© EuroFootball.com
"Real Madrid captain Spanish Raul claims that his return to the pitch in the 3-0 victory against Vitoria's "Alaves" on Saturday felt like a debut.
"It felt like a debut to me," Raul told journalists on Saturday. "I am happy to be back on the pitch, but I still need to work hard and make the most of every minute spent on the field to regain my form as quickly as possible."
"The most important thing is not to set any dates for regaining form, as I have just returned after three months of rehabilitation," said the Spanish national team striker. "At least I feel like a footballer again."
Raul suffered a serious knee injury on November 19 in the "El Clasico" match against Barcelona.
In the 66th minute of Saturday's match, when the score was 2-0, Raul, who entered the field instead of Julio Baptista, received a huge ovation from the fans - they applauded while standing up.
The return of the team's captain should provide a serious boost to the Royal club, which will play the first UEFA Champions League round of 16 match against London's "Arsenal" at home on Tuesday.
"I want Real to do as well as possible," Raul said. "Now the most important thing is for everyone to give their all in the Champions League matches. Personally, I will try to help the team in any way I can."
