Roma star Alessandro Florenzi was devastated after rupturing his ACL again. “It was worse than the first time, because I wasn’t expecting it.”
The versatile wing-back was stretchered off in agony on October 26 during the 3-1 win away to Sassuolo and had surgery, but just as he was back in training with the squad, he tore the same anterior cruciate ligament again in February.
Roma star Alessandro Florenzi was devastated after rupturing his ACL again. “It was worse than the first time, because I wasn’t expecting it.”
The versatile wing-back was stretchered off in agony on October 26 during the 3-1 win away to Sassuolo and had surgery, but just as he was back in training with the squad, he tore the same anterior cruciate ligament again in February.
“I am concentrated on my recovery and now won’t set myself a definitive return date, due to superstitious reasons,” he told the Corriere dello Sport newspaper.
“When I am well enough, I will get back on the field. I can’t wait, because I miss playing football the way you’d miss breathing in fresh air.
“The first injury was against Sassuolo, as I jumped to reach a high ball, got a little nudge from behind and when I landed, the ligament in the knee gave way.
“The second injury was during a training session with the Primavera (youth academy) kids. I sprained it and hurt myself again. I thought that I was in great shape, but that wasn’t the case.
“I stepped on to that field with the idea that there was nothing wrong with me. I was eager to get back to work and maybe that was my mistake – thinking it was all behind me.
“When you rupture the cruciate ligament, you’ll be dealing with that for the rest of your life and from that moment forth every day you’ll have to train aware of that injury.
“It’ll be an issue for the next 10, 15 years, as long as God lets me continue playing football. You have to work every day to prevent it getting damaged again.
“Now I am in the gym every day, but it’s tough. I have to get it into my head that every day I need to work on the muscles to ensure the knee is protected and stable, otherwise I won’t get much of a career.”
The fact that Florenzi was so close to making his comeback for Roma made the relapse even harder to deal with.
“I was worse than the first time, because I wasn’t expecting it. The first one, I felt this searing pain in the knee. The second time, I was in such good shape, there was no way it could happen.
“Psychologically, it was a huge blow. I’d be a liar if I said it wasn’t. Fortunately my wife and my daughter at home supported me with love from that October 28, the day of the first operation. My family and friends invaded the Villa Stuart clinic for days to ensure I didn’t feel alone. I’ll forever be grateful to them.”