Real Madrid defensive gem edging closer to long-awaited return | OneFootball

Real Madrid’s young defender Joan Martinez is edging closer to making his long-awaited return to action.

According to a recent report from MARCA, the 17-year-old has successfully cleared a crucial medical test, confirming that his knee is in perfect condition.

This marks a significant step forward in his recovery process, which has been ongoing since he suffered a serious cruciate ligament injury in August last year.

A few weeks ago, Martinez underwent a decisive medical review. The outcome of this assessment was key in determining whether he could take the next major step in his rehabilitation.

The results were as good as they could possibly be—his knee showed no complications, giving him the green light to push forward in his recovery.

What’s the plan ahead?

If everything continues as planned, Martinez is expected to start training with the rest of his Juvenil A teammates in early April.

Despite being part of the youth setup, the ultimate goal is to reintegrate him into the first-team environment, where he was before his unfortunate injury.

Joan Martinez is recovering well. (Photo by Ricardo Nascimento/Getty Images for DFB)

His steady progress has provided a much-needed boost to both the player and the coaching staff, as he has already started working with the ball on the pitch, gradually increasing the intensity of his sessions.

Recovery is going well

His rehabilitation has been progressing at an impressive pace, and in just over a month, he is expected to fully rejoin training under Alvaro Arbeloa. From that point onwards, his daily progress will dictate the timeline for his return to competitive action.

While there is still work to be done before he is match-ready, the club is carefully managing his recovery to ensure he returns without any setbacks.

Martinez is highly motivated to regain full fitness and is setting his sights on being available for selection by Carlo Ancelotti in the coming months.

Although he may not feature in the Club World Cup in June, he hopes to be involved in training sessions with the senior squad.

This would not only mark his official return to the first-team setup but also allow him to prepare for pre-season, where he is expected to be considered for a role in the squad moving forward.