In a sad turn of events after winning a title, Rodrigo Garro will have to go through a lengthy recuperation period due to a knee injury.  The Brazilian football team revealed on Tuesday that the Corinthians midfielder will be going to Madrid to cure a patellar tendinopathy that affects his right knee.

 Garro left for the Spanish capital on Monday to participate in a cutting-edge rehabilitation program, according to an official statement.  The team hasn’t, however, given any precise information about how long he is expected to be sidelined.  This news raises concerns for head coach Ramón Díaz, who views Garro as a pivotal asset within the team, especially alongside Dutch star Memphis Depay.

The gifted midfield player will probably miss a number of Corinthians games in the near future.  He will not go to Colombia for a match against América de Cali the following week, nor will he be able to make his much awaited Copa Sudamericana debut against Huracán coming Wednesday as part of Group C.  Additionally, Garro will not play in the Brasileirao’s first game against Vasco da Gama.

Garro revealed in an exclusive interview with ESPN that he was given an anesthetic shot last week in order to play in the Campeonato Paulista final versus Palmeiras, in which Corinthians celebrated winning their 31st championship.  Due to knee irritation, he had been attending double training sessions, alternating between group practices and specific workouts to manage his ailment, thus his participation in this historic match was doubtful until the very last minute.

Since late last season, Garro has been plagued by discomfort in his right knee, which has already kept him sidelined for several games at the start of 2024. Now, both the player and the club are hopeful that the treatment in Spain will enable him to return in peak condition for the demanding phase of the year ahead.