– He’s absolutely fantastic, and in great shape, Mikail Adampour told NRK.
– This comeback is unlike anything in the history of Norwegian football, he continued.
The 30-year-old was completely blind following a fireworks accident in January last year, but is now healthy and fully training with Galatasaray, NRK confirmed.
– I’m slowly regaining vision in my left eye, and after a while I can see perfectly with it. My right eye was badly injured, and I was blind in that eye until recently I managed to regain my sight, wrote Elabdellaoui on Twitter In November.
He was vice-captain in the national team before the eye injury, and was placed at right-back for Norway. In November, Elabdellaoui is expected to return in January.
CAPTAIN: Omar Elabdellaoui has a few games on the armband for Norway.
Photo: Fredrik Varfjell / NTB
– Happy for Omar and family
– Now it’s running properly. I’ve received the go-ahead from the doctors, and hope to return in January. “My only focus now is getting back fit so I can play for club and national team,” the 30-year-old wrote.
– When the accident first happened, everything was completely black. I was completely blind and my face was scorched, he continued.
According to Turkey Milli Gazete Galatasaray are now working to prepare Elabdellaoui for battle on February 6.
SMILE: National team manager Ståle Solbakken can smile that Omar Elabdellaoui is ready to fight again.
Photo: Ali Zare / NTB
– This is first and foremost satisfying for Omar and family, then for Galatasaray, wrote national team manager Ståle Solbakken in a text message to NRK.
The right-back has 49 games with the Norwegian flag on his chest.
– We keep on good terms and he will be considered equal to others as soon as he is ready for the match. He has a great routine and experience. He was also eager to play for Norway, Solbakken further wrote.
Want to return to the national team
Elabdellaoui had to get stem cells from her sister to repair her eyelids. It was an operation that he considered difficult and dangerous.
– I needed help from stem cells, and it turned out to be mine 100 percent with my sister. That’s probably the most important reason why I can look into my right eye again, wrote the national team profile.
Elabdellaoui will now have a great desire to return to the national team.
– This was a big motivation for him to return to the national team, Adampour concluded.
Galatasaray meet Alanyaspor on 6 February.
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