Lucas won't set São Paulo return date, feels "relieved" post-surgery | OneFootball

The forward Lucas from São Paulo spoke out for the first time after undergoing a arthroscopy on his right knee earlier this Saturday. The number 7 avoided setting a return date and assessed his presence in the match against LDU-EQU, in the quarterfinals of the Libertadores, as “unlikely”.

“A lot of people are asking about the recovery time… I don't know how to answer that question, I wish I had that answer too. But it was a very simple and quick surgery, and the knee is doing very well. Now we have to wait for the surgical wound to heal, not what was inside the knee. Many are asking about the LDU game, honestly I think it’s unlikely,” said the player in a video posted to his Instagram stories.

Lucas suffered a partial tear of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), associated with a posterior strain of the articular capsule. The player responded well to conservative treatment and met the parameters to return to play, but continued to experience pain, especially when accelerating and bending the knee.

The Tricolor medical department then decided on surgery. During the procedure, fibrosis was found and removed from the right knee of the number 7, which leads São Paulo to indicate a favorable prognosis for recovery. Lucas, who has already been discharged, said he felt relieved after the procedure.

“I’m already home, the procedure was a success, everything went well, I’m already back. I’m very happy and relieved, to be honest. The knee is as good as new and now I just need to focus on recovery. I’m already at home doing the ice treatments, taking the necessary medication. Thank God, everything is fine, the knee is great. Now it’s just a matter of waiting and being patient. I wanted to thank you all for your support. I received many messages of encouragement. I want to thank everyone who follows me, who is rooting for me and prayed for me, sent positive energy,” he emphasized.

During the recovery protocol, the 33-year-old player will be monitored by the physiotherapy team of São Paulo’s medical department. There will be periodic clinical monitoring to assess the resolution of the issue and his return to the pitch.

“Anyway, now I need to be patient, take care, recover and strengthen, but soon I’ll be back on the field, fully fit, 100% ready to help Tricolor, which is what I love most to do. I’m looking forward to it, playing as I always have, used to doing what I’ve always done. That’s what I think you expect from me as well. Soon, I’ll be back on the field. Thank you once again for the affection and messages,” concluded the forward.

Lucas’s last match for São Paulo was against Atlético Nacional, from Colombia, on August 19. On that occasion, he came on in the second half, and Tricolor beat the Colombian rival 4-3 on penalties at Morumbis, securing a spot in the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores.

Check out Lucas’s medical report, released earlier by São Paulo:

“1. Initial Diagnosis

Partial tear of the Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) associated with posterior strain of the articular capsule. · Progress: Strictly followed the rehabilitation protocol based on progressive functional guidelines, with a good response to conservative treatment and a gradual return to training, meeting all the expected parameters for a professional football player, such as: restored muscle strength in isokinetic tests, mobility, neuromuscular control, tolerance to specific functional and technical training loads, with good sports performance, including participation in matches.

2.⁠ ⁠Current Situation

Despite all the positive aspects regarding function and never showing any signs of instability or insecurity, he had been complaining of persistent painful discomfort in the posterior region of the right knee during high-demand sports movements, particularly when accelerating and bending the knee. MRI follow-up showed good biological healing progress. On July 18, he underwent an analgesic and anti-inflammatory injection, ultrasound-guided, around the posterior cruciate ligament, with temporary improvement.

3.⁠ ⁠Medical Conduct

Due to the persistent painful discomfort, diagnostic and therapeutic arthroscopy was scheduled for 08/30/2025, with the aim of evaluating the source of the posterior pain and ruling out ligament instability or associated injuries.

4. Clinical and Intraoperative Findings

Examination under anesthesia: Adequate ligament stability. No signs of instability in the knee.

Arthroscopy

Meniscal structures and cartilage – Normal Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) fully healed. Presence of scarred synovial tissue/periligamentous fibrosis, likely cause of the reported pain. Intraoperative conduct: Resection of scar tissue/fibrosis around the PCL.

5.⁠ ⁠Final Considerations

Prognosis: Favorable, with a tendency for improvement of clinical symptoms after removal of the fibrosis.

Postoperative Conduct

Hospital discharge expected on the same day as the procedure. Maintenance of the recovery protocol with functional progression followed by the physiotherapy team of the São Paulo FC medical department. Periodic clinical monitoring to assess resolution of pain and full return to sports performance. The medical team remains attentive to the athlete’s clinical progress and will continue systematic reassessments focusing on the performance, safety, and longevity of Lucas Moura’s sports career.

Professor Dr. Moisés Cohen CRM-SP 31863 Medical Consultant – São Paulo Futebol Clube“.

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This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.