Puyol could be fit for pre-season - doctor

Barcelona‘s club doctor Ricard Pruna said today that he was hopeful that Carles Puyol will be fit to start pre-season training after the defender had a cyst removed from his knee.

The operation was just the latest in a long list of injury setbacks for the 35-year-old, who has not played since undergoing more serious knee surgery back in March.

But Pruna was confident that the Spanish international has overcome the worst of his injury troubles and will be ready to start training with his teammates when they return from holiday next month.

“The objective is that Puyol will be able to start training on July 15 or 16 with the rest of the squad,” he told a press conference.

“Puyol interrupted and sacrificed what remained of his holidays to end the problems that have dragged on. He wants to arrive at pre-season at 100 percent.”

Pruna meanwhile was also asked about the physical condition of Barca’s latest big-name signing, Neymar.

The Brazilian wonderkid, who is currently on international duty with his country at the Confederations Cup, cost the Catalans 57 million euros ($76.2 million, £48.6 million) to buy him from Santos.

However, concerns remain that the 21-year-old may be too lightweight for the transition to European football and Pruna admitted that he may need to bulk up once he arrives back in Barcelona.

“We did a medical at full speed and the weight is just another statistic. Throughout the season we are going to get to know the player and we will be constantly taking data,” he said.

“With this we can determine what is his ideal weight. The first impression is that a weight of 64.5 (kilos, 142 lbs, 10.2 stone) is on the low side and perhaps he needs a kilo more, but I can’t say exactly how much.”