Surgeon gives Abidal hope

Doctor Juan Carlos Garcia-Valdecasas has given hope to Eric Abidal as he continues his recovery from a liver transplant.

The Barcelona defender returned to action last year following surgery to remove a tumour from his liver but suffered a setback in March and underwent a transplant a month later. The 32-year-old was widely expected to retire from the game but the surgeon who carried out his latest operation believes Abidal could play on if he wishes to do so. "It's up to him. I wouldn't stop him. Time will tell. Eric responds well, there is no reason why he shouldn't," Garcia-Valdecasas told Spanish television station TV3. "The liver is an organ that regenerates in three months. Abidal has to recover little by little, but between three and six months, or up to a year after the intervention, the patient is able to have a normal life."