Sheffield Wednesday duo ruled out of Steel City derby

Fernando Forestieri has been ruled out of next week's Steel City derby.
Fernando ForestieriFernando Forestieri
Fernando Forestieri

The Sheffield Wednesday striker is due to return to first-team training next week following a hamstring problem, but manager Jos Luhukay has revealed Friday’s derby at Bramall Lane would come too soon for the striker.

Fellow forward Marco Matias (also hamstring) is also due back in training, but will not feature for the Owls until after the two-week international break.

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"It is not possible that Fernando (can) play against Sheffield United,” said Luhukay.

"First we must hope that he comes back to the team training but he has not been on the training field for a couple of weeks.

"We had positive news that Marco today came back into the team training.

"Both players will hopefully after the international break will be very close to playing for the team.”

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But there was little positive news on the Owls’ other long-term injured in Gary Hooper, Kieran Lee and Sam Winnall.

Hooper has been ruled out for the remainder of 2018 following groin surgery in London, while midfielder Lee may need another operation.

"He (Hooper) had surgery in London yesterday,” said Luhukay. “The diagnosis is that he will not be available for us for the next eight weeks.

"But the surgery was positive so we hope that in the next two months he comes back to the team training and then we will see.

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“I think for Gary himself it is very important to come back to the team and hopefully he can help us in the later stages.

"We can't give an exact time on Kieran on when he will be ready. Maybe Kieran will need a surgery in the next days and weeks.

"Joost van Aken is very well and he played the first half of Monday's Under-23 game.

“He will also play on Monday for the Under-23s. Joost is also coming back from his injury.”

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Striker Winnall has been ruled out until December, after setbacks in his recuperation from a serious knee injury.

Luhukay said: ”He has been out since February. He is one player who has been away for a long time away from the team.

"He has now had two injuries since coming back. One with calf and the other with his hamstring.

"We must give him time and patience to come back 100 per cent.

"The medical team say four to six weeks to me after today.

"I think it (the international break) will be too short for him to come back but you never know how he will progress. We will see how he is in two to three weeks.”