CHELSEA midfielder Marco van Ginkel has admitted that he feared he’d ‘never walk again’ during his gruelling 983-day injury lay-off.
The Netherlands international had just scored 14 goals in 28 Eredivisie outings on loan at PSV in the 2017-18 season when he required surgery on his anterior cruciate ligament.
Marco van Ginkel recently returned to action with loan club PSVCredit: Rex Features
But what is normally a routine operation turned into a nightmare for the then-25-year-old.
Van Ginkel, now 28, would miss two full seasons after his knee was infected following the surgery.
Having now finally returned to action, again on loan at PSV, the forgotten star has opened up to Goal on his harrowing experiences.
He said: “It was not 100 per cent, for sure. I think it was 50-50 whether my career would survive.
“The danger was there that I would lose my career, of course.
“Especially after the first week of infection, they didn’t know what the infection was doing inside the joint.
“After three months I reacted well, but it was going to be a tough, tough time to be at the top level again, to come back and play for PSV, Chelsea or whoever. At that moment, it was more about whether I could walk again. Football didn’t matter.
“The infection that came six weeks after my operation killed my knee a bit. That’s why it took so long, it damaged my knee and cruciate and I had to be operated on all over again. It was a very hard time.
Van Ginkel, 28, has made four first-team appearances for ChelseaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
FREE BETS: GET OVER £2,000 IN SIGN UP OFFERS HERE
“It was explained to me that these things could happen sometimes, but only to one in 200 people after surgery. It is very unlikely you get it, but some get an infection. I was one of them and it was quite bad.
“A normal infection requires only antibiotics and you are OK, but mine was quite bad so I was on antibiotics for three months. They had to clean my knee out a further three times through surgery. Those were very tough times.
“Emotionally and mentally, it was very hard. But I am a very positive person. I think everyone who knows me would say that and it kept me alive, for sure. But I can’t deny that I had some difficult days.”
With Chelsea having committed to looking after van Ginkel by handing him a new contract up until the summer, the eight-cap star took part in rehab back at Cobham alongside the likes of Reece James and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
It felt a bit like my debut again
Marco van Ginkel on his PSV return
And having returned to action with PSV last month, he is cautiously, but optimistically, looking forward.
He continued: “It felt a bit like my debut again.
“We lost the game but I still celebrated it with my family. It felt important because it was a big achievement for me.
“My focus is just on PSV at the moment and the rest, we will see.
“If I can get back to my level, then I know my qualities, but it is just focusing on PSV and myself at the moment. I want some more minutes in the next few games.
“The mindset you need to make it is the same that you need to come back. It is to get better every day and I did it. If you don’t have that, you will never come back after a big, big injury.
“I am just happy to be a footballer again.”
Van Ginkel has since made two further substitute appearances for Roger Schmidt’s side, as he continues to build towards full match fitness.
⚽ Read our Chelsea live blog for the very latest news from the Bridge
Forgotten Chelsea player, Marco van Ginkel, back in training after 18 months out with ACL injury
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
