Hamburger SV striker Terem Moffi faces race against time for Hoffenheim return

Terem Moffi’s knee injury has interrupted his preparations for Hamburger SV’s Bundesliga return against TSG Hoffenheim, leaving the Nigeria forward’s involvement on 10 October in doubt.

The 27-year-old has had to pause normal training because of the problem, despite being expected to use the international break to improve his fitness after missing part of Hamburger SV’s pre-season programme.

Moffi returned to the training pitch on Tuesday, but his work was restricted to light running. He was not yet ready to rejoin full sessions with his team-mates, meaning his recovery has so far been slower than hoped.

Hamburger SV head coach Merlin Polzin said the club was adopting a cautious approach while it assessed how the striker’s knee responded.

“We need to get to know his knee a little better through our work together. The knee reacted a bit more than I initially thought. Now we have to wait and see what happens this week,” Polzin told Kicker.

No final decision has been made on whether Moffi will be included against Hoffenheim. However, the fixture may come too soon for him unless his rehabilitation progresses significantly.

Hamburger SV will continue to monitor Moffi’s reaction to training before deciding whether he is fit enough to return to the squad for the Bundesliga match.