Eric Abidal has reflected on his difficulty faced in coming back from serious illness to play again, and on the honour of lifting the 2011 Champions League trophy.
The Frenchman was diagnosed in March 2011 with a cancerous tumour on his liver, which 12 months later required a transplant.
However, having fought back to the professional game after both instances, the 34-year-old, who is now on the books at Monaco, has reflected on that moment in his career, which occurred when he was a Barcelona player.
“It was a shock. But it was a quick shock because mentally I am very strong,” Abidal has mused this week to CNN.
“I am a fighter. I had a clear and honest discussion with the doctors and the surgeons. I told them that if I had something bad in my body that it was better for them to take it out quickly.
“It was complicated to come back, but like I always say, sport enabled me to have this mental strength to fight.
“It was certainly because of that that I managed to be even stronger in that battle.
“The support received during that time? I remember everything. When you are in hospital you can't really see what's going on outside.
“All of that certainly helped me and proved that I was cherished and liked in Catalunya and in the Barcelona team.
“It motivated me to tell people that, ‘Although I am ill, I won't let myself go down. I will do everything to come back and try to finish the season with the club’.
“I always had fighting spirit. Yes I had the illness but I still had a chance of playing sport at a high level. There are similarities between illness and sport – you can't get beaten.
“I told myself that even though I was ill that I wouldn't allow myself to get beaten. I said, ‘I am going to fight for myself, for my wife and children, my parents and all the people who surround me’.”
Abidal returned from the original diagnosis the same season to play a full part in Barca’s Champions League Final win over Manchester United, before being afforded the honour of lifting the trophy by his teammates.
“It was a special moment. There are not many of us who can win the Champions League, let alone be given the special gesture of lifting the trophy.
“It was a gesture from the whole team. The club and players lived through the difficult moments with me.
“It was an utter privilege and an honour. I will always thank my teammates for that gesture.”
