Spain

Real Madrid Star Cristiano Ronaldo May Be Absent Until January - Report

If his ankle does not improve in the next fortnight he may face surgery...

Nov 9, 2009 6:07:15 AM

Cristian Ronaldo, Real Madrid, Marseille (MARCA)

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Cristian Ronaldo, Real Madrid, Marseille (MARCA)

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Cristiano Ronaldo

Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo may be set to face the operating theatre and a further two months on the sidelines, according to Spanish publication ABC.

Under the advice of Dutch surgeon Niek van Dijk, Ronaldo should not return to action until at least November 20 and the surgeon has instructed a specific set of progressive exercises to test the strength of the ankle and if the ankle has healed he will return to training as normal and could face Racing Santander on November 22.

Real announced last week that surgery would not be necessary but if the bone in Ronaldo's ankle has not reset it is likely that he will have to go under the knife. Such a procedure would leave a recovery period of between 6-8 weeks, depending on the extend of the damage discovered by the surgery.

Should surgery be necessary, the 24-year-old will miss in the region of twelve more games for Los Blancos having already sat out eight games since being injured against Marseille on September 30.

Real Madrid will be hoping that the Portuguese Football Federation do not put the player at risk in the upcoming World Cup play-off games against Bosnia or their prize asset may end up being an expensive spectator.

Paul Madden, Goal.com