It was in the U21 international match against Ireland that Bilal Hussein suffered an injury and was thus forced to watch AIK’s opening matches – one win and two losses – in the Allsvenskan from the side.
– It felt tough not to be able to participate and contribute. But I have worked hard off the field. There have not been many free days, but I have received a lot of help and run double rehab sessions a day, says Hussein.
The midfielder was back with a run-in against Varberg on Wednesday and now, before Sunday’s hot derby against Djurgården, he is ready for the starting eleven – at least according to Hussein himself.
– The shape feels good. I thought I would get tired during my jump in but I did not. It was fun. We have not got the starting eleven yet but I feel ready, says Hussein and continues:
– These are the kind of matches you train for. It’s always special with the derby.
Without the 22-year-old in midfield, AIK has not really gotten the start the team had hoped for. Coach Bartosz Grzelak has missed “Billy”.
– He has shown over the past year that he is one of the Allsvenskan’s best midfielders. He has also been team captain in the U21 national team, and that says something. And if you lose such an established player, it is clear that it can affect the team. We have built a lot around him, says Grzelak.
– Bartosz Grzelak announces that there are two AIK question marks ahead of Sunday’s derby.
Photo: Maxom Thoré / Bildbyrån
Praise notwithstanding it is not a matter of course that Hussein takes a place next to Sebastian Larsson in the central midfield.
– We have two question marks and Bilal is one – how much can we use him. It is difficult. If you do an ultrasound of the injury, it does not say that he can play 60 minutes as well. It’s a risk-taking. I have to think until I take the team out tomorrow (read: Saturday), says Grzelak.
Yasin Ayari is available as an alternative. Storlöftet has started three of the four opening matches. In addition, the two-year-old Jesper Ceesay has been on the bench.
– There are two good, young players and Seb (Sebastian Larsson) is there as the leader in the middle. It is a good competitive situation. In a club like AIK, there must be good players in every position, says Bilal Hussein.
The second question mark in the AIK squad Bartosz Grzelak did not want to go in. Asked if it could be Nabil Bahoui, who has said that he feels worn out and trained in only jogging shoes on Friday, Grzelak replied:
– All the older players take a lot of responsibility in our game, it is clear that it is hard to play games like this. Malmö away is a tough match, and Varberg is physical. There is another question mark. We will see how it goes.
Read more:
Joel Asoro has found the form after the hard times: “Been hard”
Bahoui believes in new derby victory against Djurgården: “Know how good we are”
Injury crisis in Djurgården before the derby against AIK
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