.JPG "Barcelona's Martin Braithwaite celebrates scoring their second goal against Juventus with Sergio Busquets and Ronald Araujo at Estadi Johan Cryuff in Barcelona August 8, 2021. u00e2u20acu201d Reuters picn")
BARCELONA, Sept 13 — Barcelona forward Martin Braithwaite is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after the club announced today he is to undergo knee surgery.
The Denmark striker has started all three of Barca’s LaLiga games this season and scored twice in the 4-2 defeat of Real Sociedad in their opening game but sustained a knee injury in the 2-1 win over Getafe on August 29.
He subsequently missed Denmark’s World Cup qualifiers and remained in Barcelona but the club said in a statement he had opted for surgery after the injury did not respond to conservative treatment.
The 30-year-old is set to miss the next three-four months, according to reports in the Spanish media, with Barca adding they would release a new medical report after his operation.
Braithwaite’s injury adds to Barca’s shortage in attack, with new signing Sergio Aguero still waiting to make his debut after injuring a calf tendon last month.
The Argentine is not set to return until mid-October while teenage striker Ansu Fati is still waiting to make his comeback after undergoing knee surgery last season.
The club signed Dutch striker Luuk de Jong on loan from Sevilla on the final day of the transfer window while allowing Antoine Griezmann to rejoin Atletico Madrid on loan.
Barca begin their Champions League campaign tomorrow at home to Bayern Munich, who beat them 8-2 in the quarter-finals in August 2020. — Reuters
