It Might Not Be Five Months After All

Spanish sports daily Marca is reporting that Barcelona's first choice striker is recuperating from his knee injury at a faster pace than anticipated. Samuel Eto'o went down unchallenged on September 27th in Barca's Champions League match at Werder Bremen. Both Eto'o and his doctor, Ramon Cugat, are confident that the Cameroonian international will return to the pitch as good as new. He is about to fly down to the island of Palma de Mallorca to continue his physical therapy.

In a radio interview yesterday, Eto'o explained that the most important thing right now was to build up his leg muscles. Just this past week, he's been able to get rid of his crutches and is walking without any pain. He went on:

"We've already begun the hard work and everything is going well. The doctor tells me that it is the knee that dictates our pace and that it's responding better and better as the days go by. I have to proceed with caution so that my knee responds well to the treatment and training. I hope to be playing soon, before the five month date. I'll be going down to Palma to continue my recuperation. The only thing I want now is to go somewhere relaxing where I can regain my fitness without any distractions. The only pain I feel right now is having to watch Barcelona matches on television."

The initial prognosis was for Eto'o to resume match fitness within five months. While both the player and his doctor wouldn't venture to predict a return date, Cugat intimated that Barca's main marksman could be back playing for the Catalunyan giants by January. The way things have been going for Frank Rijkaard's men lately, Eto'o's early return would be good news indeed.

Eto'o looks to return sooner than expected (In Spanish) [Marca]

-ac