News of Dani Osvaldo's hospitalisation has caused concern among RCD Espanyol supporters. The club's former striker, 40, was urgently admitted on Thursday night to a public hospital in Llavallol, Buenos Aires province, suffering from a serious pleural effusion.
Surgical procedure
Journalist Pepe Ochoa has explained that doctors removed two centimetres of fluid from each of his lungs during an operation. The pleural effusion, which in his case contained pus, involves a build-up of fluid between the membranes lining the lungs. Osvaldo remains in the intensive care unit with a reserved prognosis, as no official medical report has been issued.
A troubled past
The ex-footballer's health situation comes after he himself acknowledged personal problems. In a video posted on social media in early 2024, Osvaldo stated: "I am at a moment where my life is slipping out of my hands." In that declaration, the Italian-Argentine spoke of dealing with "a very great depression" that led to alcohol and drug addiction, psychiatric treatment, and having spent almost all his savings.
His Espanyol spell
Dani Osvaldo enjoyed one of his best sporting moments wearing the blue and white shirt. He arrived on loan from Bologna in early 2010 and Espanyol activated the purchase option that same summer. In a year and a half at the club, he scored around twenty goals in LaLiga, a performance that earned him a transfer to Roma in August 2011 for 17.5 million euros. His memory among the perico faithful remains very positive.
While the club faces its current sporting situation, sitting 15th in LaLiga with seven points, the news about Osvaldo has been a shock. The team, coming off back-to-back defeats against Rayo Vallecano and Elche, has a key match against bottom-placed Malaga next up. Fans can follow the team's progress and check the current squad on our site. Everyone at Espanyol sends their best wishes for a recovery to their former striker, whose health condition is being closely monitored.
The original report is at Mundo Deportivo
