Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has been ruled out for the remainder of the season after it was confirmed he would undergo surgery on his troublesome knee injury on Sunday night.
The procedure will rule the 26-year-old out of action for around six weeks, meaning he will miss not only the Barclays Premier League run in but also the remainder of the club's Europa League campaign, which continues this week with a semi-final against Torres' former club Atletico Madrid.
A Liverpool spokesman told the club's official website: "Fernando saw a specialist in Spain earlier today and it was decided that he would need surgery on a torn cartilage in his right knee.
"We cannot comment ahead of the operation, but as a guide, the usual rehabilitation period for this type of procedure is around six weeks."
The news will also cast a shadow over Spain's preparations for the World Cup, with Torres a key element of the European champions' set-up for the tournament which gets under way in just over seven weeks.
Coach Vicente del Bosque will almost certainly gamble on the fitness of his star striker when he has to finalise his final 23-man squad, with Spain's first game in the tournament not until June 16 - around two and a half weeks after Torres' projected return date.
Torres' knee problem forced him to miss last weekend's goalless draw against Fulham as he flew to Barcelona to see Dr Ramon Cugat, the surgeon who operated on him in January when he was struck by a similar problem.
As recently as Friday, Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez was hopeful Torres would play some part in Monday's league encounter with West Ham or Thursday's first leg against Atletico.
The loss of Torres could sound the death knell on Liverpool's fading chances of claiming a fourth-place finish in the Premier League which would put them into the Champions League next season.
The Reds have dropped to seventh in the standings after this weekend's fixtures, eight points behind fourth-placed Tottenham with just 12 points to play for over their remaining four matches.
Despite enduring an injury-hit campaign, Torres has weighed in with 18 goals in 24 league outings for the Merseyside club this season.
The procedure will rule the 26-year-old out of action for around six weeks, meaning he will miss not only the Barclays Premier League run in but also the remainder of the club's Europa League campaign, which continues this week with a semi-final against Torres' former club Atletico Madrid.
A Liverpool spokesman told the club's official website: "Fernando saw a specialist in Spain earlier today and it was decided that he would need surgery on a torn cartilage in his right knee.
"We cannot comment ahead of the operation, but as a guide, the usual rehabilitation period for this type of procedure is around six weeks."
The news will also cast a shadow over Spain's preparations for the World Cup, with Torres a key element of the European champions' set-up for the tournament which gets under way in just over seven weeks.
Coach Vicente del Bosque will almost certainly gamble on the fitness of his star striker when he has to finalise his final 23-man squad, with Spain's first game in the tournament not until June 16 - around two and a half weeks after Torres' projected return date.
Torres' knee problem forced him to miss last weekend's goalless draw against Fulham as he flew to Barcelona to see Dr Ramon Cugat, the surgeon who operated on him in January when he was struck by a similar problem.
As recently as Friday, Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez was hopeful Torres would play some part in Monday's league encounter with West Ham or Thursday's first leg against Atletico.
The loss of Torres could sound the death knell on Liverpool's fading chances of claiming a fourth-place finish in the Premier League which would put them into the Champions League next season.
The Reds have dropped to seventh in the standings after this weekend's fixtures, eight points behind fourth-placed Tottenham with just 12 points to play for over their remaining four matches.
Despite enduring an injury-hit campaign, Torres has weighed in with 18 goals in 24 league outings for the Merseyside club this season.
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