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By Iain Rogers
MADRID, Nov 13 - Real Madrid striker Ruud van
Nistelrooy will miss the rest of this season after having
surgery on his right knee, the club said on Thursday.
The 32-year-old Dutchman went to the United States this week
to consult surgeon Richard Steadman, who operated on the same
knee in 2000 while the player was at PSV Eindhoven.
After tests and arthroscopic surgery, it was decided to
operate again to try to repair damage to the external meniscus,
the club said on its website (www.realmadrid.com).
"Taking all this into account, the estimated length of
absence will be between six and nine months, depending on the
clinical development," it added.
Van Nistelrooy damaged the knee during Real's 2-1 Champions
League defeat at Juventus last month and missed the Primera Liga
matches against Almeria and Athletic Bilbao.
He returned for the 2-0 home defeat by the Italians, but a
scan appeared to show an aggravation of the injury that
threatened to end his career eight years ago.
The length of his absence is a fresh blow to Real, who are
struggling through a poor spell of form and are already missing
key players including Dutch winger Arjen Robben, central
defender Pepe and midfielder Ruben de la Red.
Van Nistelrooy signed with Real at the end of the 2005-06
season from Manchester United for a fee reported by Spanish
media to be 15 million euros ($18.7 million), helping the club
to consecutive league titles in 2007 and 2008.
He was Real's top scorer in his first season with 25 league
goals and equalled a club record of scoring in seven matches in
succession. He netted 16 league goals last season and extended
his contract to keep him in Madrid until 2010.
(Editing by Alan Baldwin)