Francesco Totti's doctor has lavished praise on the 31-year-old Romanista and is confident Er Pupone will make a full recovery.
Totti injured his right knee against Livorno on Saturday and was operated on yesterday, having his anterior cruciate ligament replaced with part of the patella tendon.
“I found the perfect knee, the knee of a fighter,” grinned Totti's surgeon, Professor Pierpaolo Mariani.
“He has made miraculous recoveries before and it's up to him to do it again. It'll be a job for him and the medical staff to make the difference.”
The recent spate of injuries has concerned Italy's football authorities, leading some to call for a reduction of the number of teams competing in Serie A.
It is claimed that limiting the championship to 18 instead of 20 teams would decongest the fixture list and ease the physical burden players face.
Doctor Piero Volpi, adviser to the Association of Italian Footballers, has responded by stating his belief that serious injuries are on the increase.
“You cannot play three times in one week, it heightens the risk to footballers. The truth is we play too much and train too little.
“Medical staff should be given more authority to stop footballers who are worn out from playing.”
There have been several instances where Coaches have fallen out with their team doctors, with the two Milan clubs the main culprits.
Inter boss Roberto Mancini has had a series of arguments with the club's doctors, often rushing back players against the wishes of the Nerazzurri's medical staff.
Meanwhile, San Siro rivals Milan were involved in controversy when Ronaldo shunned their medical staff and returned to Brazil for treatment on a troublesome thigh injury.
