Nehuén Pérez steps up recovery, could return to FC Porto this season | OneFootball

Nehuén Pérez is beginning to see a way out of his long spell on the sidelines. Out of action since September 13, when he suffered a complete Achilles tendon rupture in FC Porto’s 1-0 win over Nacional, the Argentina international continues to work with the goal of returning to competition before the end of the 2025/26 season.

On Monday, as the Dragons returned to training after the 2-2 draw against Famalicão at the Estádio do Dragão, the 25-year-old defender once again completed a modified training session as part of his recovery from surgery, again showing positive signs and keeping open the possibility of becoming an option for Francesco Farioli again in the near future.

According to Tuesday’s edition of newspaper A Bola, the blue-and-white medical department never intended to speed up the process, also because the Italian coach has several alternatives in defence, such as Jan Bednarek, Jakub Kiwior and Thiago Silva.

Dominik Prpic has also been getting minutes in training and opportunities, although the Dragons’ coach has leaned more towards adapting Pablo Rosario, a real ‘Swiss Army knife’, who has already been used in midfield and even at right-back in moments of greater need.

Even so, the centre-back has continued to work intensely, with the clear aim of proving the initial forecasts wrong, as they pointed to a return only next season. He went through physiotherapy, progressed to running drills and is now waiting for clearance to return to training with the rest of the group.

The latest on Rodrigo Mora, Samu Aghehowa and Luuk de Jong

Rodrigo Mora, Samu Aghehowa and Luuk de Jong also remain on FC Porto’s injury list. Of these cases, the least concerning is that of the Portuguese midfielder, who was replaced by Seko Fofana still in the first half of last weekend’s setback against the Minho side.

On Monday, the young talent was limited to gym work, but, as reported by Desporto ao Minuto, he is not in doubt for the first leg of the Europa League quarter-finals, since the tests carried out concluded that the physical complaints were merely the result of a muscle spasm.

Less encouraging are the prospects for the Spaniard and the Dutchman, who continue to split their time between the treatment room and the gym, meaning that only a ‘miracle’ will bring them back into Francesco Farioli’s squad for the matches FC Porto still have left this season.

The next match is scheduled for Thursday against Nottingham Forest at the Estádio do Dragão. Kick-off is set for 8:00 pm mainland Portugal time and will mark Vítor Pereira’s return to a venue he knows well.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇵🇹 here.