Birmingham City boss Chris Davies has revealed a fresh injury concern for Emil Hansson, who now appears unlikely to be fit in time for the club’s trophy final against Peterborough United at Wembley next weekend.
The Swedish winger, 26, suffered a knock in training earlier this week and was absent from Tuesday night’s win over Bristol Rovers. Davies confirmed the injury isn’t season-ending but hinted Hansson could miss the next few crucial games, including the showpiece at Wembley.
Hansson has already missed large chunks of the campaign with muscular issues, and this latest blow comes at a time when he had just begun to re-establish his rhythm in the squad.
“Not a season-ender, but not ideal timing” – Davies
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s fixture against Barnsley, Davies outlined the situation regarding Hansson and provided fitness updates on Taylor Gardner-Hickman and Krystian Bielik.
“Frustratingly for Emil and us, he picked up a bit of a knock in training the day before the game, so that’s disappointing. It’s not a season-ender, it will be a few weeks maximum. We’ll have to see how he goes in the next few days.”
While Hansson is expected to return before the end of the League One season, the club’s Wembley date looks set to come too soon. Gardner-Hickman, out for nearly a month, is on the verge of resuming full training. Bielik is still managing a minor issue but is not considered a long-term absentee.
“Taylor is close to training with the team again – that is scheduled for early next week. Krystian has just been managing a niggle. It’s nothing major but it’s something we’re working with him on.”
Birmingham’s squad depth has helped them maintain their impressive promotion push. They remain one of the division’s form teams under Davies, whose side has not only delivered strong results but also shown resilience when dealing with injury setbacks throughout the campaign.
Hansson’s creative spark has been a significant asset, particularly in tight matches where his ability to stretch defences and create space has often made the difference. Losing him now, even briefly, is far from ideal given the busy and defining run-in.
Site opinion
This triple injury update will undoubtedly frustrate Blues fans, especially with a Wembley final and promotion run-in on the horizon. Hansson’s injury is a clear blow, but there’s optimism in the recovery timelines for Gardner-Hickman and Bielik. If Birmingham are to keep pushing on all fronts, they’ll need their depth to step up once more. Fortunately for Davies, his squad have shown time and again they’re up for the challenge.
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