Real Madrid and Spain right-back Dani Carvajal has been warned by a leading doctor that he has only a '50 to 60 per cent' chance of recovering from his latest injury.
The 32-year-old secured his sixth Champions League title at the end of last season and added a European Championship winners' medal to his collection weeks later.
However, any dreams of continuing his streak of glittering success, which also includes four La Liga titles, five UEFA Super Cups, and five Club World Cups, have been dashed after rupturing his cruciate ligament, external collateral ligament and popliteal tendon in Los Blancos' 2-0 win over Villarreal last Saturday.
Footballers are often accused of faking injuries or making a meal out of something that isn't as bad as it appears. It's patently clear that wasn't the case with Carvajal, though. After his brutal collision with Pino, he could be heard screaming on the broadcast, and it was obvious he was in lots of pain. The injury, which left the defender in tears, has already brought his season to an abrupt end, but recent developments indicate that even worse news may soon follow.
Doctor Pablo Gelber, founder and president of the European Knee Society's Lateral Knee Injuries Committee, has now shared his assessment of Carvajal's injury. He confirmed that recovery will take at least 12 months and claims the right-back has only a 50 to 60 per cent chance of returning to his peak performance level.
Speaking to Marca, Dr Gelber said: "Of all the factors for returning to sport, the time since surgery is perhaps the least important. It is a necessary factor, but by no means sufficient. In this case, I would not speak of less than 12 months of recovery."
"A negative factor is that footballers tend to have varus legs, as we technically call it. It basically refers to having bowed legs, as Rivaldo, for example, had in a very pronounced way. This fact is a negative factor for the successful recovery of these injuries, because it puts the ligaments that are being reconstructed under a lot of stress, potentially stretching them to levels that make the surgery fail."
He went on to explain that the typical approach outside of football would involve correcting the leg's deviation after the injury. However, he pointed out that such a procedure would effectively end a footballer's career. "In normal people, we often correct this deviation of the leg to avoid this potential failure, especially in cases that have been going on for some time since the injury," he added.
"But in a professional footballer, this correction of the shape of the legs is totally contraindicated, because it would mean the end of a footballer's career. On the other hand, the mental state in such serious injuries is of vital importance, because frustration, fears and negative thoughts can undermine optimal recovery."
Real Madrid made a classy and heartfelt move by extending Carvajal's contract until 2026, even in the wake of the injury that will keep him sidelined for the remainder of the season. The 32-year-old's journey with Los Blancos began in 2002, when he joined their youth academy at just 10 years old, rising through the ranks across all age groups.
After a stint at Bayer Leverkusen, he returned to Madrid in 2013 to join the senior squad, where he would go on to become a key figure in one of the most successful eras in the club's history. During his time in the Spanish capital, Carvajal has won an impressive array of trophies, including four LaLiga titles and six Champions League trophies, solidifying his legacy as one of the best right-backs in the world.
On top of his club success, he added to his illustrious career by helping Spain secure the Euro 2024 title in the summer, with a memorable victory over England in the final. Despite now being in the sunset years of his career, he has aged to perfection, and is considered among the favourites for the 2024 Ballon d'Or to show for it.