Javi Martinez said at the weekend he hoped to return to Bayern Munich team training soon because he was making good progress in his recovery from a severe knee injury suffered seven months ago.
The Spain midfielder and defender ruptured the cruciate ligament and another ligament in his knee during the German Super Cup game against Borussia Dortmund in August.
He can now kick a ball again and hopes to make further progress en route to a full return.
“Given the extent of the injury it’s a huge progress that I can work with the ball again. I still feel it (the knee) every now and then but that will go away,’’ Martinez told the local tz daily.
Martinez said he hoped to be back in team training within “days or possibly weeks’’ but that he would not rush to a comeback either.
“The knee must be 100 per cent ready because otherwise the risk of a relapse is too big,’’ Martinez said.
Martinez’ return would give coach Pep Guardiola even more options in the deciding stage of the season.
The champions Munich hold a 10-point lead atop the Bundesliga, and have reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League and German cup.