Gavi out four to five months after knee meniscus arthroscopy

Barcelona midfielder Gavi underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on Tuesday after conservative treatment failed to resolve a recurring meniscus problem, the club confirmed, and will be sidelined for an extended period as he begins rehabilitation. The 21 year old, who has not played since late August, had been struggling with pain in the same knee in which he tore his anterior cruciate ligament in 2023.

Club medical staff said Gavi was first given a conservative course of treatment and then underwent "intense sports stress tests" before the decision to operate. In a statement the club said the arthroscopy addressed a medial meniscus injury and that the meniscus was sutured to preserve it. Barcelona added that recovery time is estimated at around four to five months, and that a further medical update will follow after the procedure.

The timing of the operation and the length of the expected layoff represent a major setback for both Gavi and Barcelona. Early in the build up to the operation the club and media accounts had presented two possible outcomes: continued conservative care or a short arthroscopy that would have ruled him out for a few weeks. Those initial...