Nathan Tella Bayer Leverkusen (Photo credit: Imago)
Nathan Tella has been dealing with a niggling injury since the middle of September…
Super Eagles forward Nathan Tella has stated that his current injury was painful at first, but he is almost healed and will return to training soon, Soccernet.ng reports.
Tella has been out of action since the middle of September due to a niggling knee injury. The injury came as a surprise, as he played 82 minutes in his last game for Bayer Leverkusen against Eintracht Frankfurt on September 12 and did not seen to have any discomfort.
However, since then, he has missed 12 straight games for Die Werkself. His injury has also kept him out of selection for the Super Eagles.
All the while, the exact nature of his injury has not been revealed. The last time coach Kasper Hjulmand spoke about him, he just stated that he expected Tella to return to training after the international break.
What Nathan Tella Said About His Injury
In a recent interview, Super Eagles forward Nathan Tella revealed the extent of his injury. The former Southampton man also confirmed that he will be back soon.
“I’m not completely back [in training] with the team yet, but I have more confidence in my leg than I did the last time out,” Tella told Bild, per Werkself Xtra.
“I feel like I’m on the right track. I’m no longer in pain. Now it’s just a matter of gaining confidence in my knee after the injury. I hope to be back soon and then stay with the team…
“It was [a] strange [injury]. I felt my knee and it was quite painful. But I wasn’t too worried. I tried to train before the first Champions League game in Copenhagen. Then Gladbach came along. But the injury didn’t really heal. It was probably something more serious than just a knock to the knee. Together with the doctors and coaches, we decided not to rush anything until I was at 100 percent.
“I tore my cruciate ligament six years ago. Now it’s a ten-week break -compared to ten months, that’s nothing. I wanted to stay positive,” Tella added.
Since Kasper Hjulmand took over at Bayer Leverkusen, their performances have improved significantly. Tella will also be hoping that the good energy will rub off on him once he is fit.
The 26-year-old forward will also be looking to string some solid performances immediately he recovers.
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is already in sight, and he will be eyeing a spot in the Super Eagles squad for the competition.