Roma, Kevin Strootman: ‘Injury fears are behind me’

• 25 mag 2016

After close to two years of injury hell, Roma midfielder Kevin Strootman is finally able to look ahead with confidence. In an interview with ‘Voetbal International’ the Dutchman opened up about his ordeal which saw him undergo three operations on his knee: “Of course there were hard times, especially before my surgery last year.

I had done everything I could to get back to full fitness again and I mean everything, but I could only get to 20 per cent. That was last year. In those moments, I had doubts I would get back to my level. Then I started playing for the Roma youth team and it all went in a different direction. My knee is fine and the fear is gone. I’m doing all the exercises to make my knee as strong as possible. It’s good to get back to being a footballer again. I wanted to get back to the level I was pre-injury.”

Thomas Lawrence