Van der Vaart injury blow
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Article summary
Hamburger SV's influential Dutch playmaker Rafael van der Vaart will be out for two months after tearing a thigh muscle against Hertha BSC Berlin on Sunday.
Article body
Hamburger SV's Dutch international playmaker Rafael van der Vaart has been told he will be out of action for two months after tearing a thigh muscle against Hertha BSC Berlin at the weekend.
Significant blow
The 23-year-old had already withdrawn from the Netherlands squad for the upcoming UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifiers against Luxembourg and Belarus, but the Hamburg captain will now also miss the opening matches of the UEFA Champions League season. The Bundesliga outfit start their campaign against Arsenal FC on 13 September and could be halfway through their Group G fixtures before Van der Vaart returns, possibly to face FC Porto on Matchday 4.
