Real Madrid

Good news is spreading like wildfire at Real Madrid. After stating last week in interview with Realmadrid.com that soon he would be another step closer to a full recovery, Ruud van Nistelrooy was up and running for a complete jog today at Valdebebas. But that's not all. Mahamadou Diarra, who has been inactive since last December, jogged alongside his Dutch teammate without incident.

Ruud van Nistelrooy's nightmare began on 5 November with five minutes remaining in the Real Madrid-Juventus match. No one knew the extent of the injury, although Ruud himself had a feeling it was bad. One week later he was undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right knee; a surgery that would keep him sidelined between six and nine months.

Just as severe was the injury suffered by Mahamadou Diarra, who on 11 October hurt his right knee in a match with the Malian national team. He was back in action on the 30th of that same month, but on 30 November Diarra reaggravated the same knee. He was operated on on 8 December and expected to miss six to nine months.

Endless hours of physiotherapy and gym work are starting to pay off. Seven and six months after their respective surgeries, Van Nistelrooy and Diarra returned to the pitch on Wednesday for a jog.

The next goal for both players is contact with the ball, and once they have got their touch back, their return to the squad is just a matter of time.