Gu Chao ended his trip to Haikou and returned to Hangzhou last Sunday afternoon. Gu Chao unfortunately suffered a ring finger fracture during the U19 national soccer team's preparatory warm-up match, and is expected to undergo surgery at Zhejiang No. 2 Hospital this week. Gu Chao's recovery period is expected to be six to eight weeks, during which time Zhao Bo has a very high probability of taking over as the starting goalkeeper.
Gu Chao's Zhejiang team left for Haikou last Thursday to prepare for the new Chinese Super League season. On Friday afternoon, the team started a warm-up match with the U19 national soccer team. In the 10th minute of the second half, during a shot on goal, the ball hit the crossbar, and when Gu Chao reached out to intercept it, his fingers were pressed against the ball, which bounced back into the crossbar again. Gu Chao recalled, "The impact was so great that my fingers went numb, and when I landed, I found that my ring finger was weak and mistook it for a dislocation, and hastily signaled that I couldn't continue the game." When the team doctor arrived, he heard the sound of Gu Chao's ring finger, and immediately judged it to be a fracture. The coaching staff made a quick decision to send Gu Chao to the hospital for further examination. On the way, Gu Chao's pain worsened, and he revealed: "Especially that night, I took painkillers before I could sleep." After filming at the hospital in Haikou, the club quickly contacted a professional bone injury hospital in China, and the Spanish coaching staff also sought expert advice from Spain. The doctors unanimously recommended, "Immediate surgery is necessary!" Gu Chao expressed his gratitude for the club's care and support, "The club was very anxious and hoped that I would recover as soon as possible, and also arranged a vehicle to diagnose and treat me using a combination of Chinese and Western medicine, which made me feel the warmth of home." After returning to Hangzhou, Gu Chao will need to undergo another film examination and will undergo a ring finger surgery this week at Zhejiang No. 2 Hospital to "implant steel nails to stabilize the finger." The rehabilitation period is expected to last about six to eight weeks. Before leaving Haikou, coach Jodi urged Gu Chao to recuperate well: "Strive to return to the field as soon as possible." The main goalkeeper Gu Chao was injured, Zhejiang team is facing a shortage of personnel, other goalkeepers need to cover. The goalkeepers on the Zhejiang roster include No. 33 Zhao Bo, No. 12 Lai Jinfeng and No. 24 Li Yijia. According to the current situation, Zhao Bo as the main goalkeeper is more likely. Gu Chao communicated with Zhao Bo: "I hope he can stay calm and play at his own level. He is very capable and in the Chinese Super League, he needs to reduce the pressure and take it easy." This Friday, Zhejiang will usher in the opening match of the new Chinese Super League season. Gu Chao said, "Although it's a pity to be injured at this time, I will be in front of the computer to cheer for the team. The opponents are strong in the first stage, so I hope the team will get more points and lay the foundation for the whole season."
