12.01.2010

Friend to miss restart

Borussia will be without striker Rob Friend for the first two matches after the winter break. The Canadian suffered a cut heel during the Winter Cup in Düsseldorf.

Michael Frontzeck will therefore have to rejig his team for Saturday's visit of VfL Bochum. Club doctor Stefan Hertl has stitched the cut in Friend's left heel and ordered the 28-year-old to sit out training for the time being. Friend will be sidelined for at least two matches.

The injury presents Frontzeck with a few attacking concerns ahead of the Bundesliga restart. For in addition to Friend the Borussia boss will be without Karim Matmour, who is with Algeria at the Africa Cup (and suffered a surprise 3-0 defeat to Malawi yesterday). Roberto Colautti and Oliver Neuville are also struggling with muscular problems. Neither player was used at the Winter Cup in Düsseldorf on Sunday, though both are set to resume full training this week. There is therefore every hope that they will be available for selection against Bochum on Saturday.

The final phase of the preparations for the Bochum game began at the BORUSSIA PARK today. Besides Friend and Matmour four other players were missing. Paul Stalteri (medial collateral ligament sprain) will begin with running work this week but will need some time before he is able to play again. It is a similar situation with Gal Alberman, who is in rehabilitation after undergoing surgery on his heel. Also sidelined are Jan-Ingwer Callsen-Bracker (foot tendonitis) and Christian Dorda (ruptured patella tendon).

After today's session the players will train another four times this week. Two sessions have been arranged for Wednesday (1000 and 1600), one on Thursday (1600) and one on Friday (behind closed doors).