Lars Ritzka
PAUGermany
Left
May 7, 1998
28
6'1"
176 lb
LWB
CB
Balanced Full Back
St. PauliFinds starting role
Ritzka (back) is in the starting XI for Saturday's clash against Leipzig.
Analysis: Ritzka defied expectations after only being able to train individually during the week, with the back issue that had troubled him during the first half of the last match proving less serious than anticipated as he earned a surprise starting role. The defender had appeared unlikely to feature given the nature of the injury and the limited training available to him ahead of the weekend, making his inclusion a significant turnaround from the doubtful assessment provided earlier in the week. His return is a timely boost for St. Pauli with just two matches remaining in the season.
Trains, doubtful Saturday
Ritzka (back) trained individually Wednesday but remains doubtful for Saturday's match against Leipzig, according to Maximilian Bronner and Kai Schiller of Hamburger Abendblatt.
Analysis: Ritzka is going to need some testing for Saturday's match, but he appears to be unlikely either way, with the defender only able to train individually this week. This comes after he struggled with back issues in the first half of their last match, not an easy injury to shake, especially in such a short span. That said, this could end his season a few games early as he will be in a race against time to return if he misses our Saturday, only having two games remaining in the season.
Back issue forces halftime sub
Ritzka was replaced at halftime of Sunday's 2-1 defeat against Mainz after experiencing back discomfort during the first half, according to coach Alexander Blessin. "With hindsight, you can always say we could have reacted earlier. He briefly touched his back after 20 or 25 minutes but immediately indicated he wanted to continue. The change happened at the right time. We analyzed the situation and acted accordingly."
Analysis: Ritzka had been feeling the back issue from around the 20th minute but played through the discomfort until the break before the staff made the call to withdraw him. The club will assess the severity of the problem over the coming days before making a call on his availability for upcoming fixtures, with Adam Dzwigala expected to take on a larger role at left-back in his absence if Ritzka needs any time on the sidelines.
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