SV Sandhausen have been dealt a huge blow towards the back end of the season, as Manuel Stiefler was confirmed to have torn his anterior and medial collateral ligaments at the weekend.
"For him, it's very, very tragic, because he has played a very good half-season until now." - Alois Schwartz, Sandhausen head coach.
It happened in just the fifteenth minute of their game with 1. FC Union Berlin. Stiefler was battling with Union captain Damir Kreilach, when the latter fell onto the Sandhausen midfielder's knee.
"Firstly, I hope it is not too bad. But it does not look good," admitted Schwartz. Although an MRI scan on Tuesday revealed club, coach and player's worst fears. It will see him miss over six months of action, meaning early October will be the first realistic return date for Stiefler.
Coach Schwartz wasn't best pleased to lose such a key midfielder, "For us it is again a new situation, we need to see what fits best." Stiefler made 23 appearances for Sandhausen and he'll leave quite the gap for his team-mates to fill.
On a brighter note, SVS are eight points clear of the 2. Bundesliga relegation zone. Though had Stiefler been injured and that margin was two/three points, then his side would have been much more worried about beating the drop.
They take on Erzgebirge Aue this weekend, knowing a win would almost entirely alleviate any fears of returning to the 3. Liga.
Quotes via kicker.