Ronaldo knee surgery 'went well'
(CNN) -- The operation on Ronaldo's injured left knee "went well" but the Brazilian star faces a lengthy rehabilitation as he bids to save his football career.
Ronaldo had surgery in Paris on Thursday night, the two-hour operation perfomed by Dr. Eric Rolland with Dr. Gerard Saillant, who carried out a similar repair to his right knee in 2000, in attendance.
"The operation went well," said Saillant. "The intervention was of the same type as the one in 2000. The healing period should now last nine months," he was quoted in the sports paper L'Equipe.
Ronaldo was injured playing for AC Milan in a 1-1 draw with Liverno on Wednesday night and teammate Clarence Seedorf gave CNN a graphic description of the incident.
"It was like a film I already saw," said the Dutch star who was on the pitch when Ronaldo suffered his previous serious injury.
"I saw his reaction, I was frozen by the reality, a bad, bad thing."
"My heart went out to him because it was his second injury. I hope he has the will the come back," added Seedorf.
Ater the two-hour operation at Pitie-Salpetriere hospital, the three-time FIFA World Player of the Year is likely to need about 10 days of physical therapy, L'Equipe said.
Ronaldo, 31, has battled serious injuries throughout his career, and has played sparingly since joining Milan from Real Madrid in January 2007.
Wednesday's match was only his fifth in Serie A this season after injuring his thigh during preseason training on July 31.
He returned in November, but has been in and out of the team due to a series of recurring problems.
His absence leaves Milan seriously short of attacking options as they bid to move up Serie A and defend their Champions League crown.
Fellow Brazilians Pato and Kaka are currently sidelined and Filippo Inzaghi, while a predator in the box, is ageing.
