Bayer Leverkusen have announced that starting goalkeeper Rene Adler will have surgery on Wednesday. He will miss the rest of the preseason and likely the first match against Mainz. At this time it is not known exactly how long Adler will be out.
Rene Adler Injured, Will Miss Start Of Season For Bayer Leverkusen
Adler, 26, injured his right knee on July 3 in a friendly against Red Bull Salzburg. The goalkeeper says that surgery is his only option. He told the official club website, “I need this surgery If I want to be able to play this coming season without pain.” The surgery will be performed in Augsburg by knee specialist Dr. Ulrich Bönisch. The doctor will go in to remove scar tissue from the damaged area.
The German number 2 featured in 32 of Leverkusen’s 34 Bundesliga fixtures in the 2010-2011 season and 8 of their Europa League fixtures. They rode his back in goal to a second place finish, their best finish since the 2001-2001 season when they also finished second.
If Adler is unable to be in the net for the opening league fixtures, Leverkusen will turn to either 21 year old Fabian Giefer or 29 year old American international David Yelldell. Giefer was with the club last season and started two Bundesliga matches. Yelldell is a summer signing from second division club Duisburg. Yelldell led Duisburg to the DFB Pokal final, where they were defeated 5-0 by Schalke.
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