What has already been feared under the Bayer Cross is now a bitter certainty: Florian Wirtz will be missing Bayer Leverkusen “several weeks”. This means that the reigning German champion also has to do without the 21-year-old in the second leg of the round of 16 of the Champions League against FC Bayern.
Florian Wirtz contracted an inner ligament injury in the right ankle in the home game against Werder Bremen (0: 2) on Saturday. According to the associations, this resulted in an MRI examination.
“The failure of Florian naturally meets us in this phase of the season, but we will catch it with a strong team,” says Simon Rolfes, Managing Director Sport at Bayer 04, on the club’s homepage. “We know Florian and know that he will come back as soon as possible. Everyone will support him. We assume that he will be in top shape again for the end of the season.”
However, there are still some important games on the plan for the Bayer-Elf. In addition to the second leg in the Champions League against FC Bayern (Wednesday, 9 p.m. in the Sport.de live ticker), Wirtz should also be in the Bundesliga against VfB Stuttgart (March 16, 7:30 p.m.) and VfL Bochum (March 28, 8:30 p.m.). The cup semi-final against Arminia Bielefeld (April 01, 8:45 p.m.) is probably not a safe date.
The DFB-Elf is also affected by the host loss
In addition, national coach Julian Nagelsmann also has to reschedule. A participation of the 21-year-old in the quarter-finals of the Nations League against Italy is also unlikely. The DFB selection will contest the first leg on March 20 in Milan, the second duel is in Dortmund three days later. Wirtz would be closed anyway in the first leg.
“I’m very sorry for Flo. Both in the club and the national team are now big games that he misses and in which he will be missing Bayer and we are extremely missing,” said Nagelsmann to the “Sid”. He wish Wirtz a “quick recovery”.
Shortly after his substitution against Bremen, Wirtz had to leave the place after a foul from Mitchell Weiser and was driven to a clinic in Cologne after the game. Weiser saw the yellow card for the foul, the Leverkuseners called for a dismissal.