SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND - MARCH 05: Ian Poveda of Sheffield Wednesday is challenged by Adam Forshaw during the Sky Bet Championship match between Sheffield Wednesday and Plymouth Argyle at Hillsborough on March 05, 2024 in Sheffield, England. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
After the international break, a Sheffield Wednesday fan favourite is suddenly “a doubt” to play Swansea City.
With back-to-back losses and their worst loss in nearly a decade at the weekend, Sheffield Wednesday is in a fairly bad way heading into the international break.
The Owls lost at Ipswich Town by six goals, but perhaps more concerning than the result was the injury to Barry Bannan and Ian Poveda.
Bannan was substituted at halftime, while Poveda played just eight minutes in the second half before needing to be replaced as well because of an injury.
“They could be a risk for the Swansea game, but the good thing is that we have one week where we can recover, and then a second week – but we then have a game on the Friday and Monday,” Danny Rohl had stated following the match.
Since then, it has been confirmed that Poveda has withdrawn from the Colombia squad as they prepare to face Spain and Romania, while The Star journalist Joe Crann has now reported that he is a ‘doubt’ to face Swansea City after the international break too.
It would be a great loss for Swansea if the winger, who has been “excellent” since joining Sheffield Wednesday on loan in January, is unavailable. It is also unclear if he would be ready to play against Middlesbrough a few days later.
Danny Rohl may have more alternatives out wide if players like Josh Windass and Callum Paterson return by then, but Bannan’s absence could pose a serious issue following the break.
Momo Diaby is the only other senior midfielder for the Owls, and she is unquestionably far from Bannan’s calibre of play this season.
Bannan will be crucial in the last eight games of the season, so Rohl will be hoping the international break gives him time to heal and rest.
The Yorkshire squad still needs to defeat teams like Norwich and West Brom if they hope to survive in the Championship, since they have lost their last two games against two of the strongest teams in the league.
In April, they also play QPR and Stoke City, two teams who might make the difference between Championship football and relegation back to League One.
