AIK's new signing Lucas Assadi will miss the upcoming Allsvenskan match against Malmö FF. The 22-year-old Chilean has not yet received his work permit, with the paperwork delayed, as reported by Aftonbladet Sportbladet.
The club now expects to be without Assadi for the clash with the league leaders. Sporting director Mika Takkula confirmed the administrative hold-up. "We are waiting for the work permit. It's about him getting the permit," Takkula said. Assadi has played the entire season in Chile and is fit to play immediately once everything is finalized. He is expected to start training with the team next week.
Which other AIK players are injured?
AIK is dealing with an extensive injury list ahead of the final stretch of the season. Centre-back Sotirios Papagiannopoulos recently underwent knee surgery in Finland, and it is unclear how long he will be out. Ibrahim Cissé is expected to miss the rest of the campaign. Another player, Dino Beširović, is also injured and will miss the upcoming matches, although the exact timeframe is uncertain.
Takkula was realistic about the prospects for some of the injured players. "If I'm being realistic, they probably won't play anymore this season, as it stands now," he stated. To address the crisis, AIK has brought in Danish defender Sebastian Hausner on loan from AC Horsens. He will provide depth to a strained backline.
What is AIK's position in the league table?
AIK heads into the match against Malmö FF from seventh place in the Allsvenskan. After 19 games, they have 29 points, with nine wins, two draws, and eight losses. The team's recent form has been inconsistent with a sequence of win, loss, win, loss, win (WLWLW). They have scored 33 goals and conceded 30, resulting in a goal difference of plus three.
The gap to the top, however, is significant. AIK trails leaders Sirius by a full 13 points. This means the focus is more on securing a top-half finish and potentially challenging for a European qualification spot. You can follow the current table battle on our standings page.
What happens after the Malmö FF match?
After facing Malmö FF, AIK has an important home match against BK Häcken on October 18th. Häcken currently sits in fifth place in the table, promising a tough contest. The upcoming fixture is part of a challenging season finale where every point counts.
To handle the demanding schedule, AIK needs to recover injured players and integrate new signings. The news of Assadi's absence is a setback, but the club hopes he can contribute soon. Check AIK's upcoming schedule on our fixtures page. AIK's next home opponent, BK Häcken, has won four of its last five matches.
