Still ailing from the wounds dished out by Cup final heartbreak, Chelsea fans finally received a bit of positive news.
Blues fullback Ben Chilwell, who had been out of action since November due to injury, finally returned to team training.
The 25-year-old’s recovery from an ACL injury led to plenty of delight for fans, teammates and the manager alike.
As seen in this clip, Chilwell was greeted with a round of applause from his teammates on his return, along with a warm embrace from gaffer Thomas Tuchel.
Furthermore, he even received a surprising message of encouragement from a player of a rival club.
After his return to team training, Chilwell took to his Instagram to commemorate the occasion. He received plenty of messages from fellow Blues and an extremely surprising one from Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk.
The defender commented with a clapping emoji, a gesture even rival fans couldn’t help but applaud.
It’s no secret that the Dutchman is a class act, and his comment furthers that opinion.
Perhaps VVD can relate to Chilwell’s struggles, as the Dutchman also faced a long stint off the pitch after suffering a ligament rupture last season.
Chelsea fans will certainly be hoping that Chilwell’s return will be triumphant much like Van Dijk’s.
A long term injury can drastically change a player, as we’ve seen numerous times in the past.
Van Dijk is a notable exception, as the centre back quickly picked up where he left off, as one of the best in the business.
Hopefully, Chilwell is able to follow in his steps.
