Sasa Kalajdzic admits he was reduced to tears when receiving his latest injury setback but is now over the worst of it and focused on getting back playing with a smile on his face.
The Austrian spent the entire 2024/25 campaign sidelined with his third ACL injury, but having stepped up his recovery in training ground matches recently, is now keen to make up for lost time.
The 27-year-old recently lifted the lid on the mental struggles of his latest injury, but now he can see the light at the end of the tunnel, Kalajdzic is focused on getting back on the pitch and enjoying his football again next season.
On returning to fitness
“I’m very good. It was very, very tough, mentally and physically [this season]. Some people say at least you know what to expect. But it was very, very tough, and I knew how tough it was in front of me. It was very, very challenging. When I got the diagnosis, I fell into tears, I was really heartbroken this time, I was just speechless, and I couldn't understand why it happened again but luckily the time is over.
“I've been doing well. I've had already some friendly games where I've had some minutes. So, I'm really, really happy about that. I feel really strong. I feel very comfortable in my body. I feel that my knees are coping with everything well, and my body's coping well, I've worked hard for this, and now I'm just looking forward to the future.”
On getting back on the grass
“To be honest, I wasn't too excited, because it has been taken away from me, the ability to be on the pitch, so I'm not having too high expectations. I'm just going every day, I'm just going on the grass, and then when I'm on the grass, I'm realising where I am and what I've been through. I'm just thankful and happy that I can do it again, and I'm doing all I can to keep it like that.
“I'm just going day by day, week by week. Every day, every training, every recovery session I have, I’m taking it very seriously, and I'm trying to optimise as much as possible and just get everything out of it. It was a very, very long path, but it's time now to focus on other things other than rehab. I can focus now on just training every day, having fun on the pitch with the guys. This is what I'm looking forward to in the future again.”
On looking at the summer
“I just want to be as far away from Compton as possible right now, because I've seen it every day, and I haven't seen it how I wanted it to see. I came every day to the training ground knowing I had to do rehab, I had to do gym, and it's not what you want to do. That's not why I came here. I'm just happy now that when I drive to training, I'm looking forward to the pitch sessions with the guys and just having fun again and just playing football because I love it.”
On looking to pre-season
“My aim is to have a proper pre-season, because I want to set the foundation for the whole of next season. I want to play as much as I can, play as many minutes as I can. There's no goal in terms of scoring goals or being contributing to goals. I think when I play like I can, and I'm able to play football, that comes automatically.
“So, I'm just looking forward to playing and enjoying, being happy and staying healthy. If that's the case, the rest will come by itself. But next season, I just want to have a full season and a proper pre-season to set the base for the next season.”
