ANTONIO CASSANO needs to undergo a heart surgery but his career is not in risk, it’s been confirmed.

The Italian striker has been hospitalized since Saturday night as he felt unwell on the flight back to Milano following Milan’s victory against Roma and official news regarding his condition have been released today.

Cassano suffered an ischemic attack (loss of blood flow to his brain), and tests result have shown that fortunately there will be no lasting damage and the player, who needs a heart operation, will be back.

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This is the statement, released by Milan, regarding Cassano’s condition and expected recovery spell:

AC Milan, according to medical reports of the Policlinico in Milan, have said that Antonio Cassano has experienced ischemic cerebral damage. The instrumental and neuroradiological examinations required 72 hours for their course and have highlighted the problem in the circumscribed area of the brain that did not result in persistent neurological deficits. The cause was identified as the presence of a patent foramen ovale septal heart, detectable only with sophisticated specialized investigations. The timing of therapy established has allowed a rapid recovery and improvement of clinical conditions that are good.

In the coming days the player will undergo a small surgical interventional cardiology (closure of the foramen ovale), the recovery time for return to playing will be better defined after the surgery, but probably will be a few months.

AC Milan gratefully acknowledges the facilities of the Polyclinic of Milan for what they are doing with great promptness and professionalism.



Antonio Cassano’s genius at Milan and Sampdoria (Uploader – MegaVito97)

The former Sampdoria man was having a great season, and was one of Milan’s Top Men this year. His place in Cesare Prandelli’s Italy Euro squad seemed almost certain, but the injury might change it all. Good news is that Cassano will not be forced to retire, and as CEO Galliani says, he’ll return this year.

“His career is not at risk,” Galliani told the press of the 29-year-old. “He’ll need a few months to recover, but he’ll probably have to wait between four and six months to get clearance to play. It’ll be the doctors who decide. All I know for sure is that he is missing football a lot, but I’ve told Cassano that we’ll keep his place warm. The boy is well. He has this small heart problem, but you’ve all seen the media release.

“He has this small hole, but he’ll now have surgery that will close it. It will then be up to the Italian Football Federation to decide when he can return. Cassano wants to get back to action, but it’s now up to the sporting bodies. I was very worried on Sunday. I told him that he’d been lucky, even if it would have been better if none of this had happened. It’s all OK and this chapter can be closed after this minor procedure.”

This makes Cassano the 3rd player with a long-term injury at Milan at the moment along with Gennaro Gattuso and Mathieu Flamini. We wish FantAntonio Cassano the quickest of recoveries.

Forza Cassano!!