Aston Villa defender makes injury admission and reveals 'work behind the scenes'
Young Aston Villa defender Lino Sousa has finally got his season on track after being dragged down by injuries in the first half of his loan spell with Bristol Rovers. Left-back Sousa, who signed for Villa from Arsenal a year ago this month, spent the second half of last season out on loan at Championship side Plymouth Argyle.
This year, though, he has dropped down to League One and headed back to the south west - although not quite so far down the M5 - and joined the Gas, who are under new management in the form of Brighton favourite Inigo Calderon, who oversaw his first win in charge at Cambridge United on Saturday.
That brought to an end a wretched run of seven matches without a win, during which time Rovers only claimed a single point and decided to part company with former boss Matt Taylor, who left the Memorial Stadium hovering above the bottom four - which, for now, is where they remain.
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Sousa, who is still only 19 and has a contract with Villa until 2028, was getting plenty of minutes in the earlier stages of the season but towards the end of October he was struck down with a hamstring injury which kept him sidelined until this side of Christmas. He has, though, appeared in their last three matches and has started the last two, helping Rovers secure victory on Saturday at the Abbey Stadium.
“It’s been tough with injuries and being out," he said. "It’s mental resilience and things in football change very quickly. I kept myself fit to the best shape I could be, and a lot of work done behind the scenes. It’s finally paying off. I’ve just got to keep the momentum going. It’s a way better feeling after all the hard work, early mornings, late nights, all the sacrifices you make being away from family. Coming in on a matchday and getting a win makes it even better.”
