Speaking at his press conference ahead of the DFB-Pokal quarter-final tie against VfB Stuttgart, Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso confirmed that the game comes too early for Exequiel Palacios.
Palacios is currently out with a thigh injury suffered in Leverkusen’s 3-2 win against RB Leipzig in January. Alonso confirmed that the Argentine is ‘progressing well’ but the game comes too early for Palacios. It is currently unknown whether Palacios will be available for Leverkusen this weekend when they host Bayern Munich.
Apart from Odilon Kossounou who is still at the Africa Cup of Nations, Leverkusen’s AFCON contingent Amine Adli and Edmond Tapsoba will be fully available for the Stuttgart game, both sat on the bench in Leverkusen’s 2-0 win against Darmstadt at the weekend.
Alonso also confirms that Matej Kovar will start in goal ahead of Lukas Hradecky. Kovar has been Leverkusen’s cup goalkeeper this season and made his Bundesliga debut for Leverkusen against Borussia Mönchengladbach two weeks ago.
GGFN | Jack Meenan
