Puyol’s recovery is on schedule and he is working hard to be fit and available for the start of the new season, combing a well deserved summer break with some intensive recovery sessions.

Puyol is coming to the end of the first three-week stage of his recovery, the objective of which is to work on the musculature of his left leg. If all goes as planned, he should be able to start gentle training out on the pitch by the end of June. The aim is for the captain to be fit for the start of the season following his operation on June 1st.

Suffering since January

Puyol was laid up for three months with knee tendon problems which were detected following the game against Racing at the Camp Nou on January 22nd and only made his return for the league game against Madrid on April 15th.

From then on until the end of the season, Guardiola used Puyol carefully – he played in both the Champions League semi finals, but only came on for the last 3 minutes at Wembley. He was operated on by Doctor Ramon Cugat on June 1st, when a piece of cartilage was removed from his left knee.