VfL Wolfsburg will have to do without midfielder Yannick Gerhardt at the start of the new Bundesliga season.
The 28-year-old injured his left knee in the 7-1 friendly win against Austrian first division side WSG Tirol on Saturday and had to be taken to a hospital for an examination. The Wolfsburg fear damage to the inner ligament, but the exact diagnosis is still pending.
Despite this bad news, coach Niko Kovac was satisfied with the first friendly during the training camp in Seefeld, Austria.
“Of course we know that Tirol is not as strong as RB Salzburg, for example. But it’s important to us that the things we’ve worked on in the three weeks of training can also be seen on the pitch,” said the VfL coach. “Especially at the front I really liked it today.”
The Wolfsburg goals were scored by Luca Waldschmidt (14th/32nd minute), Renato Steffen (75th/79th), Maximilian Philipp (16th), Elvis Rexhbecaj (60th) and Jonas Wind (72nd).
Gerhardt’s absence hits VfL so hard because the Austrian international Xaver Schlager has already been sold to RB Leipzig in his position in defensive midfield. The club has already responded by signing Croatian Bartol Franjic.
Ex-captain Josuha Guilavogui and Elvis Rexhbecaj may now have a new chance in midfield. Both were loaned out to Girondins Bordeaux and VfL Bochum last season and should actually leave the club.