A very bitter pill for FC Schalke 04! S04 youngster Assan Ouédraogo was injured worse than initially expected at the U17 World Cup in Indonesia. The Royal Blues announced on Thursday evening that the DFB talent would return to Gelsenkirchen early.
Ouédraogo was surprisingly in the starting line-up in the second group game of the German U17 team against New Zealand (3-1) after missing three games from FC Schalke 04 due to a thigh injury. However, after a foul, the 17-year-old had to be substituted in the first half against the Kiwis.
The initial all-clear was then followed by a different diagnosis on Thursday.
Since Ouédraogo was still feeling pain a day after the game, they finally had photographs taken at the hospital and found “that the injury was worse than initially diagnosed and it was sent to Schalke,” according to an official statement Squires.
The homegrown player has therefore injured his ankle, and in Gelsenkirchen “further examinations by a team doctor” from FC Schalke 04 will provide a more precise picture.
FC Schalke 04 could have brought Ouédraogo back without injury
S04 sports director André Hechelmann had previously told “WAZ” that Ouédraogo’s substitution was merely a precautionary measure on the part of the DFB.
However, Hechelmann also confirmed that it had been agreed with the association that the youngster could possibly return to the Ruhr early if coach Karel Geraerts decided that the midfielder was needed in the upcoming league game against Fortuna Düsseldorf.
However, the latest developments now call into question whether Ouédraogo will even be able to play at Fortuna on November 25th.