Source: Telegraph
FA Cup final 2009: Alex delays hernia surgery to play for Chelsea
Despite suffering with the injury for two weeks, the full-back has made himself available for the Wembley clash which will mark manager Guus Hiddink's final match in charge.
'Alex will be available for the final,' Hiddink said, 'he has a small problem but he has been practising with us and he will be OK.'
According to the Express, the Brazilian will fly to Holland immediately after the match for keyhole surgery.
As a result of his decision the 26-year-old has been forced to withdraw from Brazil's up coming World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Paraguay and the Confederations Cup squad.
The paper quotes a club source as saying, 'Alex will fly out straight after the final. it will be a routine medical procedure but eh wanted to get it done as soon as possible. He will be missing Brazil's games.'
With Hiddink remaining steadfast on his decision to quit Stamford bridge after the weekend's match despite the appeals from Chelsea players and supporters alike, Alex's team mate John Mikel Obi is adamant they must send him back with an FA Cup success under his belt
'It's very important for the players and everyone. We have to win the Cup for the manager,' he said.
"We haven't won anything since we won the FA Cup in 2007, so we have to make sure we win this one.
"If we win, it will bring back a little bit of hope back to the club and back into the players."
he also believes victory at Wembley will help erase the memory of losing the Champions League in Moscow last season.
'It will wash away the pain which we felt in the Champions League, so we have to make sure we win this one," added Mikel.
"A trophy is a trophy. We always want to make sure we win everything - it doesn't matter what competition we're playing in.
"We just love winning trophies. If the FA Cup is the one we're going to get this season, it's fine."
