Belgian midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, who broke his face in the Champions League final and he joined the concentration of the Belgian team a week ago, He started training this Monday with the rest of the group.
The best player of the season in the Premier, and a firm candidate for the Ballon d'Or, did not travel to Saint Petersburg to participate in Belgium's 3-0 against Russia and he was left working alone in the base camp of Tubize, south of Brussels.
But the player has already resumed training with the rest of the Red Devils, and Roberto Martínez is working to see if Belgium's '7' can play Thursday's duel against Denmark, in Copenhagen.
However, Martínez has said that the decision on whether the footballer will play against the Danes would be made the day before, in concert with the medical team and based on his evolution these days.
“Kevin has played at a very high level all year, so I think the same can be expected now that he is back.” Belgian midfielder Dennis Praet said at a press conference on Monday, who is expected to lose his position in favor of the recovered.
The Belgians, firm aspiring to win a European Championship in which, for now, their biggest obstacle is being the infirmary, they begin to dream of recovering all their stars.
Hazard, Witsel, Vertonghen and Castagne
De Bruyne's progress, who underwent a minor intervention before joining the Belgian concentration and can possibly play the tournament without a protective mask, join the improvement of Eden Hazard, which has been injured for two years and also reached the concentration camp.
The Belgium captain and Real Madrid striker played just ten minutes in the final 3-0 against Russia, but Martínez praised his performance in the match, intuitive and unconcerned about his own body, and his way of working in training.
The Spanish coach who has directed Belgium for five years hinted that Hazard will play 45 minutes against Denmark, and that the question is whether it is better to use him from the beginning and replace him or to start at the bank and give him entry in the second part.
The objective, in any case, remains that both Hazard and De Bruyne can pick up the pace to get to play 90 minutes.
He is also almost ready to dress in short Axel Witsel, midfielder who acts as the driving force for Borussia Dortmund and who can reinforce the defensive work of a team that has its weakest line behind.
The 31-year-old footballer broke his Achilles tendon in January in a game against Leipzig and, after five months of absence from the playing fields, he rushes the deadlines to return to competition with the Red Devils.
Witsel, who did not participate in the duel against Russia, will be a priori 'involved' in the match against Denmark, according to Roberto Martínez.
Nobody believed in such a quick recovery from an injury that usually has a player out for between six and eight months, Youri Tielemans said at a press conference on Monday, which he called “fantastic” that Witsel is back.
It remains to be seen how Jan Vertonghen's knee, inflamed after the match against Russia, evolves and still pending a medical evaluation, although the coach does not rule out that he may be recovered to play against Denmark on Thursday.
If, on the high side, Belgium is doing reasonably well, there is bad news from the Belgian infirmary: Timothy Castagne, who suffered a double fracture to his face in a clash against Russia, he has been declared withdrawn for the rest of the tournament.
Castagne was replaced in St. Petersburg by Thomas Meunier, who scored the second goal for the Belgians and assisted Romelu Lukaku in the third. He will be operated on Tuesday and Martínez terminates his participation in the tournament.
But in a display of footballer optimism, he has said that he could be recovered to play the final, if Belgium were to play that match on July 11 at Wembley Stadium.
“If we reach the final, of course he will be able to come. But it will be necessary to see if he will be able to be in the field, I doubt it. From a medical point of view, he needs four weeks. But after the case of Axel Witsel, who should not be here after his injury, I do not exclude medical miracles, “said Roberto Martínez.