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Leverkusen lose midfield duo

Bayer 04 Leverkusen midfield players Daniel Bierofka and Hanno Balitsch require surgery for back and knee injuries.

Bayer 04 Leverkusen will be without Daniel Bierofka and Hanno Balitsch for the foreseeable future after the club revealed that both midfield players require surgery.

Back problems
Bierofka is in Munich where he will be operated on to rectify a problem with a disc in his spine. The 25-year-old has had a history of back problems and it is not yet known how long he will be out for, but the former German international may not return before the end of the season.

Substitute Bierofka
Bierofka has made three appearances as a substitute for Leverkusen in the Bundesliga this season and also came on in the 3-0 UEFA Champions League victory over Real Madrid CF last week.

Balitsch injury
Balitsch will undergo surgery in Cologne on Wednesday after damaging his knee during training. The success of the operation will determine how long the midfield player will be out of action. The 23-year-old has struggled to fight his way into the Leverkusen side this season and has only appeared twice as a substitute, in victories against FC Bayern München and Madrid.