After making his return to Nottingham Forest, defender Felipe is looking to move past a “difficult” moment in his life.
The Brazilian came off the bench in the Reds’ 1-0 loss to Everton on Saturday, marking his first appearance of the season for the first squad. He had only played once for the Under-21s before that, in the EFL Trophy against Harrogate Town back in September.
He has been out due to a knee injury. Felipe had difficulty with it last season; following his January transfer to Forest, he seldom trained and played through the pain in the second part of the season.
When the half ended against the Toffees, he took Willy Boly’s position at centre back after the latter took a knock. He also came dangerously close to striking the back of the net, which almost helped the hosts win.
In a translated message on Instagram, Felipe wrote: “I wish I would’ve walked out with the win or the ball in the beam… But it was a day to celebrate and give thanks! It’s been almost 200 days without being able to experience this atmosphere at the City Ground, without being able to perform with the support and affection of the fans, without doing what I love most, which is playing football and honouring the shirt I defend.
“I can’t stop thanking the people who supported me during this challenging process: Dr. Gabriel, Edu, and Filipe; without you, none of this would be possible. I would also like to thank the club for all of their help and consideration.
“Although I’m disappointed with the outcome, I’m extremely satisfied with the outcome and promise to keep working hard every day to support my club and my teammates this season. God is a wise man, and there are still many wonderful things in store for him. Let’s search for more!
