Iker Casillas says his recovery from a broken bone in his hand is certainly going a lot better than expected and he could be right back between the Real Madrid articles as soon as late March.
Casillas' hand was broken by a random end from his team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa throughout Madrid's Copa del Rey quarter-final recreation at the Mestalla on January 23.
It had been feared he would experience three months on the sidelines, and the team moved quickly to signal Diego Lopez for 3.5 million from Sevilla to perform in their likely season-defining activities against Barcelona in the Copa and Manchester United in the Champions League.
The Madrid club chief told reporters on Thursday night, at the beginning of a new club store at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, that the first schedule had only been a worst-case scenario.
"I am feeling quite positive," Casillas said. "The doctor gave me the worst-case scenario, he explained three months it may get. But when the splint was removed yesterday, I was told I had one month left. Now I'm doing effective exercises to get flexibility and power back the finger."
Casillas said he had been spending so much time at Madrid's Valdebebas education center to have straight back playing when possible.
"Until now I've maybe not had much energy in it, but I'm getting it back little by little," he said. "We are in the halfway point of the injury. I have still got monthly to go. I'll need certainly to work more and suffer more to obtain back the mobility of before. I am looking forward to returning. It's worse being off the message than on it."
The event was also joined by Casillas' team-mates including Arbeloa, Xabi Alonso, Karim Benzema, Angel Di Maria, Jose Callejon, Nacho and Kaka, though coach Jose Mourinho was missing.
Alonso told reporters that he did not know yet whether he would cure his crotch problem over time for next Tuesday's Copa semi-final second leg at Barcelona's Camp Nou.
"I am in the recovery stage," the midfielder said. "I am trying to get better the moment possible, to obtain reduce the vexation and get back in top form. Lots of people ask when I will prepare yourself. I hope to be able to perform against Barca, but I don't have a remedy right now."
Former Liverpool player Alonso stated that, with the link balanced at 1-1, whoever won first in the Champions League last 16 get back sport at Manchester United on March 5 could be favourites to progress.
"They may have the support of their fans," he explained. "It will be considered a concern. The side that results first will undoubtedly be favourites. Old Trafford is a good surface and it is the sort of match we all prefer to play. The link is extremely open."
Di Maria stated that it may suit Madrid to be playing away from home in both of the upcoming, possibly season-defining, games.
"Things are getting well and develop to carry on this way," he said. "We know that we have to have large matches in both games and that it'll perhaps not be easy. Probably playing away is going to be in our favor since we prosper when things are against us. We've had this week to focus on the best way to approach the games. I hope everything goes well."
Benzema, who remains a doubt for Saturday evening's La Liga sport at Deportivo La Coruna, said he was not worried about his recent bad form facing target.
"I trust that I score more goals than I've to date, however the important thing could be the team and to win the future matches," he explained. "We need certainly to work together to get. We have a fantastic group and we are all in good form."
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