Valencia CF winger Vicente Rodríguez will need ankle surgery if his injury problems do not ease in the next three weeks.

Out since September
That was the prognosis after the Spanish international underwent tests today on the left ankle he injured playing against Werder Bremen in the UEFA Champions League on 29 September. Vicente has not featured since for Claudio Ranieri's team, with his condition showing few signs of improvement.

Possible operation
Examinations have revealed a build-up of scar tissue around the ankle ligaments, which causes the player pain whenever he turns his foot. Doctors have now prescribed a three-week course of anti-flammatory injections, but if this fails to remedy the problem, the 23-year-old faces an operation.