Bluebirds hope to return to overcome North End as Sala verdict released.

Cardiff City boss Steve Morison looks to arrest his side’s stuttering form when Preston North End visit the Cardiff City Stadium this week.

The former Millwall man has assembled a large new squad in South Wales this year yet despite one or two impressive results, home fans are disappointed by recent defeats at the hands of Reading and local rivals Bristol City.

Cardiff City have found goals very hard to come by this season and will have their work cut out against tough visitors who have yet to concede a league goal this term.

Morison will be scratching his head as he struggles to fill the left-back slot following injuries to both Joel Bagan and Jamilu Collins in recent weeks. Winger Callum O’Dowda could find himself asked to step in. Meanwhile there is speculation that Cardiff are looking to recruit left-back cover in the shape of Everton youngster Niels Nkounkou.

Preston produced a determined performance in midweek in their Carabao Cup clash away to Wolverhampton Wanderers with the Premier League side winning 2-1, despite Wales’ Ben Woodham grabbing a goal for the Lilywhites.

The visitors may be able to call on Manchester United loan star Alvaro Fernandez, but the youngster has suffered with an ankle injury in recent weeks.

With the transfer window set to close in the coming days, the Bluebirds may find their financial muscle weakened by the news that the Court of Arbitration in Sport have ruled that must pay Nantes for the transfer of Emiliano Sala.

Sala lost his life back in January 2019 when the plane he was travelling in from France crashed in the English Channel on the way to the Welsh capital. The two clubs had been in dispute over the status of the transfer.

Hopes had been high that Sala would provide the goals to keep the Bluebirds in the Premier League. Sadly, Cardiff fans never go to see the Argentinian ace in action for their team. Relegation followed.

Cardiff City have now learned that their case has been lost following a ruling that the transfer was completed before the striker’s death. They will have to pay the first instalment of the fee – around €6million.

However, with the prospect of an appeal by the Welsh club and even talk of legal action against those responsible for the crash to recover any financial loss, there seems little prospect of any final resolution to this dispute in the near future.

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