Bitter failure at the ÖFB: Xaver Schlager’s season may have come to an end

Xaver Schlager suffered an ankle injury in Leipzig’s defeat at Dortmund and needs surgery.

Xaver Schlager is facing another longer injury break. According to his club, the 25-year-old RB Leipzig midfielder suffered an injury to the symmetrical ligament in his right ankle in the Bundesliga summit match at Borussia Dortmund (1-2) on Friday, and the operation will take place on Monday. The Leipzig residents gave no information on the exact length of the stoppage on Saturday, but the season must end prematurely for the Schlager.

With an injury, Schlager will certainly miss the first FIFA matches of the year in the qualifiers for the European Championships in Linz against Azerbaijan (March 24) and Estonia (March 27). Born in Linz, Lower Austria he is also a key player in the national team. Schlager had been in the starting line-up in all eight previous international matches under new team captain Ralf Rangnick. In the opening doubles in Linz, captain David Alaba threatens to miss due to a muscle injury.

For Schlager, one of Leipzig’s best and most consistent players in recent months, this is another health setback. The midfielder had already missed most of last season when he was still playing for VfL Wolfsburg with a cruciate ligament tear. Prior to that, the former Salzburger had already suffered a serious ankle injury at the start of his time in Germany in 2019.

After Timo Werner, Lukas Klostermann and compatriot Konrad Leimer, Schlager is the fourth Leipzig player to suffer an injury this season. While the trio were cracks, the club did not provide any additional information about Schlager’s injury. ÖFB-Internationale struggled in a duel with Dortmund striker Anthony Modest.

the ravages of injury

Leipzig will also have to dispense with Christopher Nkunku again in the next few days. The club said that the attacking star suffered a slight tear in the muscles of his left thigh in Dortmund and will be absent for the time being. “He noticed something in his muscles during the sprint,” explained trainer Marco Rose. “In the end I should have been better and taken him out sooner.” The Frenchman, who has recovered from a ligament tear, was in the starting line-up against BVB for the first time in 111 days.

The efforts of Leipzig, where the ban Leimer was missing, were enormous. However, the Saxons did not take anything to count. It spoiled Rose’s mood when he first returned to his former workplace. “With the performance, it’s hard to accept losing a match like that,” the coach said. “The second half was very clear to us.” Sad about the missed opportunity to move to a point over Dortmund.

Completely exhausted but thrilled with joy, most of the Dortmund professionals fell to the pitch after the final whistle. “We defend ourselves more and are ready to suffer. The team has taken the next step in its development,” said Dortmund’s sporting director Sebastian Kehl after winning its 10th consecutive game. Edin Terzic’s side head into the second leg of their Champions League clash on Tuesday at Chelsea in big wind.

(APA)