Rashford pedals his way to recovery from stress fracture
Marcus Rashford has revealed that he is in a “much better place” in recovery from the back injury that has sidelined him since January.
Before the coronavirus outbreak caused the season to be halted there were fears at Manchester United and England that the double stress fracture suffered by the forward would rule him out for the rest of the campaign.
The 22-year-old has been working hard to regain fitness for whenever the season resumes, currently scheduled for April 30, and said he was feeling good.
“I feel much better,” he told Sky Sports News. “I have a scan in another couple of days so it’ll solidify it then, but I feel, comparing it to two or three weeks ago, 10 times better and for me now it’s just about getting ready to build it back up to training and playing games with the team.
“I’m in a much better place, I’m much happier than I was about a month ago, so things are looking positive.”
With Government advice to stay at home during the pandemic, Rashford explained how, given his recovery programme, the lockdown has had little impact on his rehab.
“Everyone is just dealing with the circumstances as well as they can,” he said. “I’ve just been in my house, doing my gym and recovery work, reading books, watching Netflix, just whatever you can do to make the time pass really.
“There’s not really anything that comes close to that feeling of being in the changing room and in the team in my opinion. So to be honest I’m not trying to chase that high. I had to have time off anyway because of my injury.
“But I’m fortunate enough to have a bike in the gym downstairs so not much in that sense has changed for me because I can still do my daily routine.”
Meanwhile, Rashford has been doing his bit for those less fortunate, backing an initiative by Fare Share to distribute food to those in need during the coronavirus crisis.
Meanwhile, Chelsea winger Pedro has admitted he is finding it hard being separated from his children, who are in Spain, as the 32-year-old is in lockdown in England. “It’s hard not to be seeing your children, your parents, your siblings, not having them close by at a complicated, difficult time for us all,” Pedro told Chelsea’s website.
“We are in permanent contact on the phone, keeping in touch about what we are up to in isolation and trying to be as close as possible.”
Pedro is helping the community effort in Spain through his own foundation, while the Blues’ senior squad has made a sizeable donation to the Chelsea Foundation to help those in need in west London.
Pedro is in contact with several of his Spanish Chelsea team-mates. “I’ve been on the phone to Kepa [Arrizabalaga] and Marcos Alonso. I’ve also called Jordi Alba from Barcelona. I’m in touch with other players too, to see how they are handling the situation.”