Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe confirmed a season-ending injury for one of his defenders on Tuesday.
According to Howe, speaking ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League playoff first leg against Qarabag, Emil Krafth is likely out for the remainder of the season after undergoing knee surgery.
Krafth, in turn, has been removed from the club’s European squad and replaced by John Ruddy.
“Emil’s had an operation on his knee so I think in all likelihood, it looks like the season is over, which is a real
blow for us,” Howe said. “He first had the problem on international duty. We hoped that he could come back and be okay, but it became apparent in training recently that he wasn’t going to get to the level needed, and there needed to be a surgical intervention.”
Newcastle travel to Baku seeking a positive result to take back to St James’ Park for the second leg. Howe said he will prioritize the immediate task.
“We will play our strongest team in the sense that we will try and win the game,” Howe said. “There’ll be no thinking of the schedule ahead; this game, in isolation, is hugely important.”
Joelinton will return to the squad after his injury, Lewis Miley remains sidelined but is progressing, and Bruno Guimaraes is expected to miss several weeks with a hamstring injury, possibly into April.
