Injury chaos at Leverkusen: Who can play against Paderborn?

Injury chaos at Leverkusen: Who can play against Paderborn?

In the run-up to the eagerly awaited DFB Cup game against SC Paderborn next Wednesday, those responsible at Bayer Leverkusen are faced with a real personnel carousel. Coach Kasper Hjulmand is faced with numerous absences that could complicate the situation for the match. How kicker Reportedly, Nathan Tella and Equi Fernández, among others, are still unable to play. Tella is struggling with the effects of his knee after the injury he sustained against Eintracht Frankfurt in September and is unlikely to be back on the pitch until after the international break at the earliest.

In addition, Leverkusen will have to do without Lucas Vázquez, who is facing a ban due to a red card in the Copa del Rey final. Equi Fernández also suffered a ligament injury in his left knee and will be out until the new year. His return is expected in mid-November, so Hjulmand will have to concentrate his hopes on him in the near future. Schick, on the other hand, is back to full strength after his break and is ready for the challenge.

Expected lineup

Despite the tense personnel situation, Hjulmand has put together a probable starting eleven. How kicker shows, Bayer Leverkusen could compete in a 3-5-2 system. Blaswich is in the goalkeeper position, while the defense is made up of Andrich, Badé and Quansah. Maza and Aleix Garcia are planned in midfield. In attack, Arthur, M. Tillman, Grimaldo, Poku and Kofane could cause a stir. What is interesting is that Maza may return to the double six, which represents a tactical adjustment.

The players sitting on the reserve bench like Lomb, Schlich and Belocian are ready when the situation calls for it. However, numerous players are also not in the squad, including the returning Ben Seghir from the Africa Cup of Nations as well as Flekken, Hofmann, Palacios, Sarco and Tapsoba, all of whom have to miss for various reasons. These situations put the focus on Hjulmand's move, who, despite injury concerns, is keen to send a powerful team into the race against Paderborn.

Focus on the cup game

It is clear that despite all the challenges, the Werkself's goal is to reach the next round of the DFB Cup. Coach Hjulmand gave an update that the focus is on this crucial game. “We have a good team that can cause surprises despite the failures,” he emphasized. It remains to be seen what tactical tricks he can use to fill the gaps. It remains to be hoped that Leverkusen can overcome the initial difficulties and take the momentum from the last matches with them.

The coming days until the game against Paderborn will be crucial. The fans and the team are excited to see how this phase will develop. A successful progression in the cup could break the knot and sustainably strengthen the morale of the team. We can only hope that the Werkself can face these challenges and that the newcomers to the squad can step in, because good business in both the cup and the league is urgently needed.