Newcastle United goalkeeper Martin Dúbravka is nearing a recovery from the knee injury he sustained during last month’s 1-0 Premier League victory at Southampton.
With the current 2019/20 season suspended in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Slovakia international has continued his rehabilitation at home and is closing in on a return to full fitness five weeks after damaging ligaments in a clash with Danny Ings.
"I’m getting better every day," he told nufc.co.uk. "I’m nearly there. My knee is 85-90% healed.
"I need some time to get my routine, my bike sessions and running sessions. It’s obviously difficult now to do the running sessions, but I’m glad I can do some things at home and in my own gym and I’m nearly there.
"It has been difficult but in the first two weeks (before lockdown), I spent some time with Michael Harding (first team physio) and he helped me to do my treatment.
"Once we had to stay at home, it was a bit more difficult but I could do the programme the club sends me.
"That has helped me, and some rest has helped, but I’m an active person and I want to be in good shape when we come back."
'Football is not the most important thing at this moment'
While the recovery process has provided Dúbravka with a focus during the country’s continuing lockdown, he admits he is missing football - but knows perspective is needed.
"It’s a great mood around the training ground and I’m missing that a lot," he added. "I just miss football generally - the competition, the training, the fans, and the good relationships I have at the club.
"But it’s a tough time. I’m happy that I have time to heal my knee properly and that I can maybe be on the pitch at the same time as my teammates are coming back, but football is not the most important thing at this moment.
"The most important thing is the health of everyone. It’s a tough time for everyone around the world.
"It has been a good response by everyone to stay at home and to stay safe. It’s a time to be responsible."
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