Can Pepe's miracle cure work on Falcao?

Posted Saturday, January 25, 2014 by Marca.com

Can Pepe's miracle cure work on Falcao? Jose Carlos Noronha, the Portuguese surgeon set to operate on Radamel Falcao, has not yet completely ruled out the Colombian forward being fit in time for this summer's World Cup. Noronha offers a small glimmer of hope despite the severity of his injury.

"His willpower is important, but we only have five months, which is a tight schedule. We'll have to see what happens," he said. Noronha, considered one of the top specialists in anterior cruciate ligament injuries remained cautious regarding his recovery, which is expected to take six months.

Noronha said that Falcao is in "good spirits" and compared his situation to that of Real Madrid's Pepe, who suffered the same injury back in December 2009. The Portuguese defender set a positive precedent for Falcao, as he was able to shorten his recovery time to play at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

It took Pepe five months and ten days to return to normal training with the rest of the squad after his injury whilst Falcao has less time than that with the opening game of this summer's World Cup in Brazil barely four months and twenty days away on 13th June.

Noronha explained that during the operation he will opt for a patellar tendon graft, the same technique he has used on other players, including Pepe.