Iker Casillas says his recovery from a broken bone in his hand is certainly going a lot better than expected and he might be back between the Real Madrid posts when late March.
Casillas' hand was broken by a random end from his team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa all through Madrid's Copa del Rey quarter-final sport at the Mestalla on January 23.
It was feared he would face 3 months on the sidelines, and the club moved quickly to signal Diego Lopez for 3.5 million from Sevilla to play in their likely season-defining games against Barcelona in the Copa and Manchester United in the Champions League.
The Madrid club leader told reporters on Thursday night, at the opening of a new club store at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, that the first timeframe had only been a worst-case scenario.
"I am feeling really positive," Casillas said. "The surgeon gave me the worst-case scenario, he said it may take 90 days. But yesterday when the splint was removed, I was told I'd four weeks left. Now I'm doing active exercises to obtain mobility and strength back in the finger."
Casillas said he had been spending so much time at Madrid's Valdebebas training center to obtain back playing as soon as possible.
"Until now I have not had much power in it, but I'm getting it back little by little," he explained. "We are at the halfway point of the injury. I've still got per month to go. I will need to work more and suffer more to get back the freedom of before. I am getting excited about returning. It is worse being off the message than on it."
The big event was also joined by Casillas' team-mates including Arbeloa, Xabi Alonso, Karim Benzema, Angel Di Maria, Jose Callejon, Nacho and Kaka, although coach Jose Mourinho was missing.
Alonso told reporters that he did not know yet whether he would get over his groin problem over time for next Tuesday's Copa semi-final second leg at Barcelona's Camp Nou.
"I am in the restoration stage," the midfielder said. "I am hoping to get better when possible, to get gone the discomfort and return in top form. When I will get ready plenty of people ask. I aspire to be able to play against Barca, but I don't have a remedy right now."
Former Liverpool person Alonso stated that, with the tie balanced at 1-1, whoever obtained first in the Champions League last 16 return game at Manchester United on March 5 would be favourites to succeed.
"They can have the help of their fans," he explained. "It will be a challenge. The side that results first is likely to be favourites. Old Trafford is a good ground and it's the kind of match most of us like to play. The tie is extremely open."
Di Maria said that it could fit Madrid to be playing overseas in both of the future, potentially season-defining, activities.
"Things are getting well and we hope to carry on this way," he said. "We know that we have to have huge matches in both contests and that it'll maybe not be easy. Perhaps playing away is going to be inside our favour because we prosper when things are against us. We have had this week to work with the best way to approach the games. I hope everything goes well."
Benzema, who remains any doubt for Saturday evening's La Liga game at Deportivo La Coruna, said he wasn't worried about his recent bad form in front of goal.
"I trust that I score more goals than I've up to now, nevertheless the thing is the team and to win the future matches," he said. "We have to come together to win. We've a fantastic team and we're all in good form."
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