Estevao revealed that a recent MRI scan showed no visible injury remaining in his right hamstring, with his doctor surprised by the speed of his recovery after choosing to forgo surgery on an 80 percent biceps femoris tear, the player said, according to Globo. "Two weeks ago I had the second MRI and the doctor asked if I was in pain, if anything was wrong. And I said: 'no doctor, I am super calm, I think I can even play already.' And he said: 'yes, you can tell. He showed me the image and said he could no longer see any injury. He said he did not know what had happened, because at this stage of the recovery it should not be as well structured as it is'."
Analysis:
Estevao was left off Brazil's World Cup squad after suffering an injury during Chelsea's defeat to Manchester United on April 18, choosing against surgery despite pressure from Chelsea's medical staff and ownership, a decision made alongside his parents that appears to be paying off. The youngster is completing his rehabilitation at Palmeiras's training center in Brazil and has already been running, ending a debut Chelsea season with two goals and two assists across 22 appearances before the injury struck. His rapid recovery is an encouraging sign for Chelsea ahead of the new season despite the World Cup disappointment.
