Barcelona striker David Villa has received 1,000 paper cranes from the club's supporters' group in Japan as a token of support in the player's race for fitness. The 30-year-old has been out of action since December, when he sustained a fractured tibia in the Club World Cup semi-final against Al Sadd in Japan. "There are a lot of Villa fans in Japan and the injury affected all of us," Hiroki ...Full Story »

MADRID (AP)—Fernando Torres hasn’t scored this year, David Villa is recovering from a broken leg and midfielders Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez have seen their seasons limited by injuries. World champion Spain’s attack is in trouble only months before it defends its European Championship title, leaving coach Vicente del Bosque with some tough decisions—starting with F...Full Story »

David Villa's rehabilitation from an operation to repair his broken leg remains on course and the Barcelona striker is feeling increasingly optimistic about his return to fitness. The Spain international was in December ruled out for at least five months after suffering his injury at the Club World Cup. Such a timescale leaves Villa in a race against time to prove his fitness for this summer...Full Story »

Barcelona striker David Villa was given the green light to leave hospital on Saturday after earlier this week undergoing an operation on his broken left shinbone. The Spain international, 30, had surgery on the injury he sustained during Barca's Club World Cup semi-final victory over Al-Sadd on Monday and is set to be sidelined for between four and five months. Barca announced on their websi...Full Story »

David Villa: Expected to miss up to five months following successful surgery Barcelona striker David Villa is expected to be sidelined for between four and five months after undergoing surgery on his broken shinbone. The 30-year-old Spain international suffered the injury during the first half of Thursday's Club World Cup semi-final victory over Al-Sadd in Japan. Barca announced Villa, who re...Full Story »

BARCELONA, Spain (AP)—Barcelona striker David Villa has only a slim chance of playing for Barcelona again this season and could also miss the 2012 European Championship after undergoing surgery on his broken leg Monday. One of the doctors who performed the operation says the 30-year-old Spain star would be sidelined for four to five months. Dr. Ramon Cugat says his return is unlikely but ...Full Story »

Barcelona striker David Villa will undergo surgery on Monday on the left leg he broke in the Club World Cup semi-final against Al Sadd in Japan, the Spanish and European champions said on Saturday. "Villa will have an operation on Monday afternoon on his fractured left tibia," said a club statement. The player has been ruled out of action for up to five months which would leave him fighting to...Full Story »

Barcelona are not planning to dip into the January transfer market to find a replacement for David Villa or their other long-term injury casualty Ibrahim Afellay and will promote youth players instead, a club vice-president has said. Spain forward Villa fractured the tibia in his left leg in Thursday’s Club World Cup semi-final in Japan and will be sidelined for up to five months. Netherl...Full Story »

Villa back in Catalunya and ready to go under the knife David Villa: Expected to miss the remainder of the Spanish season Barcelona have confirmed that David Villa has returned home, with the club now looking to set a date for him to go under the knife. The World Cup-winning striker requires an operation on the broken shinbone he suffered in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup. Villa fract...Full Story »

Barcelona have confirmed David Villa is set to be sidelined for between "four and five months". The 30-year-old was carried off on a stretcher six minutes before half-time in Thursday's 4-0 Club World Cup semi-final victory over Al-Sadd, and Barca announced soon after that he had suffered a "fracture to the tibia in his left leg", with the player taken to hospital in Yokohama for further test...Full Story »