It’s 02:15h on Monday morning, and what do you think Cristiano is doing? No, he’s not out partying, he’s not busy making another baby, nor is he coming up with some more horrific designs for his CR7 line.
Instead, Real Madrid has just arrived home after the Mallorca game, and while the other players are collecting their cars from Valdebebas, Cristiano is asking the security team to let him into the installations, so he can begin treatment on his right ankle. By 03h, Cristiano has his ankle in ice water. Half an hour later, he gets a massage and has the area bandaged. It’s 04h when Cris finally leaves Valdebebas, knowing that in a couple of hours, he’ll meet up with the medical staff again at the Hospital Sanitas La Moraleja for further examination.
And once that examination is over and everyone has a better understanding of the situation of the ankle, Cris begins his recuperation, starting that very afternoon at Valdebebas. His current schedule is to get treatment twice a day, three hours in the morning and two in the afternoon, alternating between the gym, the pool and the massage table.
His objective is to return to Madrid by the time the first Champions League game comes around, vs. Ajax at home on Sept. 15.
Say what you will about Cristiano (like my slightly mean comments in the beginning), but one thing you can never doubt is his commitment to being as fit as possible for his team. And I love him for that.