Jan Oblak had a difficult first half of the 2022-23 season, much like the rest of his Atletico Madrid. However, he – and they – came roaring back in the second half of the campaign, which saw them narrowly miss out on finishing above city rivals Real Madrid for second place in the LaLiga table.
While he massively upped his game after the World Cup break, Oblak was not able to see out the remainder of the season as he suffered a serious neck injury in April. As such, he was absent from Atletico’s final eight matches, which could have decided whether they finished second or third.
Oblak’s injury was not expected to keep him out for long, but it ended up seeing him out of action for over two months. Speaking to Diario AS, the Slovenian international admitted that it was a tough process.
“The neck injury was really complicated. It’s been a difficult few months, but I believed that, with the right work, everything would be fixed. I feel very good at the moment. I am very satisfied and happy to be back playing.
“The hardest part for me was not knowing exactly when everything would be okay again, when I would be ready to play again. I had to trust that everything would work out in the end. I had to trust that everything would work out without surgery, and I waited patiently for that day to come.”
With Oblak back between the sticks, Atletico Madrid will feel that they have a real chance of winning LaLiga this season. They will desperately be hoping that their number one goalkeeper is able to stay fit for the entire campaign.
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