Cagey Barcelona Fear Gerard Pique Suffered Long-Term Knee Injury in Atletico Madrid Defeat
By Max Cooper
Barcelona are fearing the worst over the knee injury sustained by Gerard Pique in their 1-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid on Saturday evening, believing the Spaniard could miss the next four to six months of action.
The 33-year-old was involved in a collision with Rojiblancos striker Angel Correa, and he had to be helped off the field, unable to put any weight on his right leg, and close to tears. The initial tests carried out on the pitch and in the dressing room suggest that the World Cup winner could be sidelined for an extended period of time.
According to Sport, doctors in Madrid told the player and the club that he may be forced to undergo surgery due to a serious structural problem in the knee, and this intervention could keep Pique out of the team for a further six months.
The initial reaction of the Spain international has been one of pessimism, and it looks likely that la Blaugrana will have to cope without their talisman for the coming months. The official Barça website was not giving anything away, though, reporting that the defender has suffered a 'sprained knee', and is waiting for more tests to assess the severity of the knock.
"Gerard Piqué has a sprained right knee," the statement read. "The Barça centre back is waiting for more tests to ascertain the extent of the injury after a collision with Atlético striker Correa forced him off the field of play on the hour mark."
Should the worst case scenario unfold, Ronald Koeman may even be forced to dip into the transfer window in January, if he feels the competition behind Pique is not strong enough for the first team.
This major blow swiftly follows the news of Ansu Fati's own injury woes, as the starlet is set for a four-month spell on the sidelines, after undergoing surgery on the meniscus in his left knee.