Injury Hell

Santi Cazorla injury: Arsenal ace almost had his foot AMPUTATED and reveals horrific scar from EIGHT surgeries

Playmaker went under the knife on numerous occasions over the past year and lost eight centimetres from the tendon in his right foot

lee astley

Published: 13:37, 3 Nov 2017
Updated: 17:01, 3 Nov 2017

SANTI CAZORLA has revealed a picture of his horrific ankle injury that almost led him losing his foot.

The Arsenal playmaker has been out of action for over a year, undergoing surgeries that resulted in him losing eight centimetres from the tendon in his right foot.

Santi Cazorla shows how a section of tattooed skin has been grafted to his ankleCredit: Marca

Santi Cazorla almost had his right foot amputated due to an infectionCredit: Pablo Garcia / MARCA

And in an interview interview with Marca, the Spaniard has revealed how doctors came close to amputation after he contracted a potentially life-threatening infection.

Cazorla said: "If you manage to walk with your son again in the garden, be satisfied, they told me.

"He saw that I had a tremendous infection, that I had damaged part of the calcaneus bone and ate the Achilles tendon, I was 8 centimetres missing!"

The front page shows a close up of the devastating effect of eight surgeries, which has left his foot in need of a skin graft from his arm tattoo.

The horrific after-effects of Santi Cazorla's persistent foot injuriesCredit: Marca

Santi Cazorla had skin taken from his arm and put on his ankleCredit: Getty - Contributor

Santi Cazorla has revealed his horror scars from his ankle injuryCredit: Marca

Santi Cazorla was told he may not play again ut is remarkably aiming for a January returnCredit: Instagram @santicazorla

Santi Cazorla is recovering in his home town of SalamancaCredit: Instagram @santicazorla

Doctors told Cazorla he would be lucky to walk again, but has shocked experts with his recovery and could be back on the pitch by January.

The former Malaga star has been continuing his rehabilitation is his hometown of Salamanca.

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Cazorla spoke about his horror injury and explained exactly what went wrong to lead to him almost losing his foot.

He said: "At that time I was still playing, they told me it was okay, the problem was that it did not heal and the wounds would reopen, become infected ... Look, in this picture I can see the tendon".