Speaking ahead of their match against Udinese, Jose Mourinho confirmed that he doesn’t expect to see Chris Smalling on the pitch before 2024. The English centre-back has had a string of injury problems in recent years, the latest being a chronic tendon injury that has kept him out of action since the early part of the season. Mourinho has now Speaking ahead of their match against Udinese, Jose Mourinho confirmed that he doesn’t expect to see Chris Smalling on the pitch before 2024.that the veteran defender isn’t expected back any time soon:
“Smalling? The injury is there, there are also normal people like us who have more capacity to take the pain, Chris doesn’t know how to play in pain, he pulls back a little bit. But his injury is really difficult, and this is a big frustration for me, he would play exactly in the position where we need him most. But patience is needed, I can’t slaughter myself or him. In the last week he hasn’t done a single day outside the medical department, he doesn’t even know if it’s cold or windy because he hasn’t been outside for a while… But it’s the first week where he has no pain, next week, according to the schedule, he should be on the pitch, not with me but with the trainers and the athletic recovery people. I don’t expect him in the game in the next two to three weeks. Do I expect him before 2024? No.”
