Barna Kesztyűs returned to competitive action in the 3–0 league win over Budafoki MTE after a long eight-month injury lay-off. Before that, our midfielder had last played in November 2024 in a match against Vasas FC. We asked Barna about dealing with the injury, the difficulties of the rehabilitation period and his expectations for the current season.
"At first I received injection treatment, but it did not help. When it became clear that my leg needed surgery, it hit me hard. Fortunately, I had never had a serious injury before; this was my first, so it was difficult to process and even to imagine what the rehabilitation period would be like. It was a difficult phase of my career. For a month and a half after the operation I was at home in a cast and moved around on crutches. Since I could not help the boys on the pitch, I tried to support them with words. I found the injury hard to deal with, but I was very happy about the team's good performances, and that helped me come to terms with it" - Barna began, before also sharing his thoughts on the emotional side of his return.
"I was injured in January, but a new coach and staff arrived, so we could only work together for one week. The team did well in the second half of the season, but I could not play my part in that. I still have ground to make up – you cannot make up eight months in a few weeks – but I can now train fully and I am working to get back into good form as soon as possible. The return felt very good. We played a good opponent in a winning match in front of many supporters. It was a great feeling; I became emotional after the match when I was able to step onto the pitch again"
"Since the club's relegation, this is the best squad and dressing room we have had. When I signed here for the second time, the atmosphere was completely different. Obviously, the successes also play a part in that. A team has been forged that can go far this season. We have our goals, but we always have to focus on the next match."
You can watch our interview with Barna Kesztyűs on our official YouTube channel:
