The Bundesliga games on Saturday had only just begun when Grischa Prömel announced: Something's broken. The TSG Hoffenheim footballer apparently injured his ankle badly. Just a few days ago he was happy to be in the provisional World Cup squad for the DFB team.
Just a week ago, Grischa Prömel made it public that he was on the provisional squad list of national coach Hansi Flick for the World Cup in Qatar. The dream of making a debut in the German national team seems to have been painfully shattered this Saturday afternoon, according to the pictures. Barely a quarter of an hour has been played when the TSG Hoffenheim midfielder announces after an unfortunate collision: Something is torn or even broken. Shortly after the final whistle, coach Andre Breitenreiter confirmed an "ankle fracture".
The live image already showed that the right ankle twisted, with the first diagnosis being that the 27-year-old would actually be in the final squad for the World Cup in a few days. Prömel is taken off the pitch on a stretcher. The right leg is already bandaged and stabilized. Previously, the slowdowns showed the foot at an angle to the lower leg that could only be explained by a serious injury. Hoffenheim's Christoph Baumgartner had unluckily rushed into Prömel's path with a tackle. The resulting collision was momentous.
The midfielder moved to Hoffenheim from 1. FC Union Berlin in the summer and quickly established himself as a regular and top performer. TSG had a strong start to the Bundesliga season under new coach Andre Breitenreiter with three wins from four games. Prömel had started all 13 matchdays, including today's home game against Leipzig, preparing one goal and scoring one himself.
During the week, Timo Werner had already had to cancel the highly controversial tournament due to injury, which national coach Flick should have actually planned. Prömel was probably intended more as a supplementary player in the considerations. Now, however, it is impossible for the 27-year-old to take part in the German World Cup opener against Japan in 18 days. Instead, even an early end of the season seems conceivable.
