Cardiff City boss Neil Harris explains Joe Ralls' mystery absence from Reading defeat and gives Joe Bennett injury update
Bluebirds boss Harris hopes to have Ralls and Bennett fit again for Blackburn clash at the weekend
By Glen Williams
Monday 28th September 2020
Cardiff City boss Neil Harris has explained why midfield kingpin Joe Ralls was missing from Saturday's disappointing home loss to Reading.
Ralls and Joe Bennett were the notable absentees as the Bluebirds went down 2-1.
Harris issued an injury update on the pair and hopes to have them back in tandem for Saturday's clash away to Blackburn.
Bennett was expected to be absent from the Reading clash after limping off in the previous game with Nottingham Forest, but Harris revealed Ralls was also unable to train properly because of calf problems.
His absence from the match-day squad against Reading raised eyebrows amongst unsuspecting Bluebirds fans, but Cardiff hope the injuries to the two key players are 'short term'.
"Joe Ralls hasn't recovered from that Forest game, either. He came in on Monday with tight calves, Tuesday he was hoping to train and couldn't," revealed Harris.
"We were hoping to have him on the training pitch on Thursday with a view to selection for Reading. It hasn't materialised like that.
"He is making progress and I'm fully hoping to have him on the training pitch next week."
Of Bennett he said: "Back of the knee, top of the calf, bottom of the hamstring, last week at Forest when he went down. We are hoping to have him back in training this week."
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