Successful surgery for Mark and Micho

Mark van Bommel and Martin Demichelis have been nigh-on inseparable over the last 24 hours. On Sunday, they checked into hospital together, and on Monday, they were operated on one after the other by the same surgeon. Both operations were successful, and Van Bommel and Demichelis can expect to be discharged in the next few days.

Van Bommel broke his left big toe in Saturday’s opening Bundesliga fixture away to Hoffenheim, also rupturing a tendon. The club captain will be out of action for several weeks. “It’s a big, big blow for me,“ the 32-year-old ruefully admitted.

Demichelis ruptured a ligament in his right ankle during training in the middle of last week. The Argentine is likely to be sidelined for up to seven weeks. “Let’s hope the healing process follows an ideal course, and we’ll be able to call on him again as soon as possible,” director of sport Christian Nerlinger commented at the time.