The manager of Wolverhampton Wanderers Nuno Espirito has revealed that the visit of the club’s injured striker, Raul Jimenez at the club’s training ground on Wednesday, December 9, has lifted the team’s spirit.
Raul Jimenez visited the club’s training ground for the first time since he was discharged from the hospital where he was operated upon after suffering a fractured skull on November 29.
Recall that the 29-year-old Mexican striker was involved in a head collision with Arsenal’s David Luiz during a Premier League match which ended 1-2 in favor of Wolves.
The incident which happened in the first half of the match forced the Mexico international to be taken to the hospital where he underwent surgery to treat a fractured skull.
A few days after the incident, Wolves’ coach Nuno Espirito said the injury got everyone at the club scared because of how much they love Raul Jimenez and how serious the injury was.
He also confirmed that though he didn’t know when the Mexican would play football again, the striker was making good progress and would surely return to the game soon.
Before he was discharged from the hospital Wolves’ team’s doctor Matt Perry told the press that the striker would be discharged to go home and rest with his family which he has been doing since he left the hospital last weekend.
He was not expected to make a public appearance anytime soon but decided to surprise Wolves’ players and the club’s fans by showing up at the club’s training ground ahead of the club’s league match against Aston Villa on Saturday at 13:30.
⚽️ @rubendsneves_
— Wolves (@Wolves) December 11, 2020
⚽️ @Raul_Jimenez9
The last time Aston Villa came to Molineux…
⏪ #SamtradeFX pic.twitter.com/x5TafRiYTH
“I think it was a big lift for everybody involved that was aware of the situation to see him, [after] how bad the situation was, again smiling,” Nuno Espirito said on Friday.
“Of course, a huge lift for the team-mates because they see someone that had a serious situation, [now] recovering and seeing that he is on his way back to be the same person that he was.”
On Raul Jimenez’s return to football, the club’s coach said: “In this situation, we don’t have a timetable. We have to follow the protocols but mainly it is about getting him healthy again so there is no rush, we have time.”
Since the Mexican striker got injured, he has only missed a Premier League match which was against Liverpool played on December 6. Before the match which ended 0-4 in favor of Liverpool, Wolves’ players wore t-shirts bearing the player’s name and squad’s number to wish the player well.
Jimenez will also miss the club’s match against Aston Villa on Saturday and probably subsequent matches including that against Chelsea on December 15, and Burnley on December 21.
The club is currently 10th on the league table after enjoying 5 victories, 2 draws and suffering 4 defeats. They have garnered 17 points out of 11 league games so far this season.
For Raul Jimenez, from the fans…#FuerzaRaúl | #9forRJ9 pic.twitter.com/HZWDLgrSWI
— Wolves (@Wolves) December 11, 2020
