Bournemouth loanee Luis Sinisterra is once again in the news for fitness reasons at Cruzeiro.
The Colombian winger sat out the clash with Vasco due to a muscular strain, but Globo Esporte say he has now returned to training. He could be available for Thursday’s high-profile trip to face Flamengo at the Maracanã.
Cruzeiro manager Leonardo Jardim explained the situation, pointing out that the issue was relatively minor but still required caution. “In this preparation, Sinisterra had a tibial strain, something that improves in six or seven days. He has already started integration work. We’ll see if this week we can get him training and count on his presence in the game,” the coach said.
Since arriving from Bournemouth in August, Sinisterra has found himself in a stop-start rhythm that mirrors his struggles in England.
He has managed just three appearances so far, all from the bench. The player continues to deal with recurring physical problems. These interruptions have not only limited his impact but also slowed down his adjustment to Brazilian football. Expectations remain high for him to make a difference.
Jardim has stressed that the circumstances of his signing made the process more complex. The 26-year-old landed in Belo Horizonte recovering from a previous injury and without a proper pre-season.
“Many of the players who came to us hadn’t even done pre-season and had been inactive for a long time. Sinisterra is one of them. It’s not easy to prepare players in this context,” the coach admitted.
The winger’s track record of picking up knocks has been a recurring theme throughout his career, with injuries often interrupting promising spells, and that pattern appears to be repeating in Brazil.
For Cruzeiro, the challenge is to build him up carefully so he can finally play a consistent run of games.
Supporters have seen glimpses of his quality, especially in the goal he scored against Bahia earlier this month, but his availability remains the biggest question mark.
The hope now is that Thursday’s game can mark a fresh start, allowing Sinisterra to push for a bigger role and justify the effort it took to bring him from the Premier League. Whether his body allows that to happen, however, is still uncertain.
