Leeds boss Farke confirms injured duo will miss season opener | OneFootball

Leeds United manager Daniel Farke has confirmed that both Willy Gnonto and Gabriel Gudmundsson will miss their season opener.

Leeds will kick off their Premier League campaign with a trip to face Nottingham Forest. They will return to the City Ground just three days later to again face Forest in the Carabao Cup.

Farke is hoping for a strong start to the season and will be boosted by the availability of all of his new signings. However, he will be without two key men.

“Willy Gnonto will miss this game with hamstring injury,” confirmed the German coach. “Hope to have him back in team training soon but he will definitely miss this game.

“And also Gabriel Gudmundsson, obviously still out for this game.

“Those two will definitely miss this first match. All the others, as it stands, are available.”

After achieving Premier League survival last term, that remains the Whites’ objective in the new campaign.

“It is important to start as well as possible,” insisted Farke. “The past has told us that to add a second solid season is difficult.

“Very often the second year after promotion is difficult. It is a very dangerous year.

“Our target first and foremost is to earn 40 points and earn the right to stay in the best league in the world.”

He continued: “I would like to win the Premier League but I don’t think it’s realistic. I would like to go to the Champions League but I don’t think it’s realistic.

“We finished in 14th position last season. If we want to do the same, we have to make sure that more or less all three promoted teams finish below us in the table. And this is difficult.

“You know who finished below us last season? Tottenham and Nottingham Forest, both playing in Europe. Look at what they are doing in the transfer market, it is not brave to predict they won’t finish anywhere near where they did last season.

“That means if we want to finish in the same position, we probably have two overtake two other teams. It will be very difficult.”