ˈæftɚɹ ɐ səksˈɛsfəl sˈɜːdʒɚɹi ɪn dʒənˈiːvə, hiː mˈɪst jˈuːfə jˈʊɹɹoʊ tˈuː θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪt æz hɪz ɹᵻkˈʌvɚɹi pɹˈɑːsɛs wʌz ˈɛstᵻmˌeɪɾᵻd təbi ʌv æt lˈiːst ˈeɪt mˈʌnθs; ðɪs hˈæpənd ɐ wˈiːk ˈæftɚɹ ɐnˈʌðɚ sˈɪɹiəs nˈiːˈɪndʒɚd sˈɛntɹəl mˈɪdfiːldɚɹ ʌvðə nˈævɐɹˌiːz klˈʌb, dʒˈɑːvæd nˈɛkuːnˌɑːm, bɪɡˈæn tɹˈeɪnɪŋ.
After a successful surgery in Geneva, he missed UEFA Euro 2008 as his recovery process was estimated to be of at least eight months; this happened a week after another serious knee-injured central midfielder of the Navarrese club, Javad Nekounam, began training.