Bundesliga Teams Face Injury Challenges Ahead of Season Second Half

Hertha BSC and Eintracht Braunschweig are grappling with injury concerns as they prepare for the Bundesliga season's second half. Hertha's coach Stefan Leitl voiced worries following a 1:1 draw against Bielefeld, with defender Niklas Kolbe sidelined by a calf injury expected to keep him out for several weeks. Kolbe's participation in the upcoming training camp in Portugal from January 3-9 remains doubtful. Young talent Kennet Eichhorn, recovering from an ankle injury, aims to resume training in January, while Maurice Krattenmacher is also anticipated to return by January 2 despite a minor ankle issue. Decisions on midfielder Leon Jensen and defender John Brooks' fitness will be assessed in the new year.

Meanwhile, Eintracht Braunschweig is optimistic about a more stable season phase after achieving their best first half in eight years, finishing 13th with 20 points, including a notable 2:1 win over league leaders Schalke 04. Coach Heiner Backhaus highlighted the team's resilience through a difficult 2025 marked by relegation battles and a losing streak of eight games out of nine. Key players Lino Tempelmann and Florian Flick are expected to recover from injuries during the winter break, which Backhaus described as a critical recovery period rather than a vacation.

Both teams are counting on the return of injured players to bolster their squads as they look ahead to the challenges in the season's second half.