Castagne’s return delayed after hamstring pain

TIMOTHY Castagne’s return to action has been delayed following a “slight twinge” in his hamstring, writes Jordan Blackwell.

After missing four games before the international break, Castagne had been declared fit by Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers in the run-up to Sunday’s clash with Liverpool, but the Belgian international was absent from the matchday squad.

Rodgers said in his post-match press conference that while Castagne had been training, pain in his hamstring returned, and it was deemed he should not be risked.

A scan came back all-clear, and Rodgers is hopeful he will return against Fulham next Monday, with the manager suggesting that he will leave the 24-year-old, right, out of the trip to Braga on Thursday to give him a full week to prepare.

Rodgers said: “He trained with us for a few days and then he felt a slight twinge.

“It’s nothing major but it’s one where it was too big a risk for him.

“He’s been out for a few weeks now. I feel for him, missing out on Sunday night, and we’ll see how he goes for next weekend. “Hopefully, having a clear week will get him ready for our next game. “It’s in the same spot (in his hamstring). He’s come back, had a few good days of training, and we thought he was going to be all right but he just had something minor that he felt. We had a scan and it’s okay, but he wasn’t available.”

Castagne was one of five City players missing against Liverpool due to injuries.

Fellow full-back Ricardo Pereira is close to making his comeback after eight months out, while Caglar Soyuncu and Wilfred Ndidi are back in training, albeit a few weeks away from returning to action.

No timescale has been set on Daniel Amartey’s return after his serious hamstring injury.