If Facundo Buonanotte is to have any impact on Leeds United’s season from here on, the international break might have helped him.
After the international break in March, Daniel Farke will be crossing his fingers that players return to Thorp Arch in good condition for the run-in.
Several were out on duty, but it looks as though Leeds haven’t had a single player come back with a fresh injury setback.
Leeds United team news pre-West Ham – Fully fit squad for FA Cup quarter-final?
Prior to the break, the only main concern was that of Noah Okafor. The Swiss international was working his way back to top speed after a hamstring setback in February.
He was called into Murat Yakin’s squad in March due to an injury elsewhere, but didn’t kick a ball for them as he was omitted from the second fixture against Norway.
Naturally, you worry when a player is missing from the squad, but Switzerland swiftly cleared up the issue, confirming that Okafor and the medical staff decided him playing wasn’t worth the risk. As a result, he could be back in action on Sunday against West Ham in the FA Cup.
Elsewhere, Gabriel Gudmundsson picked up a knock to his knee in Sweden’s World Cup playoff semi-final. But, the issue wasn’t anything to worry about as he played a full 90 minutes in their dramatic 3-2 win against Poland to qualify for the World Cup.
The Swede has also served his one-match suspension after that inexplicable red card away to Crystal Palace.
Can Facundo Buonanotte prove his fitness levels as Leeds United travel to West Ham?
Another player who is continuously working back to fitness is January signing Facundo Buonanotte.
I won’t lie, I’m at the point where I think it’s fast becoming one of the most pointless signings we’ve made in recent years. He’s made a couple of forgettable cameos in the league, and then looked badly out of shape in the FA Cup against Birmingham City. He’s not featured since.
That said, if there is any chance that he could have an impact in the final run of games, the international break could be just what he needed.
Nothing can replace match sharpness, which he sorely lacked at Chelsea. But, getting up to a base level of fitness where he can come off the bench under Farke might be crucial.
Buonanotte is undoubtedly talented enough to help Leeds in the run-in, if playing at peak form. However, it never looked likely that we’d see him even close to 100%.
If there’s a slim hope of him getting into Farke’s plans, he needs to have used this break to catch up with his teammates on a fitness level.
Who knows? He could be ‘like a new signing’ if he gets up to speed. I’m not holding my breath, though, obviously.
0% Love 0% Funny 0% Wow 0% Sad 0% Angry
Post navigation