Blow for Spain as Puyol 'is ruled out' for Euro 2012

Barcelona's Carles Puyol will have knee surgery and be sidelined for about six weeks, the club said Tuesday, ruling him out of the King's Cup final and almost certainly Spain's Euro 2012 campaign. The 34-year-old Barca captain will have knee arthroscopy, it said. In the surgery, a tiny camera is inserted into the knee through small incisions and damaged tissue can be repaired or removed. As a result, Puyol will miss the final of the domestic King's Cup competition on May 25, when Barcelona face Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish capital's Vicente Calderon stadium. "According to a report from the medical service, the player ended last Saturday's game against RCD Espanyol with problems in the right knee," the statement said. "After conducting complementary tests, it was decided that the player should undergo an arthroscopy May 12," it said, adding that he would need about six weeks to recover. The recovery period makes it almost impossible for Puyol to take a spot in the Spain team for their Euro 2012 campaign in Poland and Ukraine. Spain coach Vicente del Bosque will release a provision line-up May 15 and a definitive list May 27. World champions Spain, who are defending their European title, play their first game June 10 against Italy.