The 25-year-old Dutchman was injured playing against Zürich in HSV’s 3-1 UEFA Cup third-round first-leg away victory and his club had announced that he’d remain sidelined for at least two weeks.
The international playmaker indeed missed last Sunday’s 3-0 Bundesliga victory over Bochum and he will definitely be out for Thursday’s home game against the Swiss Super League champions.
No complications
However, to the surprise of many, Van der Vaart trained today and expressed his desire to play in Sunday’s make-or-break clash.
“I was able to sprint for the first time today and didn’t have any problems. The important thing now is that the bruising goes down. I hope to be fit by Sunday, but we still have to wait for the next few days.” he told the club’s official website this afternoon.
Van der Vaart, who is rehabilitating in his homeland and is expected back in Germany on Thursday, joined Hamburg from Ajax on June 1, 2005 for an estimated 5.5 million euros and he’s exploded since, developing to the star he always promised he could be.
This season alone he’s scored 17 goals from midfield in 28 appearances, being the key to the side’s successes.
Firing on all cylinders
Huub Stevens’ men are at the moment third in the league, six points behind leaders Bayern, who they’ll meet in Munich.
They’re also in the hunt for the Pokal, visiting Wolfsburg in the quarter-finals and of course have one foot in the UEFA Cup last-16, where they’ll confront either Galatasaray or fellow German side Bayer Leverkusen.
Panos Bletsos, Goal.com
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