Michael Carrick Reveals Carlos Baleba Injury Timeline After Hamstring Diagnosis
Carlos Baleba could only spectate on Tuesday night as Manchester United mounted a seismic comeback to beat Roma in the Champions League. Unfortunately, he is going to have to get used to that viewing point.
Baleba was already off the field when Bruno Fernandes’s retaken penalty sparked the thunderous turnaround, with Matheus Cunha taking the glory with two late goals before then being sent off in the ultimate roller coaster evening for the Brazilian.
It was a cruel blow for Baleba, billed upon his transfer from Brighton & Hove Albion in August as the final piece of the midfield rebuild. He was supposed to be the player to bring balance to the team.
The Cameroon international had arrived in Manchester injured, nursing a pre-existing ankle problem he’d suffered during Brighton’s preseason preparations. That delayed Baleba’s United debut until after the September-October international break, but he’d managed to impress in a team otherwise struggling when he did finally make his bow less than one month ago.
The Roma game marked just Baleba’s fifth start for the Red Devils. There is a feeling he was starting to find his feet and has now been set back in that process.
What Injury Does Carlos Baleba Have?
Baleba reached for his right hamstring. / Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Getty Images
Baleba went down shortly after halftime of the eventual 3–2 win, clutching his hamstring. The 22-year-old was treated on the field but was forced to hobble away and withdraw rather than carry on. United manager Michael Carrick couldn’t offer much in the way of detail when he spoke with reporters after the match, but confirmed it is indeed a hamstring problem.
“We’ll have to assess what that looks like but, initially, it doesn’t look great,” Carrick offered.
Subsequent scans have confirmed Baleba will need a spell on the sidelines to recover, with Carrick not expecting the midfielder back in action at any time in the near future.
When Will Carlos Baleba Return From Injury?
Man Utd will hope it is not very serious. / Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar/Getty Images
“Carlos, we don’t know exactly, but it will be a number of weeks,” Carrick revealed when asked for a potential recovery timeline.
“It won’t be any time over the international break. It will be a bit longer than that.”
United only have one more match until the club schedule pauses for the second time this season—against Aston Villa on Nov. 8. The Red Devils then don’t play again until Nov. 22’s visit to Anfield to face Liverpool. That match is two-and-a-half weeks from now, although it seems as though Baleba’s recovery will bleed over into December.
Baleba initially partnered Kobbie Mainoo against Roma, before he was replaced by Youri Tielemans. Depending on the opponent and the specific demands of each match, it is likely to be Tielemans or Andrey Santos who rotate alongside Mainoo while Baleba is sidelined.
Carrick gave high praise to Tielemans for his role in beating Roma: “I thought Youri stepped into the game and showed what he’s about … his personality and character. He’s a top human being, I love having him around for everything that he brings.”
