Injury-plagued Holger Badstuber is working on his next comeback and is making good progress with his recovery. But the 25-year-old is not only aiming to hold down a permanent place in FC Bayern’s defence, he’s also eyeing a return to the national team. “I’ve kept contact with them this whole time,” said the 30-times-capped Germany international in an interview with Bild am Sonntag: “My long-term goal is to return to the national team . It’s something I want desperately.”
Badstuber will not want to rush things, however, given his lengthy injury history. “First, I want to achieve smaller goals that I’ve set for myself. I want to play a role again for Bayern. One thing comes after the other – that’s something I’ve learned from the past years. Wanting too much and returning too early can lead to more problems.” After tearing his ACL twice, Badstuber returned to the squad ahead of this season following a one-and-a-half year absence. However, he made just four competitive appearances in the starting XI before suffering a muscle injury in September, sidelining him once again.
Badstuber enjoys every pain-free moment on the training pitch with his teammates. “I look forward to having my meals with the team. It’s great to sit amongst your teammates or take part in light training exercises with them. Those are always wonderful moments, which I’ve missed dearly in the past,” explains Badstuber who has missed the camaraderie during the time of his recovery.
Guardiola: “Few defenders with his qualities”
The defender has an influential advocate at FC Bayern: Manager Pep Guardiola is Badstuber fan and is looking forward to his return. “There aren’t many defenders with his qualities on the ball,” praises Guardiola. Badstuber has returned the compliment and aims to be a cornerstone in Guardiola’s football philosophy in the future. “I have watched every Bayern game and I’ve studied everything with great detail: The team, the movement, the build-up play – everything. You could say that I’ve learnt a large part of Pep’s football philosophy from the stands. I understand his influence on our play and that’s why I will get back into the mix.”
Badstuber was back in action for roughly 30 minutes during FCB’s 4-1 friendly win against the Qatar Stars, but was rested for the 4-1 victory over top Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal – a precautionary measure that will help Badstuber on his mission to return to the national team. His last appearance for Germany was in the 4-4 draw with Sweden on 16th October 2012.
Injury-plagued Holger Badstuber is working on his next comeback and is making good progress with his recovery. But the 25-year-old is not only aiming to hold down a permanent place in FC Bayern’s defence, he’s also eyeing a return to the national team. “I’ve kept contact with them this whole time,” said the 30-times-capped Germany international in an interview with Bild am Sonntag: “My long-term goal is to return to the national team . It’s something I want desperately.”
Badstuber will not want to rush things, however, given his lengthy injury history. “First, I want to achieve smaller goals that I’ve set for myself. I want to play a role again for Bayern. One thing comes after the other – that’s something I’ve learned from the past years. Wanting too much and returning too early can lead to more problems.” After tearing his ACL twice, Badstuber returned to the squad ahead of this season following a one-and-a-half year absence. However, he made just four competitive appearances in the starting XI before suffering a muscle injury in September, sidelining him once again.
Badstuber enjoys every pain-free moment on the training pitch with his teammates. “I look forward to having my meals with the team. It’s great to sit amongst your teammates or take part in light training exercises with them. Those are always wonderful moments, which I’ve missed dearly in the past,” explains Badstuber who has missed the camaraderie during the time of his recovery.
Guardiola: “Few defenders with his qualities”
The defender has an influential advocate at FC Bayern: Manager Pep Guardiola is Badstuber fan and is looking forward to his return. “There aren’t many defenders with his qualities on the ball,” praises Guardiola. Badstuber has returned the compliment and aims to be a cornerstone in Guardiola’s football philosophy in the future. “I have watched every Bayern game and I’ve studied everything with great detail: The team, the movement, the build-up play – everything. You could say that I’ve learnt a large part of Pep’s football philosophy from the stands. I understand his influence on our play and that’s why I will get back into the mix.”
Badstuber was back in action for roughly 30 minutes during FCB’s 4-1 friendly win against the Qatar Stars, but was rested for the 4-1 victory over top Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal – a precautionary measure that will help Badstuber on his mission to return to the national team. His last appearance for Germany was in the 4-4 draw with Sweden on 16th October 2012.
