Athletic Bilbao wing-back Yuri Berchiche is delighted to be back in action.

The left-back made his return to the pitch recently, turning out as a substitute in the Supercopa against Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid. Since then he has also appeared twice more, starting against FC Barcelona in the Copa and Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga.

“I think I’ve come back at the best moment of the season for the team,” Yuri said at a press conference in Lezama on Thursday morning.

“We’re doing very well. We’re full of confidence both in training and in matches.”

Yuri’s groin issues kept him out for around nine months, but he is now back to full fitness and feels stronger than ever, both physically and mentally.

“I’m feeling good. I feel better than I imagined I would,” he said.

“I spent nine months out and you never know how you’ll react when you start playing again. I started against Barça and I lasted much longer than I expected to.

“I’m optimistic about the future because everything is looking good.”

The defender admitted his time on the sidelines was one of the “toughest of his life” as he explained the extent of his injury and the lengthy recovery process.

“They were some very hard months. A footballer always tries to avoid surgery,” he added.

“We attempted everything possible. We started with a more conservative treatment which has worked for others, but it didn’t for me.

“At that point, we decided to opt for surgery. It was the best decision. But there’s no point going over it too much anymore because what happened happened.

“I want to go back to being important for the team and giving it everything I’ve got.”

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