One defender will be out for weeks, the other will be back in time for the big game at FC Bayern: Piero Hincapie completed full team training on Monday and is ready to play in Bayer’s away game in Munich on Friday.
Leverkusen’s Piero Hincapie is back. IMAGO/Vitalii Kliuiev
It’s a contrast program. In the morning, Bayer 04 announced the long-term absence of right-back Arthur, but after the training of his players who remained in Leverkusen, Xabi Alonso was able to include a long-term injured player in the matchday squad: Piero Hincapie.
The 21-year-old, who broke his metatarsal while playing for Ecuador in June, is set to make a comeback in time for the top game in Munich. “He trained fully with the team for the first time today. The plan is for him to participate normally all week, then we’ll see what happens with the game on Friday,” says Xabi Alonso, explaining the state of things.
If there is no setback, the left-footed player should be part of the matchday squad in Munich on Friday. “So far he hasn’t had any pain after training. That’s the most important thing. If everything goes well, it’s possible that he’ll come along,” said the Basque, optimistically.
“It would be difficult for him to play from the start”
This would at least give the Werkself coach one more substitute option in defense. Of course, Hincapie doesn’t have enough to make the starting eleven. “It would be difficult for him to play from the start,” says Xabi Alonso, “but he could help us for 15 or 20 minutes.”
Hincapie’s return comes at just the right time because the Ecuadorian World Cup participant is versatile and can defend not only inside but also outside. “We don’t have that many options on the left. Him, Grimaldo and Arthur too, but he’s injured. It’s important that Piero is back,” Leverkusen’s coach breathes a sigh of relief.
Xabi Alonsos Ahnung
Good news after the devastating diagnosis for Arthur, who the club expects to be out of action for up to three months following a hamstring injury. “He’s badly injured. He needs a few weeks. We have to wait and see,” says Xabi Alonso, who apparently suspected evil after the 5-1 win against the Lilies on matchday 3. “I was worried after the Darmstadt game that everyone would come back healthy from the international matches,” the 41-year-old repeats his words from the press conference after the game, “now we have one injured – hopefully there won’t be any more.”
The injury to the newly signed Brazilian hits the player, but also Xabi Alonso, hard, as he admits. “It’s a shame for Arthur. He had fitted in well. Now the English weeks are coming. It would have been important to have him there. We don’t have that many options in his position,” said the coach, regretting Arthur’s loss, which is now due to Hincapies Return is at least somewhat alleviated on the left side.
2023-09-11 13:41:51
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