Manchester City defender John Stones says he “feels great” after overcoming “dark days” during an injury-hit two years.
Centre-back Stones last featured for City in February, playing only eight minutes in the Champions League play-off defeat by Real Madrid before he was forced off with a thigh injury.
The 31-year-old says he is “back fit” after being included in City’s 27-man squad for the Club World Cup in the United States.
Stones said: “It’s difficult when you’re injured, you almost work longer and more, so from that aspect I know the guys mentally and physically have had such a long season. I suppose mentally, for me, it’s been difficult dealing with the injuries and the process.
“But now I’ve put that behind me and used this as a mini introduction back before the new season, and another trophy for us to hopefully win and get some game time.
“I’ve been back in training a few weeks now, and that’s been going great, trying to do extra running if I need to, if I need to try and get those levels up. Just those little, really small details have made such a big difference.
“I’m super excited and hopefully can implement these little things that we’ve made and tweaked, which are going to better me for the future.”
‘You can feel lonely at times’
Stones has been with City for nine seasons after joining from Everton for £47.5m.
He has enjoyed a trophy-filled spell at the club, winning six Premier League titles, the Champions League, two FA Cup and four League Cups, while also being capped 83 times for England.
Though he has played 277 games for his club, he only managed 13 starts last term, including six in the Premier League.
“I think we all self-doubt as players and feel things, and we want to get back as quick as possible. Maybe that’s a downfall sometimes that you try and push too soon,” he said.
“Definitely family [help], I think that’s my biggest thing, being around them and having their support.
“You can feel very lonely at times when you’re training by yourself and that’s the difficult part of it, being in a team sport, not training with the team when you run out on the pitch in your rehab.”
Stones has suffered a succession of foot, hamstring and thigh injuries over the past two campaigns, missing a total of 164 days and 33 games, according to Transfermarkt., external
Stones said: “There’s been points where you think you’ve been giving all this effort, you dedicate all your life – especially how I approach or go about my life and football, I give everything – on and off the pitch to be here or be ready to play games, and those are the dark days.
“I think everyone’s been through them and think, ‘why is this happening?’. You wish it would have gone a different path, but like I said, it’s self-doubt, there’s a lot of things.
“All of us have been through different upbringings and challenges through life and what did we do within those situations, was it fight or was it give up?
“I was a fighter from a young age, in difficult moments, you have to look at the bigger picture and realise what are your morals, what you believe in, and fight to make it worthwhile.”
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