"The years have ticked by, three of them since he last kicked a ball, but every day spent grafting in the gym is one Gerard Deulofeu believes he is a step closer to a "miracle". "One of the things I get energy from is that I know I can make history," says the 31-year-old, whose last appearance for Udinese was in January 2023. Football is his passion, his job."
"But there was a time, the hardest time in those more than 1,100 days since his injury, where he could not walk with his kids, take the dogs out, drive the car. What Deulofeu really missed then were the simple things. "I lost all my personal life," he says. "That's the most hurtful thing that you can feel. "Now I am just waiting to do a miracle to be back playing football."
Gerard Deulofeu has not played competitive football for more than three years after a severe knee injury. He trains daily in the gym and hopes for a near-miraculous return to the pitch. An anterior cruciate ligament ruptured during a 15-minute substitute appearance 37 months ago, ending his last match. The injury and its aftermath stripped away routine abilities such as walking with his children, taking the dogs out and driving. He describes losing his personal life as the most hurtful consequence. Persistent pain and damaged knee bones complicate recovery, yet he continues rehabilitation while acknowledging how difficult a full comeback will be.
Read at www.bbc.com
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