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Leeds United receiving somewhat surprising injury news heading into 2021

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Leeds United have received some positive news surrounding the injury to Gaetano Berardi, with Marcelo Bielsa saying he should be back around February.

The Whites have had a very hectic 2020, with the club hurtling towards promotion during a delayed Championship campaign.

Promotion was sealed thanks to West Brom and Brentford’s failure to win going into the penultimate weekend, meaning Leeds’ trip to Derby County was a chance to relax and play with freedom.

However, in the first half, Gaetano Berardi suffered a serious ACL injury where he was forced into having surgery to repair it.

Having sustained the injury in July, the club confirmed that he would be facing up to nine months on the sidelines.

Those nine months would take him towards the back end of the 2020/21 Premier League season, meaning his chances of playing for the club in the top flight were seriously slim.

Leeds did tie him down to a new contract as a token of gratitude for the work he has done as the club’s longest-serving player.

With Bielsa contending with a defensive injury crisis currently, he had some positive news to share about Berardi’s recovery in his pre-match press conference (via Phil Hay).

This is great news that he’s essentially two months ahead of schedule.

It’s taken me by surprise that he’s so far ahead of his schedule; like many others, I was under the impression that we wouldn’t see him in the squad any time this season.

While his overall ability divides opinion amongst the fans, having him back in the dressing room would be a huge boost, and he has earned his chance to play in the Premier League.

We’ve shown already that versatility is a great asset to have as a defender under Bielsa and Berardi’s use as a utility player in that regard makes him a very valuable asset to have.

He looks set to return to training at a similar time that Robin Koch will as well after he was ruled out with a knee injury this week too.

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Leeds United season ticket holder since 2013/14, currently situated in the middle of the FA5 noise. From Pablo Hernandez to 5-1 drubbings, I've seen it all at Elland Road.