By Peter Vice @ViceytheSS
FC Schalke 04 confirmed that fullback Tomas Ouwejan would become the fifth player unavailable to the squad until 2023 on Wednesday.
More bitter news for the Bundesliga’s last-placed team as it was confirmed on Wednesday that Dutch fullback Thomas Ouwejan will be out until 2023 with a knee-ligament injury. The 26-year-old had to be subbed off during the team’s most recent defeat against SC Freiburg on Sunday. Some three days later, the worst fears were confirmed.
Ouwejan was one of the heroes of Schalke’s promotion season, scoring three goals and chipping 13 assists for the 2. Bundesliga champions last year. Though he hadn’t gotten his name on the scoresheet this year, the veteran was considered to be one of Schalke’s most potent weapons. His set-piece prowess will certainly be missed.
Schalke are already without Leo Greiml (meniscus surgery), Marcin Kaminski (calf laceration), Ibrahima Cissé (muscle injury) and Sepp van den Berg (ligament injury) until the end of the year. The relegation threaten squad must still play Bremen, Mainz, and Bayern before the Bundesliga breaks for the World Cup.