The victim of several injuries and even a meningeal virus, Samir Nasri has spent the winter break preparing to get back to his best for the second half of the season.
” “It’s really great to be playing again with no pain and no problems.” Samir Nasri has been waiting a long time to say these words. Season 2007-08 started very inauspiciously; in a pre-season match against Bordeaux, the OM midfielder was injured in a clash with Pierre Ducasse and was out for the start of the season. He returned to competition on August 19 against Nancy, but at the end of September he contracted a meningeal virus. Confined to his bed, he was missing from the trips to Auxerre (Albert Emon’s last match in charge) and Liverpool. Exhausted and thin, he resumed training and played his 100th L1 match against Lyon on November 11. Sadly the curse continued however for the young midfielder – he sustained an ankle injury after being tackled by Gaël Givet. Against Besiktas, the pain became unbearable and he came off in the 25th minute, not to return until December 16 and Monaco’s visit to Marseille.
A fortnight later, training has resumed Samir is working on his own with the OM physio, as he will also be during the training camp at Sainte-Maxime. “I had some pain before the break and I tried to play through it. So I wanted to take a break and prepare thoroughly in order to be firing on all cylinders for the remainder of the season. I was sick of holding back when I played, sick of the fear of taking a knock during a match – that’s why I’ve taken a break,” he explained to the press.
Now, after a truncated pre-season, Samir Nasri is finally ready and he can’t wait to get his teeth stuck back into L1 for the second half of the season. “I don’t want any more injuries in 2008. Injuries have made me stronger, but I know that without any niggling complaints that things will go much better on the field. Health is the biggest priority. I’m back in form now and I’ve got my touch back – my season starts now. The only game I’ve played in this season without pain or injury or fatigue was against Metz. The rest of the time I had heavy strapping, I lacked mobility and I was scared of taking a knock.”
Against Rennes, Samir Nasri should be able to take his place in a side that has lost its losing habits. In fact, OM is now unbeaten in L1 since November 2007 and the Olympiens hope to keep this run going when they travel to Brittany on Sunday. “Before the break, it was going well. In 2008, we’ve played just once, against Beauvais, and we controlled the match completely. We’ve improved; we’re keeping possession better and creating more chances. It’s always great for an attacking player to return to a side that’s playing well. We need to keep this dynamic going into the second half of the season.”
With all the experience of his 20 years, Samir Nasri knows that the club and the supporters expect a lot from him. “It doesn’t scare me or bother me,” he says calmly.
He has set himself some ambitious goals for 2008. “I hope to have 6 good months, bring something excellent to the side and score lots of goals so we can climb up the table and snatch a Champions League place.”
And all this while keeping a place in the back of his mind for the France side and Euro 2008, looming large in June this year…
