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Preparation for the 2011-2012 season will most likely start without team captain Carles Puyol.
On Wednesday, the defender underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee at a hospital in Barcelona.
According to initial data, the Catalan's rehabilitation is expected to take between 8 and 12 weeks, so it is believed that the footballer will miss the team's preparation for the new season and will be able to start training around mid-August.
"Now the best doctor is time," said "Barcelona" doctor Ramon Cugat to journalists on Wednesday. "Carles told me that he would be ready to play in a month, but I advised him not to rush things."
According to the doctor, the rehabilitation is expected to last for about three months, but this period will depend on how the player's knee recovers after the surgical intervention.
"Our forecasts are preliminary. Carles may be healthy in two months, may need treatment longer, or may recover sooner. It is difficult to predict accurately, as it is a complex process that is greatly influenced by the body," noted Cugat.
Puyol started feeling knee pain after the match against "Malaga" in January. The defender received a strong blow to his left knee and refrained from playing for a while. Conservative treatment methods were later decided, involving special injections and procedures to address the painful leg. This partially paid off - the defender played in crucial matches against Real Madrid and several other games.
According to Cugat, for the UEFA Champions League final against "Man Utd", the defender was almost "100 percent" ready, but by then it was already clear that after the match, the footballer would have to undergo surgery. Guardiola decided to protect the team captain and only sent him onto the field at the very end of the match.
