Fabio Vieira joined FC Porto on loan from Arsenal in the summer, hoping to get regular football.
He couldn’t make an impact at Arsenal and despite confidence about his abilities, fitness problems always held the midfielder back at the Emirates.
Early on in his ongoing Porto stint, Vieira faced repeated injury issues again.
He has now returned to action and put in an important performance against Hoffenheim yesterday. After the game, he spoke to Porto Canal and revealed details of his fitness issues.
He said, as relayed by O Jogo: “I’m feeling better and better. I went through a very difficult period for me, as everyone knows. From surgeries to muscle injuries.
“It’s been a daily struggle for me and now I’m back, I’m happy with the steps I’m taking and I’m increasingly confident that in the end I’ll be able to help this club, which is what I want.”
The Arsenal loanee didn’t play in the first three league games for Porto, but came off the bench in the last two games and has now done the same in the last two Europa League games.
Progress has certainly been slow and it does seem as if Porto are taking it easy with him. That is wise, considering the muscle issues the 24-year-old faced under Mikel Arteta.
This approach will help him more than just outright playing him in every game and even Gunners fans will be watching his progress with a little injury fear in the back of their minds.
