker room was palpable almost from the outset. The day after his injury, Saturday, August 30th, this newspaper already reported that the Los Palacios (Sevilla) midfielder was suffering from an injury and that, as the joint was quite swollen, further tests had to be carried out once the bruise had subsided.

Alexia Putellas, a recent precedent

Finally, last week, the possibility of undergoing arthroscopy was already on the table. However, this option has been avoided for the time being. This has been the conclusion reached by all parties: doctors, player, and club. Arthroscopy is a procedure that, for example, Alexia Putellas underwent in December 2023 after suffering a serious injury to the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee in July 2022. The Barça women's captain returned to play on March 10 after undergoing surgery. In Gavi's case, the affected area is, as we mentioned, the meniscus in her right knee.