REAL MADRID
Camavinga recovery: when is the Real Madrid player set to return?
The midfielder’s recovery is going to plan. He has been out for six weeks but he is already sprinting and working with the ball.
For Eduardo Camavinga, it’s almost like a Christmas miracle. His swift recovery has little explanation and has surprised Real Madrid’s medical staff. It’s been a combination of many things - hours of gruelling and sometimes painful work in the shadows and favorable genetics. To everyone’s surprise, Camavinga has managed to achieve what six weeks ago seemed impossible - he could return in time for the Spanish Super Cup (the semi-finals, the derby against Atleti in Riyadh on 10 January).
The midfielder tore the lateral external ligament in his right knee in training while on duty with France on 15 November. After undergoing an MRI in Madrid, it was estimated that he would face eight-10 weeks on the sidelines. Now, the recovery period has been slashed to six-seven weeks.
Out on the practice pitches
Camavinga started working outdoors last week, even managing some sprinting drills. There was more positive news this morning when he returned to work with the ball and completed part of the session with the rest of the squad. For now, the club is keeping a lid on the euphoria but there is a distinct feeling of optimism.
Camavinga’s knee injury: how and when did it happen?
On 15 November, during the last international break before Christmas. France, who had already qualified for the Euros, hosted Gibraltar (and thumped them 14-0) then travelled to Greece. The national media pointed out that the break might be a good opportunity to call up some of the less prominent players to give the regulars a rest. But that didn’t happen... Deschamps took his first-choice stars, among them Camavinga. In the penultimate training sessions before the first match, the player was on the receiving end of a strong challenge from Dembélé. Totally fortuitous, but very costly - what seemed initially like just a sprain turned out to be a ruptured external lateral ligament in the Madrid player’s right knee. The diagnosis was clear: eight weeks on the sidelines, possibly even 10, but no less.
As soon as he could, Camavinga put himself in the hands of physios and doctors to intensify his return, to astonishing effect. The club itself assumed that he would miss the Spanish Super Cup and began to prepare for the tournament without him. Since last week, there has been new hope that the midfielder could make the trip to Saudi Arabia after all.
Last week, the fifth of his rehabilitation, he surprised by jumping onto the grass with a cumbersome bandage strapped to his right thigh. He spent the morning jogging and finished inside the gym. The player no longer felt pain and optimism flourished. This week, the sixth, he travelled to Los Angeles with Vinicius and trained at the Galaxy’s facilities. Again, great sensations. The jogging is now a sprint. All that was missing was getting back working with the ball.
Objective: the Super Cup
On Friday, the Madrid squad returned to training after the Christmas break. Güler and Vinicius worked with the main group and both have a good chance of featuring against Mallorca next Wednesday; they are also confirmed for the Super Cup. As for Cama, the situation is similar, but he is slightly behind schedule and will need a few days to build up competitive rhythm. So it’s unlikely that he will feature in the Mallorca game, but it is not entirely ruled out either.
The objective is for him to be fully fit and available for the Super Cup. The focus this week will be on regaining rhythm without any worry of suffering a relapse. There’s light at the end of the tunnel and Camavinga has his heart set on the Super Cup.