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Villarreal's Pablo Fornals keen to return after collapsing vs. Athletic Bilbao

Villarreal midfielder Pablo Fornals, who collapsed in a loss to Athletic Bilbao on Monday, is looking forward to playing again.

Fornals, 22, collapsed in the sixth minute of the 3-1 home loss and Villarreal's medical team rushed to his aid.

He was taken to hospital and diagnosed with presyncope, according to the club, who said he would spend the night under observation at Castellon's Rey Don Jaime Hospital.

"Thanks to everyone for their messages," Fornals wrote on Instagram on Tuesday morning. "I'm already thinking about returning [to play] as soon as possible. I apologise to everyone for the scare."

Fornals, who has scored three goals and set up eight more in 30 league appearances for Villarreal, experienced a similar episode in a December training session that was attributed to hypoglycaemia.

"I get dizzy, I see blurry and soon after, I recover consciousness," Fornals told Cadena Cope radio after Monday's episode.

"This is the fourth time it's happened. The symptoms are always the same I've experienced other times. I'm waiting to see what the medical tests reveal and then I will speak to the club. My family knows I love football. It's my life."

Meanwhile, Athletic Bilbao's Iker Muniain scored in his first game following a six-month injury layoff while recovering from a torn ACL in his right knee.

Muniain came on in the second half and scored Athletic's last goal.

"It has been very exciting after working so hard for so long and wishing to return," Muniain told La Liga's website. "I'm delighted and I dedicate this to everyone that has helped me and to the fans."

Muniain tore the ligament on Sept. 28 and underwent surgery on Oct. 9.

The win was the first for Athletic at Villarreal in La Liga in 14 years.

"Curses are there to be broken and we did it," Muniain said.