Tottenham Hotspur midfielder James Maddison has reflected on the ACL injury that kept him out of action for almost one year after making his return against Leeds United on Monday night.
The England international made his comeback from a cruciate ligament rupture after almost one year out in the 1-1 draw at home against Leeds United, after suffering the injury in preseason.
Maddison had initially suffered a knee injury during Tottenham’s Europa League semifinal clash against Bodo/Glimt which ruled him out of the season and also out of their final win over Manchester United.
He then returned to action in the club’s preseason tour of South Korea, but suffered a rupture on the same knee, before undergoing surgery and recovery.
“n my head, it goes back to the Europa League semi-final here when I got injured, because I did a partial ACL tear against Bodo/Glimt. I was told by the (external) specialist it wouldn’t need surgery and rehab”, Maddison said.
“Then obviously it wasn’t strong, it didn’t recover properly and I needed the full surgery which is what happened in South Korea.
“That being said, that was still an amazing moment which will live with me forever that reception I got. There have been some dark days in the last year, especially since the surgery.”
It has been a really difficult campaign for Tottenham Hotspur in the absence of several of their key players including Maddison, with the Europa League winners just two points above the drop zone with two games remaining.
“It has been a really tough year for me mentally but I’m at the end of the tunnel now so I can kind of look back on that with fondness because I’m as mentally strong as I can be after going through that”, Maddison added.
“Physically I feel really good, so the moment personally is something that will live with me forever the reception Spurs fans gave me.”
Maddison will now be hoping to play more minutes in Tottenham’s remaining two games against Chelsea and Everton this season, as they hope to retain their top flight status and avoid relegation.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
