“As far as I know, all my players are fit,” Ottmar Hitzfeld declared on Thursday as the club’s internationals traipsed back in from midweek fixtures, but the situation had changed for the worse on Friday as first-choice regulars Martin Demichelis and Franck Ribery reported minor injuries.
Demichelis sustained a knock to his right foot in Argentina’s World Cup qualifier in Colombia and reported for intensive treatment on Friday. Ribery felt pain in his shoulder from a tensed muscle, but along with Demichelis, the Frenchman had no difficulty completing the final workout before Saturday’s league meeting with Wolfsburg.
Van Buyten ready to seize chance
If Demichelis is prevented from playing, both first-choice centre-halves would be ruled out of the match, as Lucio is suspended for the next four Bundesliga fixtures. Christian Lell and Valerien Ismael are the possible alternatives, but Daniel van Buyten is a certain starter against the Wolves.
“I’m delighted at the opportunity of playing again from the start,“ the Belgian declared on Friday. Van Buyten has just two Bundesliga appearances to his name this term, and only one start. “Sitting on the bench is hardly the best thing in the world. You have to work even harder to try and win your place back. But now I have the chance to play, and I’ll try and make the best of it,“ the towering 1.96 metre / 6 ft 5 in defender promised.
Topics of this article