Leeds suffer Gruev blow ahead of FA Cup semifinal as Farke assesses injuries

Ilia Gruev ruled out for the rest of the season with a meniscus injury sustained in training
Daniel Farke hopeful Jayden Bogle and Sebastiaan Bornauw can recover in time to face Chelsea
Anton Stach remains a doubt as Leeds prepare for their first FA Cup semifinal since 1987

Leeds United have been dealt a significant setback ahead of their FA Cup semifinal after Daniel Farke confirmed Ilia Gruev will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.

The Bulgaria international suffered a meniscus injury in training earlier this week and was absent from the 2-2 draw at Bournemouth. Farke confirmed the midfielder will not feature again this campaign, including Sunday’s Wembley clash with Chelsea.

“Sadly bad news with Ilia Gruev,” Farke said. “A meniscus injury is confirmed and will keep him out for the whole season. He won’t be able to help us for the FA Cup or the run-in.

“We expect to have him back for the start of pre-season. It’s not ideal for us and we all feel for him.”

Leeds are facing a race against time to have other key players fit for the semifinal. Farke is cautiously optimistic that Jayden Bogle will recover from a foot injury that forced him off at half-time against Bournemouth.

“Jayden Bogle got a hit against his foot, it seems to be not too bad,” Farke said. “We need to wait and see how quickly he can recover, but we hope to have him available.”

Defender Sebastiaan Bornauw is also being monitored after rolling his ankle during the warm-up on Wednesday, with the manager hopeful he can return to training in time to be considered.

Midfielder Anton Stach remains a doubt after damaging ankle ligaments in the FA Cup quarterfinal win over West Ham. He has missed Leeds’ last three league matches and has yet to resume full training.

“He’s not yet in team training, but we have a few more days,” Farke added. “If a key player like him is back in training, then he has a chance. Let’s see in the next 72 hours.”

Despite the injury concerns, Leeds head into the semifinal in a strong position domestically, sitting nine points clear of the Premier League relegation zone following a late equaliser at Bournemouth.

Attention now turns to Wembley, where Leeds will look to reach their first FA Cup final since 1973 and continue a campaign that still holds the promise of a memorable finish.

WRITTEN BY

Hailey

Hailey Russell is a football journalist and former Division 1 collegiate athlete in the United States, bringing a unique blend of elite playing experience and professional insight to her work. Currently competing at the professional level in Europe, Hailey combines first-hand knowledge of the modern game with sharp analysis across match reports, player development, and tactical breakdowns.