If Diego Carlos cruises through this month unscathed, there’s a realistic chance of him returning for Aston Villa’s busy run of fixtures in April.
The big Brazilian is in good spirits and taking the final steps on a long road back from injury. When he ruptured his Achilles tendon in the closing stages of the 2-1 win over Everton in August, the race was on to return before his 30th birthday on March 15.
Now, though, it’s not about the date or how quickly Villa can get Diego Carlos back into the Premier League matchday squad. It’s about nurturing him through this most vulnerable stage of the process and building his confidence so that when he does return, there is no doubt in his mind that he’s ready to go full throttle.
Diego Carlos has been training alongside but not with his team-mates for a week now. Full-contact training is the next stage and at least two weeks of that is needed before he features in an under-age or friendly game, most likely to take place during the international period later this month.
If all goes to plan — and with such a serious injury it is a big if — the fixtures against Chelsea (a), Leicester (a) and Nottingham Forest (h) in the first week of April could become the focus.
Villa also have games against Newcastle (h), Brentford (a), Fulham (h) and Manchester United (a) in April, so there are ample opportunities to follow. A return before the end of the season will help build some momentum before 2023-24, but these are delicate, testing times in his recovery and it’s essential the correct steps are taken to avoid further setbacks.
Achilles injuries of this severity were once seen as career-threatening for professional sportspeople, but enhanced surgical procedures and new rehabilitation programmes now assist recovery.
Still, it was a cruel injury for Diego Carlos and Villa given the way the club had worked so strategically and patiently to get the £26million ($31m) deal done in time to announce an agreement just five days after the 2021-22 season finished. He was a big signing, tasked with making a big difference.
Leaving Sevilla was not easy for Diego Carlos, who cried at a press conference when saying farewell to his former club. The connections he had built in Spain were strong after playing a leading role in the 2020 Europa League win.
