AITOR KARANKA is ready to introduce Cristhian Stuani back into the Middlesbrough first-team picture tonight, claiming the Uruguayan should have learned lessons after leaving his club at loggerheads with his country during the international break.

Stuani arrived back on Teesside yesterday afternoon following 12 days away on duty with La Celeste that had incensed his head coach back at Middlesbrough because he was nearing a full recovery from two muscle tears.

The 28-year-old has missed Boro’s last seven matches, having returned from his previous international get together with the problems in his thigh and groin.

But Stuani travelled more than 7,000 miles to be part of the Uruguay squad which had two World Cup qualifiers with Ecuador and Chile, even though he was an unused substitute in both fixtures.

The £2.6m buy from Espanyol will not start against Queens Park Rangers tonight, because he only completed his return journey yesterday from Montevideo, but Karanka has not ruled the forward out of being named on the bench as Boro look to close the four-point gap on the Championship’s top two.

“Imagine when you have a player who is one of the most important players, with the most experience, and you have lost him for eight games,” said Karanka, effectively ruling Stuani out of a starting spot against QPR.

“I think this player has learned what has happened in the last month and I hope these kind of things will never be repeated.”

Karanka, despite that comment, has never purely blamed Stuani for wanting to represent his country – he feels Uruguay should have taken the decision away from him following his extensive period of inactivity at club level.

“I used to be a player. When the national team calls you it is difficult to say no,” said Karanka, who is waiting for confirmation from Uruguay explaining the amount of work Stuani was put through during the last two weeks.

“Fernando Amorebieta (who withdrew from the Venezuela squad because of injury) also wanted to go, but speaking with the medical staff we decided it was better for everyone that he stayed here.

“We didn’t want to take a risk with him and they called him. In the same way a club can’t say ‘you can’t call him up’ I think the player can’t say ‘I don’t want to go’ because you have an obligation to go.

“I presume he has trained all the sessions as he was on the bench. I wouldn’t put a player on the bench if he hadn’t. If he is well and we don’t have any other players to put on the bench then he could be on the bench against QPR.”

Boro, looking to extend the loan deal with Manchester City for Bruno Zuculini for a further two months, are in need of a lift after the defeat at leaders Hull in their last outing.

The manner of that defeat frustrated supporters, with question marks raised over how Boro had once again struggled to impress during a game against a promotion rival.

Karanka said: “If you look at the table, one day you will win, then lose and then draw, that’s what this league is like. I am focused on my team and we know how good a team we have.

“We are four points behind the top two teams, we have a game at home on Friday and another game at Huddersfield, so we have to keep going.

“Before Hull we won three games in a row. All of the teams will win games and lose matches in this division. I prefer to work in the way we do, to be focused on my team and not be concerned about everything else. I am really confident this season because I have an amazing squad.”

Karanka, who revealed midfielder Adam Forshaw will miss a further two weeks with a hamstring problem, fears Neil Warnock’s appointment as manager will bring an extra dimension to a very strong QPR squad.

“They have a lot of players who have played in the Premier league, they have some players who have played in the Champions League and now they have a very experienced manager,” said the boss.

“He is a manager who has coached for a lot of years, he knows the league really well. It will be more difficult for us because he knows what he is doing in this league and I also think they have one of the best squads in the league.

“A new manager offers something different. I think with his experience alongside all of the good players he has, they will change something. He will get the best out of the players.”

Middlesbrough: Konstantopoulos; Nsue, Ayala, Gibson, Friend; Leadbitter, Clayton; Adomah, Fabbrini, Downing; Nugent.