Iker Casillas says his recovery from a broken bone in his hand is going better than expected and he might be straight back between the Real Madrid posts the moment late March.
Casillas' hand was broken by a random kick from his team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa all through Madrid's Copa del Rey quarter-final game at the Mestalla on January 23.
It was feared he would face 3 months on the sidelines, and the team moved quickly to sign Diego Lopez for 3.5 million from Sevilla to perform in their likely season-defining games against Barcelona in the Copa and Manchester United in the Champions League.
The Madrid club chief told reporters on Thursday morning, at the opening of a new club look at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, that the first schedule had only been a worst-case scenario.
"I am feeling very positive," Casillas said. "The physician gave me the worst-case scenario, he explained 3 months it could take. But when the splint was removed last week, I was told I had four weeks left. Now I'm doing effective exercises to have mobility and power back the finger."
Casillas said he had been working hard at Madrid's Valdebebas training service to obtain straight back playing when possible.
"Until now I've perhaps not had much energy in it, but I'm getting it back little by little," he explained. "We are in the halfway point of the injury. I've still got per month to go. I will need certainly to work more and suffer more to obtain right back the mobility of before. I am looking forward to returning. It's worse being off the message than on it."
The event was also joined by Casillas' team-mates including Arbeloa, Xabi Alonso, Karim Benzema, Angel Di Maria, Jose Callejon, Nacho and Kaka, although coach Jose Mourinho was absent.
Alonso told reporters that he didn't know yet whether he would cure his groin problem over time for next Tuesday's Copa semi-final second leg at Barcelona's Camp Nou.
"I am in the restoration stage," the midfielder said. "I am looking to get better when possible, to have reduce the discomfort and return in top form. When I will prepare yourself a lot of people ask. I hope to manage to perform against Barca, but I do not have an answer right now."
Former Liverpool player Alonso stated that, with the tie balanced at 1-1, whoever obtained first in the Champions League last 16 reunite sport at Manchester United on March 5 could be favourites to advance.
"They will have the help of the fans," he explained. "It will probably be a challenge. Along side it that results first will undoubtedly be favourites. Old Trafford is a superb floor and it's the sort of match we all want to play. The tie is quite open."
Di Maria said that it will suit Madrid to be playing away from home in both of the future, possibly season-defining, games.
"Things are getting well and we hope to carry on this way," he said. "We know that we have to have big matches in both competitions and that it will not be easy. Maybe playing away is going to be in our favor because we do well when things are against us. We've had this week to focus on the simplest way to approach the games. I hope everything goes well."
Benzema, who remains any doubt for Saturday evening's La Liga sport at Deportivo La Coruna, said he wasn't worried about his current bad form in front of target.
"I hope than I have up to now that I score more goals, nevertheless the important thing is the squad and to win the future matches," he said. "We need certainly to interact to get. We have an excellent group and we're all in good form."
No comments:
Post a Comment