Milan (AFP) – Napoli’s Spanish international defender Raul Albiol has undergone knee surgery in London, the Serie A club said on Tuesday.
“Raul Albiol underwent surgery to clean the patellar tendon of the left knee this morning at the Princess Grace Hospital in London,” the club said in a statement.
“The surgery was perfectly successful. In the coming days the recovery time will be assessed.”
Albiol – winner of the 2010 World Cup and two European Championship titles with Spain – could be sidelined for at least a month, according to reports.
The absence of the charismatic 33-year-old who suffers from tendinopathy to the knee is a blow for Napoli who are second in the Italian league this season – 11 points behind champions Juventus.
The club also begin their Europa League campaign against FC Zurich on Thursday, after dropping out of the Champions League.
Albiol joined Napoli in 2013 from Real Madrid where he won La Liga in 2012.
He also won the UEFA Cup trophy with previous club Valencia in 2004.
