Leverkusen despite the bad luck of injury on Champions League course!
Leverkusen despite the bad luck of injury on Champions League course!
The entry into the second half of the Bundesliga became a challenge for Bayer Leverkusen before a crucial week. With an impressive 3-1 victory against Borussia Mönchengladbach, the team under the direction of coach Xabi Alonso, but the celebrations were clouded by serious injuries. Jeanuel Belocian suffered a cruciate ligament tear two weeks ago and Martin Terrier suffered a tear of the Achilles tendon in the victory, which ends his season prematurely.
The situation has additional explosiveness for Bayer Leverkusen, which presents itself both in the Bundesliga and the Champions League, since the two failures arrive against Atlético Madrid immediately before the decisive match. This Champions League game will take place on Tuesday at 9 p.m.
Problem and return of Boniface
Despite the injuries, Victor Boniface, who had been missing in his thigh since the end of November, took part in the final training session and will fly to Madrid with the team. His comeback could be crucial for the offensive, especially since Leverkusen has already lost two important players with Amine Adli (broken fibula) and the absent Boniface. Trainer Alonso and those responsible now check whether reinforcements are necessary during the transfer period to supplement the squad for the rest of the season.The violation of Terrier, whose serious course has arisen by an unfortunate meeting in the game, was confirmed by an MRI. The 27-year-old, who only switched from Stade Rennes to Leverkusen at the beginning of the season, cannot yet establish himself as indispensable. His absence is nevertheless perceived as painful because he was increasingly showing motivation in the last games.
Young talents and historical reviews
In the middle of these difficulties, Bayer Leverkusen extended a long-term contract with the 17-year-old Ukrainian talent Artem Stepanov until 2027. Stepanov is considered a great talent and could be awarded to the second division club 1. FC Kaiserslautern in winter to collect game practice. The squad size and the associated need to promote young talents is becoming increasingly important, especially in view of the current injury situation.Simon Rolfes, sports director of Leverkusen, emphasizes that the team in the Champions League history has already met Atlético Madrid ten times. These statistics indicate an exciting and intensive duel, especially since Rolfes celebrates his 43rd birthday on the match day. Leverkusen is preparing to secure a place in the round of 16 and to transfer the momentum from the Bundesliga to the Champions League, despite the tense personnel situation.
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Quellen | |