Diakhaby: "Running on the pitch again has been a magical moment"

Valencia CF defender Mouctar Diakhaby is getting closer and closer to his return. The Valencia CF centre-back talks to VCF Media about his recovery process from a dislocated right knee -suffered in March 2024- and his return to the pitch at the Ciutat Esportiva de Paterna.

Recovery 

"Everything is fine. I'm very satisfied with how we are doing. I am working hard. I am in the phase of starting to run and I have already started running on the treadmill. Last week I went out onto the pitch to run and to work on my technique. Everything went well, the feeling was very good. I am very satisfied, very happy with the work we did here with the rehabilitation specialists and the doctors".

Back on the pitch

 "What I experienced was a special moment. I was very happy, I was looking forward to going on the pitch again, and it is a good feeling, because after all that, in the end, what we want is to have that feeling of being able to run. It was a magical moment for me, as I was thinking about these seven months that have been very hard. I was thinking about the hospital, the surgery... many things. Going onto the pitch again is a very good feeling.

I want to run more and enjoy that. All the memories have come back, all the hard times, the good times I've had with my family, the good times here too, the people who supported me, who have given me strength, my teammates, the coaches, the whole club, and I feel very happy and grateful to the club as well. The club were very good with me, they tried to give me the mental support that has been key to being strong".

Fanbase support

"I have received a lot of messages from the fans, which have given me a lot of strength. That's why I want to say thank you to the fans and to the world of football. They have given me strength".

Importance of the family

"My family have been key to all this. Family is something very important for everybody. They have given me a lot of love and a lot of strength. I know that it is not easy for them, but in the end, they have supported me a lot and I want to say thank you to them too. They supported me, they gave me strength and when I saw them I forgot about the injury a little".

Next steps

"We're going to go gradually. I'm lucky that I don't have any problems and we're going to try to come back for the second part of the season".

Daily routine

I arrive, have breakfast, go down to the medical room so they can warm me up a little, then do leg strength, jumping, running technique, and gym work. There are many things, it's a lot of work, but in the end that's going to help you recover your fitness and recover your running technique.

What you do is good for you, so that when you go onto the pitch you're fine. It is difficult to overcome injuries, but I am not going to complain about anything. There are people who have worse situations than us. That's life. I have to be happy with what I did before all this and many things will happen afterwards too, that this is only an obstacle in my career, it is not the end. It is a serious injury that kept me out for a long time, but I am not going to stop dreaming and working. We have been out for seven months and right now, every moment that passes, I want to train.

 I am having dinner here almost every day. When I see my teammates leaving the dressing room, it does something to me. In the end, it's my job and it is what I like.

Return to the competition

Of course, I have no doubt I am going to play again. What I believe, no one is going to take out of my head. It's been 7 months now. I've seen what we've done with the work of the surgeon and the doctors here.

My body is fine. I can't say it's perfect, but it's good. I have no particular problem with my knee and I'm very happy about that.