@FootynewsThe part that gets me is the infection. Gerard Deulofeu, a Spanish winger, hasn't played an official match since January 2023, and a serious right knee injury is why. Past the 1,000-day mark without competitive football, and what started as another knock became something else entirely once an infection after surgery did severe damage to his cartilage and made the recovery a whole lot harder. Barcelona, Milan, Watford, then Udinese, where his form peaked and the confidence came back. Then the halt, sudden and complete. He's 31 and weighing retirement, and his own words are grim: "Perhaps it's the most difficult recovery in history. Sometimes I think I've already had a good career and that the best thing would be to finish." Hard to read that from a player who looked so settled. I just hope the game still has something good left for him. Strength to Gerard.

@FootynewsThe part that gets me is the infection. Gerard Deulofeu, a Spanish winger, hasn't played an official match since January 2023, and a serious right knee injury is why. Past the 1,000-day mark without competitive football, and what started as another knock became something else entirely once an infection after surgery did severe damage to his cartilage and made the recovery a whole lot harder. Barcelona, Milan, Watford, then Udinese, where his form peaked and the confidence came back. Then the halt, sudden and complete. He's 31 and weighing retirement, and his own words are grim: "Perhaps it's the most difficult recovery in history. Sometimes I think I've already had a good career and that the best thing would be to finish." Hard to read that from a player who looked so settled. I just hope the game still has something good left for him. Strength to Gerard.