Two-time Ballon d'Or Feminin winner Alexia Putellas has suffered another cruel injury setback.
One of the best players on the planet, the Barcelona and Spain national team star is set to start the New Year on the sidelines, with her club revealing she needs to undergo an operation on her left knee.
The forward has not featured for Barcelona since a Women's Champions League 5-0 win over Benfica on November 14, when she scored twice. Putellas has had a tough two years with injury misery, which may now continue into 2024.
She first missed Euro 2022 in England after sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament injury on the eve of the tournament in the same knee, which caused her to miss most of the 2022-23 season. Putellas did return against Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final second leg, winning her race to be fit for the Women's World Cup last summer.
The forward was a late substitute in the 1-0 final victory against England in Sydney but only started once during the tournament, having also came off the bench when Barcelona beat Wolfsburg 3-2 in the Champions League final back in June.
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Barcelona confirmed in a statement Putellas needed surgery, writing on X: "The player of the first women's team Alexia Putellas will undergo, this Wednesday, December 27, an arthroscopy to review her left knee. At the end of the intervention, the club will provide a new medical statement."
The fresh injury blow will be a major concern for Barcelona, particularly considering it is the same knee injured prior to the Euros. Putellas was called up by the Spanish national team for the November international camp but subsequently withdrew.
Putellas last played in November, scoring twice against BenficaSpain did qualify for the Nations League finals without Putellas, with a dramatic 5-3 win over World Cup bronze medal winners Sweden. La Roja will meet the Netherlands in the tournament semi-finals in February, but it now looks likely Putellas will miss the final four clash.
The World Cup winner will undergo an arthroscopy is a type of keyhole surgery which uses a small fibre-optic camera to diagnose and treat joint problems. Putellas became the all-time time top goalscorer of Barcelona women back in October after scoring against Atletico Madrid.
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