On matchday 3, Xaver Schlager ruptured his cruciate ligament during Wolfsburg’s 1-0 win over RB Leipzig. The Austrian is missing for VfL – without him, there has only been one win in the competition.
Xaver Schlager and Maximilian Arnold. Wolfsburg’s double six made an impression. Not only former coach Oliver Glasner counted the duo among the best midfield pairings in the league. Since 29 August, however, the VfL has been missing an important component in Schlager, the Austrian who tore his cruciate ligament against Leipzig, had to undergo surgery and is now in rehabilitation training at home. “It will be a few months before he is back,” says coach Mark van Bommel.
The Dutchman does not want to make a direct connection between the absence of his regular player and the development of his team. But even he can’t deny it: without Schlager, VfL only won in Fürth (2:0), in the five subsequent competitive matches there were three draws and two defeats. And without Schlager, a box-to-box player of the highest order, Wolfsburg’s game changed.
Josuha Guilavogui replaces him, a veteran whose strengths lie mainly in winning the ball, who provides less offensive impetus. “Xaver has certain qualities,” explains the coach. These are now missing from the team, which was perfectly attuned in this so important part of the team. The hit hole. “But it’s not the case,” van Bommel emphasises, “that we’ve only won one game because of it.”
And it would be dangerous if nothing changed in the results trend. “We can’t wait now until Xaver is back,” knows the coach, who wants to get back on track after two defeats in a row at Union Berlin on Saturday. Without one who would also be a possible Schlager replacement: Yannick Gerhardt, who suffered a metatarsal bruise in the test against Hamburger SV (4:1), is out. “We can’t get him on,” says van Bommel, “the blow was too strong. “
