"I can't remember the last time I played without pain"

August 17th. That was the last day that Andreas Christensen wore the FC Barcelona shirt. The Dane, who participated in the European Championship and did the preseason with relative normality, came on in the second half of the comeback in Valencia. He played around 30 minutes, the last 30 he had in an official match this season. Almost four months later, he seems to be starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Christensen was diagnosed with a tendinopathy in the left Achilles tendon. An ailment that, as Hansi Flick revealed, had already given him problems in “a few games” the previous season. Now, in an interview for 'TV2 Sport' in his country, it is the footballer himself who describes his ordeal with this injury.
Asked about the last time he played without pain, he went way back: “I don't remember! I'd say my last game without discomfort was in my first season here, that is, in 2022-23.” That's two years of suffering. Despite this, last season he played 42 games, even more than in his first season in Barcelona. That was “a rhythm that I could not tolerate much longer”.
“I was mad at myself. Maybe I should have listened to my body, but then again, you want to play all the time and help. I think everyone knows I was playing in pain for a while. Now I'm feeling good and I see that we're finally on the right track. I don't want to put too much pressure on myself, but I will be back on the field soon. It's just the beginning because you have to be careful not to start too hard because the injury can get worse,” he added.
The Dane also explained that he recently underwent surgery: “We did a very minor surgery. It is so minor that it can be considered a cleaning. It doesn't have to affect my return time. If it does, it will actually speed it up. I don't want to put pressure on myself, but I feel like we're going in the right direction.”
Little by little, the azulgrana center-back sees his return closer. “I'm back on the pitch, which is the first step. Then comes becoming strong and comfortable in different things, but I feel good and I see that we are finally on the right track,” said a Christensen who when he is fit will find himself up against the solid Cubarsi-Inigo Martinez duo.
“I'll come back knowing it's going to be tough. They've done incredibly well and I'm the one who will try to take their place. The ultimate goal is to come back and play as many games as possible, but it will be difficult,” recounted Andreas Christensen, who also fears he could go back to playing as a defensive midfielder: "It's been a long time since I've spoken tactically with the coach, but I played as a No 6 in pre-season, so this could be his idea with me, but I think I'll mostly be defender. This is where I want to play, but I will also play wherever the coach wants me to play.”