Real Madrid had previous hoped that Eden Hazard would be able to lead the team into the Champions League tie with Manchester City, yet after the Belgian forward suffered another ankle ailment, the player has been encouraged to undergo surgery.
Pedro Luis Ripoll is one of the best traumatologists in Spain, and he was asked for his thoughts on Hazard's next course of action, especially given his experience with elite athletes.
"Hazard should go through the operating room," Ripoll explained in an interview with Teledeporte.
This is a statement that has been echoed by Ripoll's contemporaries, with Dr Pablo de Lucas fully agreeing with the assertion that surgery is the only way Hazard can have the problem rectified.
"The best way to control this problem is by operating on it," De Lucas told El Chiringuito.
"At least, this is my point of view with the information I have about the injury."
One of the issues which has exacerbated this problem is the fact that this injury first occurred when he was with Chelsea in 2017.
If Hazard undergoes surgery then he will not play again for Los Blancos this season, and it's likely he would also miss the Euro 2020, something that is unthinkable for Belgian with their window for success closing by the year.
Refusing to operate at this point and favouring a more conservative treatment option to ensure participation in the remainder of the season comes with a warning that there could be a second relapse to the ailment.
Hazard had a plate inserted into the ankle in question back in 2017, however it's no longer providing the function it should ever since the challenge by Thomas Meunier in November 2019.
The final decision ultimately rests with the player, but all advice suggests he should seek surgery at this point, although nothing has come out of Real Madrid's own medical department as yet.
pebciptz
472
I don't know I am very dad for hazard he came from the world Cup and he was looking still the best player in the World though messi and Ronaldo are incomparable still he was excellent but what happened pls return hazard as soon as possible and hope ur operate goes successful
Sedbcklrs
138
I blame the medícal doctors in madrid that has been nursing his injury offlate. Harzad sat for nearly three months offlate without playing, nursing something that needs immediate surgery. if he had gone through the surgery maybe he would have gone through 40% of the recovery stage by now. Harzad is also very nieve!