Stefan Johansen provides QPR fitness update | OneFootball

Queens Park Rangers captain Stefan Johansen is fit and ready to go ahead of the R’s trip to Hull City this weekend.

That is according to the man himself, who has been speaking to QPR’s club media after featuring for the club’s under-21 side for 60 minutes versus Brentford B on Tuesday.

Johansen has been sidelined with a heel injury since October.

Speaking after Tuesday’s match, Johansen told QPR.co.uk: “It felt good to get back out there – I’ve been training with the team for a couple of weeks now and I’m starting to get match fitness back.”

“I played for an hour and my legs felt surprisingly good at the end of it! I’m very pleased and it’s good news for me given how ling I’ve been out for.

“I have to say thank you to the sports science and medical teams for all their help with my rehab – it was a challenging injury, but now it’s good news.

“It was an unusual one. It wasn’t a muscle injury and once it felt okay, I’ve been able to crack on – it’s just taken me a little bit longer than I’d hoped to get back.

“I’ve stuck to the rehab with the physios and now I’m ready to go.”

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Johansen’s return comes in good time for QPR, with the club having gone five matches without a win in the Championship.

Could, then, Johansen potentially come in from the start this weekend to try and make as big an impact as possible.

He says that’s down to new R’s boss Neil Critchley.

“It’s up to the manager,” the skipper explained.

“He picks the team he feels can win the next game.

“But I’ve got 60 minutes under my belt, albeit in a practice match, and I feel good.

“It’s just good to be back in general. When you’re injured, you train later than the boys and you’re not in and around the changing room as much as you like.

“Results haven’t been as we’d wished lately, but we aren’t far off where we want to be, performance-wise. We’re creating chances.

“We just need an added edge to our game and we’re hoping we can catch that in the coming weeks.”

The Verdict

This is undoubtedly good news for QPR ahead of their clash with Hull.

Leadership on the pitch is huge and having their skipper back available for selection will be a boost.

It may be a bit much for the 32-year-old to come right in from the start at the weekend, however eager he may be.

QPR can’t risk a recurrence of his injury given their recent run of form and results.