Iniesta, Xavi, Puyol, Agüero and De Bruyne all have a point in common that they have all been treated by Ramon Cugat. The Catalan, who came through the youth teams of FC Barcelona, is Pep Guardiola's trusted doctor and a respected specialist in the world of football. While Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez is already the tenth Premier League player of the season to have injured his cruciate ligaments (compared to nine over the entire season in 2023-2024), the surgeon pointed out the number of matches, as well as their higher intensity on the BBC : "The number of accelerations, decelerations, jumps and contacts increases every season. This makes the sport more attractive to the fan, but it also implies a greater risk of injury for those who practice it," assured the doctor. And to recall: "There are many other factors that come into play in an anterior cruciate ligament injury such as the type of boot, the condition of the grass, the mental health of the athlete... And we are convinced that there is still much to discover."

Brief

Manchester United defender Lisandro Martinez is already the tenth Premier League player of the season to have injured his cruciate ligaments / ©Icon Sport