By Peter Weis@PeterVicey

Confirmed: Andrich and Kossounou lost for the year

Bayer 04 Leverkusen quickly confirmed the grim news concerning midfielder Robert Andrich and defender Odilon Kossounou on Friday evening. 
Robert Andrich.
Robert Andrich. Photo: Bayer 04 Leverkusen
After the club made no secret of the fact that the prospects Robert Andrich and Odilon Kossounou were not looking good on Friday morning, quick confirmation of season-ending injuries Friday evening. Andrich will be unavailable for the rest of the league campaign and the Europa League with a foot fracture. Kossounou must sit out due to a muscle tear.

The talismanic Andrich has made 41 appearances across all competitions for Germany's red company team this year. Bayer trainer Xabi Alonso utilized the veteran defensive midfielder as a crucial pivot running center back at times, to very positive effect. Kossounou was rotated in and out of the back-three more often, making a total of 35 appearances across all competitions.

The loss of the two players constitutes very bad news for the Bundesliga's sixth-placed side as they fight to qualify for Europe both in the table and in the UEL campaign. Champions' League qualification for Xabi's Werkself via the table appears out of reach and there are two close competitors (Mainz and Wolfsburg) for the Europa League places.

Leverkusen are behind 0-1 on aggregate against AS Roma in the 2022/23 UEFA Europa League semi-finals.

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