Barcelona Defender Abidal Leaves Hospital after Operation

Posted Friday, March 25, 2011 by english.cri.cn

Barcelona Defender Abidal Leaves Hospital after Operation
Abidal is expected to be able to return to training in a month.

FC Barcelona defender Eric Abidal has left hospital a week after undergoing an operation to remove a liver tumor, the Barcelona website confirmed on Thursday.

The website said that Abidal had left hospital in the city on Wednesday night to continue his convalescence at home. The 31-year-old French defender was diagnosed with a liver tumor as a result of a blood test at the start of last week and had the operation last Thursday afternoon.

"Abidal will continue his recovery process in his home and it is expected that within four weeks he will be able to carry out physical exercise to be able to later incorporate himself in training sessions with the group," said the Barcelona website.

The news of Abidal's tumor sent shockwaves through Spanish and international football. The defender received thousands of messages from friends and fellow professionals through social network sites such as Twitter and Facebook.

Several La Liga teams wore messages of support for Abidal on special T-shirts ahead of their matches last weekend and Barcelona's bitter rivals Real Madrid, did the same at the end of their Champions League tie against Olympique Lyon on last Wednesday.

Abidal had been enjoying his best ever season with Barcelona until the discovery of his tumor. The Frenchman had performed at both left back and in central defense and with club captain Carles Puyol suffering from a knee injury. He had become central to the club's attempt to win a league, cup and Champions League treble.