England International Defender Jonathan Woodgate, is ready to complete his Real Madrid and England rehabilitation by starting a match in the Primera Liga for the first time.

Woodgate, 25, has featured in some preparation games following an 18-month lay-off with a thigh injury and may face Athletic Bilbao on Thursday. "If coach Wanderley Luxemburgo and Real Madrid need me, then I am ready," Woodgate told the waiting press, "It is what I am working to do here and I feel very good."

Woodgate switched to the Bernabeau from English Premier league club Newcastle in August 2004, while still carrying an injury that got worse rather then better, but he is slowly returning to peak fitness. Real coach Luxemburgo has already included him in his first-team squad this season, and Woodgate was on the substitutes' bench in Sunday's match with Espanyol.

Some people say England's Sven Goran Eriksson is a lucky manager, well, judging by the recent return to fitness of Sol Campbell and now potentially that of Woodgate, it is easy to see why. Most International managers are in a far worse position than him, with key players already ruled out of the finals through injury already.

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