Tito Vilanova has included French full-back Eric Abidal in his Champions League squad. The 32 year old
underwent liver transplant earlier this year, however, Vilanova is confident that the defender will deliver.
Eric Abidal has made a lot of progress on his road to recovery from his liver transplant. Abidal’s health issues were announced on the 15th of March 2011. The French full-back was diagnosed with a tumour in his liver and had to undergo surgery.
After recovering from his surgery, Abidal played in the 2010-2011 Champions League. On the 28th of May, the day of the Champions League final, Abidal played the full match which his team won 3-1.
As a gesture for his recovery, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Carlos-c8346 Puyol gave Abidal his captain’s armband and permitted Abidal to lift the trophy up at the Wembley Stadium.
Earlier this year on the 15th of March, Barcelona announced the fact that Abidal would have to undergo a liver transplant to fix the problems that were left unresolved in the previous surgery. He went under the knife on the 10th of
April.
Barcelona played a match against Getafe on the same day and won 4-0. The team dedicated the victory to Abidal.
Since his surgery Abidal has been in recovery, and was released from hospital on the 21st of May. The doctors stated that Abidal could continue his career in the near future if he wants to.
Barcelona bought Abidal in 2007 from French Club Lyon in 2007 for 9 million Euros. His contract contains a release clause of 90 million Euros and if Barcelona were to win any UEFA Champions League finals in the next four years (which they did), Lyon would
be entitled to an extra 500,000 Euros.
In his first season alone, the French full-back appeared in 30 games, and helped keep a strong defensive backing to ensure that http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Barcelona-c38604 won the league. He also helped them in securing the treble for two consecutive seasons, and before his health issues
cropped up he was a regular starter for the club.
Although not a regular goal score, Abidal is a phenomenal goal preventer. The Frenchman is strong, swift, and acts like a wall back in defence. There is no doubt as to why Tito has kept him in the squad.
Tags: