Alessandro Circati's disciplined recovery pays off with his availability for Australia's game against Japan
The chance to play for the Socceroos in his hometown in a game that could secure Australia qualification for next year's FIFA World Cup was all the motivation that emerging star Alessandro Circati needed to make a swift recovery from a serious knee injury.
Circati ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a training session with his Italian top-flight club Parma in September last year.
It seemed certain the young defender would not only miss the rest of the Serie A season, but also Australia's games this month against Japan and Saudi Arabia.
National coach Tony Popovic certainly wasn't expecting him back for the current international window as knee reconstructions often sideline players for at least nine months.
However, having set himself the target to be available for selection for Thursday night's clash with Japan at Optus Stadium in Perth – the city he moved to as a one-year-old with his family from Italy – nothing was going to stop Circati achieving his goal, even if it meant six hours of rehabilitation six days a week for several months.
'When you first get your surgery and start your rehab, they ask you, 'What's your goal, what are you trying to accomplish?',' he said.
'I said, 'there are two World Cup qualifiers in June, my goal is to be able to go there'.
'I'm lucky enough to be able to do that. I'm very privileged to be able to play such an important game at home at a beautiful stadium in a beautiful city.'
Circati was back in Parma's match-day squad by April, and last month played full games in his team's final two matches of the season, which were crucial contests against eventual champions Napoli and third-placed Atalanta.
'I was ready to play even earlier, but the club slowed it down rather than speed it up,' 21-year-old Circati said.
'It's not easy. I wouldn't tell anyone that it's easy. You've just got to be determined to be back better than what you were before.
'I returned really well, stronger than what I was before. Over that (recovery) time, I really worked on myself as a person and as an athlete.
'I worked on areas where maybe I was weak or areas I had to improve.'
Circati has attracted interest from powerhouses Napoli and Juventus, but he takes such transfer talk with a 'grain of salt'.
Instead, he's focused on helping the Socceroos get the better of a Japan squad that includes his Parma teammate, goalkeeper Zion Suzuki.
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'I've already given a few words back in Parma, telling him that we're going to score – it's just friendly competition between us,' Circati said.
'He's a great guy, he's a very humble guy, his personality is great, (and) he's had an amazing year.
'Moving into a new country isn't easy with a new language, but he's integrated perfectly. His mentality as a person is (at the) top.'
A win over Japan, who have sent a weakened squad to Perth having already sealed qualification, would all but secure the Socceroos a World Cup berth thanks to their existing three-point advantage and vastly superior goal difference over Saudi Arabia.
The top two nations from Group C in the third round of AFC World Cup qualifiers – currently Japan and Australia – are assured of World Cup spots.
The Saudis, who meet Bahrain on Friday morning ahead of their date with the Socceroos next week in Jeddah, are in third place.
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