Julen Lopetegui revealed Wolves forward Hee Chan Hwang will not be available for tomorrow’s Premier League meeting with Leeds United at Molineux due to an injury concern.
The South Korean scored less than a minute after returning to the pitch at St James’ Park last Sunday after a recent hamstring issue caused him to miss five matches, but despite the blow of losing Hwang, Lopetegui confirmed fellow forwards Matheus Cunha and Pablo Sarabia are “ok” after worries around their fitness was raised.
With the March international break and the final two months of the Premier League season quickly approaching, and with just five points separating the bottom nine teams in the division, the head coach has also stressed the importance the Wolves fans could have in helping his side earn what would be a vital three points against another side battling for top-flight safety.
On Hwang’s injury setback
“Unfortunately, we have an injury with Hee Chan, but the rest are more or less ready. We have a little bit of a problem with another player, but we have to wait until tomorrow or until tonight to have more information, but it’s clear that Hee Chan is out.
“Hee Chan is an important player for us, but unfortunately, he’s not here so we have to put our confidence in other players. We trust in all the squad, all the players, and we have to put the trust in those chosen.”
On facing Leeds at Molineux
“The match has the same importance for Leeds and for us. For both of us. Each match is going to be very important and each match is a chance to achieve three points, but in the same way, it’s going to be difficult because each team is going to be ready and have a big quality as Leeds have.
“They have a very good squad, very good players, a big quality, and a very experienced coach, not just in Spain but in England, he has worked here, but we expect a tough match and we have to be ready.
“We tried to improve step by step and match by match and now we have our next focus, which is Leeds. It’s really important that we don’t think about other things or anything different, because we want to face this match with big character because it’s going to be a big demand on us because of the importance of the match and the quality of the opponent, for sure, and we have to be ready.”
On the importance of the fans
“They’re going to be key and very important to create the environment that we need and to feel their support that we are going to need in many phases of the match because it’s going to be a very balanced match and it’s going to be about the little details.
“In these kinds of moments, to have this support from your fans is very good for the players. I am sure the fans are going to understand this and they are going to help a lot.”
When the free kick is just too good.#WOLLEE pic.twitter.com/EQBQAAYxRQ
— Wolves (@Wolves) March 17, 2023
On nine teams battling against relegation
“I talked about this three or four months ago when I first arrived here and my point of view was going to be this and that is how it’s happened.
“There are a lot of good teams fighting for the same aim, so we have to be ready if we want to be able to continue in this race with the best mentality and the best way to play in all the phases of the game; the offensive phase, the defensive phase, and above all, putting the focus always in our players, in our team, to be able to improve.”
On bouncing back from Newcastle loss
“Each match is different and we have spoken a lot about the last match and how we suffered, but now it’s very close to a very important match in front of us against Leeds, so we’ve had to put all our focus on that.
“All the matches have good things and bad things, in spite of whether you won or you lost. Tomorrow, we want to be able to beat a very good team in Leeds, with fantastic players – they have the best physical data in the Premier League, very good players one-on-one, very fast, so we have to be ready.
“But we have to put the focus in our job and our strengths too because we have to try to show and think in ourselves. We are going to try to do a lot of things in a good way.”
Fully focused 👊@LeminaM_13 pic.twitter.com/eKBqwg2MWP
— Wolves (@Wolves) March 16, 2023
On having an international break
“Switch off? It’s very difficult to switch off in this job! It’s very difficult to think about these days, we are only thinking about today and tomorrow because that’s what important and after, we will see.
“We are going to have players who go out and you are always crossing your fingers that they don’t have any injury and can return as soon as possible and help.
“It’s a good thing, it’s a good experience for them too and they are proud to represent their countries, but the most important thing is that the players are ready, and if they have any little problems, they need to take care of the players because in the end they are the most important actors in this sport.”
