Bielsa confirms fresh injury blow for Leeds senior player after defeat v QPR
Marcelo Bielsa has confirmed that Gaetano Berardi is the latest addition to the growing list of injured players at Leeds United.
Berardi, 31, was nowhere to be seen on Saturday as Leeds lost 1-0 against QPR and it turns out the Swiss defender missed the trip to Loftus Road due to injury.
After the game, Bielsa confirmed Berardi’s setback but suggested that he will not be on the sidelines for long before returning to full fitness.
“He’s injured, but we think he will return fast,” said Bielsa, as quoted by LeedsLive when asked about Berardi’s absence in West London.
Bielsa was forced into naming a very inexperienced bench at QPR due to how limited his options are at the moment.
Not only are senior players like Berardi, Adam Forshaw and Tyler Roberts injured, he has also lost Eddie Nketiah and Jack Clarke in recent weeks after their loans at Elland Road were terminated.
Leeds are yet to replace those two and even if they do, Bielsa is still going to need some more bodies to pad out a squad that has been ravaged by injuries all season.
Has Bielsa ever had a fully fit squad to choose from? If he has, it must have been a long time ago because there are too many fitness issues in the Leeds squad right now.
Berardi’s setback is not the worst news in the world but Kalvin Phillips’ three-match ban could lead to Ben White moving into the defensive midfield role and Berardi will be needed to fill in at centre-back.
In other Leeds United news, Kevin Phillips slammed a Leeds player after the loss at QPR.