Barcelona midfielder Gavi is facing a five-month absence after knee surgery this week, a situation that reportedly could have been averted had the club followed its head doctor’s original advice for a quicker operation back in August.
Barcelona’s Gavi Ruled Out for Up to Five Months After Knee Surgery
The 21-year-old Spanish international underwent an arthroscopy on Tuesday after conservative treatment for a meniscus injury in his right knee failed to resolve the problem.
The club confirmed the surgery was successful but announced a recovery timeline of four to five months, meaning Gavi will likely be sidelined until February 2025.
According to reports, the current lengthy layoff stems from a disagreement in August over how to treat the injury.
Following tests that identified a small meniscus tear, Dr. Ricard Pruna, the head of Barcelona’s medical services, advised immediate surgery. That procedure was estimated to keep Gavi out for only about five weeks.
However, the club’s physio, Raul Martinez, disagreed and advocated for a conservative treatment plan instead.
His opinion, said to “carry a lot of weight” within the club, ultimately won out, and Gavi agreed to pursue non-surgical recovery.
After several weeks of conservative treatment, Gavi continued to experience pain, forcing a reevaluation. The decision was made last week to proceed with an arthroscopy, initially expecting a one-month recovery.
Once doctors performed the surgery, they discovered the injury was more severe than scans had indicated.
Instead of a simple tear, the meniscus was broken and required sutures, drastically extending the estimated recovery period.
The news came as a shock to the club and the player, who only returned to action in October 2024 after an 11-month absence due to an ACL injury in the same knee.
Teammates visited Gavi in the hospital, and manager Hansi Flick expressed his support, calling Gavi a player who “lives for this club”.
This new setback not only impacts Barcelona’s season but also puts Gavi’s availability for the 2026 World Cup in doubt.
