Deulofeu: The serious knee infection is like that of an elderly person, and he will try to return to the training ground in a few months

 10:22am, 17 October 2025

The 31-year-old Spanish winger Deulofeu accepted an exclusive interview with the Guardian, during which he talked about his recovery and psychological process.

Deulofeu's injury began on January 22, 2021, when he suffered a cruciate ligament rupture in the game against Naples. Although he worked hard to recover, when he returned again in November 2022, he was forced to leave the game due to aggravation of the injury. He was eventually diagnosed with a cartilage infection and has been absent to this day.

Deulofeu is currently recovering at Udinese, hoping to create a miracle: not just for himself, but for all players like him who are forced to face isolation and uncertainty due to serious injuries.

"I knew I was trying something special, and this was probably the toughest recovery process in history. If I could come back, it would be over 1,000 days of hard work. I'm a person who knows how to take care of myself, and I think I can do it."

"The injury situation was very bad at the time. Every time I tried an action, such as a one-two match, my knee had problems and I had to ask to be replaced. The anterior cruciate ligament was completely ruptured."

When Deulofeu underwent surgery in Rome, the infection made the situation more complicated. The infection destroyed his cartilage, turning his knee movements into bone-on-bone friction. The prospects for long-term mobility, let alone football, look very bleak.

He said: "This is not a normal injury, like an older person who can completely destroy a knee, and now this is happening to me because the infection is getting worse."

"I knew from the first few months that I wouldn't be able to come back anytime soon, and every MRI Chadou showed deterioration of the cartilage. I lost muscle, the knee couldn't bend properly, there was a lot to recover from and progress was very slow."

Although Udinese terminated his contract in January, they agreed to support his recovery and left the door open for his return. "They were waiting for me, giving me time and enthusiasm to recover. I'm really grateful that they helped me and gave me this opportunity to stay here and work in this amazing stadium."

"Now that I have to pause, I can look back on how great my career has been and I'm really proud. I'm from Barcelona: people can see that and maybe say I could have been More successful, but you have to understand that I've played for Barcelona, won the Europa League, played in the Champions League, played for the national team and scored goals, and reached the FA Cup final with Watford. Of course, it can be better, but it's just 'maybe'. What more can I ask for from my career?"

This raises the question: why continue? Why wake up at dawn five days a week, hurt every time you take your first step, and train alone without seeing results? After all, he has made money and has a fulfilling family life.

"Sometimes I think so," he said. "The thought would come to my mind: 'Just get it over with, because I've had a great career and a family.' But when I told my wife it was too hard and I didn't think I could come back, she said, 'Let's try and you'll do it.'"

"That's me. Strength: the positive message from my wife and the fact that the kids want to see me play, so I'm trying, but some days the thoughts get negative."

Deulofeu has said many times that he doesn't feel lonely and that this endless road has not taken a toll on his mental health. He mentioned the support of his friend Santi Cazorla, who missed nearly two years due to a similarly serious injury but is still playing for Real Oviedo until the age of 40. Self-discipline has come naturally to him.

"I'm the only one who knows my own body," he said. "I feel like I can handle the situation well. I have my family and I'm in a good emotional state. I know that the way I live and organize my life is reasonable."

"I'm ready to go back to training in a few months and see how it feels there. If not, then I may have to make a decision. I'm only 31 and I just want to try. I have time and the club is giving me time. So I don't want to set a specific date."

"I know that one day, if I play here again, this stadium will be full. I know what it will mean for this city and this club. They know how much I love this club and how we play on the field."