Luuk de Jong pulling out all the stops to speed up his recovery | OneFootball

Injuries always arise at the worst moments, even for experienced athletes. At 35 and in his first season with FC Porto, Luuk de Jong suffered a medial collateral ligament injury in his left knee on September 8, during a training match against Lusitânia de Lourosa.

The Dutch forward has been sidelined from competition since then and there is still no clear timeline for his return. However, the dedication and professionalism he has shown in his recovery—even knowing he has little left to prove—have been remarkable and justified his signing last summer.

The injury, caused by a collision with an opponent in that friendly, also had a psychological impact on De Jong. The experienced striker had played in the Dragons’ four matches up to that point and had scored his first goal in the previous game, at Alvalade, against Sporting. Nonetheless, he immediately decided to begin the recovery process.

Since starting rehabilitation, the Netherlands international has given up most of his rest periods. On most days, De Jong arrives at Olival very early and only leaves late in the afternoon after completing several stages of the plan: sessions with the physiotherapist, individual work, and, more recently, gym work.

The medical department of the blue and whites, taking into account the advanced stage of the goalscorer’s career, has avoided speeding through stages and does not want to take unnecessary risks. De Jong ditched the crutches at the end of September and has been using a brace on his left knee for protection. He has also maintained daily contact with the coaching staff and his teammates.

In addition to the physical work, the forward has contributed to the positive atmosphere at Olival and at the Dragão, drawing on his experience to motivate his teammates, especially Nehuén Pérez, who is going through a more delicate clinical situation.

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