[article= http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/Stoke-City-Oussama-Assaidi-day-Britannia/story-20895699-detail/story.html#ixzz2xjQHF5Fh]OUSSAMA Assaidi fears he may have played his last game for Stoke City because of a knee ligament injury.
The 25-year-old Moroccan doesn't want to return too early and risk an injury similar to Robert Huth's long-term knee problem.
But Assaidi has left the door open on a possible permanent move to Stoke when his loan spell from Liverpool expires at the end of the season.
Speaking for the first time since suffering the injury during a warm-weather training trip to Dubai in mid-February, Assaidi revealed: "Charlie Adam went to shoot and I went to block the ball. My knee twisted, and when I went to stand up I felt the pain.
"It is going better now, but the last scan showed it is not fully healed and will take some time.
"I have to be careful because I don't want a bigger injury. I want to play, but I will have to see in the future. I am not ready."
And with just six games of Stoke's season remaining, and the team doing nicely without him after four wins and a draw, Assaidi's chances of making an impression between now and the end of the campaign are receding.
His personal frustration will intensify this weekend when Stoke travel to Chelsea – four months after his late winner sank the Blues 3-2 at the Brit.
Speaking during a Sentinel-sponsored City 7s promotion at Sir Stanley Matthews' old school, St Luke's Primary in Hanley, Assaidi said: "I think Stoke can win. Maybe we get a clean sheet and get one goal."
Assaidi hopes parent club Liverpool can pip Chelsea and Manchester City to the title, but he remains open-minded about his scheduled return to Anfield.
Stoke have yet to broach the subject of making his move to the Potteries permanent, but he said: "I don't know yet what my situation is, but I like Stoke and am very happy to play here."
STOKE have revealed record sales of 5,000 – more than 50 per cent up on this time last year – in the first week of season-ticket sales at early-bird prices.[/article]
The 25-year-old Moroccan doesn't want to return too early and risk an injury similar to Robert Huth's long-term knee problem.
But Assaidi has left the door open on a possible permanent move to Stoke when his loan spell from Liverpool expires at the end of the season.
Speaking for the first time since suffering the injury during a warm-weather training trip to Dubai in mid-February, Assaidi revealed: "Charlie Adam went to shoot and I went to block the ball. My knee twisted, and when I went to stand up I felt the pain.
"It is going better now, but the last scan showed it is not fully healed and will take some time.
"I have to be careful because I don't want a bigger injury. I want to play, but I will have to see in the future. I am not ready."
And with just six games of Stoke's season remaining, and the team doing nicely without him after four wins and a draw, Assaidi's chances of making an impression between now and the end of the campaign are receding.
His personal frustration will intensify this weekend when Stoke travel to Chelsea – four months after his late winner sank the Blues 3-2 at the Brit.
Speaking during a Sentinel-sponsored City 7s promotion at Sir Stanley Matthews' old school, St Luke's Primary in Hanley, Assaidi said: "I think Stoke can win. Maybe we get a clean sheet and get one goal."
Assaidi hopes parent club Liverpool can pip Chelsea and Manchester City to the title, but he remains open-minded about his scheduled return to Anfield.
Stoke have yet to broach the subject of making his move to the Potteries permanent, but he said: "I don't know yet what my situation is, but I like Stoke and am very happy to play here."
STOKE have revealed record sales of 5,000 – more than 50 per cent up on this time last year – in the first week of season-ticket sales at early-bird prices.[/article]
