São Paulo expect Lucas back for Libertadores quarter-final return | OneFootball

Hope at Morumbi is having number 7 for the continental decision (Victor Monteiro)

RAFAEL EMILIANO@rafaelemilianoo

After the somewhat discouraging news that Lucas will need to undergo a simple surgical procedure on his right knee, São Paulo is working internally to have their number 7 available for the second leg of the Copa Libertadores quarter-finals against LDU, on September 25 (Thursday), at Morumbi.

This is the most optimistic prognosis outlined if the arthroscopy to be performed this Saturday (30) does not show any abnormalities.

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In practice, the outcome is even considered positive internally, as Lucas's activity schedule was designed for him to return only in the first leg of the continental knockout against the Ecuadorians, a week earlier.

The arthroscopy will allow the Morumbi club's doctors to assess what is preventing the idol's full recovery from the injury to the posterior capsule of the right knee.

The number 7 has been complaining of pain during certain movements on the field and has not been able to progress in his recovery after another attempt to return for the Tricolor.

Thus, due to the constant discomfort felt by Lucas, São Paulo's Medical Department decided to perform a new procedure to check for fibrosis in the area or a healing problem, as the treatment based on corticosteroids did not have the expected effect for the athlete.

"He had a partial ligament injury, a posterior capsule strain. The treatment was clinical, not surgical, from the start. You don't operate, you don't reconstruct a ligament or partial injury. However, he progressed well in terms of activity evolution, but he is feeling discomfort in the posterior region," said to 'ESPN' the doctor Moisés Cohen, who provides services to the Tricolor.

"The only way to know is with an arthroscope to see if there is any scar, any fibrosis that might be causing this discomfort. That's it, simple arthroscopy. Do it and go home," he explained.

ATYPICAL INJURY LASTING 5 MONTHS

The Tricolor treats this injury of its main player as atypical. It has been three months away from the field due to a strain of the posterior capsule of the right knee, in the classic against Palmeiras, back on March 10, in the Paulistão semifinal.

In May, he returned to play for 55 minutes in two matches but couldn't endure. Thus, in July, Lucas Moura underwent an infiltration due to constant pain in the injury area. Finally, only this August, the number 7 returned to games, gaining a few minutes against Vitória in the Brasileirão.

Afterwards, he played three more matches, never playing more than 45 minutes, and was again absent against Atlético-MG, in a victory at Morumbi in the last round of the National.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.