Gavi has already taken the first step towards his recovery. The Barça midfielder underwent “satisfactory” surgery this Tuesday at the Barcelona Hospital on his rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee with a meniscal suture. This was expressed in a statement by the Blaugrana club, whose medical services supervised the intervention.
The Los Palacios footballer entered the medical center this Tuesday around seven in the morning accompanied by his family, his representative, Iván de la Peña, and the club’s doctor, Ricard Pruna. The operation was carried out by Dr. Joan Carles Monllau, specialist in orthopedic surgery and traumatology.
The surgeon has experience in treating elite sports figures: Alexia Putellas, Alex Abrines or Sergio Lozano, captain of Barça futsal, have passed through his hands. Former first team players such as Martin Braithwaite and Philippe Coutinho, who suffered a meniscus tear in 2020, have also done the same.
Xavi Hernández has stressed on many occasions Gavi’s “winning character”, “passion” and “spirit”: virtues that the Andalusian footballer will have to exercise to face the difficult stage that awaits him in the long term. The one from Los Palacios, injured in the last national team break against Georgia, will be out for between six and eight months so he will miss the rest of the season under the orders of the Egarense coach.
The Terrassa coach also suffered a torn ligament in December 2005 that made him “more mature.” “I have spoken with Gavi. I have personal experience and I think he made me a better footballer,” Xavi explained at a press conference last Saturday, drawing a parallel with the situation that the young 19-year-old footballer is going through.
“From there I understood that I had to be more professional, take care of myself and do prevention. Knee recovery is always difficult,” he added. As for the Spanish team, Luis de la Fuente will not be able to count on Gavi to ‘ La Roja’ for the remainder of the campaign. Nor for the 2024 Euro Cup, which will begin on June 14.
The Blaugrana midfielder, who will conclude the 2023-24 campaign with 21 games played and 1,591 minutes played, could also say goodbye to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, if the recovery processes are not as estimated. Gavi finishes this season with four goals scored (two with Barça and two with the national team) and a record of 16 wins, three draws and two losses, against Shakthar Donetsk in the group stage of the Champions League and Real Madrid in league.