Transplant patient Eric Abidal cleared to play for Barcelona

21 February 2013 14:16

Barcelona defender Eric Abidal has been cleared to return to first-team action, 10 months after undergoing a liver transplant, his club said on Thursday.

"After training this morning Eric Abidal has received the good news that he has now been given the all-clear and will therefore be available for the team to take part for the rest of the season," said a statement on the club's website.

Abidal first had a tumour removed from his liver in 2011 and returned to playing but has not taken part in a competitive match for Barca since February last year, two months before he had a full transplant.

Organ transplant specialists have doubted whether he would be able to make a return to top-flight football, given the potential risk of damage to the new organ in the contact sport.

Source: AFP