Gaetano Berardi is facing another spell on the sidelines in a major blow to Leeds United after breaking down in their 2-0 Championship win over Ipswich Town on Wednesday.
The Switzerland international was substituted after 27 minutes at Elland Road with what Marcelo Bielsa admitted after was a “muscular injury”, as quoted by the personal Twitter account of Yorkshire Evening Post correspondent Phil Hay.
Bielsa on Berardi's injury: "I think it's a muscular injury. He fell in an uncoordinated way and put tension on the muscle."
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) October 24, 2018
It means Berardi is almost certain to need time on the treatment table for the second time this season after only recently recovering from a knee problem.
OPINION
As Leeds fans are starting to learn, “I think it’s a muscular injury” is Bielsa-speak for a fairly serious injury that usually keeps a player out for many weeks. He used exactly the same term to describe the hamstring injury suffered by Barry Douglas before the international break and which has kept him out of the last three matches. It was the same with Kemar Roofe and Pablo Hernandez, who both suffered muscle injuries that sidelined them for between six and eight weeks. Losing Berardi for the second time to what appears a serious injury already this season is bad news after the otherwise outpouring of joy from Leeds fans that greeted their win and performance against Ipswich. Berardi lasted less than a third of the match after starting in a three-man defence alongside Kalvin Phillips and Liam Cooper. The Swiss made way for Stuart Dallas, who slotted in on at right wing-back, while Luke Ayling replaced Berardi in the centre. The senior defence is almost certain to now miss