Mario Vuskovic: “Giving up is not an option for me”

What is your personal wish for the game? What would make it a successful comeback for you?

I want to play for as long as possible – as long as the manager thinks is right. Hopefully, I'll put in a good performance, hopefully everyone will be happy at the final whistle, and hopefully everyone will come through the game fit and healthy, as staying healthy is the most important thing.

Your comeback, against your youth club Hajduk Split of all teams, and in front of more than 50,000 spectators at the Volksparkstadion – that's quite a lot to take in. How are you dealing with it?

I just have to stay calm and focused, give my best and do my job. I'm trying to let things take their course. There's a lot happening at the moment. (smiles) The past few days have been quite intense, perhaps a little too much. There's just so much fuss surrounding me. I'm trying to take my mind off it by enjoying our time in Hamburg with my girlfriend. After training, we watch a series and have something to eat together. Sometimes I read a bit. Just ordinary everyday stuff.

What has motivated you over the past four years to keep going, never give up and continue working towards your return?

Giving up is not an option for me. No matter what happens. We've always said that we would fight until the very end, and that's what we've done. Of course, there were also some dark and difficult periods. Having good people around you, both in your family and among your friends, makes everything much easier.

How have you coped with the physical demands and movements in training so far? What differences have you noticed compared to before?

I've done everything possible to get back in shape. At times, perhaps I've wanted a little too much, which wasn't always the smartest thing to do, but my body and the coaches made that clear to me straight away. (smiles) That's perfectly normal, though. I'd been away for four years and had missed all of this so much. I genuinely enjoy training. For me, it's a privilege because I wasn't able to do it for such a long time. I'd had enough of training on my own.

What was the biggest question mark for you on your journey back?

At first, I found it difficult to get a feel for the pitch and the space around me, for example when playing eleven-a-side or eight-a-side. I had to think about how I should position myself and what decisions to make. When could I carry the ball forward? When could I defend aggressively? When would it be better to stay in the defensive line? Just the sort of things that occupy a defender's mind. I've got used to it again and feel comfortable with it now. One thing I never had any problems with was my fitness. That always looked good.

How important was it for your reintegration that three players you played alongside before your suspension – Miro Muheim, Daniel Heuer Fernandes and Bakery Jatta – are still here?

That obviously helped me a lot, because they're not only good footballers but also fantastic people. But it wasn't just them who helped me; everyone else at the club did too. I still knew a few people around the first team as well. The doctors and physiotherapists have done a fantastic job.

Do you feel that things are slowly returning to something resembling normality?

There's still quite a bit going on around me, of course. I'm really excited, and I know it's going to be something very special, but I think things will only really settle down once I've played my first game and those four years of waiting are finally over. When we start our training week ahead of the Nordderby on Tuesday, everything will be back to normal. On the pitch, it already feels that way. I feel like part of the team again, too. The other lads have welcomed me as if I'd been playing alongside them for the past four years.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, and welcome back, Mario!