Alan Ruschel, one of three Chapecoense players to survive the air crash that killed 71 people in Colombia on November 28, 2016, will return to football on Monday in a friendly match against Barcelona.
The plane carrying the Chapecoense squad to the Copa Sudamericana final against Atletico Nacional crashed into the mountains outside Medellin last November, killing all bar six of the 77 people on board.
Left back Ruschel survived, along with defender Neto, while goalkeeper Jakson Follmann had part of his leg amputated.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday Ruschel said it was a dream to be playing against Barcelona and said the perfect gift would be to exchange shirts with star player Messi.
“Exchanging shirts with Messi would be a gift for me, the best player in the world and one of the best in football history, for me would be great.
“I want to talk about my joy of being able to do what I like and I love. I want to thank all those who are part of my recovery, to thank the physiotherapists of the club, the clinical, medical and physical part, to thank God for being able to do what I love and thank my family.
“The most difficult part of that period of recovery was the psychological part, rather than going back to Chapeco, rather than going back to training, it was a subject that people who were with you were not part of and that was the hardest part for me.
“Today, I’m here alive. God is good, I am very grateful to God for everything he has given me in life, for everything he is doing for me, for me to be here today, to play at the Camp Nou and against Barcelona is a childhood dream,” Ruschel said.
Ruschel spent more than two weeks in hospital following the crash and had surgery on a back injury.
