Del Piero undergoes knee surgery

November 27, 1998
CNN/SI

VAIL, Colorado -- The surgeon who operated on Italian soccer player Alessandro Del Piero's knee says the surgery was a success and the stiker should be playing again within six to eight months.

"The surgery was successful and we are expecting a good recovery," Dr. Richard Steadman said Wednesday after the two-and-a-half hour operation on ligaments in Del Piero's left knee.

Steadman said a complete recovery is "certainly our goal," but that right now it is "hard to see" whether Del Piero will return to 100 percent.

The Juventus and Italian national team striker will undergo therapy for the next six months, he said.

The surgery was performed at the Steadman Hawkins clinic in Vail. Steadman has treated major knee injuries of several professional athletes, including Italian Serie A notables Nicola Berti and Maurizio Ganz.

Del Piero will remain in the hospital for two to three days and will stay in Vail for 10 days to two weeks, Steadman said.

Del Piero, 24, was injured in a league game against Udinese three weeks ago. Before the surgery, Juventus doctors said he was expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the Italian season, which concludes in May.

One of the most popular Italian players and the European Champions Cupleading scorer last season, Del Piero said in a recent interview that he was prepared to face a long rehabilitation "and be back to action, stronger than before, next season."

Steadman and his clinic are world renown for their specialty in sports-related injuries, having treated former German national team captain Lothar Matthaeus, five-time overall Alpine World Cup champion Marc Girardelli, four-time Australian Open champion Monica Seles, two-time women's World Cup downhill champion Picabo Street and several prominent American baseball, basketball and football players.
.