Iker Casillas says his recovery from a broken bone in his hand is going better than expected and he could possibly be straight back involving the Real Madrid articles as soon as late March.
Casillas' hand was broken by an accidental end from his team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa during Madrid's Copa del Rey quarter-final sport at the Mestalla on January 23.
It was feared he would face 90 days on the sidelines, and the club moved quickly to sign Diego Lopez for 3.5 million from Sevilla to play in their likely season-defining activities against Barcelona in the Copa and Manchester United in the Champions League.
The Madrid club captain told reporters on Thursday night, at the beginning of a new club shop at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, that the original timeframe had only been a worst-case scenario.
"I am feeling quite positive," Casillas said. "The surgeon gave the worst-case scenario to me, he explained three months it could get. But when the splint was removed last week, I was told I had a month left. Now I'm doing active exercises to get mobility and strength in the finger."
Casillas said he'd been working hard at Madrid's Valdebebas training center to have right back playing the moment possible.
"Until now I have maybe not had much strength in it, but I'm receiving it back little by little," he explained. "We are in the halfway point of the injury. I've still got a month to go. I will need certainly to work more and experience more to obtain back the freedom of before. I am looking forward to returning. It is worse being off the message than on it."
The function was also attended by Casillas' team-mates including Arbeloa, Xabi Alonso, Karim Benzema, Angel Di Maria, Jose Callejon, Nacho and Kaka, although coach Jose Mourinho was missing.
Alonso told reporters that he did not know yet whether he would cure his crotch issue with time for next Tuesday's Copa semi-final second leg at Barcelona's Camp Nou.
"I am in the recovery stage," the midfielder said. "I am hoping to get better the moment possible, to get gone the vexation and get back in top form. When I will be ready plenty of people ask. I hope to be able to play against Barca, but I don't have a remedy right now."
Former Liverpool player Alonso said that, with the tie balanced at 1-1, whoever obtained first in the Champions League last 16 reunite game at Manchester United on March 5 would be favourites to succeed.
"They could have the help of these fans," he said. "It will probably be described as a problem. The side that results first will soon be favourites. Old Trafford is a great floor and it is the sort of match we all want to play. The tie is quite open."
Di Maria stated that it might suit Madrid to be playing away from home in both of the forthcoming, probably season-defining, activities.
"Things are getting well and we hope to carry on this way," he explained. "We know that we've to have large matches in both contests and that it'll perhaps not be easy. Probably playing away will soon be within our favor since we do well when things are against us. We've had this week to focus on the best way to approach the games. I hope everything goes well."
Benzema, who remains any doubt for Saturday evening's La Liga sport at Deportivo La Coruna, said he was not focused on his recent poor form in front of goal.
"I trust than I have so far that I score more goals, but the thing may be the squad and to win the upcoming matches," he explained. "We need certainly to come together to win. We have an excellent team and we're all in good form."
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