From SIFC
Edson Alvarez Might Require Ankle Surgery
Mexico’s captain has been nursing an ankle injury since early December that’s compromised his availability over the past two months. Twice Álvarez has tried to return to the pitch since sustaining the joint issue, and twice he’s been forced to return to the sidelines after aggravating the problem.
After easing into action at the start of February, the Mexico international hasn’t made Fenerbahçe’s matchday squad in their last two games. Prior to the club’s 3–2 victory over Trabzonspor at the weekend, manager Domenico Tedesco revealed the the club “suspects of an injury relapse.”
Reports coming from Türkiye aren’t positive in the slightest either, with multiple accounts suggesting Álvarez could be heading for surgery to fix his injured ankle. Although there’s no confirmation that surgery will be required, it’s a growing possibility.
El Tri striker Santiago Gimenez suffered a similar injury earlier in the season and after conservative treatment, he went under the knife in December and is expected to return to action in early March.
That precedent is far from encouraging for Álvarez. If he were to have surgery which invoked the same three-month recovery timeline, he would face a mighty race against the clock to be ready for the World Cup.
Javier Aguirre and the rest of the Mexico national team will be crossing their fingers hoping Álvarez can avoid any invasive treatment. But even if he manages to overcome the injury without surgery, there’s another unrelated situation that could jeopardize Álvarez’s situation even further.