Kai Havertz will miss Germany’s World Cup qualifiers against Slovakia and Northern Ireland due to a knee injury sustained while playing for Arsenal. DFB national team director Rudi Voller confirmed the news, adding uncertainty about the treatment plan. This absence presents a challenge for Germany as they aim to bounce back from previous defeats and secure their place in the World Cup. The team will look to other players to step up in Havertz’s absence.
Germany's national team will be without Kai Havertz for their upcoming World Cup qualifying matches against Slovakia and Northern Ireland. This was confirmed by DFB national team director Rudi Voller, who cited a knee injury sustained by the Arsenal forward as the reason for his absence.
Havertz picked up the injury during Arsenal's narrow 1-0 victory over Manchester United at the start of the Premier League season. He subsequently missed the Gunners' 5-0 thrashing of Leeds United at the Emirates Stadium, a game that also saw Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka leave the field with knocks, further compounding Arsenal's injury woes.
The 26-year-old Havertz has not featured for Germany since their Nations League encounter against Bosnia and Herzegovina last November. His recent spell on the sidelines adds to a frustrating period for the player, who was also out of action between February and mid-May due to a hamstring tear. This latest setback will undoubtedly be a concern for both club and country, as Havertz looks to regain full fitness and form.
"He certainly won’t make it; he has a knee injury," Voller stated to the German media, confirming Havertz's unavailability. "We don’t know exactly how it will go in the coming weeks, whether surgery is upcoming, or it will be treated conservatively." The uncertainty surrounding the treatment plan adds to the concern, with both surgery and conservative management potentially involving lengthy recovery periods.
Germany are scheduled to kick off their World Cup qualifying campaign with a match against Slovakia in Bratislava on September 4th. They will then return home to host Northern Ireland at the RheinEnergieStadion three days later. These matches are crucial for Julian Nagelsmann's side as they look to secure their place in the next World Cup.
Nagelsmann's team, which also includes Luxembourg in Group A, is eager to bounce back from the disappointing defeats suffered against Portugal and France in June's Nations League finals. The absence of a key player like Havertz will undoubtedly present a challenge, but it also offers an opportunity for other members of the squad to step up and prove their worth.
The German national team's medical staff will be working closely with Arsenal to determine the best course of action for Havertz's recovery. The hope is that he will be able to return to action as soon as possible, both for his club and for his country. In the meantime, Germany will have to find a way to cope without his attacking prowess and versatility.
The focus will now shift to the other players in the squad, with the likes of Thomas Muller, Serge Gnabry, and Leroy Sane expected to shoulder more of the attacking responsibility. Nagelsmann will also be looking to integrate younger players into the team, providing them with valuable experience on the international stage. The upcoming World Cup qualifiers will be a stern test for Germany, but they are determined to overcome the challenges and secure their place in the tournament.
The news of Havertz's injury is a blow to the German national team, but it is also an opportunity for others to shine. The team has a wealth of talent at its disposal, and they will be determined to prove that they can compete at the highest level, even without one of their key players. The upcoming matches against Slovakia and Northern Ireland will be crucial in setting the tone for their World Cup qualifying campaign.
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