Lille’s international midfielder, Rio Mavuba, has been sidelined since January due to a knee problem. He is aiming for a return to competition at the end of April after returning to training last week. During his period of convalescence, Mavuba found inspiration in the recovery of tennis star Rafael Nadal.
In an interview with L’Equipe, Mavuba shared how observing other athletes, particularly Nadal, has helped him gain perspective during his rehabilitation. He expressed admiration for Nadal’s resilience and recovery, stating, “It helps me a lot to watch other athletes; it allows me to put things into perspective. There is a sportsman that I like, it’s Nadal. I’m taking a look at how his return is going. Given what he was going through, there’s no reason why I shouldn’t get back to my level. Of course, it inspires you.”
Mavuba mentioned that he currently feels good with no pain, and he is optimistic about the prospect of an interesting end to the season. Regarding Lille’s ambitions, he expressed the goal of achieving European qualification, aiming to at least catch up with Saint-Étienne.
