by Dani Carvajal misses his family. The good news is that in return he will come back with something he missed. For some players, this is too far a competition that is played in poor parking spaces in half -empty stadiums and suffocating heat that they could do without, but it was good for the captain of Real Madrid, something that can be aimed at. Now, 270 days later and 4,400 miles, he is back to Juventus in the last 16 in Miami. “And I know what I am: If you let me lose, there will be no fear,” he says.
Carvajal has not played since October 2024 when he tore the front cruciate ligament, the fibular collateral band and the popliteusehne in his right knee in the last moments of Villareal’s visit to the Santiago Bernabéu. At the age of 32, a European champion with club and country, fourth in the balloon d’o or three weeks later, it came at the worst time, or so it seemed; However, Carvajal believes that it has come best, personally and professionally – which ultimately fits together in a long process that was both psychologically and physically. Now he is here before training in Madrid’s Palm Beach headquarters. Only one session before he is back in the squad.
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“If it had happened when I was younger, I would have gone a lot more about it, it would have eaten in my head,” says Carvajal. “Until you went through it, you don’t know the influence [the process] And helped me to relax better. If I had been younger without my wife, I would have worried more and wondered if I would really come back 100%. “
The Club World Cup helped. “It was very good for me to have a goal of being able to say: ‘I want to go there’. If not, I would have reached fitness in summer [with nothing happening]. Perhaps [in terms of performance level] It would have been better if this competition would have fallen next year or that afterwards if I could have started at the same level as everyone else, but I will never know. I adapted to the circumstances and it was very good for me to be here, to be back with my teammates and to be able to train fully. It is now two weeks ago and thank God I am ready. “
“I had a very stable recovery, very even,” continues Carvajal. “I have determined very, very short -term goals and also tried to break the routine for restoring the injury if I could be with my family and my children. Whether or not, they don’t play, and I have not been able to build a connection with them that was very special.
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“There are moments when it is a pain to be injured, but I am the feeling that I had the energy and happiness every day. If I had to go to the gym or had to walk with a crutch, do it. I did it very well. Perfect physical shape until you have this sharpness;
“I accepted this competition as a challenge, a goal so that I could have a goal, but I was always realistic and I am aware of the situation in which I was. I would have said it a month ago I couldn’t see it [returning to the team]Because I felt that I was not ready, but now I see myself as willing to take part in competitions. It’s nice, I was a lot of sessions, I’m not afraid, I have no hesitation, go hard, to give my foot in … “
Carvajal’s injury played a role in Madrid, which was ultimately convinced of the need to sign Alexander-Arnold, but that does not necessarily make it a case of one or the other if the Englishman is automatically the first choice-he will start in Miami. The structure of Xabi Alonso can open a chance as the third central defender on the right, and if there is a thing that Carvajal has always defined, it is a fierce competitiveness. Alexander-Arnold is not simply handed over his place, that’s sure. The knowing smile, when Carvajal talks about new signatures, tells them.
Related: ‘Trent’ brings fluent and “impeccable” Spanish to the unveiling of Grand Real Madrid
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“Trent has adapted phenomenally well, he all confused with everyone,” he says. “He was super friendly: when we had an afternoon free, he came to eat with everyone, he seems to be a very, very good boy. He already knew Jew [Bellingham] But it is with everyone. And it is normal: There are new commitments for every team, new players, and I also accepted this as a personal challenge: I love to take part in competitions, I love to have challenges in front of me. I hope that a healthy competition can make the team even better.
“As for the position: I don’t know. I didn’t think about it, because if the manager asks me to play on the left wing, I play in the left wing. It is not something that affects me, far away. I just want to help.
