Why did Luka Modric have an operation?

It came as a shock to some when Real Madrid announced that Luka Modric required surgery to solve an articular cartilage problem caused by a bone fragment in his left knee, with the player going under the knife before most fans had even realised he the injury.

The procedure was deemed necessary given that the initial non-surgical treatment was not working, with the international break proving perfect timing as it would minimise the number of matches missed during the four to six week recovery process.

"The articular cartilage is a smooth, firm, white tissue that is found at the joints," Dr Cesar Quesada of the Ripoll and De Prado FIFA Excellence Clinic explains.

"It is the tissue which reduces friction between the surfaces of joints.

"This injury is fairly common in the general population, with around six percent of people affected, but that percentage is obviously increased when we're talking about sportspeople.

"We cannot currently regenerate this tissue, but instead we can repair it.

"Once we work out the severity of the issue, we work out what treatment to follow.

"Currently the common treatment is biological treatment, which may or may not be carried out through surgery."

The process outlined by Dr Quesada is that which the Croatian midfielder will have underwent before the decision to schedule an appointment on the operating table was taken.

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