Christian Benteke has said that he is "grateful" to Paul Lambert for the manager's support during his absence with an Achilles injury.
The Aston Villa striker has been sidelined for the last six months after rupturing the tendon during training earlier this year, but scored during a match with the Under-21 side earlier this week.
The Belgium international told The Sun: "I promised Villa fans I would work hard to get back as soon as my body allowed, and I have. But now I can't wait.
"[Lambert] told me he had suffered a long injury once when he was a player and was out for three months, so he knew what I was going through. Working alone is too difficult in those circumstances.
"To work as hard as I wanted to I had to be with friends and family. He let me live in Belgium for three months and I lived a normal life."
Benteke has scored 29 goals in 56 league appearances since joining Villa in 2012.
Sian Cowper
