When it comes to football injuries, ligament damage is up there with the worst of them. They’re an injury that can wreck a career, as many former players can attest to.
That’s why, when deciding on how to treat such an issue, there needs to be plenty of consideration and care taken.
Chelsea currently find themselves in such a situation with Baba Rahman. The left-back joined Mallorca on loan this season, with there seemingly no chance of first-team football at Stamford Bridge.
His hopes were quickly dashed at the Spanish club, though, as, just two games into the spell, he suffered a knee injury against Getafe.
Chelsea are said to be examining the extent of the injury and ‘evaluating’ what would be the best course of action for him.
According to the newspaper, ‘it seems like a cruciate injury’ and therefore the likeliest course of action would be for him to undergo surgery to repair the ligament.
That would likely mean a long spell on the sidelines for Rahman, and Chelsea are trying to work out what would be best for all parties.
Should it prove to be cruciate damage, it would be the second time the defender has suffered this way, having missed 15 months with the same injury earlier in his career.