Puyol set for knee operation

Barcelona defender Carles Puyol is set to undergo a knee operation on Wednesday following an injury-hit season.

Work required after stop-start season

Barcelona defender Carles Puyol is set to undergo a knee operation on Wednesday following an injury-hit season. The 33-year-old has struggled with knee problems in a campaign which ended with the Spaniard playing just three minutes of Barcelona's UEFA Champions League victory on Saturday. The cameo appearance off the substitutes' bench was bittersweet for the defender, who was also forced out of the last-16 return leg against Arsenal in March. A return in April to face rivals Real Madrid saw the combative defender break down again, resulting in the club announcing the stalwart will go under the knife. The three-time Champions League winner will be operated on at the Quiron clinic in Barcelona in a bid to cause as little disruption as possible. Puyol will spend the summer recovering before looking to return and assist the Catalan giants in defending their domestic and European crowns.