Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso has provided an update on the fitness and potential availability of German gem Florian Wirtz ahead of Saturday’s Bundesliga clash with 13th placed Union Berlin at the Bay Arena.
Wirtz has been sidelined with an ankle injury since the beginning of March, missing five consecutive games including a Champions League round of 16 second-leg defeat to Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich as well as a shocking DFB Pokal semi-final elimination at the hands of third tier opponents Arminia Bielefeld.
After spending over a month on the treatment table, the 21-year-old is fully recovered and will be in contention to start against Union Berlin on Saturday as confirmed by Alonso during a pre-match press conference.
“Flo is back fit, he is in the squad, he can play, also from the start and that’s very good,” Alonso said. “We are a better team with Florian. We have better connections between the lines. He is the player who makes the difference for us.”
Leverkusen will be looking to stay hot on the heels of current pace setters Bayern Munich, who face Borussia Dortmund on Saturday as well, with a victory against Berlin. The defending champions are six points off the pace and they will need to win all their remaining games for the season while hoping the Bavarians slip up.
“It is our task to put pressure on them [Bayern] and then we will see what happens,” Alonso said.
With nine goals and ten assists in the Bundesliga so far this season, Wirtz certainly has a big part to play in helping Alonso’s men keep up the pressure at the summit with just six games left to play.
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