Abidal holding out World Cup hope

Monaco captain Eric Abidal says he has fully recovered from the problem that saw him briefly admitted to hospital last week and insists he still has his sights set on the FIFA World Cup™. Abidal, 34, spent time in hospital last week after taking the wrong flu medication and missed last Saturday's 2-1 French Ligue 1 victory against Sochaux as a result. However, the player, who underwent liver transplant surgery in 2012, said that it was little more than a precaution given his medical history. "I am absolutely fine. It was tough but it's ok now," he said. "I had the flu and and I was having difficulty treating it. I can't take paracetamol. It's a bit odd, but when you have had a transplant you mustn't take any risks. Once (your body temperature) goes above 39 degrees, you must go to hospital. The doctor made the right decision. It just needed to be checked up given my past. That was done and there is nothing to report." Abidal has played in just one of Monaco's last four matches, having initially been dropped by coach Claudio Ranieri, but he is now looking forward to returning to action on Sunday, when the principality club go to one of his old teams, Lyon. "Football is: one, my job, two, my passion, three, I have the right to get the flu like anybody else. But it changes nothing," he said. His recent form meant he was not called up to the France squad for last week's 2-0 friendly win against the Netherlands and he has slipped down coach Didier Deschamps' pecking order ahead of the World Cup in June. He last played for Les Bleus in the 2-0 defeat to Ukraine in the first leg of the decisive World Cup qualifying play-off in November but insists that he warned the national coach not to pick him during his poor run of form. "I spoke to the coach before he named his squad. I have always said that I am not someone who lies. I said that I wasn't in the right condition on the field and you could see that. He appreciated my frankness. I believe," he said of his World Cup chances. "I hope to be back to my best quickly." Source: FIFA.com