Traumatologist Roberto Seijas from the Cugat Institute stated that Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André Ter Stegen will be out for between eight months and a year after suffering a complete tear of the patellar tendon in his right knee, an injury he described as "very serious."

"It's a very serious injury that requires time for recovery from the surgery and for the tendon to heal, followed by a long rehabilitation process to regain knee movement, muscle strength, and balance in the injured knee," explained the specialist.

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Ter Stegen injured his right knee — the same one he had surgery on in May 2021 — after a bad fall during Sunday's match against Villarreal at La Cerámica and was stretchered off the field.

Seijas explained that the total recovery time for this type of injury is usually around eight months, although he warned that in the case of professional athletes, "it can even take up to a year before they return to competition-level play."

However, the doctor emphasized that this injury has "nothing to do" with the previous knee issues the 32-year-old Barcelona goalkeeper had, as they are "independent injuries."

On the other hand, he admitted that "age always plays a role" in the rehabilitation process since "younger patients tend to recover much more quickly." "He will likely recover just as well, but the recovery pace might be a bit slower. It will take between eight months and a year," he stressed.

The doctor noted that patellar tendon injuries are "less common" in footballers compared to cruciate ligament injuries but highlighted that "the severity is similar." He also clarified that the recovery process is "the same" regardless of whether the injured person is a goalkeeper or an outfield player.

Finally, Seijas pointed out that there are more severe knee injuries because "there is a direct correlation between the number of hours footballers train and compete, and the number of injuries." "This is related to the fixture schedule and the level of demand on the players. We need to find a balance," he added.