At the currently struggling VfB Stuttgart, every return to team training raises hopes for a turnaround. Konstantinos Mavropanos and Silas are the next two candidates.
“When we have a full squad again, we’ll see a different VfB Stuttgart,” said VfB sporting director Sven Mislintat and should therefore be all the more pleased that Mavropanos completed an individual training session on the pitch on Monday.
The 23-year-old played his last competitive game for the Swabians in the cup defeat against 1. FC Köln on 27 October. Previously, the defender was not only reliable and set in defence, but is also the most goal-threatening player of the Matarazzo eleven with three goals and another assist.
Silas: Time of suffering could end in Dortmund
A true offensive player, on the other hand, is Silas, who was a major reason for Stuttgart’s ninth place finish last season with eleven goals and five assists. In the current season, however, the 23-year-old Congolese has not yet played a single match because a severe knee ligament rupture has slowed down the quick-as-an-arrow offensive man. The DFB ban until 11 September for playing under a false identity was therefore of no consequence.
In the meantime, however, Silas is back in team training and is able to put in a full effort in most of the sessions. In this respect, it could well be that he will be an option for the first time after the international break at Borussia Dortmund (20 November). Dortmund has been a great place for Silas recently – on matchday 11 of the 2020/21 season, he scored two goals and set up another in a 5:1 win.
The last time Silas was on the pitch was on 20 March, when VfB went down 4-0 at FC Bayern – he was forced off in the 35th minute then, and has been longing for his comeback ever since. Like Mislintat and VfB Stuttgart.
