Rudy & Co. return to the team

"This news gives us some breathing space and vindicates our decisions," said TSG Hoffenheim director of football Alexander Rosen. "The infection process was stopped by the self-imposed quarantine of the team," he said, before highlighting "the interdepartmental cooperation at TSG as well as the coordination with the public health department and external partners". Nevertheless, Rosen was quick to add the following: "It goes without saying that there is an obligation for us to continue to handle the situation carefully and responsibly". This is the only way to ensure that match operations can continue. "In retrospect, however, the players, coaches and all the staff at TSG must be praised for the way they've handled this situation, which is unprecedented in the Bundesliga," Rosen said.

"After today's medical examinations, which were carried out in cooperation with the Rhine-Neckar Olympic Base and University Hospital Heidelberg, Sebastian Rudy, Ishak Belfodil, Munas Dabbur and Robert Skov can return to team training. Kevin Vogt and Jacob Bruun Larsen will first complete individual sessions in Zuzenhausen before later re-joining the team. Andrej Kramarić and Kasim Adams, who had been infected while on international duty back in October, were already back in the squad last weekend for the 3-3 draw with VfB Stuttgart. 

"The most important thing is that we haven't had any serious cases and all players and staff are doing well. It is not yet possible to make a final prediction as to which of the lads will be in contention for the games against Slovan Liberec and Mainz, but given the tight schedule in the run-up to Christmas this obviously means we have some important room for manoeuvre," explained Rosen.

In order to keep the risk of infection as low as possible during the trip to Czechia, the team will travel to Liberec on Thursday, the day of the match. The usual practice of arriving the day before, staying overnight and training at the venue will not apply. The final training session as well as the press conference will be held on Wednesday at the Zuzenhausen training ground.