BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
WARRIORS striker Tino Kadewere will no longer undergo surgery after the doctors athis parent club Olympique Lyon and Spanish club Real Mallorca recommended alternative treatment for his injured right thigh.
Kadewere suffered a serious injury to the quadriceps of his right leg on the eve of a highly anticipated Spanish La Liga debut against reigning champions Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu two weeks ago.
The 26-year-old forward had a few days earlier made history by becoming the first Zimbabwean to sign for a Spanish topflight league side after completing his season-long loan transfer from Lyon to Mallorca on August 29.
Initial reports had suggested that Kadewere would require surgery after his injury setback.
However, in a statement which was widely quoted in the Spanish media yesterday, an operation will not be necessary, although he still faces a four-month absence.
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“The doctors of Real Mallorca and Olympique de Lyon have agreed to apply a conservative treatment to cure the injury to the quadriceps of the right leg suffered by striker Tino Kadewere. Since the player is owned by Olympique Lyon, which sent him on loan to the Balearic team, Kadewere traveled to France to undergo an assessment by the French club's doctors, who now, in agreement with the Real Mallorca doctors, have ruled that the best option is to resort to conservative treatment and, therefore, the striker does not go through the operating room. In any case, the expected period for the recovery of player was the same going through the operating room or taking the conservative treatment option that has finally been chosen,” reported the Spanish newspaper Dario yesterday.
If Kadewere’s recovery process goes according to plan he could begin training in December. However, the World Cup could delay his debut in the Spanish La Liga.
The global football competition will be played in Qatar between November 20 and December 18, which means the 2022-2023 La Liga campaign will return on the last weekend of the year.
Kadewere would presumably have to wait until January to finally make his Real Mallorca debut.
Real Mallorca coach Javier Aguirre admitted that Kadewere’s injury was a major blow for his team’s plans.
"What happened to Tino is a complete setback. He is a boy we fought for, who gave us another option in attack," Aguirre said when he learned of the extent of his player's injury.
Kadewere last month completed the loan move to Spanish La Liga side Real Mallorca on loan from French side Lyon, where he had fallen out of favour due to injuries and inconsistent form
Real Mallorca have an option to buy for around US$10 million when his loan deal lapses but after his latest injury setback it’s unlikely they will take up the opportunity.
Kadewere joined Lyon from Le Havre for a reported fee of US$14 million.
After a blistering start to life in Lyon in his debut season, the Zimbabwean found the going tough last season where he increasingly became an unused substitute.
Before signing for Mallorca, he was reportedly being tracked by another Spanish side Valladolid as well as French clubs Brest, Nantes and Strasbourg.
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