“Finally”, Juan Bernat must have been thinking as he felt the grass underneath his feet again. On Friday the 24 year-old was able to do a few laps of the training pitch for the first time since suffering an injury during the Audi Summer Tour 2017. “I’m very happy. The most important thing is that the bone’s healing well. I don’t have any pain anymore,” said the pleased Spaniard. The full-back tore his syndesmosis ligament in the friendly against AC Milan on 22 July in Shenzhen and had to travel back to Munich early. Two days later he had an operation and has been battling to be back on the pitch since then. “It wasn’t easy. It was my first serious injury and the first time I needed an operation,” reflected Bernat.

The three-time German champion has been through countless physio and rehab sessions. Instead of working with his teammates as normal, he was now on his own. “At the start it’s tough but you get through it with help from your family, friends and also your team,” said the Spaniard, whose aim is to “come back stronger and better.”

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