While preventive treatment should have put him back on his feet following an injury and knee pain, Luis Suárez once again found himself unable to participate in a match for his Grêmio team. It was this Tuesday against Bahia (1-1) in the quarter-final first leg of the Brazilian Cup.
Initially announced as a starter, thinking he would be restored thanks to the treatment advised by his club, El Pistolero unfortunately felt new pain during the warm-up, finally forcing him to forfeit the entire match. While Grêmio had opted for preventive treatment in order to relieve the pain and allow the player to return to the field as quickly as possible – which ultimately did not succeed – the remaining solutions to treat the number nine would also involve a long absence.
These complications make a possible return to top form for the gunslinger even more uncertain, especially at the age of 36, and also raise questions about his future in Brazil.
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Reduce options
The most likely path is for Suárez, in conjunction with his doctor, to opt for cartilage reconstruction in his right knee. Such a move would mean an extended period away from the pitch for the gunslinger. It should be emphasized that this procedure also carries risks, as there is no guarantee of a 100% complete recovery.
The other possibility considered would be for Suárez to undergo growth factor treatment, but the player has already experimented with this method at some point in his career, and it would only hide the scars of pain and recurring problems in his knee.
Luis Suárez’s situation therefore remains uncertain and worrying, especially given the high level of the Brazilian championship where the former Barça player may not be able to perform by being physically impaired.
In any case, this is what its president, Alberto Guerra, implied less than a week ago: “It is a very competitive championship, with very demanding logistics. The matches are of a high standard. He takes a lot of hits and puts in a lot of effort for a player of his age.”
His statistics, on the other hand, show that once on the pitch and when the pain subsides, Suarez becomes intractable. This year, in 28 games with Grémio, he managed to score 13 goals and deliver 9 assists.
