Karlsruhe (dpa / lsw) - Coach Christian Eichner is hoping for the appearances of strikers Mikkel Kaufmann and Simone Rapp as well as captain Jerôme Gondorf before the home start of Karlsruher SC.
The businessman, who was loaned out by FC Copenhagen, trained again after a cold, the coach of the second division soccer team reported two days before the game against 1. FC Magdeburg on Sunday (1.30 p.m.). Even with Rapp, who was signed by FC Vaduz and returned to his colleagues on Wednesday, "the initial feedback was very positive". Rapp was recently diagnosed with a herniated disc in his cervical spine. However, he decided against surgery and opted for conservative treatment. Midfielder Gondorf had a day off training during the week but could now be available again.
"As of now, I'm assuming that the three question marks will be an option, at least as far as the squad is concerned," said Eichner. He will also be without injured defenders Christoph Kobald, Daniel O'Shaughnessy, Felix Irorere and Sebastian Jung, as well as midfielders Kyoung-Rok Choi and Leon Jensen.
At the start of the season, KSC lost 5-0 at SC Paderborn last Sunday after a decent first hour. "We'll have to build on the very decent first 60 minutes," said Eichner. The 39-year-old had the mistakes made by his team recreated on the pitch during the week. "One or two mistakes were made in terms of content, which we believe are recurring," he said - and therefore relied on "spatial experience".
