Ricardo Costa happy to be back

Fit-again defender aiming to make his mark in Germany

Ricardo Costa returned to Portugal this week for the German winter break, having marked his return to full fitness with his first goal for new club Wolfsburg over the weekend.

The defender moved to the Bundesliga in August from Portuguese champions FC Porto, but a serious knee injury sustained on his debut in the German Cup saw him out of action for three months, although the initial diagnosis was that Costa would not return until next year.

However, after making his comeback against Frankfurt two weeks ago, Costa signed off the first half of the German season with a goal in his team’s 4-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund on Sunday.

“Returning to action has not been easy, the first few games were tough, but I’m now in my best form,” Costa said on his return home, with the German league not set to resume until February.

“After so long out, I return to the team, score a goal and now we go on holiday,” he joked. “It’s been a complicated year.”

On the subject of his manager, Felix Magath, a tough disciplinarian who recently froze out fellow Portuguese Alex Domingos, Costa admits that his coach is demanding, but insists he is determined to repay the faith shown in him by the former Bayern Munich boss.

“Alex? He is more than just a player, he is a great friend and I am sad at what happened. He (Magath) is an axeman. If a player doesn’t work he cuts off their legs,” joked Costa.

“He bet on me and I do not want to devalue those expectations. He always wants you to give 100%. If a player does that he respects you, if not….

“Compared to (former Porto manager) Co Adriaanse? They have different styles but similar personalities. If they lose it is the end of the world, but I’m like that too.”