By DPA
Hamburg : Metzelder has to undergo foot surgery that will sideline him indefinitely, the German football federation, DFB, has said. The DFB said that Metzelder, 27, told national coach Joachim Loew earlier in the day that the injury in his left foot required an operation after all, to be carried out in Madrid.
Metzelder will be operated upon Wednesday, because of the problem that has plagued him all season. Foot specialists Mariano de Prado and Pedro Luis Ripio will carry out the operation. This injury has limited Metzelder to just seven Liga appearances for Real in La Liga this season. He joined the whites in July after finishing his contract at Borussia Dortmund.
According to the digital version of AS newspaper, the operation means that the German defender will have “few options” to play again this season, and to take part in the European Championship finals. Real’s other injury victims right now are Pepe, Gabriel Heinze, Arjen Robben and Ruud Van Nistelrooy.
-*-
Kaiserslautern sack coach Rekdal
Kaiserslautern: Kaiserslautern have sacked their Norwegian coach Kjetil Rekdal in the wake of the another defeat, the struggling second division club has announced. Rekdal, 39, was in charge at Kaiserslautern since the start of the season. But a 2-1 home defeat against 1860 Munich Friday left the club in the relegation zone as a possible plunge into the third division looms.
Kaiserslautern said it was looking for a new coach and that reserve team coach Alois Schwartz will act as caretaker. Kaiserslautern have won four German titles. They gained fame in 1998 by winning the Bundesliga crown as a newly promoted team.
-*-
Diego dismisses Juventus interest
Bremen: Werder Bremen playmaker Diego has dismissed reports that he is interested in a move to Italian giants Juventus Turin. The Brazilian said on Bremen’s homepage on the eve of Sunday’s Bundesliga top of the table clash at leaders Bayern Munich that reports in Italian sports papers were not true.
“I said that I heard of it (Juve’s interest) and that it is great that such a club is interested in me. But I like it a lot in Bremen, and am concentrating fully on Bremen where I want to fulfil my contract until 2011,” Diego said. Bremen rank second in the Bundesliga, three points behind Bayern ahead of Sunday’s big game.