MADRID (AFP) - – Real Madrid's Brazilian midfielder Kaka has declared himself recovered from a hernia injury that has kept him sidelined since early this month.
"I am much better, I am healed," he told Spanish media in Sao Paulo, where he has been resting, before returning to Madrid late Sunday to rejoin his teammates after the Christmas break.
Kaka, a 65-million-euro summer signing from AC Milan, did not join the other players at a training session Monday afternoon but instead did exercises in the gym, Real said.
If his recovery is confirmed this week, he could be called up to the squad to face Osasuna in the league on Sunday in Pamplona.
Other Real stars resumed training Monday, including Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal, the world's most expensive player, and Frenchman Karim Benzema, who Spanish media said was involved in a traffic accident while on holiday on the Indian Ocean island of La Reunion.
Some had a few extra days of holiday, including Argentines Gonzalo Higuain and Fernando Gago, who were both expected back on Tuesday.
Real went into the Christmas break two points behind leaders and champions Barcelona in the Primera Liga.
