Duvan Zapata is back in Turin since Monday and has already started preparing. He will be with Coach Baroni from the first day of preseason, highly motivated.
Thirteen days of vacation are apparently enough, because now the desire and hunger for Toro is too great. Since Monday, June 30, Duvan Zapata has returned to the city, and the news is that he has already begun training at the Filadelfia sports center. But that`s not all; there`s more that will be very welcome news for Granata fans. The new Torino training camp is practically on the horizon, and on Tuesday, July 8, Captain Zapata will be present when the session starts at Filadelfia alongside the new coach, Marco Baroni. This is significant news: Duvan will be starting in person from day one. In fact, as mentioned before, his preparation for the new season has already started. This signals growing optimism about the possibility of having the Colombian center-forward back on the field as soon as possible in the upcoming Serie A campaign.
Summer of Work
First, though, a quick look back: where did we last see Duvan Zapata? Exactly where we find him these days: in the Filadelfia gym. When the championship season wrapped up at the end of May, Zapata continued his personalized training program at the club`s sports facility. He spent his mornings working exclusively in the gym, occasionally adding some light running on the pitch. Many will also recall his meeting with Marco Baroni on June 5, the new Torino coach`s first day in the city. That day, in the gym, the coach and captain shook hands, leading to a friendly exchange. “Hello bomber, I`m waiting for you,” said Baroni. “Mister, I`m starting to feel like myself again,” replied Duvan. Zapata continued to work in the city until June 12, before leaving for a short vacation the following day.
He`s Back
He took a brief break with his family, which concluded on June 29, but he still continued to train and follow his prescribed schedule during this time. He returned to Turin on Wednesday. His new season has started early, with a big smile and his optimism levels high. Training alongside him at Filadelfia these days are Swedish winger Njie, Primavera midfielder Galantai, Turkish midfielder Ilkhan, and Dutch defender Schuurs – all players who are returning from long-term injuries. Regarding Duvan, as noted, he appeared at Filadelfia a week ahead of his teammates. On Tuesday, July 8, when Marco Baroni`s Toro kicks off its new journey, the captain will be present. Not yet available to play, but he will be there. Because, understandably, at this stage, optimism must be carefully balanced with caution.
On the Way
Zapata, in fact, is not yet fully recovered. As those involved in his rehabilitation state, he wouldn`t be ready for selection today. This is part of the natural recovery process. However, his rehabilitation is progressing very well and without setbacks. Over the next two weeks, he will continue his personalized program at Filadelfia. Then, from July 14, he will join the team at the training camp in Prato allo Stelvio. It is there, in the Dolomites, that his gradual reintegration into team training might occur. This will be assessed step by step by Baroni and his staff. “We have great hope of getting Zapata back as soon as possible,” stated Torino`s technical area director, Davide Vagnati, on the Rai2 program “Non solo mercato.” “Duvan is a great man, in addition to being a great player; he`s doing incredible work and even trained during his vacation. We hope he returns to how he was, or even better.” Torino is navigating this summer with high hopes centered on Duvan. Between training plans, recovery schedules, and a fresh dose of optimism. The captain is slowly returning to normal, and who knows, we might even see him on the field for a few minutes during the preseason friendlies in July and August. Duvan is hungry for Toro.
