"Everything will work out the way we want it to"

In mid-August, the winger underwent surgery in Turku, Finland, on an adductor muscle. From the start, it was known that he would have to wait about three months before returning to the pitch. His absence has been a considerable loss for Niels Frederiksen’s squad, as he has been a key figure during the recent Championship-winning season, contributing greatly with his goals, assists, and strong performances.

In the last campaign, Gholizadeh scored eight goals and provided six assists. Moreover, the vast majority of those contributions helped the team secure victories. Unfortunately, at the moment, he's forced to follow his teammates’ performances from the sidelines.

"I can only support my friends from the stands, but I try to make the most of that as well. Every time, I ask myself what I would have done in a given situation, but I have to admit - it’s something completely different. On the pitch, you make decisions in a split second. From the outside, it sometimes seems like you could have done something differently or better, but it often doesn’t work that way. Still, even this kind of perspective can be useful in the future, and that’s how I approach it while supporting the team from off the pitch," explained the 29-year-old.

For the past month, Gholizadeh has been steadily working on regaining full fitness. His daily routine includes strengthening exercises for the adductor muscle in the gym and in water, as well as sessions with physiotherapists. It’s been especially tough for him, considering he had completed the preseason and even played in four matches, only to end up with a serious injury.

"Within just a few weeks, I had two procedures done; it’s been a tough one. But that’s the life of a footballer - you have to fight for everything, every single day, whether it’s in training or during games. Right now, the goal is to come back as quickly as possible, and that’s what keeps me going. Especially since everything is going well and I’m making progress every single day,” highlighted the Iranian player.

"We’ve got a lot of the season still left ahead of us - it’s a long road. The last match wasn’t our best performance, but we have a lot of great players and we’re capable of achieving anything. Even more so since several of us will return this year [following injuries], and with a full squad, we’ll be even stronger. I never lose hope - it was the same last season, when I kept saying we had a shot at becoming the Champions, even though we were in a tough spot a few rounds before the end. We have to take it step by step, and I feel that everything will work out the way we want it to," concluded Gholizadeh, who is expected to rejoin his team in November.