Glatzel back on the pitch: Comeback against Leverkusen on the cards? | OneFootball

Before the duel with Bayer Leverkusen, HSV can hope for the return of Robert Glatzel. The striker, who recently missed out due to a muscle fiber tear, could be an option for the first time since his injury.

Coach Merlin Polzin raised eyebrows on Monday afternoon when he provided an update on the squad situation. The good news: compared to the 2-1 defeat in Freiburg, the situation has significantly improved. The recently ill Emir Sahiti, Rayan Philippe, and Fabio Baldé could return to the squad. But the greatest interest was in Robert Glatzel, whose comeback many HSV fans are eagerly awaiting.

At first, Polzin did not mention the striker among the definite absentees. Only when asked did he become more specific. “We have a list in collaboration with our medical department. Bobby was unfortunately on red for quite a while, then moved to yellow, and as of today he’s back on green,” explained the HSV coach. That’s a positive signal, because: “He is theoretically available again.”

HSV: Glatzel is “theoretically available” against Leverkusen

However, Polzin immediately added a caveat. “Certain weeks of training workload with the team are necessary to ensure one hundred percent match fitness,” he said, emphasizing: “That’s why he would theoretically be available. Whether it makes sense for tomorrow, we’ll see tomorrow.” So the basic medical clearance has been given, but an appearance against Leverkusen remains questionable. Polzin definitely does not want to take any unnecessary risks.

There is no question that Glatzel’s return would provide a huge boost for HSV. When the veteran was injured against VfB Stuttgart (2-1) on November 30, he was in the starting lineup for the first time this season and immediately made an impact. He converted a strong assist from Alexander Røssing-Lelesiit in classic center-forward fashion to give HSV a temporary 1-0 lead. Since then, however, Glatzel has had to pause and has faced further competition from winter signing Damion Downs.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.