Pablo, the Brazilian defender of the Girondins de Bordeaux.

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NICOLAS TUCAT / AFP

  • The Girondins de Bordeaux receive OGC Nice this Sunday (1 p.m.) at Matmut Atlantique on the occasion of the 5th day of Ligue 1.

  • Victim of a rupture of the cruciate ligaments of the left knee against the Aiglons last March, Pablo will return to defense with the suspension of Paul Baysse.

  • After a "perfect" rehabilitation, the Brazilian wants to show that he is back to 100% while his contract ends next June.

It's a hell of a wink from fate.

Almost seven months after his rupture of the internal cruciate ligament of the left knee against OGC Nice, Pablo should for the first time find a starting place with the Girondins against these same Aiglons this Sunday (1 p.m.) at Matmut Atlantique.

Entered into play during the defeat at Lens (1-2) last week, the Brazilian defender will replace Paul Baysse, suspended after his red card in the North.

A pillar of the defense for more than two years (67 games, 5 goals), his return is timely for Jean-Louis Gasset.

And to be on time for the appointment, Pablo gave himself the means as explained by one of his relatives:

“The day after his injury [March 1], he took it with philosophy even if it was a big blow.

He was not too affected, he immediately moved forward and then, in addition, it came at the right time for him with the end of the championship a week later.

In a way, the timing was right.

He was happy to be able to work without the pressure to come back as soon as possible to play ”.

Pablo on the ground after his cruciate ligament rupture against Nice in March 2020. - Romain Perrocheau / AFP

His ligament rupture being clear, without the meniscus being affected, he could be quickly operated on in Paris.

Fortunately, because with the confinement installed in France, the Brazilian wanted at all costs to join his wife and children in Brazil: "He had to take the last plane to Brazil at the time", slips a leader.

There, he performs his rehabilitation with the physical trainer of the Corinthians.

The Girondins' medical staff has it "two or three times a week to take stock" before finding it in early July after a negative Covid-19 test.

“With the surgeon, we were impressed by his form.

He had already recovered 100% of his muscle mass after four months.

It shows that he is a huge hard worker.

He pays attention to everything.

His diet is down to the gram.

It is lighter and thinner today.

He was perfect from start to finish, ”admits one of its members.

His future in the Girondins remains unclear

“Pablo is above all a great professional.

He always kept his confidence and worked very hard to come back.

He had no apprehension last Saturday and that's a great thing because he's very important to us.

Technically, it will come back over time, but physically it is already very good.

He is even sharper than before his injury, ”insists a teammate and friend.

To the point that the club's doctors were forced to “fight” with him all summer to slow him down and that Jean-Louis Gasset now finds him “impressive”: “He has power, a desire to play.

"And god knows that the Bordeaux coach has seen great players in this position: Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, David Luis or Souleymane Diawara.

This Sunday, Pablo will find Laurent Koscielny with whom he forms one of the five best pairs of central defenders in Ligue 1. It will not be too much after the ugly rout in Lens where the Bordelais could have taken 4 or 5. Off the field like many other players, his situation remains very unclear.

He is one of the players to end his contract in June 2021 and so far he has no news from the club.

Last January, the Girondins de Bordeaux had refused an offer of 5 million euros from the Corinthians (Brazil) according to information from

20 Minutes.

Girondins de Bordeaux: Two players burgled in the middle of the night, the castle of Haillan visited https://t.co/wDSS5YncHi via @ 20minutesBord pic.twitter.com/ORqe66236Z

- 20minutesbordeaux (@ 20minutesbord) September 3, 2020

Since then, the leaders have logically not received any new offers due to his serious knee injury and even though he is one of the players with market value.

He concentrates on the field and quickly forgot his summer mishap (a burglary).

Two years after his first two selections with the Seleçao, it is a form of new departure for Pablo.

At 29, there is no more time to waste.

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