PEOPLE AND PLACES IN THE NEWS
Defender’s injury a problem for club and country
Niklas Sule
PEOPLE AND PLACES IN THE NEWS
I
f Bayern Munich are to
claim an eighth consecutive
Bundesliga title, they are going
to have to do it the hard way.
That’s the only conclusion
to reach after German
international centre-back
Niklas Sule snapped cruciate ligaments
in his left knee in the 2-2 draw away to
regional rivals Augsburg.
Sule, who duly underwent an
operation to repair the damage is
expected to be on the sidelines for at
least six months. Indeed, his season may
have already run its course.
To a great extent, Bayern’s defensive
plans revolve around the giant 24-year-
old Frankfurter. Since arriving at the
Allianz-Arena from Hoffenheim at the
start of the 2017-18 season, he has
developed into one of Europe’s most
accomplished stoppers and by common
consent, is the champions’ main source
of back-line steel and physical presence.
Bayern, of course, have plenty of other
centre-back options, not least the highly
experienced Jerome Boateng and freshly
recruited Frenchmen Benjamin Pavard
and Lucas Hernandez. But their defensive
problems were compounded by an ankle-ligament injury sustained by Hernandez
in the Champions League which will
sideline the former Atletico Madrid
left-back for two months.
But Sule’s absence will be the greater
loss. He undoubtedly offered the most in
terms of solidity and trustworthiness.
Ominously, he suffered an identical injury
some five years ago while playing for
Hoffenheim. On that occasion, he was
out for no fewer than 203 days. Repeat
procedures on old wounds invariably take
longer, so it doesn’t bode well.
One man sure to be keeping an
anxious eye on Sule’s rehabilitation is
Nationalmannschaft boss Joachim Low.
Arguably, Germany need a fully fit
Sule even more than Bayern. The
Bundesliga is hardly crawling with high-
calibre centre-backs at the moment and
Low may come under pressure to offer a
volte-face recall to Mats Hummels, whom
he controversially ditched in March.
Now back at Borussia Dortmund
following a three-year stint with Bayern,
Hummels is still only 30 and, frankly, is
performing as capably as ever.
Will Low be prepared to eat a slice of
humble pie for the greater good?
Nick Bidwell- The US federation conducted a
lengthy search but the appointment was
criticised, with many highlighting the
role of Berhalter’s brother Jay, a senior
federation executive, in the process.
Berhalter faced criticism for his
deployment of defensive midfielder
Weston McKennie in an advanced role,
while Christian Pulisic was hauled off
after an hour. Pulisic, who was reported
afterwards to be suffering from flu, was
visibly upset on the touchline but insisted
he had been keen to play despite a lack
of match action at new club Chelsea.
While Canada are clearly making
progress with a young team under new
coach John Herdman, the USA’s defeat in
Toronto will only add to calls for under-
20 coach Tab Ramos to step up to the
senior side.
John Holmesdale
Agony...injured
against Augsburg