New Bayer Leverkusen coach Tayfun Korkut said on Thursday that captain Lars Bender is uncertain to be in the squad against Werder Bremen on Friday because of an ankle injury.
Bender trained on Tuesday, but sat out of the session on Wednesday after getting hurt in the 6-2 defeat away at Borussia Dortmund at the weekend.
The 27-year-old defensive midfielder, who played for Germany in the Summer Olympics in August, has a history of foot and ankle injuries. He missed most of last season after undergoing surgery and returned to the club on Feb. 11 after sitting out 13 Bundesliga and Champions League games with a heel problem.
Korkut, who was named the interim coach on Sunday after Roger Schmidt was fired, suggested to reporters on Wednesday that Bender doesn't need to be healthy to prove he has a place in the squad.
"Just because a new coach is there, those players who have [injury] problems don't necessarily need to be on the pitch to prove themselves," Korkut said.