Middlesbrough Injury Blow and Updates on Jonny Howson, Dael Fry, and Rav van den Berg After Heerenveen Win

Middlesbrough Injury Blow and Updates on Jonny Howson, Dael Fry, and Rav van den Berg After Heerenveen Win

Middlesbrough's pre-season preparations have been hit with a significant setback as manager Michael Carrick confirmed that defender Alex Bangura will be sidelined for a substantial period. Bangura sustained an Achilles injury during the team's pre-season tour in Portugal and has since undergone surgery.

Alex Bangura's Achilles Injury

Michael Carrick provided an update following Middlesbrough's 1-0 victory over Heerenveen at the Riverside. “Unfortunately, Alex is going to be out for a period of time,” Carrick stated. “He’s had an operation on his Achilles, which is not great news for us. Obviously, it’s a setback for us. We’re not sure how long it’ll be yet, but he’s definitely going to be out for a big chunk of the start of the season.”

Carrick expressed his disappointment, noting that Bangura had been looking strong before the injury. The squad now faces a shortage of options at left-back as they prepare for the new season.

Updates on Jonny Howson, Dael Fry, and Rav van den Berg

In addition to Bangura's injury, Boro centre-back Dael Fry missed the Heerenveen match, and Jonny Howson was forced off in the first half due to an injury. Rav van den Berg was also substituted in the closing stages, but fortunately, his issue appears to be minor.

“Rav was a little bit of fatigue in his groin, which we managed a little bit, and hopefully it’s not really anything to hold him back,” Carrick added. “Jonny was a bit different. He got his foot trod on, and there was a bit of a twist so although it was a bit of a precaution, we’ll have to see how he settles down. They were two, hopefully small, setbacks from today, but other than that, it was largely positive.”

Pre-Season Performance

Despite these setbacks, Middlesbrough secured a late win against Heerenveen, with substitute Delano Burgzorg scoring the decisive goal from the penalty spot. Carrick will now focus on managing the squad's fitness and integrating new tactics ahead of the upcoming season.

Middlesbrough fans will be eager to see how the team adapts to these injury challenges and prepares for their Championship campaign. Stay tuned for further updates on player recoveries and pre-season performances.