Grabara passes fitness test, return possible against Augsburg

Kamil Grabara will possibly return for Die Wölfe on Saturday afternoon at the WWK Arena.

Wolfsburger Allgemeine Zeitung reported yesterday evening that Polish goalkeeper Kamil Grabara has passed his most recent fitness test, and could be returning to the goal for VfL Wolfsburg against FC Augsburg on Saturday, in place of Marius Müller, although the probability is not 100 percent.

Grabara is one of a few players for Wolfsburg soon to return to permanent duty, as Maximilian Arnold played limited time in the most recent match with FC St. Pauli, cleared to play in the final hours before the start of the match after a ligament injury that kept him out for three weeks.

Grabara has not played for Wolfsburg since 2. February in Frankfurt, when he injured his hamstring in the sixty-sixth minute of what would ultimately be a 1-1 draw. Müller entered the match in his place, and has since started the last six matches in all competitions, five in the Bundesliga; he holds a 2-3-0 record in the German top flight, 2-3-1 with his DFB-Pokal record included.

Wolfsburg coach Ralph Hasenhüttl said about Grabara in a press conference following Thursday’s training session that Grabara “has been working intensely with Pascal Formann [Wolfsburg’s goalkeeping coach”, and that the reaction has been positive.

He also stated following the 2-1 victory in Bremen on 1. March that Grabara has done enough and is still a top-quality keeper for the club, and he will remain as the first-choice goalkeeper, with Müller as a solid backup option. The 57-year-old Austrian said about Grabara that, regardless of Müller’s recent performances, Grabara “saved enough matches for us this season, proven that he is the number one”.

It will be officially determined on Saturday morning if Grabara starts or remains out of the starting eleven and starts against 1. FC Heidenheim in two weeks. The match against FC Augsburg is Saturday afternoon, 15.30 (CET).