Mourinho handling Real Madrid defender’s return from injury with great caution

Mourinho handling Real Madrid defender’s return from injury with great caution According to MARCA , Jose Mourinho has been taking a cautious approach to Eder Militao’s recovery, with the Real Madrid defender feeling increasingly fit after receiving medical clearance. In fact, the Brazilian has been feeling so good that the coaching staff have had to stop him from returning to action too soon. Earlier today in his press conference , Mourinho was clear when discussing the defender’s availability against Villarreal. “He is not a doubt for Villarreal because he will not be playing. However, watching him train and seeing how he is doing makes me happy,” he said. “I joke with him and the physios every day, telling him, ‘You are going to play.’ I knew he was good, but he is even better than that. He will not play tomorrow or against Roma. He needs another couple of weeks.” Behind those comments, however, lies a revealing detail: Mourinho and his assistants have been having to hold Militao back for some time. Mourinho’s staff have had to rein in the Brazilian Militao eager to get back to action. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images) As recently as last week, the coaching staff were forced to intervene when Militao wanted to take part in the closing stages of a more competitive training match than usual, one that carried greater risks than they were prepared to accept at that stage of his recovery. “No, no, not even five minutes or anything,” was the response heard on the training pitch when the defender pushed to play the final part of the session. Militao persisted, to the point that he made some of Mourinho’s assistants reconsider their initial decision. Ultimately, however, they refused to let him take part. That incident helps explain Mourinho’s comments about giving the Brazilian more time and his reference to the impressive condition he has shown since receiving medical clearance. Although Militao appears to have recovered exceptionally well, the club are determined not to rush his return. No risks will be taken with Militao. (Picture credit: Real Madrid official website) A major asset Mourinho does not want to lose again Militao is already being viewed as a major reinforcement for Mourinho, and the manager does not want one premature step to result in another setback or delay his comeback. The Portuguese tactician is not prepared to deviate from the schedule, particularly given the defender’s injury history. Militao has been sidelined for almost six months since suffering his latest injury on 21 April. It was yet another physical setback in recent seasons, one that required surgery and added to a long list of difficulties for the Brazilian. His record over the past four seasons illustrates the scale of the problem. He has played in just 52 of Real Madrid’s last 187 matches, having suffered eight injuries, many of them serious. The precedents are clear: caution is essential, and unnecessary risks must be minimised.