188 days after suffering Achilles tendon injury, Red Star confirm Olayinka is back on the grass

Peter Olayinka is making good progress in his recovery from an Achilles tendon injury, allnigeriasoccer.com reports.

The Nigeria international has not played competitively for club and country since suffering a serious injury during Red Star Belgrade's Champions League clash against Monaco at Stade Louis II on October 22, 2024. 

Olayinka was stepped on by Monaco captain Denis Zakaria toward the end of the first half and aggravated the injury by choosing to continue playing despite noticeable swelling in his leg.

The swelling put pressure on the tendon, causing it to rupture, and a week after sustaining the injury, he underwent surgery at a renowned hospital in Finland.

One hundred and eighty eight days after sustaining one of the most serious football injuries, Red Star Belgrade took to social media on Monday, April 28, to confirm that their number 29 is back on the grass.

The former Slavia Prague star was spotted being put through his paces by a Red Star Belgrade fitness coach.

Immediately after the operation, it was confirmed that Olayinka would miss the rest of the season, with Red Star coach Vladan Milojevic expecting him back in the summer, though the experienced winger is working hard to return sooner and feature in the season's run-in.

Red Star Belgrade have five games remaining this season, including the Serbian Cup semifinal against Napredak on May 7, 2025.

Before his spell on the sidelines, Olayinka played eleven games in all competitions for Red Star Belgrade, registering two goals and two assists. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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