Eddie Howe's team news update: A crucial qualifier for Qarabag
The Return of Joelinton
The midfielder, Joelinton, is back in the squad for the Qarabag qualifier, a welcome boost for Eddie Howe's team. He hasn't played since the Premier League defeat to Aston Villa, but his return is a significant morale booster. Joelinton's presence is crucial, not just for his leadership qualities, but also for his ability to make an impact on the pitch.
"Joelinton's back in the squad so that's a great boost for us. He's such an important player, such a big presence within our squad, such a real leader," Howe said. "He trained yesterday and trained well, and felt really good, so we're delighted with his return."
However, the team faces some challenges with key players missing. Bruno Guimarães, a fellow Brazilian, is sidelined, and Lewis Miley is also out with a muscle disruption. Howe provided an update on Miley's condition, expressing relief that the issue seems less severe than initially thought.
"Lewy's doing alright. He's made good progress in the last few days. We're quite happy with his progress. He's had a number of scans; it came from a knock, which seems quite strange, but just a really bad dead leg gave some muscle disruption. So as soon as that muscle is healed, which we think it is now, we can push him on quite quickly,"
Bruno Guimarães' Rehabilitation
Bruno Guimarães, who will miss the next few weeks, is undergoing rehabilitation with the Brazilian national team. Howe explained that this arrangement is beneficial for both the player and the club, allowing Guimarães to work with the national team's medical staff and then return for the final stages of his recovery.
"He spoke with our medical team, and we've been in consultation with the Brazilian national team so he's going to do the first part of his rehab with the Brazilian national team, and then come back to us for the last four weeks. I think it's a good mix for Bruno; in the initial stages he won't be able to do too much, he gets a sort of mental refresh while doing some good work, and then comes back to finish off his final part of his rehab."
Emil Krafth's Season-Ending Injury
The team also faces a setback with Emil Krafth, who has undergone knee surgery and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Howe expressed his disappointment, noting that Krafth's injury occurred during international duty and that the team had hoped for a quicker recovery.
"Emil's had an operation on his knee so I think in all likelihood, it looks like his season is over, which is a real blow for us. He first suffered the problem on international duty. We hoped that he could come back and be okay, but it was clear in training recently that he wasn't going to get to the level needed, and there needed to be a surgical intervention."
The Long Flight to Azerbaijan
Despite the long flight to Azerbaijan, Howe remained optimistic, praising the team's positive attitude and smooth journey. He also acknowledged the importance of the match, emphasizing that the team will approach it with the intention of winning.
"We try and take that in our stride. The flight over was actually very good, it went smoothly - sometimes that's not the case, and hasn't been the case this year for us. But today was good. We'll train in a second, hopefully the lads will get the plane journey out of their legs, and we'll be fine tomorrow."
Qarabag's Impressive Performance
Howe also discussed Qarabag's performance, highlighting their strong start against Liverpool and their high technical level. He acknowledged that the scoreline against Liverpool was misleading, praising Qarabag's threat with the ball.
"I've watched a lot of Qarabag in the build-up to this game and I watched both of (their games against Liverpool and Chelsea). The Liverpool scoreline was not reflective of the game at all - Qarabag made a really good, bright start to that game, had a number of chances, looked really threatening with the ball and showed that high technical level. They've got some dangerous players."
Gurban Gurbanov's Management
Howe also paid tribute to Qarabag's long-serving manager, Gurban Gurbanov, praising his ability to motivate and inspire his team over 17 years. He acknowledged the difficulty of maintaining success over such a long period and expressed admiration for Gurbanov's style of play.
"Any manager that's had that length of time at one club deserves huge respect, because it is very, very difficult to continually motivate your team, to find a way to communicate and inspire your team, and also the continued success they've had. To see them doing what they're doing now in the hardest club competition in the world is incredible, so full credit to him and his staff, but also the way that they've done it and the way that they play. I think their style is really good to watch, almost playing with a traditional nine and ten, which is very difficult to play against. I think both players have excelled in those positions for them. So full credit to the manager - 17 years and still going strong is a real mark of respect."
Reaching the Last 16 of the Champions League
Finally, Howe discussed the team's aspirations to reach the last 16 of the Champions League for the first time. He emphasized the importance of the moment, acknowledging the excitement and the possibility, while also recognizing the pressure of the occasion.
"Of course, it means everything to us currently. You look at the history of the club, this is a new opportunity for us - to get to the last 16 of this competition would be an incredible achievement, and we're trying to embrace it in that way. We're trying to look at the excitement and the possibility, rather than feel too much of the burden of the pressure of the occasion. We want to turn these moments and these games into history opportunities, into moments that people talk about for a long, long time. There's a real excitement with this game and the travel and the number of supporters we're bringing. It's all set to be a great occasion. Then, of course, we have to do our bit, we have to bring our A game, and we have to approach the game in the right way, in terms of our attitude. I know we will."
This update provides a comprehensive overview of Eddie Howe's team news, highlighting the key players returning, the challenges faced, and the team's aspirations for the upcoming qualifier.
