Hiroki Ito sidelined

VfB will be without defender Hiroki Ito in the coming weeks after the Japanese international suffered a muscle injury in the latter stages of the Bundesliga match at Eintracht Frankfurt, ruling him out for the rest of the calendar year. 

VfB have agreed to let the 24-year-old return home to Japan, where he will undergo the necessary treatment and rehabilitation.

VfB sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth: “Hiroki’s injury has tempered our joy at winning in Frankfurt, because his footballing abilities and mentality make him a very important player for us. The injury means we’ll have to make do without him for an extended period of time. We wish Hiroki a speedy recovery.”