Sheffield Wednesday star Massimo Luongo offers fitness update after impressive comeback

The Australian midfielder, whose return to fitness has helped spark back-to-back league wins for the first time since August, has struggled with injuries since joining the club in 2019.

But his return has been well managed and he is around to stay, he believes.

“I took a lot of time away,” Luongo said. “I was out for nine or 10 weeks altogether so I spent five weeks in London in a rehab facility.

“I couldn’t do another 10 weeks in the physio room, especially with my history because I’d have gone crazy, especially watching the boys. It’s quite common that players will go away for that initial rehab.

“It made things easier being away and focusing on getting fit and strong.”

Like returning teammates George Byers and Josh Windass, Luongo found his long spell on the sidelines frustrating but has been slowly reintegrated into match action, stepping out for the Owls’ under-23 side as well as in the Papa Johns Trophy win over Harrogate Town.

Owls boss Darren Moore spoke about a temptation to start Luongo in Tuesday’s win over MK Dons, but resisted in order to protect him from the perils of ‘too much too fast’.

Luongo said: “I felt impatient, but you can’t do that [rush things] with hamstring injuries, especially one as bad as mine. It was frustrating but in the end we all made the right decision.

“A lot of them are contact injuries and then the muscle issues are a result of the contact injuries; whether they were imbalanced or I was overcompensating on my other leg.

“Having come from six years of professional football with no injuries, it has been difficult.

“I keep doing the right things and I get a concussion or someone takes my ankle out. It’s frustrating but everyone knows I don’t shy away from anything, I work hard. It is what it is.

“You never know if there’s a tackle round the corner, but I’m certainly not shying away from tackles. I don’t think like that.

“I feel good and I just have to make sure I’m doing everything right as a professional.”