Donny van de Beek couldn't hide his delight after scoring the winner on his return to action for Manchester United, following a long injury lay-off.
The Dutch midfielder made his comeback from the knee injury he sustained in January by playing the second half of the Reds’ pre-season friendly against Lyon at BT Murrayfield on Wednesday.
He made an immediate impression, netting the decisive goal in our 1-0 victory against the French outfit in Edinburgh with a superb volley from Dan Gore’s fine cross in the 49th minute.
Speaking to MUTV following the match in Scotland, Donny described how significant the moment was for him after what has been a tough time on a personal level.
“It was great, my first game after six months,”
he said.
“I don’t have to tell you that after such an injury, it’s such a mentally difficult period for me and my family.
“To be back on the pitch, it was great. Of course, it’s nice if you score a goal as well but that wasn’t the most important thing, it’s an extra thing. It was just amazing too because I’ve been looking forward to this moment for months. I know it’s only a friendly game but, for me, it’s a big moment.”
Although it’s been a difficult rehabilitation process for the 26-year-old, Van de Beek feels the setback has given him the opportunity to refocus ahead of his long-awaited return to the pitch.
“It’s easy to say but I think at the end of the day it makes you mentally stronger because you realise when you play every day you don’t want this kind of moment to happen but if it happens, you realise how much you love playing football. If the moment comes again when you’re back on the pitch, you enjoy it more.”