Tomorrow, Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen will start from the first minute when the Gunners face Aston Villa in their penultimate game of the English Premier League.

Speaking to Arsenal TV Online, the Belgium International confessed his target was to be back in action before the end of the season in order to relax during the holidays and enjoy a healthy preparation during pre-season.

The centre back confessed it was strange to be back in the squad for the Stoke City game last week, to travel and be in the hotel with the rest of the team and to listen to manager Arsene Wenger doing his team talk before the game and at half time.

On who helped him during the eight months he spent on the sidelines, the 25-year old revealed striker Robin van Persie was one who was full of advice as of course he has had his share of injuries in the last couple of years.

On his recovery, Vermaelen said:

[Initially] they said it’s only a few weeks but I had always a setback so I thought I would be fit in a few weeks all the time.

Always in my mind I thought I could play this season but in the end we came closer to the ending of the season and then sometimes I thought it’s difficult to play again.

My target was to be fit before holidays and show the boss I’m back, show him that I’m sharp, that was target in the first place and I reached that.

I was happy to be involved in the squad [for the Stoke game], it’s a step up of course, you first you go outside with the physical coach Tony Colbert and then you come back in the squad, in training and last week I was involved with the team.

It’s a little bit strange, you travel again, go into the hotel, you go back in the dressing room, the talks from the boss and those kind of things, so, it’s good and I’m really happy to be there again.

[Who helped me during the injury lay-off?] I spoke a lot with Robin [van Persie] as we speak Dutch with each other, he had a few injuries as well, he gave me some good advice.