Barcelona announced on Sunday that Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez will be out for nearly four months after undergoing surgery on his right knee, which means his absence from the team for the rest of the season's matches.
In a statement on its website, the Spanish soccer champions in the past two seasons reported that Suarez had undergone an operation to treat "an injury to the outer cartilage of his right knee."
He indicated that he "will be away for about four months."
The absence of the striker, who scored 14 goals in 23 games with the team in various competitions this season, comes at a critical period for Barcelona, which is witnessing increasing pressure on his coach Ernesto Valverde, a fierce competition with Real Madrid at the top of the League, and preparing for the final price of the Champions League competition against Naples, Italy, starting next February.
Pressure increased after Barcelona lost the Spanish Super Cup semi-final to Atletico Madrid on Thursday (2-3) in Saudi Arabia after advancing 2-1 until the last ten minutes, thus failing to qualify for the final to meet rivals Real Madrid, who in turn beat Valencia 3-1.
The Spanish press reported that Uruguayan took painkillers to relieve pain, and “sacrificed” himself to participate with the team in the competition, which was held according to its new formula for the first time in Saudi Arabia.
Suarez, 32, had a right cartilage surgery last May that prevented him from going to the King's Cup final that his team lost to Valencia, which ended in the Catalan club losing 1-2.
Suarez joined Barcelona in 2014 from Liverpool, and he fought 276 games, during which he scored 191 goals.
His departure from the stadiums will limit Barcelona's options in the attack, as he joins Frenchman Othmane Dembele, who has been absent from the club since late November, because he suffers from a muscle tear in the right thigh.
Barcelona then indicated that Dembele, who is currently in Doha as part of his treatment program, will be absent for up to ten weeks.
Barcelona lead the League with forty points, ahead of the goal difference from Real Madrid II, and receive Granada in the stage 20 on January 19 this year.