By Ameenu Shardow
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Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costaà traveledà to receive treatment fromà renowned therapist Mariana Kovacevic in a desperate attempt to be fit for the Champions League final against Real Madrid on Saturday.
The Serbian ââ¬Ëmagic healerââ¬â¢ who will be joining Ghanaââ¬â¢s back room staff for the 2014 World Cup is renowned for her horse placenta treatment which accelerates recovery of injured athletes.
Costa is diagnosed with a grade one hamstring injury sustained in last weekendââ¬â¢s draw with Barcelona in the final game of Atleticoââ¬â¢s successful La Liga campaign.
This type of injury keeps players out for at least 15 days â⬓ effectively ruling out the Spaniard out of Saturdayââ¬â¢s Champions League finals against city rivals Real Madrid.
Kovacevic who has worked on several world class players like Wayne Rooney, Robin Van Persie and Frank Lampard and was also attached to Ghanaââ¬â¢s national team for the 2010 World Cup used a different kind of treatment on Costa who is due back to rejoin the Atletico team on Wednesday afternoon.
ââ¬ÅThere were no animal parts used and no injections,â⬠he said.
ââ¬ÅThe doctor has treated a lot of players and seems to be held in very high regard.
ââ¬ÅShe explained everything to me beforehand and told me she would be using fluid from a placenta that had come from a woman.
ââ¬ÅNothing went into the muscle itself. It was just a case of massaging the liquid on to the skin around the affected area.
ââ¬ÅIt meant I was able to play again within a fortnight and help the team at an important time.ââ¬
Kovacevic who holds a degree in pharmacology will be rejoining the Black Stars team as a member of a detailed back room staff for the World Cup in Brazil.
She was first introduced to the Ghana FA by then Black Stars coach Milovan Rajevac and worked with the team at the last World Cup in South Africa and was able to cure players like Kevin-Prince Boateng, John Mensah and the like ahead of time for matches.