Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o will be sidelined for up to five months after having surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, the Primera Liga club said yesterday.
With the player's agreement, the damaged meniscus was repaired rather than removed, which extended the time needed for a recovery, Barca doctor Ramon Cugat told Spanish media.
Originally doctors had thought Eto'o would be out for two to three months.
The Cameroon international suffered the injury during Wednesday's 1-1 draw away to Werder Bremen in the Champions League.
Eto'o asked to be substituted in the 65th minute after pulling up on the pitch, and was carried off on a stretcher.