Nicolai Boilesen

Boilesen: I'm making progress in Austria

The F.C. Copenhagen first-team squad are now in Austria for their summer training camp, which began with the traditional bleep test on Saturday.

Attention is now turning to the Lions' two friendly games scheduled in Austria – against Schalke 04 on Tuesday and then a clash with Viktoria Plzen on Friday.

FCK defender Nicolai Boilesen missed the bleep test but did train during Saturday's morning session. It was the first time he's done training at that intensity since recovering from injury, and the Dane is hoping to pick up the pace more in the coming days.

"I managed to join the team on Tuesday, the day before the Silkeborg match, where I was fully involved, but that session was more tactical, whereas on Saturday there was more football played," says Boilesen.

Nicolai Boilesen

"So you could say that it was the first time I've been involved in a full training session in terms of the intensity. It's great because it's been a long journey, but there's still a little way to go. I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

"It's a bit more important on this trip that I'm involved with the ball as much as possible, and I also still have to do my exercises in the gym, which should help strengthen my knee. So it's been a bit of a balancing act, what is most important."

Progress being made
Although Boilesen is not yet match fit, he says he is getting closer, although he's unable to put a precise date on his return just yet.

"Yes, it's coming, but to be completely honest, I don't actually know when exactly it will be," he adds.

"Now we have to see with this training camp, where hopefully I will be there for almost everything every day, and then see how my body and knee react, and how I myself respond, and how the coaches see it in consultation with the players, and then do a status update after that.

"It's about being smart now, because of course you can get impatient very quickly when you're so close, and of course it's also really nice to have got to this position. But it's now that things have to be done the right way. As quickly as possible, but also in the right way."

Nicolai Boilesen og Andreas Cornelius på vej på træningsbanen i Østrig