Metzelder faces two months out
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Article summary
Germany's BV Borussia Dortmund defender Christoph Metzelder has had surgery for cartilage damage in his right knee which will leave him sidelined for eight weeks.
Article body
Germany defender Christoph Metzelder has renewed acquaintances with the operating table after undergoing surgery for cartilage damage in his right knee which will keep him out of action for eight weeks.
History of injury
The 25-year-old BV Borussia Dortmund centre-back played every minute of his country's FIFA World Cup finals campaign bar the Ecuador group fixture, following an injury-punctuated period in his career when he was forced, by persistent achilles trouble among other complaints, to sit out the entire 2003/04 season and then miss chunks of the following two campaigns.
EURO qualifying blow
Metzelder eventually proved his fitness for World Cup duty by featuring 23 times in the Bundesliga for Dortmund last term. However, this latest operation, which has limited the Westfalenstadion stalwart to one league match of the new season and causes him to skip Germany's opening three UEFA EURO 2008™ qualifiers against the Republic of Ireland, San Marino and Slovakia, will leave Metzelder sidelined for the next two months. Germany's fourth Group D tie, against Cyprus on 15 November, is a possible comeback target.
