And there was light at the end of the tunnel. Tiago Manuel Dias Correia, better known as Baby, has returned to the pitch. The Rayo winger came out just a few minutes – the last five – in the derby with Fuenlabrada and Thus ended an ordeal that has lasted a year. Time spent on sick leave recovering from torn anterior cruciate ligament in your right knee, for which he also had to undergo surgery.
Baby was injured on October 26, 2019, during the match against Ponferradina. The extreme left the field on a stretcher, between ostensible gestures of pain, and the ovation of all Vallecas, who suspected the worst news regarding one of their fittest players. And is that the Portuguese was being the protagonist of that Rayo and was living his best moment: He had scored three goals and was indisputable with Paco.
The injury broke out cruelly when Baby I had reached the stability that I had been looking for for so long. Precisely, in his third stage in Vallecas, where he landed for the first time in the 2015-16 season, on loan from Benfica and at the express request of then coach Paco Jémez. He became one of the team's top assistants, but could not avoid the descent of the franjirrojos.
But nevertheless, his fate and that of Rayo would cross again in January 2018. Baby arrived, on loan from Eibar, to reinforce Míchel's attack and ended up playing a starring role in the Second Championship and promotion from 17-18. The player always publicly showed his desire to continue and this is how the third time (18-19) came the charm. This time he returned in ownership.
Just before that fateful injury, Baby had earned the title based on work, so many and assists. He looked at the future with a smile and confessed to AS in an interview: “Now I'm more mature, I feel at home and I know what Paco wants from me. I try to work better defensively, press as he asks and when I go forward I know what I have to do”. So his challenge was to get past the three goals, his record with the Strip in one campaign.. Now he returns with renewed energy and resuming that dream …
Iraola: “We were all happy when it came out”
His current coach, Andoni Iraola, also had a few words for Baby on his long-awaited return. “Everybody was happy when it came out. He infects his good humor, you always see him like that. He has suffered a lot during the injury and still has to fight to be the Baby we all know, although he is improving and, little by little, he will give us more things, “explained the Rayista coach.