Struijk (undisclosed) has been ruled out for Thursday's Conference League encounter against Jablonec as he continues recovering from a minor physical issue, although he is expected to return relatively soon, according to coach Fabian Hurzeler, per Brian Owen of The Argus. "They won't be available for tomorrow. Wo we spoke about Pascal. He has a minor issue, so I think he will be back quite quickly."
Analysis:Struijk will miss his third consecutive match after sitting out the Conference League victory over Kauno Zalgiris and Sunday's 5-0 Premier League win against Crystal Palace due to an ongoing fitness concern. The defender has yet to recover sufficiently to resume competitive action, with coach Hurzeler confirming that he will not be available for Thursday's European fixture. However, the coach described the issue as minor and expressed optimism that Struijk could return relatively quickly, suggesting his absence may not extend much further. His availability for Sunday's Premier League trip to Liverpool remains uncertain, although the short turnaround could make that fixture difficult to target. Lewis Dunk could continue to benefit from additional playing time in central defense while Struijk remains sidelined, with the coaching staff expected to reassess his condition ahead of the weekend.
