Iker Casillas says his recovery from the broken bone in his hand is going better than expected and he could possibly be back between the Real Madrid posts as soon as late March.
Casillas' hand was broken by a random kick from his team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa throughout Madrid's Copa del Rey quarter-final recreation at the Mestalla on January 23.
It was feared he would experience 90 days on the sidelines, and the club moved quickly to signal Diego Lopez for 3.5 million from Sevilla to perform 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 original schedule had only been a worst-case scenario.
"I am feeling quite positive," Casillas said. "The physician gave the worst-case scenario to me, he explained it could get 3 months. But when the splint was removed yesterday, I was told I'd four weeks left. Now I am doing effective exercises to get flexibility and energy back the finger."
Casillas said he'd been spending so much time at Madrid's Valdebebas education facility to obtain back playing the moment possible.
"Until now I have maybe not had much strength in it, but I am getting it back little by little," he said. "We are at the halfway point of the injury. I've still got a month to go. I'll have to work more and suffer more to obtain straight back the flexibility of before. I'm getting excited about returning. It's worse being off the message than on it."
The event was also joined by Casillas' team-mates including Arbeloa, Xabi Alonso, Karim Benzema, Angel Di Maria, Jose Callejon, Nacho and Kaka, while coach Jose Mourinho was missing.
Alonso told reporters that he didn't know yet whether he would recover from his crotch problem in 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 trying to get better as soon as possible, to get gone the disquiet and return in top form. Lots of people ask when I will get ready. I aspire to manage to play against Barca, but I don't have an answer right now."
Former Liverpool person Alonso said that, with the link balanced at 1-1, whoever obtained first in the Champions League last 16 get back sport at Manchester United on March 5 could be favourites to advance.
"They should have the support of the fans," he said. "It will be a challenge. The medial side that results first is likely to be favourites. Old Trafford is a great ground and it is the sort of match we all prefer to play. The tie is extremely open."
Di Maria stated that it could suit Madrid to be playing abroad in both of the upcoming, probably season-defining, activities.
"Things are getting well and develop to keep this way," he said. "We know that we've to have large matches in both tournaments and that it'll maybe not be easy. Probably playing away will undoubtedly be inside our favour since we prosper when things are against us. We've had this week to work with the best way to approach the games. I hope everything goes well."
Benzema, who remains a doubt for Saturday evening's La Liga sport at Deportivo La Coruna, said he was not concerned about his recent bad form facing target.
"I hope than I've up to now that I score more goals, but the thing could be the squad and to win the upcoming matches," he said. "We need certainly to work together to win. We've a fantastic group and we're all in good form."
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