Wolves star Raul Jimenez: Skull operation may have saved my life

The Mexican striker made his return to competitive football at the weekend after his horrific clash of heads with Arsenal’s David Luiz left him sidelined since late November.

Jimenez has made a remarkable recovery since and insists that the immediate surgery he underwent in London was key to his comeback.

“Since the first moment they told me what happened, the risks, because they are doctors they have to tell you the truth and you have to take it,” Jimenez said.

“Sometimes this is not what you want to hear but it’s their job to tell you that.

“Since the beginning, they were really supportive with me. The surgeons the doctors, they were in all moments with me.

“The skull fracture did take a little longer than we all expected it to heal but it was a miracle to be here with you.”

When asked if he is lucky to be alive, Jimenez added: “They told me it was like a miracle to be there.

“OK, the skull fracture, the bone broke and there was a little bit of bleeding inside the brain. It was pushing my brain to the inside and that is why the surgery had to be quick. It was a really good job by the doctors and I am back here.”

Although there was always a possibility Jimenez would never play football again, the forward insists the doctors supported his desire to return to the field.

He said: “They have always been really supportive. They talked about the risk obviously but (said) this is what we all want, you get back to playing football, but there is always a percentage – it doesn’t matter if it’s a low percentage or a high percentage – of you never playing again.

“That kind of news you have to assimilate in the moment and then keep working and do your best to be back.”

Now he is back on the pitch, Jimenez insists his target is to help the team rediscover their form.

“The first thing is to get back to what I was doing before the injury,” he said.

“I think I was playing good, the team was playing really good and doing good things on the pitch.

“We are like a family so we want to keep doing things like that. It’s a target to get the team to back where it deserves.”