Lukas Klostermann rejoins Leipzig in time for Pokal fixture
RB Leipzig gaffer Julian Nagelsmann confirmed on Monday that fullback Lukas Klostermann is once again fit and ready after major knee surgery kept him out for two months.
Leipzig's upcoming Pokal fixture against FC Augsburg might see the return of Lukas Klostermann; a spot of good news for a Saxon squad still struggling with a raft of injuries. Earlier in the year the loss of both Klostermann and Marcel Halstenberg not only deprived die roten Bullen of their regular fullbacks, but also left the German national team with major personnel issues.
Halstenberg has slowly been reintegrated into the team and suffered multiple set-backs with various muscular problems. The 29-year-old has not served as a regular fixture in the team since round four; the same matchday that Klostermann bowed out to undergo knee surgery. The return of the latter counts as a pleasant surprise after the operation was supposed to keep him out through January.
Nagelsmann supplied over injury updates in a Monday presser. Christopher Nkunku and Ibrahima Konaté have definitely been ruled out of the upcoming encounter. Justin Kluivert will also not be an option.
According to Nagelsmann, eighteen-year-old midfielder Lazar Samardzic, having recovered from a bout with COVID and exited quarantine, may feature in the Tuesday lineup. The RB trainer also emphasized that Klostermann won't necessarily be rushed if the player doesn't find himself pain free.
"He'll travel with us to Augsburg to see if he 'feels it'," Nagelsmann noted.