1. FC Köln defender Timo Hübers faces a longer wait for his return after undergoing a second knee operation in mid-August.
Key takeaways
- Hübers has not played since suffering a serious knee injury against Borussia Dortmund more than ten months ago.
- The centre-back had a follow-up operation in Innsbruck after his initial rehabilitation did not progress as planned.
- He wore a knee brace and walked with a limp after Köln’s team photograph on Wednesday.
- Köln extended Hübers’ contract by one year in May despite expecting no return before the second half of the season.
Cologne defender remains in rehabilitation
Hübers was injured in a challenge with Serhou Guirassy during Köln’s Bundesliga trip to Dortmund last autumn. The club never made the exact diagnosis public, but the severity of the injury was immediately apparent.
His first operation took place in Cologne shortly after the setback. The recovery programme then required further medical work, leading to a second procedure in Innsbruck in mid-August. Hübers is now completing parts of his rehabilitation there.
He appeared in Köln’s squad photo on Wednesday, although his knee was still supported by a brace. After the picture, he headed back towards the dressing room with a noticeable limp.
No team training since Dortmund injury
Before the second operation, Hübers travelled with the Köln squad to their Kitzbühel training camp. He worked close to the group but was limited to individual conditioning and build-up work.
The 1. FC Köln defender has not taken part in team training since the Dortmund match. When the club renewed his deal in May, it described the decision as a deliberate mark of appreciation for an experienced defender. Even then, Köln did not expect him back before the second half of this season.
The latest operation makes an earlier comeback unlikely.
SEO title
Timo Hübers undergoes second knee operation as Köln wait
Meta description
1. FC Köln centre-back Timo Hübers has had a second knee operation in Innsbruck and remains out after his serious injury in Dortmund.
