Barcelona striker Luis Suarez has been ruled out for approximately four months after having keyhole surgery on an injury to his right knee.
Suarez had suffered an injury to the external meniscus of his knee and was operated on by Dr Ramon Cugat on Sunday.
The former Liverpool striker, 32, played the entire match as Barcelona were beaten 3-2 by Atletico Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup semi-final on Friday.
Suarez – who had surgery on the same knee at the end of last season – has played 23 matches for Barcelona this season, scoring 14 goals. The Catalans are top of La Liga at the halfway point of the campaign, locked on 40 points with second-placed Real Madrid, and face Napoli in the last 16 of the Champions League.
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They were knocked out of the Spanish Super Cup with a 3-2 loss to Athletico Madrid on Thursday, a defeat which has added pressure on manager Ernesto Valverde.
That defeat, which came after a surprise 2-2 league draw at struggling Espanyol, has led to increased speculation over the manager’s position, with AS reporting that club legend Xavi has been offered a contract to take over from the 55-year-old.
The injury to Suarez will put more pressure on Antoine Griezmann in the club’s chase for trophies this season, with Valverde now likely to deploy the Frenchman in a more central position.
It also represents another issue for the manager who is under pressure at the Nou Camp with questions being raised over his future at the club. Valverde was booed by supporters on Thursday night following the club’s exit in the Spanish Super Cup versus Atletico Madrid.
His job is under heavy scrutiny with many people expecting him to leave the club by the end of the season at the latest.
