Madrid: Barcelona defender Eric Abidal is to have a liver transplant, the Spanish and European champions said on Thursday.
The France international, a cult figure among fans of the Catalan club, had surgery to remove a tumour from the organ last March before making a triumphant return to lift the Champions League trophy at Wembley just two months later.
"Over the coming weeks, the player (Abidal) will undergo a liver transplant," Barca said in a statement on their website.
"The transplant was an option already mentioned since the start of his treatment a year ago," the statement added.
The club did not say how long the 32-year-old would be out of action but his chances of returning before the end of the season and representing France at Euro 2012 starting in June must be in serious doubt.
Abidal`s Barca team mates rallied behind him following the announcement, with striker David Villa, himself sidelined with a broken leg, saying they needed him back in the team as soon as possible.
"All my strength for Abidal!" Villa wrote on his Twitter feed. "You will get through it. You are very strong. We will all be by your side," he added.
Central defender Gerard Pique wrote on his feed: "You will return and you will do it like always, being the best! You are an example for everyone."
Barca are losing Abidal at a critical time in the season, with the Champions League holders through to the quarter-finals of Europe`s elite club competition and bidding to close a 10-point gap with Real Madrid in La Liga.
They are also will face Athletic Bilbao in May`s King`s Cup final.
Abidal is likely to be replaced in Barcelona`s lineup by Adriano and captain Carles Puyol is also able to fill in at left back.
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.