Santi Cazorla has revealed that he’s had skin from his arm grafted onto his ankle after a wound, resulting from a December operation on his plantaris tendon, failed to heal.
The Spain international has also confirmed that the latest procedure, undertaken in Sweden, has left him stuck on crutches and unlikely to play again this season.
“I had to have a minor operation to close the scar that had opened,” Cazorla told Spanish radio station Onda Cero.
“It was nothing serious but I still had to go to the hospital [on Thursday afternoon].
“I had a graft done on my ankle a month-and-a-half ago because the skin on my ankle was practically dead and that was the reason why the wound would not close when I first had my operation in Sweden.
“Everything was going well until I started to do some exercises on the bicycle. The skin opened again and the stitches gave in. We hope this is the last one and I can return as soon as possible.
“I can’t do anything, that is the worst thing about this situation, that it doesn’t depend on me,” he added.
“It’s not a case of how much work I put in, I need for the wound to close. I just have to wait to see how the new skin that they took from my arm adapts.
“I now have to wait two weeks to see if the wound and the scar close. That is my biggest concern. I know I have to be optimistic and deal with it in the best possible way.”
Cazorla, who was a mainstay of Arsene Wenger’s starting lineups in the opening part of the season, has been badly missed during the middle portion of the season. He too is missing his teammates and the cut and thrust of life in the Premier League.
“I want to return as soon as possible,” he said. “I miss going to training, being with my teammates and playing. Right now I have to stay at home, move with crutches and it’s a difficult situation to deal with.
“I still have one year left on my contract and my only desire is to return to playing and to compete at the highest level.”
Arseblog News wishes Santi all the best, we miss his dancing feet and his little smile.
Skin from his arm? This is bordering something not worth playing football for…
You raise a good point. I once met a former player from the Championship (and occasionally the bottom end of the Premier League) who had had something approaching twenty surgeries on his knees (I’m not even sure he knew how many he’d had). He was in pretty constant pain, and was not looking forward to the natural ageing process making things worse. I guess if you’re on Top 4 money then you might be able to do something about it to make it better, but I really wanted to ask the guy I met if it had really been worth… Read more »
Add to that the amount of times some footballers play while up to their eyeballs on pain killers.
Not sure if links are allowed in here, but this is an interview with Gabriel Batistuta (Batigol) where he explains he actually begged doctors to amputate his legs, such was his pain.
http://www.worldsoccer.com/news/gabriel-batistuta-asked-legs-amputated-356207
We (me included), are all quick to criticise players when they have an off game, but we forget some of them are playing at the very edge of what is physically possible for a human body.
So every time he kicks the ball next season, its a hand ball?
I will, just this once, be serious. Wounds that don’t heal can be literally, a nightmare. Someone I know very well had some nerve damage in their foot. This let to a raft of problems the main one being that wounds would not heal. Multiple grafts didn’t help. They eventually had their leg amputated. Aware that circumstances are different and Santi will be getting the best advice in the world. Your health has to come first, before even something as cool as being a footballer. All the best Santi!
All the best, Santi! BUT some fans should not forget they himself admitted he was not at his best for huge parts in the start… but as Wenger says: “When we lose, absentees are heros”…
CUNT OFF!!!!
Santi is great. But seriously, we cannot count him as a first team member anymore. If he manages to stay fit, its great. AFC should seriously be looking to replace him. Jack Wilshere is an obvious replacement, but his injury record is crap..Xhaka doesn’t seem to have worked too well.
Are you from this world or the new one they just discovered?
It’s Xhaka’s first season as well as Mustafi’s for that matter. I hope we sign a replacement for Santi type player if Jack leaves, which I think he might.
Get well soon Cazorlita, can’t wait to see you back where you belong.
So every time he kicks he’ll get a yellow for handball?
get well Santi! Can we use your son in the meantime? I saw him dribbling on the field at the end of last season and he is already better than half the premier league!
If you love football, then you love Santi Cazorla.
In my opinion, his importance to team success is greater than that of Ozil.
That would be particularly hard seeing as Ozil has been shite for his Arsenal career bar 5 months at the beginning of last season
Ozil is an entirely different player with santi in the lineup. For that matter all the attacking players are better. Much better link up play and can beat a high pressing defense. Santis absence can’t be overstated. Arsenal are a far inferior team without him in the lineup
I love Cazorla but he can’t be relied on anymore, and he’s pretty much integral to any success for this club right now. Unfortunately, there are only a few players in the world that could replace him adequately. I’d go for Verratti, but obviously that isn’t really a realistic target. Sad fucking times.
THERE IS NO GOD
Get well soon Santi, you’re greatly missed on so many levels.
great player but turning into Rosiscky v2.0
Real shame the midfield really missed him this season!
Can’t wait to see this geezer play again. Get better soon Santi.
I really feel it for this little wizard…..a player who always turns up.
Meanwhile, the limits of my sense of humour have been reached, as I see theyre actually going to go ahead and have a contest for player of the month for February. Fair fucks to you lads.
In fairness, Id give to the chap eating the pie.