Dejan Ljubicic
S04
Right Wingback
Right Winger
Overlapping Full Back
Oct 8, 1997 (29)
Right
6'2"
163 lb
Misses call Saturday
Ljubicic (knee) is not in the squad for Saturday's match against Mainz.
Analysis: Ljubicic is not ready to return from the knee injury he sustained during Schalke's 3-1 victory over Union Berlin in September. The midfielder completed individual work on the pitch Thursday but has yet to resume full team training. He still needs more time to rebuild his fitness before returning to competitive action. His absence continues to deprive Schalke of a midfield option who started their first three Bundesliga matches.
Faces multi-week absence
Ljubicic is expected to be sidelined for several weeks, though initial reports suggest a serious ACL tear has not been confirmed, according to BILD.
Analysis: Ljubicic's absence is likely to extend beyond the upcoming international break, with even the Oct. 11 match against Freiburg potentially coming too soon, though an official diagnosis from the club has not yet been released. He had been forced off in the 21st minute of the recent win over Union Berlin after a challenge from Tom Rothe, unable to continue despite initially trying to play through the issue, and his recovery timeline will become clearer once the club confirms the exact nature of the injury.
Called up by Austria
Ljubicic has been called up to Austria's World Cup squad as a direct replacement for the injured Christoph Baumgartner, his club announced.
Analysis: Ljubicic's inclusion gives coach Ralf Rangnick an experienced midfield option to fill the significant void left by Christoph Baumgartner's tournament-ending injury (thigh). The midfielder now joins the Austrian squad ahead of their World Cup opener against Jordan on June 17, with the coach hoping he can provide the creative and dynamic qualities needed to compensate for the loss of one of the squad's most important players.
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