Badstuber hopes for early return
Germany and Bayern Munich defender Holger Badstuber hopes to return to football from a severe knee injury before the end of the season.
"I'd really like to play again this season," Badstuber said in a report on the Bayern home page published on Thursday.
Badstuber, 23, ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in early December during Munich's 1-1 Bundesliga draw with champions Borussia Dortmund and is now in rehabilitation which according to him requires "patience, and plenty of work."
The Bundesliga season runs until May 18 and coach Jupp Heynckes is also upbeat that the defender could play again by then.
"Holger is already in better shape. I think he'll be back for the last few matches of the season, and that's what I've promised him," Heynckes said.
Badstuber said that only time will tell whether he will really be able to return this season.
"We have to take it one day at a time, and see how the knee reacts. The priority for now is to get rid of the swelling completely," he said.
"Obviously, I was in shock for the first few hours after the diagnosis, but I quickly pulled myself together. Cursing your luck gets you nowhere, you have to move on."
