Roma defender Leandro Castan opens up about his recovery from brain surgery – ‘I had to learn to walk again’.
The Brazilian went under the knife in December to remove a brain malformation, and is now building up his fitness ahead of the new season.
“It all started when I had a problem with my sight,” Castan told Diario SP in his homeland.
Roma defender Leandro Castan opens up about his recovery from brain surgery – ‘I had to learn to walk again’.
The Brazilian went under the knife in December to remove a brain malformation, and is now building up his fitness ahead of the new season.
“It all started when I had a problem with my sight,” Castan told Diario SP in his homeland.
“I got some treatment, and then it improved, but when I went to pick up my certificate of fitness from the FIGC doctor, he didn’t grant it and said I’d have to have an operation.
“The worst thing is that Roma’s doctor told me that the operation wasn’t necessary, and the condition wasn’t life-threatening.
“Then she called the doctor from the Federation, who said if it was his son he’d do everything to correct the problem.
“The doctor was very clear, the risk of dying was about 1 per cent. I had a 10 per cent chance of emerging with speech problems and impaired motor function.
“The risk of never playing football again was around 20 per cent.
“I had decided to quit, I asked Roma to terminate my contract so I could return to Brazil and be close to my family.
“If it was another club I’d have retired. They wouldn’t let me terminate my deal, and I’d just signed a new contract with higher salary costs for the club.
“The sporting director [Walter] Sabatini told me to think about it for a few weeks. One day I was sitting at home on the couch and watching the Italian league, and I told myself I could play for another six or seven years.
“I called the doctor and scheduled the operation for the start of the following week.
“In January, after the surgery, I had to learn to walk again, to run. It was all new. It was very difficult.
“I was told after the surgery that all the pain I felt wouldn’t be permanent, it was scary, because the left hand side of my body wasn’t working well.
“I did therapy for two months, I practically lived in the clinic, but that’s the past and I can guarantee I’ll be back better than before.
“My body is already better, what I’m missing is match sharpness, and time on the ball. I can’t see me leaving Roma, I have a huge debt to the club and the fans.
“It’s hard to imagine returning to Brazil at this moment in time. I’m very happy in Italy, and my wife doesn’t want to go back.
“We’ve bought a house here, I’m not planning on going back. The plan is to see out my three years [the remainder of his Roma contract], then possibly renew.
“Then I’ll think about trying a career as a Coach.”