Sergio Rico has revealed he plans to return to football as the Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper opened up on his recovery from a serious head injury.
Rico spent 26 days in a coma after he was struck by a horse in May while participating in an annual pilgrimage in the El Rocio region of Spain.
The 30-year-old had to undergo surgery for a brain aneurysm after receiving a blow to the neck from the horse.
Rico was released from hospital in August and was greeted by PSG supporters when he was introduced to the crowd ahead of their Champions League home match against Newcastle last month.
Speaking on Spanish radio station 'El Partidazo de COPE', Rico confirmed his intention to return to football but revealed his stay in hospital led to him losing 20 kilograms.
'I'm looking forward to the doctor giving me a little more freedom because I feel good. I want to go back to my routine and feel like a footballer again,' Rico said.
'I lost 20 kilos... I weighed about 92 and I stayed at 73. Now I weigh 88 kilos.
Rico added: 'I take it too calmly, it is not in my power.
'If it were in my power I would already be [back training].
'I follow the orders of the doctors, who are in charge and those who have saved my life, without going overboard in the slightest.'
A medical report had suggested Rico had been just 'half a centimetre' from death.
The goalkeeper said his thinking 'has not changed' since suffering the head injury, but admitted it was initially 'difficult to speak' after waking from the coma.
Rico has previously given special thanks to his wife Alba Silva for her ongoing support in his recovery, with the goalkeeper sharing an emotional message and photos of the pair last month.
'I have no choice but to thank you, my wife, the person who has been helping and supporting me not only in what has happened but since the day we met almost 8 years ago,' Rico wrote on Instagram.
'I have already publicly thanked all those people who have been with us from all over the world... to family and friends.... but today I wanted to thank you my love because you deserve it.
'Because you have fought like a champion and never gave up, because you blindly trusted that I would recover, because I am very lucky to have a person like you by my side and because I would choose you as a woman and a thousand times more.'
In the aftermath of the incident, Silva wrote on Instagram: 'Don't leave me alone my love because I swear I can't, nor do I know how to live without you.'
Rico started his career at his hometown club Sevilla after coming through the club's academy, and he went on to make 170 senior appearances.
❤️💙 What a pleasure seeing you at the Parc des Princes @sergiorico25 #PSGNEW I #UCL pic.twitter.com/G0jUFMvoBg
— Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_English) November 28, 2023
He later spent a season on loan at Fulham during the 2018-19 campaign, before joining PSG on a similar deal the following season.
Rico signed for PSG on a permanent basis in 2020 and has largely served as their back-up goalkeeper behind Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Kylian Mbappe and Paris Saint-Germain paid tribute to Rico during their final game of last season, following Rico's accident.
After scoring a penalty, Mbappe celebrated his goal by holding up a shirt with Rico's name and the No 16 on it.
PSG fans paid their own tribute to the goalkeeper, which included a giant shirt with his name and number in the stands.
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