Kaizer Chiefs will be without Tebogo Potsane for their upcoming match, and coach Nasreddine Nabi has expressed disappointment but remained tight-lipped about the reasons behind the player’s absence.
Potsane, who has impressed Nabi since his return, made substitute appearances against Polokwane City FC and TS Galaxy, most recently after an eight-month absence due to injury.
His pace and trickery were expected to add a spark to Amakhosi’s attacking arsenal. However, Nabi confirmed that Potsane will not be part of the squad for the Chippa United league match on Sunday, 29 December, at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, with kick-off at 17:45.
While the Tunisian coach said he is disappointed, he remained vague about the reasons for the winger’s unavailability. But it appears to be a precautionary measure as Nabi doesn’t want to risk aggravating a minor injury Potsane sustained at training.
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“The only player unavailable from the last match against TS Galaxy is [Tebogo] Potsane,” said Nabi.
“This is quite unfortunate because he is a player who just came back from a long-term injury and was playing very well, building up momentum and confidence, so that is disappointing for him and for us.”
Following the recent match against Galaxy, Nabi emphasised a cautious approach to Potsane’s return. He explained that while the winger has shown promising signs, he believes Potsane still requires additional time to regain full match fitness.
“We feel that he’s a player that would have given you 60-70 minutes,” said Nabi. “When you look at his performance, he did very well in the first 30 minutes. It’s only his second game of the league. We feel that he’s only 60% of his capacity. He can do better.”
Meanwhile, the Soweto giants are currently enduring a winless streak spanning three matches and are eager to break this drought before the new year commences.
“We look forward to playing in Durban. The fans there always turn out in big numbers and give us amazing support and a brilliant atmosphere. We really want to give them something to celebrate to add to the holiday spirit and go into the new year on a positive note,” added Nabi.
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