Barcelona defender Eric Abidal given 'all-clear' to return to action

Abidal has been recovering after undergoing a liver transplant last April

Pa
Thursday 21 February 2013 14:54 GMT
Comments
Eric Abidal
Eric Abidal (GETTY IMAGES)

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

Barcelona defender Eric Abidal has been given the all-clear to resume his playing career after almost 12 months on the sidelines.

Abidal has been recovering after undergoing a liver transplant last April, having previously had surgery to remove a tumour in March 2011.

He started training again in October and was then able to re-join his team-mates for squad sessions in mid-December.

The France international was admitted to hospital again last month for further tests and the 33-year-old has now been given the green light to return to action.

A Barca statement read: "After training this morning, Eric Abidal has received the good news that he has been given his medical discharge and is therefore available for the team going into the final part of the season."

Abidal's last appearance for Barca was on February 26, 2012 against Atletico Madrid.

Barca are 12 points clear of second-placed Atletico in La Liga with 14 games to go, with Sevilla the visitors to the Nou Camp this weekend.

They are also in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, where they are locked at 1-1 with Real Madrid after the first leg at the Bernabeu, and in the last-16 of the Champions League, where they lost their first leg 2-0 to AC Milan last night.

PA

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in