The 7 players set to miss Wolves v Blackburn Rovers | OneFootball

FLW looks at the injury list as Wolves prepare to host Blackburn Rovers in the opening game of the Championship season.

Wolves and Blackburn will kick-off the 2026/27 EFL season with the two sides meeting at Molineux on Friday night.

The first game of the season is always eagerly anticipated, and the majority of the sold-out crowd will hope the hosts can do the business in their first game at this level since 2018.

Wolves are expected to be in the mix for automatic promotion this season, but there is a sense of intrigue as to how they will adapt to life under Cesar Peixoto, who was surprisingly named as Rob Edwards’ successor in the summer.

This will be his first taste of league football in England, with the Portuguese coach having enjoyed a strong start in the League Cup, as Wolves beat Port Vale 3-0 at home.

Meanwhile, Rovers also appointed a new manager this summer, but it was a familiar face, as Tony Mowbray returned to Ewood Park.

That will be a popular move with the fans, but it’s clear the boss needs backing if he is to steer Blackburn away from a relegation battle this season.

Even though they will go to the Black Country as underdogs, the experienced Mowbray will relish that, and he has a good record against Wolves over the years.

Sam Johnstone

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The keeper has been linked with a move away from Wolves for much of the summer, and a departure would seem to suit all parties.

For now, though, Johnstone remains a Wolves player, and he is still getting up to speed after a shoulder injury that required surgery in the summer.

Wolves confirmed the ex-Aston Villa man was set to return to full training around this time, but Johnstone has not played a minute in pre-season, so this game will come too soon for him.

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde

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The Haiti international arrived late at Wolves after his World Cup commitments, but, in a frustrating blow for Peixoto, Bellegarde suffered a hamstring injury that will mean he misses the first part of the season.

Like most players at Molineux, there are doubts about his future, but this injury may actually mean Bellegarde stays until January at least.

He could be a big player for Wolves this season, but he may not be ready for action until closer to the September international break.

Rafiki Said

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The winger is the only player Wolves have paid money for this summer, but he limped off injury just 20 minutes into his first pre-season game in Old Gold against Maidenhead.

The club confirmed that Said had damaged his MCL, and the knee problem means that he will be in a brace until mid-September, and it could easily be another month until he is ready to make his Wolves debut.

That was a major setback for Peixoto, as Wolves are desperately lacking depth out wide behind Mateus Mane and Rodrigo Gomes, so Said would’ve featured in some capacity against Rovers.

Scott Wharton

The defender was absent as Blackburn beat Burton Albion in the EFL Cup last week due to a thigh injury.

Pleasingly, it’s not thought to be a serious issue, and that will be a relief for Wharton, as he has suffered some terrible luck on the injury front over the years.

Nevertheless, the defender is not going to be involved for the trip to Molineux.

Lewis Miller

The Australian right-back was a solid, reliable performer for Rovers last season, but he ruptured his Achilles tendon at Charlton in February.

That meant the former Hibernian man missed the World Cup, and he is still recovering from the injury, which could keep him out until Christmas.

So, it’s not a fresh blow for Mowbray, but he will be delighted to have Miller back later in the season, as he could be a big player in this team.

Moussa Baradji

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The midfielder damaged his hamstring last week, which meant he was also watching on as Blackburn won against the Brewers.

Having gone through pre-season, it would have been a really frustrating setback to pick up the problem just before the competitive action started.

But, these things happen in football, and it has been suggested Baradji could return to Mowbray’s side at the start of September.

Augustus Kargbo

The forward missed Rovers’ final three friendlies, and no specific details have been released on when he should be expected to return to the pitch.

Either way, he is going to take time to get ready for the demands of the Championship, so the game against Wolves is almost certain to come too soon for the player.