West Bromwich Albion manager Roberto di Matteo feels for stricken Owen Hargreaves as the Manchester United midfielder continues to struggle with a long-standing knee injury.
Speaking ahead of their clash at Old Trafford this weekend, the Italian tactician says he hopes to see the former Bayern Munich man return in the future while frankly discussing his own misfortunes when at Chelsea during his playing days.
Di Matteo suffered a horrific broken leg in a UEFA Cup clash at St Gallen in 2001, an injury that forced him to retire some 18 months later at the age of 31.
"Genuinely I hope that he will be able to play football again," he said."He's been injured for a long time but he's still got the hope to be able to play again.
"You don't want to see anybody ending their career because of injury because a footballer's career is short anyway.
"It's a long story. I had a lot of complications after the triple fracture. From then on, the nightmare started.
"Every morning I get up and I get reminded by my leg that I've had an injury, but that's life."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email