Hoffenheim vs Bayer Leverkusen preview - Sule out for Hoffenheim

Posted Wednesday, December 17, 2014 by PA

Hoffenheim will be without defender Niklas Sule for Wednesday's clash with Bayer Leverkusen and probably for the rest of the season too after he tore knee ligaments at the weekend.

The 19-year-old picked up the injury as he chased Eintracht Frankfurt's Haris Seferovic for a ball on Saturday, losing that particular race and the chance to play again for the next six months.

"I'm shocked because I've never had a serious injury before," Sule told the Bild newspaper.

"I was in such good form, but now I don't think I will be playing again this season. I know these kind of things can take six to eight months to heal so I'm just going to prepare myself for next season."

His loss is a blow to Hoffenheim manager Markus Gisdol against one of the strongest attacks in the Bundesliga.

"It's hit us all hard," Gisdol said. "He's a great lad and we're going to support him, but you've also got to say that this is part of sport.

"We've got a big squad and we don't have any other players out, but his absence is a blow because Niklas was a real first-team regular."

One of those is also likely to be missing for Leverkusen on Wednesday with Hakan Calhanoglu struck down by a cold virus.

"He's not feeling all that good but I will wait to decide whether he joins us on the trip, makes his own way to Sinsheim or stays at home," said coach Roger Schmidt, who was forced to withdraw the Turkish midfielder after 71 minutes on Sunday against Borussia Monchengladbach due to fever.

Without Calhanoglu, Schmidt will have to think of another way to hurt Hoffenheim, although he says he has spotted their weakness.

"They're not so strong when it comes to transitions from defence to attack," he said. "If we can get at them deep, then we hope to catch them out there."