Lucy Bronze won't feature against Chelsea in the Women's Champions League semi-final for club Barcelona.
And the Lionesses' star could still be in a race against fitness for the FIFA Women's World Cup finals in July, with news that she has undergone keyhole surgery on her right knee. Bronze initially suffered the injury during the first leg at Stamford Bridge last Saturday, which the Catalan giants won 1-0.
A Barcelona statement confirmed the news ahead of the semi-final second leg on Thursday night at Camp Nou. Her club are stating that her availability and return date will depend on the success of her rehabilitation.
Although this type of surgery doesn't generally rule players out for the long-term, a month is normally required to recover fully. That means the injury blow could rule Bronze out of Barcelona's remaining domestic and European fixtures this season.
The club released a statement via twitter stating that Bronze has undergone arthroscopy on the right knee and will miss the second leg against the WSL title holders. Sarina Wiegman will still be hoping the full-back is fit for the World Cup finals this summer, having already lost Leah Williamson to a devastating ACL injury and with Millie Bright currently unavailable with a knee issue.
Bronze took to social media herself to provide an update. She wrote via Instagram: "Successful surgery!! In very good spirits after my knee op yesterday. It's never easy being sidelined, but I'm as focused as ever to work hard and return to full fitness, hopefully as soon as possible.
"Thank you to everyone for all of your kind messages already! I couldn't ask for better support, so thank you.
"The hard work has already started. already can't wait to be back on the pitch with this team. See you all very soon LFG!"
Barcelona manager Jonatan Giraldez initially gave a positive update on Bronze following the first leg, saying the players initial concerns had faded away. "Initially Lucy was a bit worried about her injury, she felt her pain in her knee, but now she's feeling much better about it," he said in his post-match press conference.
Speaking on Wednesday morning ahead of the second leg, Giraldez gave a further update. "All good with her knee," he said. "She has a strain, an ailment. It needs a tiny intervention and it just needs a couple of weeks."
Although the news is a blow to England, Chelsea will at least know they won't face a full strength Barcelona side in tomorrow night's decisive second leg.
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