03.04.2008, 10:23
Ciudad vs HSV: injuries on both sides

Neither of the teams can send their complete team on court. HSV urgently sign Rastner, a former player of the club who retired in 2006.

Ciudad vs HSV: injuries on both sides

Ciudad Real had to get used to the injuries of their most important players this season. While Chema Rodriguez will surely not return on court this season any more, Urios and Metlicic might also skip the game against Hamurg on Sunday in the Quijote Arena.

The Spanish pivot is trying to recover from a new muscular injury and Metlicic still has problems with his hand.

“Petar will hardly play against Hamburg, but we must wait and see how he improves. If all goes right, he will play because physically he is okay,” said Ciudad Real’s doctor, Miguel Angel Lopez.

Zorman and Kallmann also have minor problems, but they will be ready for the game against Hamburg.

Ciudad prepare for the game with a successful last test in the Spanish league as they defeated Torrevieja with ease. It also means that they kept their first place in the Spanish championship. Stefansson and Laen scored 17 goals together and they were the leaders of Ciudad Real during this easy victory.

HSV: Rastner substitutes Gille

The series of injuries are not over for HSV Hamburg either: After losing Oleg Velyky, Torsten Jansen, Stefan Schröder and Matthias Flohr, now also pivot Bertrand Gille is injured. He suffered a broken rib and will not be able to play the semi-final against Ciudad Real on Sunday.

Due to this injury, HSV quickly signed former German Bundesliga player, Andreas Rastner (39), who had finished his playing career in 2006.  

Rastner was the “Gille substitute” in 2005 and 2006 when the French international was injured. In that period Rastner played 22 games for Hamburg and now he will play in the Bundesliga and Champions League as well.

Rastner had his first training session with his “new-old team” on Tuesday, one day before the league match against Balingen.  

“This is a great honour for me,” Rastner said. “If I can help, I will help. The fire inside is still burning, even as I did not have professional trainings for more than a year.” 

TEXT: Fernando Urra Goñi and Björn Pazen