Van Nistelrooy: I Hope It's Only Eight Weeks

Ruud van Nistelrooy is putting all his faith in the American doctor who helped rebuild his knee eight years ago and believes that he is fortunate to be in such safe hands.

The Real Madrid striker is likely to be out of action for at least two months after it was decided that he required an operation on the injury to his knee.

World-renowned surgeon Doctor Richard Steadman will perform the procedure and Van Nistelrooy has no doubts that he could not be in a better position to solve his problem.

"To be back here again after eight years is not good, but it is important to be with one of the best - and he is the best," Marca quote the Dutchman as saying.

"I have been lucky and I hope to only be out for a couple of months, eight weeks or thereabouts."

Real Madrid have released a statement, which reads: "The player has undergone a diagnostic artroscopy, in this case therapeutic, to discover the exact cause of the injury and what course of surgery is then required."

"Once the exact diagnosis and surgical procedures have been carried out that will determine the forecast of a recovery time."