Zsolt Kalmár: My recovery is progressing very well

– Is limping a thing of the past?
– That's right. I'm already walking without any problems; my recovery is progressing very well – Zsolt Kalmár, who was cheering his teammates on from the MOL Aréna stands last weekend in Dunajská Streda told Nemzeti Sport at the meet against Trenčín.

– How are your days spent?
– Two tough workouts a day. I go to the MOL Akadémia two or three times a week, but I spend most of my time in Győr where I do the exercises under the supervision of Krisztina Radó, a physiotherapist, and Bence Gál, a fitness coach. For two and a half months, I had to build up my muscles first and then worked on my strength. We've also been doing fitness training for the last two weeks. Of course, I also consult regularly with the staff in Dunajská Streda from Győr.

– Are you still in pain?
– I was in pain for a few days after the surgery, but fortunately, haven't been since. I didn't feel any pain when I could only lie down, just like I didn't in the weeks during rehab that followed. It's a very good sign that my knees aren't swollen. I've been using weights for exercises for two weeks now, and my legs have responded very well to that as well. We are gradually increasing the load; I hope that there will continue to be no problem. I can start jogging within the next few weeks. I'm on a very good path to a full recovery, which makes me feel good and motivated. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

– DAC, which performed well during the last seasons, has started this season poorly, finishing eighth after five rounds. What are the reasons for the weaker performance?
– It should be kept in mind that the players who dominated the summer have left, or key players were absent from the team many times because of injuries. We have to be patient as very young players make up the squad. I am confident that we will win the clash against Pohronie on Friday and that the national team will have time to improve during the break. I know the Dunajská Streda fans very well; they are the best in Fortuna Liga. We've had a lot of fantastic successes in the past. It's different now, the team isn't in the best shape, so I ask them for patience and support. I hope we can come out of the pothole as soon as possible. I know we're capable of it.

– The World Cup qualifiers are coming up. What do you think of the odds against England, Albania, and Andorra?
– England was a European finalist, and it has a great team under head coach Gareth Southgate. Nevertheless, I believe that we have a chance against them. Marco Rossi prepares the guys excellently once again and finds our opponent's weaknesses. And let's not forget that 60,000 fans will be driving the team; the audience is a huge plus. I do think we can surprise the island nation. Then we travel to Albania where we have a very important match ahead of us with a difficult opponent. After that, we host Andorra that plays tough football. No excuses, we have to earn three points.

– What do you think of Dominik Szoboszlai's return?
– That's very good news! You could see during his games at Leipzig that he was in great shape. With his presence, we will be even more dangerous at free-kicks and corners, and also, the quality of our midfield line will clearly improve with him.

– Will you be out at the Puskás Aréna?
– Of course. I'm really rooting for the guys. We started the qualifying series well, and I'm confident of a good sequel. Thanks to the hard work and the will we have seen in recent months, we will succeed with the 60,000 spectators cheering us on.

SLOVAKIAN FORTUNA LIGA
ROUND 6
FRIDAY
8pm:Pohronie – DAC (Dunajská Streda) –LIVE ON NSO!

Translated by Vanda Orosz