Returning Jese praises Ancelotti

​Jese has revealed that Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti played a key role in his recovery from the knee injury he suffered in March.

The 21-year-old forward tore his meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament in the second leg of Real’s UEFA Champions League last-16 tie with Schalke, making his comeback in the Copa del Rey clash with Cornella earlier this month.

Jese scored in that 5-0 win and, ahead of Real’s Club World Cup semi-final against Cruz Azul on Tuesday, praised Ancelotti for helping ensure that he did not rush his comeback.

“He [Ancelotti] went through the same injury [as a player] and has helped me a lot with his experience and words,” Jese told FIFA’s official website.

“The best advice he gave me? Three months ago, when I was on the comeback trail, he told me, ‘You’re 21, so you mustn’t rush things. You have to listen to your body and your mind and keep calm, because you’ve got many years of football ahead of you’.

“Everyone knows he’s a great coach, but I’d highlight his human qualities: he knows how to handle groups, which is the toughest part of the job, particularly at Real Madrid, where there are so many great players and egos. 

“He instils a real sense of peace and calm. When he gets angry, though, you’d better take cover. He knows how to motivate us and to choose his moments. You can really tell that he used to be a player.”

Although Jese’s injury forced him to miss Real’s charge to Champions League glory, the pacy attacker feels the time on the sidelines has been good for his career.

“I had a very tough time, but I think that things in life happen for a reason. Maybe I had the injury because I needed to learn and become a more mature footballer,” he added. 

“I know that I’ve come back stronger. You learn from everything, even from these experiences. I’ve learned to be more professional in every respect. 

“I take better care of myself now in terms of my diet, the attention I pay to [conditioning] my muscles and my fitness. I intend to keep applying everything I’ve learned until I retire from the game.”