The Pichichi is doing everything he can to hasten his recovery in Moscow. On Saturday he trained with his teammates and played in the practice match organised by the coaching staff. The fact that Ruud van Nistelrooy is putting his body on the line for every ball and being tackled by his teammates means that his injury isn’t very likely to relapse. In statements to RealmadridTV and Realmadrid.com, the Dutchman talked about his thoughts on the team this preseason.
What stage of your recovery protocol are you in?
Honestly, I am almost ready. I feel good. I felt comfortable around my teammates today, but I still need a little time. This was a complicated injury and it’s important to take good care of it.
Can we set the first leg of the Super Cup as the day you make your return?
I don’t know. I want to be 100% fit before I play. I will be at the coach’s orders as soon as I feel totally recovered. We cannot be in a hurry because it’s a long season and there will be a lot of matches. It’s not worth rushing into things only to get injured again.
How do you find your teammates?
Lokomotiv really put the pressure on us in the first half, but I enjoy watching my team in the second. They scored five goals and did very well in attack. We need to keep it up, but you have to keep in mind that this is only the second week of the preseason. We have room for improvement.
How would you assess Schuster’s arrival and the difference in gameplans?
The coach has great ideas for the team, and that’s a good thing for the players. Who doesn’t like to play good football? The players more than anybody like to play good football, but we also have to win matches. Winning is what always matters the most.
You have several new teammates who are forwards. Does that mean more competition for you?
On the contrary. All great teams should have two or three players per position. Real Madrid did well in signing them, especially with the season we have ahead of us. There will be less time to recover for the European championship at the end of the season, so everyone will be given a lot of opportunities.
Finally, tomorrow you play PSV. What can we expect in the final?
I was happy to be able to speak with them on Friday after the semifinals. I made it clear to them that we are going to win. We will play a good match and defeat PSV.
