Hombrados set for sensational comeback against Füchse

The captain sensationally is back on track: Five months and three days after he torn his cruciate ligament in the VELUX EHF Champions League match against MKB Veszprem on 14 October, Jose Javier Hombrados will be in the squad of Atletico Madrid on Sunday 17 March, in the Last 16 match against Füchse Berlin.

Hombrados who missed the World Championship and the triumph on home ground in January, is back one month earlier than expected – and confirmed his comeback to Spanish news agency EFE on Saturday.

“I will basically help my team from the bench, it is more a psychological support than anything else. But I might enter the field to save some Berlin penalty shots,” Hombrados told EFE.

Atletico have major goalkeeper problems after Adnan Sabnovic suffered the same injury in the re-match against Veszprem.

It was planned to have only Magnus Dahl and 18-year-old Antonio Diaz as goalkeepers for the Last 16.

But thanks to the Hombrados comeback, coach Talant Dushebajew has another major option.

On the other hand, Füchse playmaker Bartlomiej Jaszka had to undergo an appendix operation on Friday afternoon.

This operation was successful, as Füchse manager Bob Hanning confirmed on the club website.

“Everything is ok, but he will be out for at least three weeks.

“Bartlomiej left the hospital on Saturday and will watch our match on TV,” said Hanning