Weir puts ‘most challenging time’ behind her with double

Scotland midfielder Caroline Weir has expressed her delight at putting “the most challenging time in my career” behind her by scoring a double for Real Madrid on her return from nearly a year on the sidelines through injury.

The 29-year-old also supplied an assist as Real opened the Primera Division Femenina with a 5-0 thrashing of hosts Espanyol.

Weir rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament during Scotland’s Nations League match with Belgium last September.

“What a rollercoaster the last 11 months have been,” she said on Instagram. “Definitely the most challenging time in my career filled with so many ups and downs.

“Rehab is relentless, but I tried my best to embrace the challenge – easier said than done sometimes – and have learned a lot along the way.

“I had thought about the moment I’d be back playing in a competitive match many times and some days it genuinely felt like it would never come, but it has.”