Christian Pulisic ready and waiting for Chelsea return after 'freak' injury

Christian Pulisic is missing football as much as anyone else, but the lockdown has at least allowed him the time to return to fitness.

Isolating back at home in the United States, the Chelsea forward - who arrived from Borussia Dortmund at the start of the season - is now training as much as possible having been sidelined since a 1-1 draw at Brighton on New Year's Day.

A complicated adductor injury means it will have been over four months by the time Pulisic plays again, but the US international is feeling fit and ready for whenever football returns.

"It was really tough with this most recent one," Pulisic told the club website. "I think that a lot of people didn’t realise how serious it was. It was a really freak injury in how it happened.

"It happened in training out of nothing really and it put me out a while. But I’m feeling good now, I’ve been training a lot and I’m just really excited to get back out on the field.

Action Images via Reuters

"It feels like it’s been a long time without football for everyone at the moment, but certainly for me because I had the injury on top of everything that’s going on now."

After a slow start in the Premier League, Pulisic adjusted to a new division and showed some flashes of brilliance for the Blues during a transitional season for the entire club.

The former Dortmund star, still only 21 himself, has relished being part of Frank Lampard's young and exciting side during his first season.

"It’s been a really fun season for me, it’s been awesome," he said. "It’s been a big change for me coming to Chelsea and having to get to know a whole new team, a new league and stuff.

"I’ve been really proud of the guys and although we’ve had our tough moments, I think overall we’ve been pretty solid. I love playing with my team-mates and we’ve had so many exciting games. I’ve really enjoyed it and we just want to give it a strong push to the end of the season, if we are able to resume.

"It’s definitely cool to have other guys at a similar age to play with and you can probably relate to those guys a little more, but I think generally we have a great mix. We’ve got some really exciting young players and then those guys with more experience that are great to learn off. It’s almost the perfect mix, I’d say.

Chelsea squad 2019-20 | Injuries, contracts and squad numbers

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"The Premier League is more physically demanding [than the Bundesliga] because of the sheer number of games and the run of the schedule.

"You play so many different competitions in a short space of time, so it’s quite demanding and you learn quickly about that. It’s a physical league in general.

"There’s been a lot to learn but my Bundesliga experience has helped me in that sense, as it’s not totally different to the Premier League."

Lampard himself has been an inspiration to so many of Chelsea's younger players this season, and not only those who watched him from the academy as a player.

"It’s been great," said Pulisic. "I watched so much of him growing up and now just getting to work with him every day and learn from him, it’s awesome.

"He knows so much about the game and has so much experience, so it’s great to learn from him."

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