Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi has provided an update on the fitness of Gaston Sirino ahead of the club’s crucial Carling Knockout Cup tie against SuperSport United.
Sirino, who joined Chiefs as a free agent in the off-season following his departure from Mamelodi Sundowns, sustained an abductor muscle injury in Amakhosi last league match against his former club.
The injury has left Sirino’s participation in the Carling Cup Last 16 clash against SuperSport at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Saturday in doubt.
Sirino has quickly become a fan favourite at Chiefs as the Uruguayan midfielder has made an immediate impact, contributing two assists and one goal in his first three games under coach Nabi.
Sirino’s impressive performances in the Betway Premiership have endeared him to the Amakhosi faithful, who have welcomed him with open arms.
Nabi has acknowledged Sirino’s importance to his team, stating that his absence was felt in their most recent match against Marumo Gallants in the Cufa Cup at the Free State Stadium last Sunday.
While Sirino is making progress in his recovery, Nabi cautioned that he might not be able to play the full 90 minutes in the Matsatsantsa encounter.
CHIEFS COACH ADDRESSES GASTIN SIRINO’S AVAILABILITY
“You will notice that we actually felt the absence of Sirino in our last game [Marumo Gallants]. So it shows the importance of that player within our team,” said Nabi in Bryanston on Tuesday.
“Maybe he is not fully recovered, but we are at least trying to count on him in the next game [SuperSport]. He won’t maybe play the whole 90 minutes, but we will see how many minutes we can give him in that game.”
It has been over a week since the club’s physio, Dave Milner, reported that Sirino’s condition is improving. The Soweto giants’ doctor anticipates that the player will resume full training within the next two weeks. However, the Carling Knockout Cup is set to take place in just two days.
Despite the uncertainty, Nabi, remains optimistic about Sirino’s potential availability for the cup fixture versus SuperSport.
The playmaker’s potential return would be a significant boost for Chiefs as they look to advance in the cup competition.
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