- Sergio Rico is targeting a return to football as he recovers from a head injury
- The goalkeeper has given an update on his recovery after his accident in May
- 'There is no greater waste of time!' What is the point of the Club World Cup? It all starts
Sergio Rico has admitted he will continue to follow doctor's orders as he pursues a return to football after Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper gave an update on his recovery from a serious head injury.
Rico was in a coma for 26 days after being hit by a horse in May while taking part in an annual pilgrimage in Spain's El Rocio region.
The 30-year-old had to undergo surgery for a brain aneurysm after being hit in the neck by the horse.
Rico was released from hospital in August and was greeted by PSG supporters when he was introduced to the crowd ahead of their Champions League home match against Newcastle last month.
Speaking on Spanish radio stationEl Partidazo de COPE' Rico confirmed his intention to return to football, but revealed that his stay in hospital led to him losing 20 kilos.
Sergio Rico revealed he lost 20 kilos after being in a coma for almost a month
Rico was supported in his recovery from a serious head injury by his wife Alba Silva
The PSG goalkeeper insisted he would follow doctor's orders as he eyes a return to football
Your browser does not support iframes.
'I'm looking forward to the doctor giving me a little more freedom, because I feel good. I want to get back to my routine and feel like a football player again,” Rico said.
'I lost 20 kilos… I weighed about 92 kilos and stayed at 73. Now I weigh 88 kilos.
Rico added: 'I'm taking it too calmly, it's not in my power.
'If it were in my power, I would hit the back of my head.
“I follow the orders of the doctors in charge and those who saved my life, without going overboard in the slightest.”
A medical report showed that Rico was only 'half an inch' away from death.
The goalkeeper confirmed his thinking 'hasn't changed' since suffering the head injury, but admitted it was initially 'difficult to speak' after waking from the coma.
Rico has previously paid special thanks to his wife Alba Silva for her continued support in his recovery, with the goalkeeper sharing an emotional message and photos of the pair last month.
Rico thanked his wife in an emotional post on Instagram last month for helping with his recovery
The 30-year-old suffered the injury in a horse riding accident in May and left hospital in August
Rico had fought back tears and admitted that he was lucky to be alive after being released from the hospital
“I have no choice but to thank you, my wife, the person who helped and supported me, not only through what happened, but also since the day we met almost eight years ago,” Rico wrote on Instagram .
'I have already publicly thanked all those people from all over the world who have been with us… to family and friends… but today I wanted to thank you, my love, because you deserve it.
“Because you fought like a champion and never gave up, because you blindly trusted that I would recover, because I am very happy with someone like you by my side and because I would choose you as my wife and a thousand times more.”
In the aftermath of the incident, Silva wrote on Instagram: “Don't leave me alone my love, because I swear I can't, and I don't know how to live without you either.”
Rico started his career with his hometown club Seville after coming through the club's academy, going on to make 170 senior appearances.
He later spent the 2018/2019 season on loan at Fulham before joining PSG on a similar deal the following season.
Rico joined PSG permanently in 2020 and largely served as a backup goalkeeper behind Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Kylian Mbappe and Paris Saint-Germain paid tribute to Rico during their final match of last season, following Rico's accident.
After scoring a penalty, Mbappe celebrated his goal by holding up a shirt with Rico's name and the number 16 on it.
PSG fans paid their own tribute to the goalkeeper, including a giant shirt with his name and number in the stands.