Here are your Cardiff City headlines for Wednesday, February 26.

Davies: I am stronger than ever

Cardiff City striker Isaak Davies feels "stronger than ever" after finally making his return following seven months out with a hamstring injury.

The 23-year-old has endured rotten injury luck in his relatively short career. The forward sustained a hamstring injury during pre-season out in Austria and it has decimated his season. However, after surgery and months of rehab, the former Wales youth international feels robust and ready to make up for lost time. Sign up to our daily Cardiff City newsletter here.

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"A lot of my family are worried when I do a sprint because it tests the hamstring," he said. "But I've done so much work in the gym and with my rehab think I'm stronger than ever. The physios have been great with me and lucky to have good friends and family round me to keep me positive and keep going me going.

"It's always tough, anyone will tell you. When you're injured you just want to be playing football but all players going through it. I've been unlucky but some good has come from it because I know my body better than ever and worked on other aspects of my game.

"Physically I feel good, still feel I need to get my match fitness back which is coming. The more I'll play I'll keep getting sharper.

"The main thing for me is to get as many minutes as I can and build that match sharpness up. Then I believe the goals will come."

Davies last played for Cardiff when Sabri Lamouchi was still manager in May 2023. A lot of time has passed since his last competitive appearance, including a stellar season-long loan at KV Kortrijk.

And he has looked sharp on his two substitute appearances to date, away to Plymouth and at home to Hull City last night, and he admitted that after so long away, the nerves were certainly there.

"There's always some nerves going into games," he added. "A little bit of nerves but I was just looking forward to getting out in front of the fans. At Plymouth I heard them singing and it never gets old. Brilliant."

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Cardiff take on Aston Villa in Friday night's FA Cup fifth-round clash and it will represent a similar challenge to when Davies took on Liverpool at Anfield three years ago in the same competition - he provided an assist for Rubin Colwill that day in the 3-1 defeat.

"When I came on as a sub I felt I was playing in FIFA," he said of the Liverpool game. "Unbelievable. I think Villa Park will be the same. Going to be a great experience however the game goes.

"Loads of eyes on that game, good opportunity for everyone to put their name out there and make a statement. They've got some talent, really good players. It would be unbelievable to score (past Martinez) but I don't change whoever is in front of me and I'm playing against. You've just got to give your best every game whoever you play against."

They have on-loan Manchester United star Marcus Rashford, another player who, like Davies, trades off their pace. So, the big question, is he quicker than Rashford? "Doubt it," he said. "It would be a good race!"

Simic on target again

Striker Roko Simic made it two goals in two games after his strike earned Cardiff under-21s a draw against Bristol City.

The Croatian forward is yet to make a first-team appearance for the Bluebirds following his return from his loan spell at KV Kortrijk in the new year, but he has looked bright for the youth team.

He scored on his first outing in a Bluebirds shirt when he took the field against Everton's youth team, latching on to a lovely Aaron Ramsey pass before coolly chipping the goalkeeper.

And he was given another run-out against Severnside rivals the Robins yesterday and found the back of the net. Matt Bloxham's side went a goal behind through a Joseph James goal, but Simic levelled on the hour-mark.

The draw means Cardiff sit fourth in the Professional Development League 2 table, 10 points behind league leaders Charlton Athletic.

Daland injury update

Omer Riza expects to be without Jesper Daland for at least the next two games.

The Norwegian defender cut his leg open while conceding a penalty in the last FA Cup match against Stoke City and will now miss Friday night's clash with Aston Villa - as well as the league game against Burnley next Tuesday.

Speaking about the injury to Daland, Riza said: "The problem is, before he got injured he had a week off with illness, then we got him fit and on the pitch and then picked up the injury with the stitches.

"It's healed now but not quite where it needs to be. When he comes back that will be four to six weeks, that's like an off-season, so he needs to do what he needs to do to get fit moving forwards.

"It looks like he won't make the Burnley game, but maybe the one after. So it's been a long one and it's been stretched out. It's unfortunate."

David Turnbull, meanwhile, still appears to be another few weeks away from full fitness, but is progressing well. "He has started to train and do technicals with the team - he's further along than we thought he would be," Riza added.

"Maybe mid-March he could be getting his boots on and in and around it."