Sergio Reguilon has revealed that he took a number of injections to continue playing despite being injured during the 2021-22 season.
While Regulion impressed in his first season at Tottenham after his move from Real Madrid, his performances were not up to the required level in the 2021-22 season, with the Spaniard struggling to adapt to the demands of the left wing-back role in Conte’s system.
With Ryan Sessegnon also spending significant time on the treatment table that season, the 27-year-old did get plenty of minutes under his belt.
Reguilon has now revealed that he had to constantly take injections to train and play that season, admitting that he was suffering from excruciating pain after matches.
The 27-year-old told The Times: “We were playing for the Champions League and Conte wanted me. I was taking an injection for training, taking an injection for playing, even to start on the bench for three, four weeks. I was on my bed crying from the pain.
“I remember we played against Brighton, my last game for Spurs, and I took many injections. At home seven hours after and my ankle is like a balloon and I couldn’t feel anything, not my ankle or my legs. The next day I wake up and I couldn’t move and I say, ‘It’s time to stop’. It’s time to stop because maybe now I destroy my body.”
Sergio Reguilon felt pressured to take pain injections
The Spain international remarked that he felt under pressure to take those injections, adding that he realised he made a mistake in hindsight.
Reguilon continued: “Of course, when you are at a top club, fighting for things, you are under pressure to play, the manager wants you, you feel important.
“If I don’t do this, [do they think] ‘Is it that this guy doesn’t want to play football?’ It’s a sh*t feeling. It’s not right. For one game, maybe a final, but not like this.”
The left-back took quite a long time to put those injury issues behind him, having struggled for fitness throughout his loan spell at Atletico Madrid last season, but he revealed that Diego Simeone was very understanding of his situation.
When asked about working with the Atletico boss, the Tottenham man said: “I was thinking he would be very strict, but when I was injured when I arrived he took good care of me. It was a difficult season but I can only say good things.
“He lives the game, every minute not only of games but training. Football is in his blood. To stay 11, 12 years at one club and have the passion, ambition, it’s an unbelievable job.”
Spurs Web Opinion
It was quite ruthless of Conte to ask Reguilon to take all those injections, only to decide to offload the Spaniard at the end of the season.
Supporters sometimes forget just how ruthless top-level sport can be. While these players are well compensated, they are still young men at the end of the day and they are prone to the mental health struggles that come with operating in such a high-pressure environment.