Brighton & Hove Albion winger Kaoru Mitoma will likely not play again this season due to a back injury.
Mitoma, 26, missed Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Everton with the back issue, which Brighton head coach Roberto De Zerbi had said would be assessed ahead of the match at the Amex Stadium.
“I think we lost Mitoma until the end of the season,” De Zerbi said on Tuesday ahead of Brighton’s FA Cup fifth-round game at Wolverhampton Wanderers. “It’s an important problem. I think two or three months, finished the season.”
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On the rest of his squad, De Zerbi added: “(Evan) Ferguson tomorrow, he can’t play (due to an ankle injury). (Danny) Welbeck has a problem and we have to make a check.
“(Joel) Veltman as well can’t play and the other players injured can’t play.”
De Zerbi did say that he expects to have Ferguson and Veltman available again for Saturday’s trip to Fulham.
Mitoma previously missed three matches in December and January due to an ankle injury, which delayed him from joining up with the Japan squad for the Asian Cup.
He played in Japan’s round-of-16 and quarter-final matches at the Asian Cup before returning to Brighton. Mitoma then featured in their Premier League games against Tottenham Hotspur and Sheffield United before missing out against Everton.
Mitoma had scored three goals and provided six assists in 26 appearances across all competitions for Brighton before his back injury.
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‘A big blow for Brighton’
Losing Mitoma for the rest of the season is a big blow for Brighton at a key moment.
The Japanese left-winger’s ability to run at pace with the ball at his feet makes him a nightmare to mark for opposing defenders, especially in one-on-one situations. Mitoma has previously been a thorn in the side of Wolves, the hosts on Wednesday night.
Brighton are now without nine players at Wolves tomorrow night.
Mitoma
Ferguson
Welbeck
Veltman
Gilmour
Joao Pedro
Milner
Hinshelwood
March
In the cases of both Mitoma and Hinshelwood, the rest of the season, probably March definitely. #BHAFC— Andy Naylor (@AndyNaylorBHAFC) February 27, 2024
After that, Brighton face Roma over two legs in the last of the Europa League, mixed in with league games at Fulham and at home to Nottingham Forest as they try to finish high enough in the table to qualify for Europe for a second successive season.
On the plus side, De Zerbi was without Mitoma in December and January, initially to an ankle injury sustained at Crystal Palace and then to international duty for Japan in the Asian Cup in Qatar. Brighton still won four games, drew two and lost only one over that period.
(Glyn Kirk/AFP via Getty Images)