Kaka is back.
© newbornpony
Kaka: "It was special to play 20 minutes"
"I have to earn a spot because the team is in good form and competition is always good"
Source: Real Madrid CF
Kaka was delighted with his first appearance with the team following months of recovery.
"I've had some tough times and the things I've missed the most are the team get-togethers, training with my team-mates, being with them in the dressing room, playing before our supporters... I lacked the joy I get from playing. I'm available now and I will do my best to play with joy again."
"I am very happy for playing a game again and for stepping onto a pitch. Coming back with a victory is the best thing that could've happened to me. I wish to thank my wife (she knows what I've gone through), my parents, my parents-in-law, and many friends who know what's happened. At times, I was afraid when I thought about when I was going to come back or if I ever would. I must now earn a spot because the team is in great form. Competition is always good for the team."
"I wish to thank Mourinho for the great help he's given me all this time. He is boosting my confidence to play again."
"I've met many people through Twitter and I've received many messages of support. It's important for me to feel the people's affection this way. I've received many messages of support on my mobile from friends, former team-mates and people who are happy to see me return. I thank them all. I must now keep going."
"A player feels very much alone when he is seriously injured and you go through it alone despite the help you get from others. We have to be by Higuain's side. He will play again and he will be the great player he is today. I hope he returns as soon as possible."
"It won't be a problem if I have to play closer to the goal. We'll have to wait and see how the coach builds the team. I have to earn a spot. The team is playing very well and competition is always very positive. The match against Getafe was hard, but what mattered in the end was winning. It was special to play for 20 minutes."
Kaka feeling fine on return from knee surgery
Real Madrid midfielder Kaka was delighted to return to action on Monday when he played the last quarter of an hour of the La Liga giants' 3-2 win at Getafe just under five months after a knee operation.
Source: Reuters
Kaka should give Real an extra edge in attack and his return is good news for coach Jose Mourinho given the doubts over the fitness of Gonzalo Higuain and the poor form of his strike partner Karim Benzema.
"Obviously he's not yet at peak fitness but it's fantastic news for Real Madrid and I think also for the Spanish league and the world of soccer," said Mourinho.
"He is a super player and he hasn't been able to show that yet in Spain.
"He played 15 minutes today and he'll be able to play 15 against Levante (in the King's Cup) on Thursday and little by little he'll recover."
Click to viewKaka's attempt on goal, at 0:55 in.
More pretty pictures at Ricardo Kaka Online.
He also said on Twitter:
My grandmother said that during the transmission sent many messages of support also! Thank you most sincerely all!
And a couple of super adorable Twitter exchanges between Carol and Kaka after the game.
Oh, Real Madrid won 3-2 by the way. :>