Real Madrid have suffered a serious injury crisis during parts of the ongoing season. From Vinicius Jr to Eduardo Camavinga, Daniel Carvajal to David Alaba, there has been no end to the list of setbacks the men in white have had to deal with.
One of the biggest, and perhaps longest-standing blows the Merengues has had to suffer from, however, is the absence of Thibaut Courtois.
The Belgian shot-stopper has been a bonafide match-winner for Los Blancos in recent years, and his ACL injury in pre-season set the alarm bells ringing in Madrid like none other.
Back on the field
In what comes as big news to both the Real Madrid management and fans across the globe, Thibaut Courtois has returned to training on the field as of earlier today.
The Belgian superstar is still training alone on the field and is a fair distance away from returning to the group dynamics. Yet, the development marks a milestone in his recovery and bring the date of his return ever so closer.
Earlier today, the Real Madrid shot-stopper tweeted footage of his first day back on the field with a caption that only rightly summarised his excitement.
“The energy that comes from putting on your boots and stepping on the grass cannot be described,” he tweeted.
The bigger picture
Having returned to the field by January, one can safely say that Courtois is hitting the recovery deadlines initially set for him by the medical team. Yet, recovering from an ACL tear is a footballer’s worst nightmare and requires immense grit and patience.
As revealed last month, the goalkeeper is only expected to return to group training by late March or early April with a complete recovery. Moreover, he is expected to miss the European Championships to boost his recovery, and a return to the field will only likely be made next season.