Leeds United: Bellusci and Cani set to miss last two matches

Bellusci - one of six players who controversially pulled out of Saturday’s visit to Charlton Athletic - will see a specialist later this week after undergoing a scan on a hamstring complaint.

Cani also missed last weekend’s game at The Valley and has been sidelined with tendinitis in one knee.

Their withdrawal and that of four other players overshadowed United’s 2-1 defeat to Charlton, prompting accusations that the group were refusing to play and attempting to undermine head coach Neil Redfearn.

Leeds have denied those claims in the past week with chairman Andrew Umbers telling the YEP yesterday that he believed all six players were “genuinely injured”.

Umbers said Bellusci and Cani were two of three players, along with goalkeeper Marco Silvestri, who had undergone MRI scans in the past 24 hours.

Souleymane Doukara, Dario Del Fabro and Mirco Antenucci also missed the trip to Charlton, despite Redfearn believing that they would be available.

Umbers said Antenucci was unlikely to resume full training until the start of next week. Doukara and Del Fabro are expected to train tomorrow.

Leeds have two Championship games remaining, one away at Sheffield Wednesday this weekend and another at home to Rotherham United on May 2.

Bellusci, who was previously ruled out of Leeds’ Easter Monday defeat at Wolverhampton Wanderers, looks likely to miss both fixtures. The club also expect Cani to be absent.

In a statement, Leeds said: “Giuseppe Bellusci is likely to miss the final two games of the season following an MRI scan on his recent injury.

“The Italian centre-half is now being referred to a specialist later this week.

“Edgar Cani is set to miss the final two league games of the season following an MRI scan on the recent knee injury that ruled the frontman out of the trip to Charlton.”

In his interview with the YEP, Umbers revealed that Leeds had signed Cani on loan from Catania in January despite being aware of problems with his knee.

The Albanian striker has not started a first-team game.