Portsmouth boss provides worrying injury update with £3m man set for lengthy absence
The injury latest on Marko Milovanovic and Iyad Mohamed.
Pompey will be without Marko Milovanovic for at least three months.
But John Mousinho is confident Iyad Mohamed could return to the fold against Bolton Wanderers after the international break in a fortnight’s time.
Marezi suffered a quad injury in Tuesday’s 3-1 win against Stoke City, with the issue subsequently forcing him out of Saturday’s 2-1 defeat to Stoke City.
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The striker was enjoying a strong run of form, starting five games out of a possible six in which time he netted from the spot against Norwich City.
Since his multi-million pound switch in the summer, the 23-year-old appeared on the scoresheet three times in his 12 Championship outings prior to his setback.
But, Marezi is now facing a significant spell on the sidelines, according to Mousinho, who isn’t expecting the Serbian to return before the new year.
He told The News: ‘12 weeks. No surgery but it’s a massive blow.
‘We’re exposed already. If you look at the way we have to manage Wadds (Thomas Waddingham) and we’ve played Tyrese (Shade) off the left a fair bit when we’ve been trying to manage a couple of boys back to full fitness.
‘We need the squad to be as fit as possible and with Marko coming out it left us light.
‘Whenever we lose players like that it’s going to be difficult.’
Mohamed, meanwhile, was also forced to miss Saturday’s defeat to Stoke due to the calf problem sustained in midweek.
Mousinho initially explained the midfielder was withdrawn as a precaution on Tuesday, but did undergo a scan on Thursday.
The head coach, though, is optimistic of a return after the international break for the midfielder, who had started all of the Blues’ previous six matches before his Stoke absence.
‘He’s not quite as bad and hopefully he’ll be back after the international break. If not, maybe a week or so after that.’
Pompey are still without Colby Bishop (knee), Connor Ogilvie (knee), Mark Kosznovszky (knee), Keshi Anderson (hamstring), Luke Brook-Smith (ankle), John Swift (knee) and Benjy Arthur (back).
The Blues are next in action against Bolton Wanderers in a fortnight’s time on November 21 due to the international break.