…By Henry George for TDPel Media.
Lucy Bronze, the England right-back playing for Barcelona, sustained a knee injury during their 1-0 win against Chelsea in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final last week.
Her absence from the second leg was confirmed, with concerns that she may also miss this summer’s World Cup.
However, the surgery she underwent was described as a “tiny intervention” and Barcelona manager Jonatan Giraldez said she would only be out for a few weeks.
Lucy Bronze’s Injury and Surgery
Lucy Bronze suffered a knee injury during Barcelona’s victory against Chelsea, leading to fears that she may be out of action for an extended period, including the World Cup this summer.
However, her surgery this week was described as a “tiny intervention” by her club manager, with her expected to be back on the field in just a few weeks.
The Impact on England’s World Cup Squad
Lucy Bronze’s injury and potential absence from the World Cup is a blow to England, who have already lost captain Leah Williamson to a knee injury.
Beth Mead, the top scorer and player of the tournament in England’s Euro 2022 victory, is also expected to miss the tournament due to a knee injury sustained in November.
Chelsea’s Millie Bright and Fran Kirby are further doubts for the tournament due to their knee injuries.
Sarina Wiegman’s Squad Selection
Sarina Wiegman, the manager of the England women’s football team, is due to name her squad for the World Cup at the end of May.
She had expressed optimism earlier this month that Millie Bright would recover in time for the tournament, but was less hopeful over the prospect of Fran Kirby’s recovery.