Moroccan international Abde Ezzalzouli has returned to full training with Real Betis, providing an encouraging update on his fitness ahead of the club's upcoming fixtures.
The 24-year-old winger completed Thursday's training session normally alongside his teammates after Betis returned to work following their impressive 3-2 Champions League victory over Lille.
A Positive Sign for Abde
According to Spanish reports, Ezzalzouli trained without visible protection on his knee, offering another positive indication that his recovery is progressing.
Estadio Deportivo reported that the Moroccan was back working fully with the group during Thursday morning's session, giving Manuel Pellegrini further encouraging news as several players continue to work their way back to full fitness.
The development comes only days after the Betis coach revealed that Ezzalzouli was still experiencing some discomfort.
- "Abde is not yet 100% recovered. It is a complicated knee injury that causes him a lot of discomfort, but we hope he will be fully recovered in the coming days."
The winger was subsequently left out of the squad for Betis' Champions League opener in France.
A Long Road Back
Ezzalzouli has endured a challenging recovery after suffering a knee ligament sprain shortly before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, an injury that prevented him from representing Morocco at the tournament.
The winger spent much of the summer following an individual rehabilitation program before gradually returning to team training in August.
His initial sessions with the group were carefully managed as Betis monitored his workload and continued to build his fitness step by step.
Another Step Toward His Best
Ezzalzouli eventually made his first competitive appearance of the season against Levante in late August.
A viral illness then ruled him out of Betis' 1-0 victory over Real Madrid, while renewed knee discomfort prevented him from traveling for the Champions League meeting with Lille.
His return to full training therefore represents another important milestone in his comeback.
Waiting for the Green Light
While Thursday's session represents a major positive development, Betis have yet to confirm whether Ezzalzouli is ready to return to competitive action.
Pellegrini's side have several training sessions before their next LaLiga fixture against Villarreal on Monday, giving the Moroccan international valuable time to continue building his fitness.
For now, the priority is clear: one step at a time, one training session at a time, and a full return when the moment is right.
After months of patience and perseverance, seeing Abde back among his teammates is another welcome sight for Moroccan football, and another reason to look forward to watching the Atlas Lion shine again.