Hertha captain Boyata likely lost for the season after international duty injury
Any hopes that Dedryck Boyata might feature again for Hertha BSC this season appear to be lost after the veteran defender re-injured himself on international duty.
A most disappointing season for Germany's West Berlin capital city club has most assuredly had something to do with the fact that the team's strongest center-halve duo haven't been able to remain concurrently healthy. It looks to be the case that current trainer Pal Dardai will not be able to cling to any hope of reuniting Dedryck Boyata and Jordan Torunarigha before this campaign concludes.
It's very much been a stop/start season for the 23-year-old Torunarigha, for whom a partial syndesmosis tear has limited to just ten appearances. Boyata, the club's first-choice captain, has not featured for die Alte Dame since December.
The 30-year-old Belgian international had been gradually upping his training regimen and appeared to be fit enough to play. Unfortunately, it has now been confirmed that Boyata incurred another injury whilst playing with his national team last week.
German footballing magazine Kicker reports that Hertha attempted to intervene with the Belgian FA in order to cancel his recent call-up. In recent comments to Germany's Bild Zeitung, trainer Dardai conveyed a sense of frustration seemingly consistent with the report.
"When a player doesn't do anything for three months and then goes out to play a half, things like that do happen," Dardai explained, "His body wasn't prepared for it all."
Boyata did indeed play just 45 minutes. According to Dardai, the severity of the injury requires a full three week break followed by a staggered training program. Hence, the timetable effectively casts serious doubt that the center-back will suit up in the blue and white stripes again this year.