Wolves star Ruben Neves told to focus on football despite potential ban

Heading into tomorrow’s trip to face Newcastle, Neves has nine yellow cards in the league so far this season and is one more booking away from missing two games.

The cut-off point for the ban is up to and including the 32nd fixture, meaning Neves must navigate six more games without a booking to avoid the suspension, but Lopetegui insists the midfielder cannot allow that to impact his game.

He said: “I don’t know how he can manage it, he has to play normally and try to choose the key moment to have a yellow card.

“In the last match he chose it in a very dangerous transition, and when he gets the yellow card we will choose one other player.

“He has to continue playing in the same way, for me. Don’t think about getting a yellow card or not, as it won’t help him play well.”

Neves was in an incredibly similar position last season and managed to go eight consecutive games without a yellow card, meaning he avoided the suspension while on nine bookings.

Following tomorrow’s tough trip to Newcastle, Wolves then face important battles with relegation rivals Leeds and Nottingham Forest.

However, Lopetegui is adamant that you cannot pick and choose when to take the suspension, and that Neves must play normally in a Wolves shirt.

He added: “I don’t choose which match is better or not. Each match is three points.

“While Ruben is ready, normally he will play as he’s a very important player for us. After, if he suffers one more yellow card, we will choose another player.”

Meanwhile, Wolves have been given a boost after Diego Costa avoided a serious injury.

The striker was stretchered off in the first half of Wolves’ win over Spurs last week as he landed awkwardly on his knee.

With fears that he could be sidelined for some time, Lopetegui confirmed that it instead will only be a matter of weeks until he returns.

He said: “Diego Costa is out from an injury in the last match.

“Fortunately, it’s not a very severe injury, but he has to be out for maybe two, three or four weeks.”

Wolves have also been given an additional injury boost as Hwang Hee-chan and Boubacar Traore near a return. Hwang has been out with a hamstring injury since the beginning of February, while Traore has not played since mid-November after initially suffering a groin injury. Traore then recently had a small setback on a different, but unspecified, injury.

Now, both players have a chance of travelling to Newcastle today for tomorrow’s match.

“They are better and we are going to take a decision (on Saturday),” Lopetegui said.

“They are closer and have worked better.

“Until (Saturday), we will not take the decision.”