Flex: Leroy Sané, recovering in Innsbruck, can already bend his knee

Germany misses its starting left winger, Leroy Sané, as the team readies itself for its Euro 2020 qualification match against the Netherlands. Head coach Jogi Löw remarked that Sané’s absense “hurts. He has developed into a very valuable player for us who influences games” (Sportschau). Instead, it will presumably be Timo Werner or perhaps Julian Brandt who play opposite Bayern Munich’s own Serge Gnabry.

As for Sané himself, things are looking up. According to Bild, Sané is currently in Innsbruck, Austria, with Dr. Christian Fink, the man who operated on his injured knee. Sané is training 4-6 hours daily at Fink’s clinic and can already bend his knee again at a 90-degree angle. He is performing upper-body exercises in the meantime to stay relatively fit.

The clinic communicates regularly with Manchester City’s own medical division, but is also in touch with Dr. Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt as head doctor of the German National Team. By virtue of Müller-Wohlfahrt’s status as Bayern Munich’s chief team doctor, as well as Dr. Jochen Hahne’s status as team doctor of Bayern’s basketball team, the club is also excellently informed about Sané’s progress.

Manchester City apparently hopes that Sané can make his comeback in the winter, but it is more likely that he will be ready to play early next year.