FCBARCELONA.CAT

17.01.2010 14:13

Milito back where he belongs

Edgar Fornós

After a 20-month injury lay off, Gaby Milito has turned the corner and is back where he belongs – on the football pitch and not on the treatment table.

Milito has finally reaped the well deserved rewards for all his hard work in recovering from his injury and can now put the doctors, physios and hours and hours of recuperation behind him as he rejoins his teammates.

Old Trafford

Barca’s 1-0 defeat to Manchester United in the 2007/08 season was bad enough in itself, but the team also suffered another blow with the injury to Milito’s right knee that was to keep him out of the game for more than a year and a half.

Two operations

The Argentinean defender was operated on for ligament damage on his right knee on 13th May in Barcelona, two weeks after the Old Trafford game, but he needed a second operation and 18 months of hard work to get back to full match fitness.

Back with the squad

Finally, on 30th November 2009, Milito was given the medical thumbs up to rejoin the rest of the squad and he made his first appearance in a match day squad for the derby against Espanyol, though he had to wait a little longer before making his long awaited reappearance.

Warm reception at Nou Camp

It was the 5th January that Milito eventually got a game, against Seville in the Cup at the Nou Camp and the reception the fans gave him must have made all the long wait seem worthwhile.