Rabat – Moroccan international Chemsdine Talbi has been drafted into Sunderland’s Europa League roster, the English club confirmed on Wednesday.
Sunderland registered the winger to replace Habib Diarra, who faces an extended period out of action due to an injury.
Speaking to the media ahead of Thursday’s Europa League clash with Dinamo Zagreb, head coach Regis Le Bris confirmed that Chemseddine Talbi is eligible for selection.
The player sat out Sunderland’s first three European matches because he was not included in the initial continental roster submitted for the start of the tournament.
“The initial assessment indicates he will be out for around six weeks. We feel for Diarra, but it does allow us to swap him for Chemsdine Talbi, which gives us welcome flexibility under UEFA squad restrictions,” the Sunderland coach said.
“We don’t have many injuries, but they are serious. Romain, Ballard and Habib now, but for the others, they want to play and that’s a really positive vibe we can feel on the pitch. We want to prove that we are a good team and we can bounce back,” he added.
Le Bris explained that the club registered Talbi using UEFA Article 31.14. This rule allows teams to replace a player who suffers a long-term injury of at least 60 days, as long as they provide medical proof.
Talbi missed the start of Sunderland’s Europa League campaign, during which the club earned seven points against AZ Alkmaar, Torreense, and Lech Poznan.
However, the winger recently grabbed headlines by scoring the opening goal in Sunderland’s League Cup victory against Brentford, securing their spot in the quarter-finals.
