Hjulmand gives update on Leverkusen squad – including Grimaldo – ahead of Leipzig trip

Bayer Leverkusen coach Kasper Hjulmand provided an injury update on his squad, including Alejandro Grimaldo, on Friday ahead of the team’s trip to Leipzig.

Bayer Leverkusen are sweating over the fitness of Alex Grimaldo ahead of their Bundesliga trip to RB Leipzig on Saturday evening.

Grimaldo missed last week’s 2-0 derby win over 1. FC Köln with muscular problems, and it remains unclear whether he will be fit to face Leipzig.

“He hasn’t trained much this week,” Leverkusen coach Kasper Hjulmand said at a press conference on Friday. 

“We’ll see after our last training session today. We have hope, but we’ll have to see what happens.”

Hjulmand also confirmed that Ernest Poku will miss the game due to injury, alongside the suspended Jarell Quansah.

Bayer will also be without Exequiel Palacios, who is still recovering from a long-term injury, as well as Edmond Tapsoba, Ibrahim Maza and Eliesse Ben Seghir, who are with their national teams ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations.

On the positive side for Bayer 04, Aleix Garcia and Christian Kofane were both passed fit to play by Hjulmand. 

He also revealed Lucas Vazquez could return to the squad after a lengthy injury layoff, depending on how Friday’s training session goes