Fabregas: I'll be fit in a month

THIS week, for the first time since Christmas, I kicked a football. I finally feel like a professional player again.

If everything goes to plan, I will be back in action for Arsenal in four weeks.

That will leave me plenty of time to make sure this season is not a complete write-off — for me or for the club.

Tomorrow will be exactly 11 weeks since I ruptured my medial ligament during Arsenal’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool at the Emirates.

It has been the longest and most frustrating lay-off of my career. I cannot remember any time in my entire life when I have gone so long without kicking a ball.

But now I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. And this week has been a big stepping stone on my road to recovery.

Because on Monday I was given the green light to start working with a ball again.

And I cannot tell you how good that feels after all those weeks of running and gym work.

Obviously I am still taking things gently. I’m not putting my full weight behind the ball and I’m certainly not involved in any physical contact yet.

For now I’m happy just to pass the ball gently with my right foot, run in possession in a straight line and begin to start twisting and turning.

But the plan is to gradually step up the intensity of my training until I’m ready to return to full training with the senior squad.

And once that happens, I reckon it will only be one more week before I’m ready to play for Arsenal again.

Nothing is definite yet, but I’ve got one eye on the home game against Manchester City on April 4 for my return.

If we can get past Roma in Wednesday’s second leg I’d certainly hope to be back in time for the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals the following midweek.

The way I look at things, I am very fortunate to be returning for the business part of the season, the most exciting stage of the campaign when the trophies and European qualification places are settled.

And I’m not the only one looking forward to making a late contribution for Arsenal.

This time next month, Theo Walcott, Emmanuel Adebayor, Eduardo, Tomas Rosicky, Mikael Silvestre and myself could ALL be available for selection again.

I genuinely believe I will return fitter and stronger than ever as a result of the first long break of my professional career.

For the past five years I have never had more than one month’s rest. I am only 21 but have already played more than 250 games for Arsenal and Spain.

I came back from the European Championships last summer and injured my hamstring so I didn’t have a good pre-season and didn’t feel as quick and as fresh as I’d used to be.

So maybe the injury was my body’s way of telling me to take a break.

Now I’ve got the opportunity to put in the fitness and preparation work to get everything back in perfect working order.

I’m working mornings and afternoons with Tony Colbert, the club’s fitness coach, and my progress is constantly monitored by the medical staff.

For the first week it was just me and Tony, pounding around the training ground and working in the gym to build up the wasted muscles in my right leg.

But it’s much more enjoyable now that I’m working with Tomas, Eduardo, Ade and the other injured players. It’s great just to be a part of the group again.

Out on the pitch, we just need to be a bit more clinical in front of goal. If we can do that I really feel we can end this season on a high.

The Premier League will always be Arsenal’s priority and I am convinced we will finish the season in the top four at least.

But I also have a very good feeling about the Champions League and the FA Cup, two huge trophies which are both within our grasp.

At the moment the whole country seems to be expecting Manchester United to win everything.

Of course they are a great team who can beat anyone on their day. But in the many years I have been at Arsenal, we have beaten them more than they have beaten us.

So I don’t think United will want to be drawn against us in either of the remaining cup competitions.

It’s still possible I could play another 15 games for Arsenal this season, but that would involve going all the way in the FA Cup and the Champions League.

We’ve also still got to play United, Chelsea AND Liverpool in the final month of the Premier League.

We have beaten them all in the past, so why can’t we do it again?

Everyone at Arsenal has to stay strong. We all have to believe we can still finish in the top four.