Petrov makes Aston Villa return following battle with leukaemia

Reading time: minutes

Stiliyan Petrov returned to the Aston Villa team on Saturday for a pre-season friendly. AVFC

The Bulgarian was diagnosed with the illness in 2012 and announced his retirement a year later. but now aged 37, he is hoping to make a comeback

Stiliyan Petrov returned to the Aston Villa team on Saturday for a pre-season friendly against Austrian side GAK 1902, four-and-a-half years after being diagnosed with leukaemia.

Back in August 2012, five months after his diagnosis, Villa announced Petrov's cancer was in remission but that he decided to retire from football at the end of that season.

Now the 37-year-old is hoping to make a comeback, and he received a heartwarming welcome from the fans.

Petrov is training with the club on a non-contract basis, but is hoping he can sign some sort of deal with the recently relegated side.