2023-10-24 13:31:40
Antwerp will have to do without Mandela Keita for the reception of Porto for the 3rd day of the group stage of the Champions League on Wednesday at 9:00 p.m., confirmed the Antwerp coach Mark van Bommel Tuesday at a press conference.
Keita, 21, injured his knee during Saturday’s 3-2 defeat at Charleroi in the league and had to leave the pitch in the first half. According to Van Bommel, the neo-Red Devil will be absent for several weeks. “It’s his knee but it’s not an injury that will last six months. I hope he’ll be back soon but he won’t play once more until the next international window“, said the Dutchman.
With the next international break scheduled for mid-November, Keita is expected to miss the second leg in Porto on November 7. Van Bommel hopes to get his player back to face Shakhtar Donetsk on November 28 in Hamburg. Keita’s absence will be a big blow for the ‘Great Old’ given his importance in midfield alongsideArthur Vermeeren. Both players also made their debut for the Red Devils ten days ago during the 2-3 victory in Austria.
Loaned by Oud-Heverlee Louvain last season, Keita returned to Antwerp this season in the form of a new loan. It should be replaced by Alhassan Yusuf whose place he had taken in Mark van Bommel’s eleven. “Alhassan is part of the solutions. He can evolve in the same role. If he plays, he knows exactly what he has to do” added van Bommel.
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