Harry Wilson's Injury Threatens Wales' Nations League Campaign
Harry Wilson is facing a race against time to be fit for the start of Wales’ Nations League campaign as they step back up to League A.
The Leeds United forward had been named in Craig Bellamy’s squad for a demanding run of fixtures against Portugal, Denmark and Norway in September and October. That plan has been thrown into doubt.
Leeds manager Daniel Farke confirmed on Friday that Wilson has suffered a quadriceps muscle injury which will keep him out of Sunday’s Premier League game at home to Crystal Palace.
“Harry Wilson is out of this game, a quad injury, he reported some problems after the last game and also during this training week,” Farke said of the 69-cap international, who has scored 17 times for Wales. “He will also probably miss the Welsh games, so definitely not good news for him and also not for the Welsh team.”
Wales’ medical staff may still want to make their own assessment, but the early signs are grim for Bellamy. Wilson has been one of Wales’ standout performers over the past year, his form a rare constant in a period of transition. Losing him now, with League A opponents looming, is a major blow.
And the problems do not stop there.
Bellamy is already without key defender Joe Rodon, Wilson’s club team-mate at Elland Road, as well as Cardiff City defensive duo Dylan Lawlor and Ronan Kpakio. Cardiff’s attacking options have also been hit, with forwards Isaak Davies and Rubin Colwill ruled out through injury, while Wrexham attacker Nathan Broadhead is unavailable as well.
It leaves Wales heading into a brutal schedule with some of their most reliable figures stuck on the sidelines.
Upcoming Matches
Wales open their campaign away to Portugal on 24 September, the first of four matches in an extended international window. A home clash with World Cup quarter-finalists Norway is wedged between a double-header against Denmark.
Ranked 38th in the world – their lowest position since August 2014 – Wales then travel to Copenhagen to face a Denmark side sitting 21st in the rankings, a reminder of the step up in class they are about to confront.
Norway, also World Cup quarter-finalists, come to Cardiff on 1 October, before Denmark visit the Welsh capital on 4 October for the return fixture.
Bellamy wanted this window to set the tone for Wales’ return to the elite tier. Now he may have to do it without one of his most influential attacking weapons.
