Brighton and Hove Albion defender Igor Julio has expressed his gratitude to Sao Paulo after he completed his recovery from a hip injury at the Brazilian club.
The [club’s official website provide comments](https://www.saopaulofc.net/igor-julio-finaliza-recuperacao-no-reffis-plus-e-esta-liberado-para-retornar-ao-brighton-da-inglaterra/) from the Brighton defender today as he steps up his recovery process and gets set to return to England.
They explain that the defender has been using their facilities, REFFIS Plus, to recover from a rupture in the rear muscle tendon of his left hip suffered against Arsenal on January 4th.
He had surgery on that problem and was given the option of completing his rehab in England or Brazil but chose the latter, seeing out the help of Sao Paulo’s professionals at REFFIS Plus.
They’ve become something of a favoured location for Brazilian athletes in recent year, with Antony and VfL Bochum’s Bernardo also heading there when injured.
_“São Paulo is recovering an identity that has always been the club, that is this culture of modernity and pioneers of REFFIS Plus. This makes us happy, because the athletes are looking for the club like they did in the past,”_ explained the club health and performance coordinator Felipe Marques.
Igor is the latest to benefit from it, carrying out various physiotherapy exercises during the recovery phase which will now be complemented by a ‘physical transition’ during his return to Brighton.
He’s certainly happy with the treatment he’s received, admitting this injury is the worst he’s suffered during his career so far.
_“This is the most serious injury that I’ve suffered in my career,”_ he said.
_“There is an opportunity to make a recovery in England or in other clubs in Brazil but I opted for São Paulo. O REFFIS Plus is very well-known and has excellent professionals._
_“It was a pleasure to build the structure of CT da Barra Funda and make a minimum recovery in this great club, which I always admire. I was well received by everyone. I felt confident and secure in my recovery from the first day here, and I will return to England with this feeling of gratitude. Now, I’m looking forward to being able to work on the field in this transition.”_