Part IV

Real Madrid captain Raul will be out of action until at least the new year and probably well beyond
after tests revealed the extent of the knee injury he suffered against Barcelona.

Raul injured his knee while mis-hitting a shot as the ball bobbled on the pitch nine minutes into
the second half of Saturday's 3-0 home defeat.

He went down in agony clutching his left knee and was in such clear pain Barca skipper Carles Puyol
was one of the first players to try and help him.

The 28-year-old striker tried to return to action after receiving treatment on the touchline, but
was forced out of the game just three minutes later.

Early indications were that he had twisted his knee, but tests carried out on Monday by the club
show the full extent of the problem.

A statement on Real's website read: "After a magnetic scan carried out in the Hospital Ruben
International, Raul has a torn external meniscal ligament, a partial tear in his anterior cruciate
ligament and a further knee damage."

The club will call in specialists to carry out further tests before deciding on how best to treat
the injury, but with the problem described as "complex" by the club, everything points to Raul
needing surgery, which could keep him out for the best part of the season.

Spain coach Luis Aragones will also be keeping his fingers crossed that Raul recovers in good time
for the World Cup.