Raul Jimenez ‘surprisingly positive’ after ‘big punch’ Wolves injury blow

Wolves boss Cesar Peixoto said Raul Jimenez’s major injury setback has hit the club like a “big punch”.

Jimenez will undergo knee surgery in London on Friday and is expected to be sidelined until January.

And in another big blow, fellow forward Adam Armstrong has also been ruled out of Wolves’ Championship clash with Burnley tomorrow evening.

“This are the kind of things that we don’t want to happen,” Peixoto said of Jimenez’s setback.

“We are frustrated about that, Raul is an important player for us. In the last two games, they way they went, he would have been an important player to get inside the box to try and score.

“At the beginning, the doctor thought it was not too bad. But after one month, we have this setback. It is frustrating for us, but now we have to help Raul to recover as soon as possible.

“For me as a coach, and all of the staff, will help to bring him back as soon as possible.

“It is a big punch to us. But it is like that, this is football, The worst things in football are injuries.”

Jimenez’s injury is a major setback for Wolves and the striker, who has scored three goals in six Championship appearances since making a stunning return to the club this summer.

The 35-year-old now faces another significant recovery, having previously overcome a fractured skull sustained in 2020.

However, Peixoto said he had been surprised by the Mexican’s positive attitude following the news.

“He is very positive, I am surprised about that,” he added.

“I looked at him, he was smiling with good vibes. He was very positive, and I am happy with that.

“I thought because of his age he would stay (disappointed), but no. He is the first one to smile every day, to stay positive, to try and recover as soon as possible.

“He surprised me in a positive way.”