CARLOS FERNÁNDEZ: "THE KNEE IS POSSIBLY RESPONDING BETTER THAN BEFORE"

Carlos Fernández is back. The youth team graduate trained with the first team and, most importantly, he came through fine. He spoke to SFC Radio this Tuesday: "It's nearly three weeks since I started training with the reserve team, controlling the workloads a lot, and yesterday I finally trained with the first team, as another member of the group. I'm very happy, not just to be with them, but because I felt fantastic, the knee is possibly responding better than before and to be honest that lets you relax and gives you security to confront what's to come... That above all, being secure and relaxed and knowing that some brilliant work has been done over the last six months because the knee is very strong".

Carlos admitted that initially he was slightly uncertain, although he soon found his feet: "Before starting the training session you think about how it will be after such a long time without having that contact with the pitch, but once you're there you don't have time to think, you just have to play, listen to the boss and be at your best... I'm happy because my teammates from both the reserve team and the first team have helped me during my injury and to be honest I'm really happy and excited about everything that's to come, because my knee is great and that's the most important thing".

The final step is now to get back on the pitch. There are only two matches left and the forward is remaining patient, focusing on short term goals: "I think it would be hurried. Right now I have to get to the group's level from a physical point of view, but having examples such as Michael or Nico Pareja close by helps a lot and makes you see that there's always light at the end of the tunnel. Those examples, having them so close in the dressing room, that makes everything much easier for you. Seeing Michael there the other day was fantastic".