The midfielder admits it was an emotional moment when he came on as a substitute against Dortmund to make his first appearance in a year
Thiago Alcantara could barely contain his delight after making his first Bayern Munich appearance in 12 months against Borussia Dortmund.
The Spain international replaced Philipp Lahm as second-half substitute in Saturday’s 1-0 win, having been out of action since March 29 last year when he suffered a serious knee injury against Hoffenheim.
The 23-year-old’s brother Rafinha tweeted “The magic has returned!” as he returned to a rapturous reception and Thiago was eager to pay tribute to everyone at the club for their support.
“It’s crazy. I have to thank everyone: the club, the coaches, my team-mates. They’ve all been really supportive,” he told Bayern’s official website.
“The fans have helped me. It was an emotional moment. I’m very happy.
LA MAGIA HA VUELTO… @Thiago6 pic.twitter.com/WfUWvZOU19
— Rafinha Alcantara (@Rafinha) April 4, 2015
“Some people think football is just a game, but when I saw how emotional the fans were, I knew: football is my life.”
Thiago admits he is still far from full fitness but is now hoping to get back into the side as Pep Guardiola’s men continue their hunt for the treble.
“I’m not ready for 90 minutes, I felt tired after 10!” he added. “My goals haven’t changed: to win games and win titles.”
