Newcastle United’s defender, Sven Botman, has encountered another setback, with head coach Eddie Howe confirming that he will remain sidelined for at least an additional two weeks.
Botman has been absent from the last five matches due to a knee injury, and his recovery process will extend to encompass a minimum of four more games. Eddie Howe, addressing reporters during a pre-match press conference, mentioned that Botman had utilized the international break to work on his fitness. However, after the recent 4-0 victory over Crystal Palace, Howe disclosed that Botman has yet to return to training.
In Howe’s words, “He was not close today. Obviously, I couldn’t say that yesterday [Friday], but he hasn’t trained yet, and he’s got a bit of a way to go. Hopefully, it won’t be too long, but in the next couple of weeks, he won’t be fit.”
Newcastle faces a demanding schedule in the upcoming period, and it appears likely that Botman will miss key fixtures, including the Champions League group stage match against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday night. Additionally, he may be unavailable for the Premier League clashes with Wolverhampton Wanderers and Arsenal, flanking a Carabao Cup encounter with Manchester United.
There were initial expectations of Botman’s swift return following the international break, as the defender had previously posted on social media, expressing his determination to come back “stronger than ever.”
Newcastle is dealing with several injury concerns in the coming weeks, with Joe Willock inching closer to a return after a prolonged absence, and Harvey Barnes facing a lengthy sideline stint until 2024. Furthermore, midfielder Sandro Tonali is confronting the possibility of a ban if he is found guilty of alleged involvement in illegal betting activities.