Pique may return in April as he NOT needing surgery on his ligament injury

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique may return to action this season after the decision was taken for him to avoid surgery despite suffering knee ligament damage.

The 33-year-old was forced off in the defeat by Atletico Madrid last week and the club held initial fears their experienced centre back would be ruled out for the majority of the campaign.

It has now emerged that Pique and Barcelona have opted against surgery, which is likely to have sidelined him for between six to eight months, meaning he may have been handed a late lifeline.

A more conservative treatment plan has been chosen by the Catalonian giants instead, as reported by Catalunya Radio on Thursday. Should Pique's recovery go to plan, he may return in April.

Dr Ramon Cugat, a renowned orthopaedic surgeon, recommended Pique to undergo surgery in order to fix the issue on a longer-term basis.

As one of football's most in-demand doctors, Dr Cugat is understood to have visited Pique on Wednesday at Barcelona's training complex to study the Spain international's tests.

In that meeting it was suggested that Pique be put through surgery to stabilise his right knee, a course of action the defender and his club were firmly against from the outset.

It has been reported that Pique is aware of his advancing age and the fact he may only have two or three years left at the top of the sport.

This may have turned him against the surgery, with the potential eight-month absence likely to have weighed heavily on his mind.

Barcelona have endured a poor start to the new term under Ronald Koeman and are currently lacking in senior options at the centre of their backline.

Samuel Umtiti and Ronald Arajuo are also both injured, leaving Clement Lenglet the only fit defender.

Oscar Mingueza, a B-term starlet, was forced to make the step up against Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League in mid-week and impressed alongside Lenglet.