Barcelona star Abidal needs new liver

Barcelona defender Eric Abidal, who needs a liver transplant, is battling to overcome his second serious health scare in just over a year.

The France international was supported by his clubmates when he had surgery to remove a tumor on his liver in March last year.

He made a surprisingly quick return to the Spanish side's line-up, and lifted the European Champions League trophy after Barca beat Manchester United in the final on May 28, having played the whole match.

The 32-year-old has continued to be a key player for the Catalan club. Here he is surrounded by his teammates after scoring in a win against archrivals Real Madrid in January 2012.

Abidal moved to the Camp Nou in 2007, having previously played for French champions Lyon, Lille and Monaco in his homeland. In January he signed a one-year contract extension until mid-2013.

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(CNN) -- Barcelona defender Eric Abidal is to undergo surgery to replace his liver, according to a statement released on the Spanish club's website on Thursday.

"During the next few weeks, the player will undergo a liver transplant as a result of the progress of his liver disease," the statement said.

"A transplant was considered an option from the start of his treatment a year ago. At the express wishes of the player, the Club asks that the maximum respect for the player's privacy be observed."

The 32-year-old Frenchman underwent surgery to remove a tumor on his liver last March, but recovered in time to appear in the Champions League final against Manchester United two months later.

Barcelona club captain Carles Puyol described the news of Abibal's impending surgery as "a heavy blow" at a press conference Thursday.

"It was an unpleasant surprise. Eric was there with us and afterwards we spoke with him, but what we said will be staying amongst ourselves," Puyol said, FCBarcelona.com reported.

"It's really him who has lifted us -- he's so strong as he showed last season and I'm sure he'll show that again now...things like this bring us all closer together."

Dr Stuart Knechtle, a liver transplant specialist from Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, says Abidal has a good chance of returning to top-level football in the future.

"Assuming it all goes well, he should be able to compete. There are other examples of athletes that have competed at international level after liver transplantation," Knechtle told CNN's World Sport.

Knechtle highlighted the cases of Chris Klug, a U.S. Olympic snowboarder who competed after his liver transplant in 2000 and former NBA star Alonzo Mourning who also returned to action after a kidney transplant in 2003.

The transplant is a highly complex procedure which will require intensive medical care, says Knechtle, but after an initial recovery period Abidal should be able to recover his strength.

"He will need to take medication twice a day for the rest of his life. He will, especially in the early period, require multiple doctor's visits, but that should gradually taper off over time."