With a projected return in six to eight months, Juan will decide on his future, says the president.
The club will provide all the support necessary for the player to have the best possible recovery.
By Flamengo Communication - in
Saturday ended with a victory over Chapecoense in the Brazilian Championship at the Maracanã, but began with sad news. Defender Juan suffered an Achilles tendon injury in Friday's training session and is expected to be sidelined for six to eight months. In what could have been the last year of his career, the veteran player will no longer participate in Flamengo's campaign, and his future remains uncertain.
After the game against Chapecoense, Flamengo's president, Eduardo Bandeira, gave a press conference in the Maracanã auditorium alongside the head of the football medical department, Marcio Tannure, where the player's current situation was presented. The president confirmed and ratified the club's support for Juan and left the decision of how he will continue his career after his recovery to the number four himself.
"It is extremely regrettable to face this situation with Juan, our most emblematic player, who is going through this suffering. This suffering extends to all his teammates, the board, and the fans. Before Dr. Márcio gives the details, I would like to say that Flamengo is fully supportive and will provide all the necessary assistance in this recovery process. I hope he can return very soon. Everything indicates that he will not play again this year. But regardless of when he returns, Flamengo wants to express its full solidarity with the player," declared the president.
Dr. Marcio Tannure then took the floor and explained the player's situation in more detail, including the expected date for his return to training.
"Yesterday (Friday), at the end of training, Juan suffered an Achilles tendon injury. It was a complete rupture. Juan was taken for tests that confirmed our initial diagnosis. He will undergo surgery on Monday afternoon. It's an injury that has a recovery period of six to eight months, so he won't play again this year. We hope that after this period he can be back," explained Dr. Tannure, who also commented on the surgery Juan will undergo.
"Every surgery has its complication rate. None is a guarantee of success. One of the risks is a suture that doesn't close properly and breaks again. But we're not thinking about that now. We're thinking about success. We believe the surgery will be good. He will have his foot immobilized for about six to eight weeks, only then will we start putting some weight on it. And after six to eight months he can be back, that's our timeframe."
The most experienced player on the roster, Juan could be facing his final year of his career. With the injury, the decision about his future will be his alone. According to president Bandeira, this decision will be fully respected by the club.
"Regarding the future, it will be as he wishes. Just like his contract, mine also ends at the end of the year. But I am certain that Flamengo will continue what it has been doing for the last six years. In the next administration, I am sure that the respect for Juan will not suffer any damage," he concluded.