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NOLITO: 'THE FIRST TWO OR THREE WEEKS WERE TOUGH BUT NOW EVERYTHING'S GOING QUICKER'

26/02/2019
Nolito is awaiting his next medical update, after which he hopes to be able to get back to running on grass

Nolito was the star this Tuesday night on SFC TV's A Balón Parado. The striker, ever optimistic, said that he sees his return to the pitch ever closer after breaking his fibula on 12 January: 'I'm counting the days. At least I'm able to walk now - before I was walking with crutches like a crab! It's a bump in the road but soon it'll have been two months ago and we'll see what the doctor has to say. It's true that the first two or three weeks are tough but once that part is over everything goes quicker. Since I've been off crutches I've been able to go to the gym and the pool.'

He remembers the injury very well: 'At the start I couldn't stop thinking about it but I don't anymore. It was an exercise which we do a lot - Jesús crosses and I finish. I heard a snap and I got up but I was in pain. I couldn't walk and I thought I'd broken a bone. When it happens you're affected a lot but you have to keep being positive and move on.'

It is tough watching his teammates from the sidelines: 'I miss it because I love my job. The worst thing is not being with your teammates, not training, missing team meetings... It's a bunch of things. What I most miss is not being able to put my boots on to go out and train. We have a great group here. We've got different types of characters but they are all good people and great players. I hope they keep on making us all happy and I feel valued. Sometimes you need that love and I have it.'

To finish, he went over the season and stated he was ready to fight: 'I'm stubborn and everywhere I've been I've tried to do things well and play. I haven't played much in La Liga but I've had my chances in the Europa League and the Cup. I'm happy playing, I didn't consider leaving in December. I've signed for three years here and I intend to finish my contract.'