Injury update: Leon Goretzka eyes a return to full team training this week

Positive news on the injury front for Bayern Munich! Leon Goretzka is closing in on a return to action after recovering from an operation for a thigh injury that he suffered while on international duty with Germany in early September. Goretzka has not played for club or country since the middle of August in Bayern Munich’s 3-1 win over Energie Cottbus in the first round of the DFB-Pokal. He was an unused substitute for Bayern’s 6-1 thrashing of Mainz on August 31st.

Speaking to Bayern’s website (via SZ), Goretzka said that he’s feeling very good with how his recovery has gone and said that he’s eyeing a return to full team training this week:

I’m well on my way; everything is going according to plan — even somewhat more quickly than planned. I feel good. I think that I’ll even be able to play with the team this week. I’m confident that I’ll be ready in the near future.

While it still might be a bit too early for Goretzka to be in contention for this weekend’s match against Augsburg, it will be a breath of fresh air for Niko Kovac and company to have him back in the squad and fully fit. Fixtures come thick and fast for Bayern on all fronts in late October and early November, so Kovac will need as many options as possible to make the necessary rotations. Having Goretzka back will surely alleviate some of the worry in that department.