Diogo Dalot of Manchester United faces the possibility of missing the remainder of the season due to a calf injury.
The full-back is confirmed to miss Sunday`s Premier League match at Bournemouth and is highly unlikely to feature in either leg of the Europa League semi-final versus Athletic Bilbao. The initial match is scheduled for Thursday in Spain.
Credit: Getty
In a season marked by numerous injuries for United, Dalot had been one of the most consistently fit players.
The 26-year-old Portuguese international has started more games than any other United player, appearing in 51 out of the club`s 52 matches across all competitions, in addition to seven appearances for his national team.
However, manager Ruben Amorim is concerned that the Portuguese player`s extensive workload may have contributed to the injury.
Amorim stated, “Diogo is unavailable. We are unsure of the exact duration of his absence, but he will miss the upcoming matches.”
When asked if Dalot might miss the rest of the campaign, the manager responded, “That possibility exists, but I cannot confirm it yet.”
He added, “We will assess the situation week by week. He is a dedicated worker and recovers well, but we need to monitor it.”
“He has a muscular issue in his calf. He played consistently through a run of matches.”
“We attempted to manage his load, but some players are required to play extensive minutes. While we aim to protect those less ready for that, Dalot experienced discomfort.”
Credit: Reuters
In better news for United`s attack, Amad Diallo, who has scored nine goals this season, might be fit for the Bilbao match following a faster-than-anticipated recovery from damaged ankle ligaments.
This injury had sidelined him since February 7th, and initially, it was feared he would miss the rest of the season.
Central defender Matthijs De Ligt is also nearing a return, with Amorim stating, “Amad is close [to returning], and so is Matha [De Ligt].”
However, young defender Ayden Heaven`s return is still distant after he sustained a knee injury during the 3-0 victory at Leicester last month.
