Real Madrid defender Jonathan Woodgate has had his holidays cut short in order to continue his recovery programme from the thigh injury that left him on the sidelines throughout his first season at the club.
The 25-year-old England international will remain in the Spanish capital for most of June in an attempt to regain full fitness before the squad begins pre-season training on July 8.
Woodgate, who joined Real from Newcastle United for close to 20 million euros ($24.65 million) last August, has not played a competitive game since tearing a muscle in his thigh in a English Premier League match against Chelsea in April 2004.
The centre back was scheduled to make his debut for Real last October but suffered a recurrence of the injury in training and despite assurances that he would play before the end of the season he has not made an appearance for the club.