Cardiff City: Omer Riza reveals double blow involving Aaron Ramsey and Kion Etete | OneFootball

Cardiff City interim boss Omer Riza has revealed fresh setbacks to sidelined duo Aaron Ramsey and Kion Etete

Cardiff City interim boss Omer Riza has issued an update on the recovery processes of sidelined duo Aaron Ramsey and Kion Etete ahead of tomorrow afternoon's lunchtime kickoff at Sheffield Wednesday.

Ramsey and Etete have each missed considerable parts of the current 2024/25 campaign through respective injury lay-offs and have now been dealt fresh setbacks in what presents yet another challenge to Riza, whose position at the club remains unclear despite meeting owner Vincent Tan in Malaysia during the international break.

Riza remains in charge of Cardiff on an interim basis, a position which he has now held for more than 60 days after being promoted to take the reins temporarily following the sacking of Erol Bulut all the way back in September.

The Bluebirds have improved under Riza's stewardship, having been cut adrift at the bottom of the table when Bulut led Cardiff to their worst start to a league season in the club's 125-year history.

Riza has won four of his nine matches in charge and will be hoping to return to winning ways in tomorrow's lunchtime trip to Danny Rohl's Wednesday side after suffering consecutive defeats to Luton Town and Blackburn Rovers before the international break, results which have hardly done his prospects of landing the job full-time any favours.

Cardiff City: Omer Riza's Aaron Ramsey, Kion Etete injury update

Riza delivered a mixed injury update in the build-up to this weekend's showdown.

While supporters were pleased to hear that top scorer Callum Robinson and skipper Joe Ralls have returned to contention for the match at Hillsborough, Riza has confirmed that both Ramsey and Etete have suffered setbacks.

Former Arsenal midfield star Ramsey has seen an emotional homecoming to his boyhood club ravaged by injury setbacks.

The 33-year-old missed the majority of the previous campaign and picked up a hamstring injury during Wales' Nations League victory over Montenegro in September.

Ramsey was initially scheduled to return to action after two months and he had returned to first-team training with the Bluebirds before encountering another issue, which has delayed his recovery.

Etete, meanwhile, has also not played yet this term due to a hamstring injury which was picked up in pre-season, and he too has picked up a problem.

The striker had a "little setback" during a friendly match with Brentford arranged by Riza in this month's international break, and has consequently seen his return delayed by two weeks.

Riza told the press: "Aaron has picked up a slight problem as well with the injury so it might be a bit further down the line.

"We’re waiting for the medical team to clarify that. We have to be guided on that."

"Kion had a little setback in the Brentford game [friendly during this month’s international break] so he’s been put back a couple of weeks. That was more cautionary."

Aaron Ramsey, Kion Etete setbacks are frustrating for Cardiff City

Although the pair have scarcely been involved this season, and Ramsey himself is yet to play for Riza, the latest update is still bound to send a tinge of frustration to supporters.

Much was expected when Ramsey returned to Cardiff last summer and while he showed last season that the quality and know-how is still present, he simply can't get on the pitch enough and may even find it difficult to wrestle his starting berth back now amid fierce competition from Rubin Colwill for that attacking midfield role. The 22-year-old playmaker has arguably been Cardiff's best player this season, and is one of many members of the squad to have seemingly been liberated somewhat by the appointment of Riza.

They're both set to see their current contracts expire at the end of the season too, so the situation is hardly going to sit right with the players in question.

While Ramsey is in the twilight of his playing days and has enjoyed a storied career in the game, which does create uncertainty regarding his next steps, Etete very much still has a point to prove at Cardiff.

The former Tottenham Hotspur academy prospect, who recently scored for Cardiff's under-21's side, has been no stranger to injuries during his time with the Bluebirds and likely finds himself fighting for a new deal at this stage, with the prospects of that actually happening bound to be getting slimmer the longer he remains out of action.

Cardiff are also short-staffed in the striker stable at this moment in time. The aforementioned Robinson has been resurgent this season but, right now, Wilfried Kanga is the only other available senior striker and he's yet to open his account after joining from Hertha Berlin on loan in the summer.