Habib Diarra injury return timeframe emerges as Sunderland midfielder suffers 11th setback since 2022
Habib Diarra reportedly faces at least three weeks out, with his latest injury threatening another frustrating spell on the sidelines
Sunderland midfielder Habib Diarra is reportedly facing at least three weeks out after suffering a fresh muscle injury in training.
Senegalese publication D Sports reports that Diarra has a thigh problem and will miss his country’s next international gathering, extending his wait to work under new national-team manager Patrick Vieira. The reported timeframe would rule him out of Sunderland’s upcoming home matches against Dinamo Zagreb and Chelsea, while also putting his availability for the trip to Aston Villa in doubt.
Régis Le Bris confirmed the setback following Saturday’s defeat at Coventry City, although Sunderland had not established the severity of the problem at that stage. Diarra had only recently returned from a hamstring injury, making this another interruption as he attempted to rebuild his fitness and establish a consistent run in the team.
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D Sports puts the expected absence at a minimum of three weeks, rather than offering a firm return date. Sunderland host Dinamo Zagreb in the Europa League on November 5 before Chelsea visit the Stadium of Light on November 8. Their first fixture after the international break is away to Aston Villa on November 21.
That Villa match falls around three weeks after the training-ground setback. His involvement would therefore depend on his recovery and readiness to return, rather than being definitively ruled out by the reported timeframe alone. Le Bris had explained that Diarra’s withdrawal at half-time against Brentford in the Carabao Cup was intended to manage his workload following his previous absence. The new muscle injury occurred subsequently in training.
Diarra has suffered 11 injury-related absences since May 2022, including the latest problem. Those entries cover a range of issues and durations, from short absences following knocks to more substantial periods of rehabilitation. They should not be interpreted as 11 recurrences of the same injury.
Eight of the listed spells came during Diarra’s time at Strasbourg, including calf, groin and ankle problems, an Achilles tendon contusion and a facial injury. His Sunderland record includes a groin injury requiring surgery in 2025, followed by this season’s hamstring absence and the latest muscle problem.
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