Gnabry - What I’ve learnt on sidelines

Serge Gnabry says he has learnt some valuable lessons about his body during his spell on the sidelines.

The Germany youth international has been out since March with a knee injury, but has now returned to full training.

The 19-year-old admits it has been a tough period for him, and he cannot wait to get back to action.

“It’s the worst thing that can happen to you as a footballer but I think you have to learn from it,” Gnabry told Arsenal Player. “It requires great discipline to rest as much as you can and not do stuff that’s going to affect your health, so it’s in your mind to stay focused and keep going.

“I’ve been out for more than six months now, and it isn’t easy seeing players out there enjoying football when you can’t run. You have to use it as a learning curve and try to get into the best shape for when you come back.

“I’ve learnt a lot about my body - what exercises are good for me, what exercises are bad for me. When you watch games you sometimes see more than you do when you’re on the pitch, so I’ve learnt from that as well.”

While Gnabry concedes there have been difficult times along the way, he has remained as upbeat as possible throughout his rehabilitation.

“I try to stay positive most of the time,” he said. “It’s part of our job. It’s not the best part but it’s there and I don’t there’s a player who’s not been injured.

“I try to stay focused and motivate myself every day by saying, ‘Keep going, you’ll get the result at the end of it’. That’s what keeps me motivated.”