Tony Mowbray makes Ben Brereton Diaz admission ahead of Blackburn Rovers’ clash with Reading

Blackburn Rovers manager Tony Mowbray has admitted that he is hoping that Chile will not take a risk on Ben Brereton Diaz during the international break if the forward isn’t fully-fit.

Despite the fact that he is still recovering from an ankle injury that he suffered last month, Brereton Diaz has been called up by his national team for their upcoming World Cup qualifying clashes with Brazil and Uruguay.

Four teams automatically qualify for the 2022 World Cup in the South America region with the team that finishes in fifth set to take on a member of the Asian Football Confederation in a play-off game later this year.

Chile are currently sixth in the standings and thus will need to pick up positive results in these aforementioned fixtures in order to keep their hopes alive.

Blackburn are set to be without Brereton Diaz this weekend when they take on Reading in the Championship.

Currently fourth in the second-tier, Rovers could move above Huddersfield Town in the standings if they seal all three points at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

Ahead of this fixture, Mowbray offered his thoughts on Brereton Diaz’s international call up.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference (as cited by Blackburn’s official Twitter account) about Brereton Diaz, Mowbray said: “He’s flying to Chile on the 20th to report for the 21st.

“They’ll assess him over there.

“It’s touch and go really, from our perspective they shouldn’t take any risks with him.

“But they’ve called him up as they have the right to do.”

Mowbray later added: “He’s very attached to that set up, the Chilean people have taken to him.

“I’ve no problem with that.

“Ben’s got his head screwed on, I’ve had lots of chats with him and told him if he’s not fit, if he feels any