The return of the warrior Maldonado
The midfielder plays his first training session in three months and hopes to return to play this month.
By From the team at Flamengo's official website - in
He sat out the final stretch of last year's Brazilian Championship, missed his vacation, and also missed the start of this year's season. But with his strong personality and fighting style, he always displayed on the field, Maldonado bided his time. He underwent physical therapy and worked hard to recover from a knee injury. It worked.
This Thursday (04.03), the Chilean played his first training session since the injury. Although he still felt some discomfort, the player performed consistently and considered his return very positive. He, who has been training with the group for some time, expects to be available by mid-March.
In a press conference after training, the player also spoke about the earthquake that shook Chile earlier this week. Check out the key excerpts from the interview:
First collective - Today was my first training session in three months and a few days. I felt great, and I think it was a great first time. Now it's time to keep going, do more ball training, training sessions, until I'm ready to play again. I wanted to get back as soon as possible, and today I got a glimpse of what's still needed to get back on track.
Return forecast - There's no timetable yet. Everything will depend on my daily routine and how I progress in training. I have to gain confidence, and my leg needs to respond. Everything indicates that I'll be able to play some matches at least by the middle of this month. The way things are going, the Vasco match would be a great opportunity to return. But I'll wait, give it time so I don't rush things.
Knee discomfort - It's normal, since I had a knee graft. Pushing it harder in everyday life ends up causing a bit of discomfort. And there's also the psychological aspect, which I'm working on a lot. It'll all improve over time. I'm sure everything will work out. You'll get used to it, gaining confidence in your daily life.
Time without playing - It was difficult to be out for all that time, especially since it was a new stage at Flamengo, where I ended up becoming important to the club. I missed my vacations and trained full-time. There are still days when you wonder if you'll get better, when you'll get better... It's difficult. The championship starts, you're sidelined, and you see the team doing well without you. It's tough. But, thank God, I believed, and I'm confident I can return this month.
Earthquake - I managed to talk to my brothers on Tuesday. Everything is fine. Thank God nothing happened to anyone in my family. My father lived closer, in Curicó, between Santiago and Concepción, but nothing happened to him. Unfortunately, many families were left homeless, and that's very sad. It's something that happens in Chile, but I didn't expect it to be as severe as this time. It will take time for the country to recover.
Longing - I miss Chile, my family, and my friends, but I've also adapted well to Brazil. I have many friends here, and I've split my time between the two countries.
Renewal - The talks are advanced, and now we just have to wait for my agent to return from São Paulo to schedule a new meeting. I don't think it will be difficult. Based on our first conversation, I think I'll only leave if it turns out to be something really good. If nothing like that happens, I intend to stay here for a long time, as I'm very happy.
This Thursday (04.03), the Chilean played his first training session since the injury. Although he still felt some discomfort, the player performed consistently and considered his return very positive. He, who has been training with the group for some time, expects to be available by mid-March.
In a press conference after training, the player also spoke about the earthquake that shook Chile earlier this week. Check out the key excerpts from the interview:
First collective - Today was my first training session in three months and a few days. I felt great, and I think it was a great first time. Now it's time to keep going, do more ball training, training sessions, until I'm ready to play again. I wanted to get back as soon as possible, and today I got a glimpse of what's still needed to get back on track.
Return forecast - There's no timetable yet. Everything will depend on my daily routine and how I progress in training. I have to gain confidence, and my leg needs to respond. Everything indicates that I'll be able to play some matches at least by the middle of this month. The way things are going, the Vasco match would be a great opportunity to return. But I'll wait, give it time so I don't rush things.
Knee discomfort - It's normal, since I had a knee graft. Pushing it harder in everyday life ends up causing a bit of discomfort. And there's also the psychological aspect, which I'm working on a lot. It'll all improve over time. I'm sure everything will work out. You'll get used to it, gaining confidence in your daily life.
Time without playing - It was difficult to be out for all that time, especially since it was a new stage at Flamengo, where I ended up becoming important to the club. I missed my vacations and trained full-time. There are still days when you wonder if you'll get better, when you'll get better... It's difficult. The championship starts, you're sidelined, and you see the team doing well without you. It's tough. But, thank God, I believed, and I'm confident I can return this month.
Earthquake - I managed to talk to my brothers on Tuesday. Everything is fine. Thank God nothing happened to anyone in my family. My father lived closer, in Curicó, between Santiago and Concepción, but nothing happened to him. Unfortunately, many families were left homeless, and that's very sad. It's something that happens in Chile, but I didn't expect it to be as severe as this time. It will take time for the country to recover.
Longing - I miss Chile, my family, and my friends, but I've also adapted well to Brazil. I have many friends here, and I've split my time between the two countries.
Renewal - The talks are advanced, and now we just have to wait for my agent to return from São Paulo to schedule a new meeting. I don't think it will be difficult. Based on our first conversation, I think I'll only leave if it turns out to be something really good. If nothing like that happens, I intend to stay here for a long time, as I'm very happy.