“If he decides to retire tomorrow we have to respect it” – Garcia Pimienta on Jesus Navas

Last weekend, it was revealed that Jesus Navas has been suffering with a chronic hip injury, with the man himself confirming that this has been ongoing for the past four years. Despite this, he continues to fight for Sevilla.

Navas signed a new contract with the club in May, although he has set his retirement date for December. After this, he is expected to take up a non-playing role at Sevilla.

Navas has admitted that he is struggling to make it through to December because of the injury. Sevilla head coach Francisco Javier Garcia Pimienta hopes to count on him until then, although he would understand if Navas hung up his boots sooner, as per MD.

“We already know the problems he has. He is going to travel, and tomorrow we will ask him how he is. Today he was in pain, but tomorrow he could wake up well.

“He has earned the right to decide his future and we have to respect that. He would play until he is 45 years old, but it is a health issue, he is making an effort, the club is in a bad way and what he wants is to help. He set that deadline, he says in his head ‘I’m going to hold out for 6 months’. If he holds on until the end, it’s because the hip respects him. If he decides to retire tomorrow we have to respect it.”

It is a great credit to Navas that he continues to fight through the pain barrier for Sevilla, despite having nothing else to prove. It would be a nice ending if he were to make it until December.

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