Real Madrid Defender Pepe Could Return Earlier Than Anticipated - Report

Posted Saturday, April 03, 2010 by Goal.com

Pepe could return for the last three fixtures in the Liga season...

Real Madrid defender Pepe hopes to return on May 5, allowing the Portuguese central defender to play in the Blancos' last three Liga fixtures of the season against Mallorca, Athletic Bilbao, and Malaga, according to AS.

Pepe is reportedly improving progressively and is on schedule to return to action from a torn anterior cruciate ligament (suffered on December 12, 2009) a month prior to what was previously predicted as his return date.

Pepe has been spending 42 hours per week in rehabilitation, both in the gym and in a swimming pool with the objective of wearing the Madrid shirt again this season and helping his team-mates win the Liga title. Next week, Pepe is scheduled to take the training ground at Valdebebas for light jogging.

If Pepe is able to return as scheduled, it would almost certainly gain him a spot in the Portuguese national team for this summer's World Cup. Although he will not have the form to take on elite competition immediately, Pepe was a fixture for Portugal in the qualifying stages prior to his injury and has been in close contact with national team coach Carlos Queiroz with respect to his recovery.

Since his injury, Pepe has remained a part of the Madrid team, first receiving many visitors and encouraging gifts in the wake of his injury, visits in the gym from team-mates checking up on his progress, and even a birthday cake from the team on the Valdebebas pitch on February 26. Finally, Pepe attended the team lunch held at a local Madrid restaurant on Wednesday in which the side met to focus on the fight for the Liga title.