Portu: “We are absolutely determined to return to the First Division.” | OneFootball

Portu is back. The Girona FC player has completed his recovery from the injury that has kept him out of action since November last year and is now training with the squad again, gradually regaining his confidence and competitive rhythm.

“The truth is that I feel good, and better every day. I’m gradually getting my feelings back, I’m training with the team, doing everything and getting back to doing what I love most, which is playing football. And the truth is that the feelings are very positive,” says the player, who has gone through a long recovery process after suffering the injury during a training session.

It has been many months of hard work, patience and consistency, in a process that Portu acknowledges has been demanding both physically and mentally. “They say that things always happen for a reason, and this period has helped me appreciate everyday life much more, being part of the team and realising how much you miss competing and playing every weekend. You realise that this is your life, your passion,” he explains.

The player also highlights what he has learned during this period: “I’ve learned to be patient, to know how to wait and to stay positive when things are very difficult. And, above all, to appreciate much more the people you have around you, who love you and are there for you every day.”

The support of his family

His family has been one of the main pillars throughout the entire process. Portu particularly highlights the role of his wife, his children and the rest of his family. “They have played the most important role. In the end, my wife, my children and my family suffer just like I do. It may not seem that way, but children, even when they are young, notice these things,” he explains.

In this regard, he particularly remembers a moment involving his daughter: “On her birthday, her only wish was for her dad’s leg to get better. Those are things that really stay with you.” For the player, the support of his loved ones has been a source of strength during the most difficult months.

The recovery process has also been physically demanding. “Physically, it’s a very painful process. Straight after the operation, the first six, seven or eight days are very tough because it’s a very invasive and complicated operation. You have to spend practically the whole day in bed and you can barely move,” he recalls.

“I’m a very active person, so I felt like the hours were passing very slowly, until I was able to come back here and get back to something closer to a normal daily routine,” he adds.

The physical difficulty was compounded by the psychological challenge of such a long absence. “Throughout my career, I had never been used to such a long break, to being out of football for so long. And, whether you like it or not, there are moments of great loneliness. The team travels and you have to stay behind and train on your own. It’s difficult,” he explains.

Portu also recalls the final stretch of last season particularly vividly, when the team struggled with its sporting situation and he was unable to help on the pitch. “Seeing the team of your life, the team you love, going through a difficult time and not being able to help was even worse than the injury itself,” he says.

Throughout this long journey, the player highlights the fact that he was able to complete his recovery at Girona FC from day one and appreciates the support he received from everyone at the Club. “One very positive thing I take from this is having been able to do my recovery here from the very first day. They have looked after me like one of the team, everyone has been very attentive to me and has made themselves available to me,” he says.

Portu particularly highlights the work of the Club’s medical and physiotherapy teams. “I’m very grateful to the physiotherapists, the doctors and everyone at the Club who has helped and looked after me throughout this time. I spent practically the whole summer here, training on my own or with a teammate, and the physios and doctors also had to come in during their holidays to continue working with me. The truth is, I have no words to thank them enough.”

Now, with his return to training, the player is looking ahead to a new chapter with excitement. “As the moment got closer, it was a mixture of feelings. The good thing was that I was already very close to returning. During pre-season I had already been very close to the team, even though I wasn’t yet training with them, doing part of the work alongside them,” he explains.

“When the league started, I was practically back with the team, with a lot of excitement and desire. This year there is a new energy, a very positive energy, and I’m very happy,” he adds.

Portu also speaks positively about the start of the season and highlights the unity within the dressing room during this new chapter in the Segunda División. “I see the team doing very well. Obviously, we’ve only just started, it’s a new and very difficult division, and there will be difficult matches and difficult moments. But I think the team is very united and is once again a family.”

In this regard, the player believes the experience of the more senior members of the squad can play an important role in a group that includes several young additions. “We’re getting older, even if we don’t want to! But there is also a very positive side to it: you learn throughout your career and accumulate experiences and situations that you have already been through and know how to deal with.”

“We try to help the young players who have joined us, who arrive with a lot of enthusiasm, by giving them our perspective. We also try to help them on the pitch, both from inside and outside the game, by talking to them, correcting them and giving them a helping hand,” he says.

A clear objective

The dressing room’s objective is clear. “Those of us who stayed from last year are very clear about it and have it firmly in our minds: to return to the Primera División.”

After almost a year away from the pitch, Portu is once again available to the team, determined to contribute to Girona FC’s challenge. The player ends his message by thanking the fans for their support throughout this period.

“I can only say a huge thank you to them for being there and for the support they have given me from the very beginning, from when the injury became known, and practically since I arrived in Girona. I don’t think I have the words to thank them for all the affection they have shown me and continue to show me.”

And he adds: “My number one objective is to take Girona back to where it belongs, which is the Primera División, and I will give everything I have until I can’t give any more to achieve it.”