Go Ahead Eagles star Gerrit Nauber has revealed his ongoing recovery process after suffering a broken leg against Aston Villa back in October.
The 33-year-old has been speaking to Destentor about the injury, which threatens to ruin his entire season.
He was injured in the 2-1 win over Aston Villa back in October following a clash with Lamare Bogarde. The pair had gone in for a 50/50, full speed, when the worst happened for the centre-back.
What should have been a major evening and was for the Dutch club as they claimed a huge scalp, became a disastrous one for Nauber. He had broken his leg and knew something serious had happened instantly.
“I could already tell from the sound that it was broken, and I held my leg because I thought: ‘Wow, what the hell is happening?’” he said.
“When they tried to take off my shoe and held my leg up, you could already see it wasn’t right. I told the doctor it was broken, and he confirmed it straight away.”
The moment was particularly traumatic as his wife and children were in the stands for the big occasions. Nauber was immediately rushed to hospital, where he continued to watch his team from a distance.
“Everyone in the hospital was watching that match,” he added.
“My father came with me to the hospital, and he kept track of it via a live ticker. I thought it was crazy when it was 1-1, and I couldn’t believe it when it was 2-1. I was happy, but of course I couldn’t go crazy. A special evening.”
Surgery followed not long after, despite doctors telling him it was a “nice” fracture. Months of rehabilitation have followed, with the 14 minutes against Aston Villa likely to be his last this season.
Keeping optimism after Aston Villa setback
There are some footballers who have struggled to come back from such injuries. But Trauber is confident he won’t be one of them.
“No, definitely not. The moment they checked the fracture at the hospital, they immediately said: ‘It’s the best fracture you can have,’” he concluded.
“It wasn’t in a thousand pieces or anything like that. It takes time, on average four to six months. I broke both bones, so it’ll probably be closer to six months for me.
“I’ve thought a few times that the next step could be a bit faster. Wherever I go, everyone is positive about the recovery, but they also say: ‘If you do too much, you could have a relapse.’ So, I’m not forcing it and am taking my time. For now, I’m on the right track.”
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