Ayoub El Kaabi Aiming for January Return; Working Hard

According to an article by journalist Alexis Virvilis published on the media outlet Gazzetta.gr, Ayoub El Kaabi is recovering well, and if all goes to plan, the Moroccan forward may return to the field with Olympiacos in the coming January at the earliest. 

The return of the forward will be very beneficial for Olympiacos as the club are due to enter a tight run of fixtures after the New Year and the January transfer market. The club will be very optimistic about the return of its star striker, and up until now, El Kaabi has not disappointed.

The journalist noted in the article, “What is particularly important in the case of the Moroccan is his response from the very first days after the operation. From the beginning, he showed that he was doing better than the doctors' initial estimates, presenting a very positive picture in the rehabilitation effort.”

The article, however, also noted that an injury as serious as a tibia-fibula fracture can never be taken lightly, and treatment cannot be done in a hurry. But, as the journalist noted, El Kaabi looks determined to return as soon as possible. He, as written in the article, has “...a very specific goal: to put on the Olympiacos jersey again and get on the field.”

January is the month that the forward has set his sights on as the time when he returns to training with the first team. If he indeed manages to do so, he could start receiving playing time from February itself. However, as Virvilis noted, “Here lies the big challenge. Returning to training is one thing, and being ready for official matches is another. El Kaabi will need time to regain his competitive rhythm, to feel complete confidence in his body and to gain the required intensity.”

A return to the field for El Kaabi would mean a great relief for manager Imanol Alguacil, who will then find the services of his best forward at his disposal during one of the most important stretches in the course of a season. 

If the Moroccan manages to keep up the pace of his recovery at the current level even after Christmas, a January return would become all the more possible. Motivation looks to be high in the player, and Alexis Virvilis concluded his article with the words, “The goal is not to win a few days, but to definitively win the battle with the injury. And so far, El Kaabi seems to be on a very good path.”