Enzo Maresca has expressed skepticism over Wilfred Ndidi’s positive outlook on his injury, implying that his return won’t be as quick as the Nigerian player anticipates.
The Leicester City midfielder surprised many with his announcement on Monday, stating to Sky Sports that he would be back playing in just a couple of weeks, despite undergoing surgery only a fortnight ago. Maresca had initially projected a much lengthier recovery period, estimating that Ndidi could potentially be out until early April.
In response to Ndidi’s statement, Maresca has downplayed the optimism, indicating that he does not expect the player to be available that soon. Asked about the timeline set by Ndidi, Maresca stated, “Hopefully! But I don’t think so. Hopefully, he can be back in two weeks but I don’t think so.”
Ndidi is one of five senior players absent for City during Monday night’s match against Ipswich, with Abdul Fatawu serving a suspension for a red card and the other three players on international duty. Harry Souttar and Kelechi Iheanacho are still competing in their respective international competitions and are expected to play this weekend.
Patson Daka, on the other hand, is still vying for qualification with Zambia but may not be back in time for Saturday’s game against Birmingham, although he could be ready for the match against Swansea next week.
