European Injury Report: Werder Bremen Loses Njinmah for Months as Man City Awaits Doku's Return

The September international break is a nervous two weeks of holding breath for club managers. But for some squads, the damage is already done. SV Werder Bremen has been handed a brutal early-season blow.[1]

Bremen attacker Justin Njinmah has been ruled out for the "foreseeable future" after sustaining a severe thigh injury during the club's clash against SC Freiburg. An MRI on Tuesday afternoon confirmed the muscular damage, effectively sidelining the dynamic forward for multiple months.[1][2]

It is a bitter pill for a Bremen side desperate to build early Bundesliga momentum. Njinmah was a crucial piece of their attacking puzzle last season, netting five goals to finish as the squad's second-leading scorer behind Jens Stage.[2]

"It’s a really tough one to take for us and for Justin," said Peter Niemeyer, Bremen's head of professional football. The club has pledged full support for his rehabilitation, but on the pitch, head coach Daniel Thioune must now completely retool his frontline.[1]

Bremen isn't the only Bundesliga club dealing with early-season casualties. Bayern Munich sporting director Christoph Freund confirmed Tuesday that 17-year-old prospect Maycon Cardozo will miss significant time after suffering a dislocated shoulder.[5]

The young winger, who impressed during pre-season and had already made two senior appearances, requires surgery. "It's a bitter blow," Freund told reporters ahead of Bayern's DFB-Pokal tie. "He's having surgery today and will be out for three to four months."[5]

Over in the Premier League, the mood is slightly more optimistic at the Etihad. Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca is navigating a relatively light treatment room, with winger Jérémy Doku remaining the primary absentee.[3]

Doku was pulled at half-time during City's Community Shield defeat to Arsenal after complaining of calf pain. Initially given a two-to-three-week recovery timeline, the Belgian speedster missed the opening league fixtures, including a resounding 4-1 victory over Crystal Palace.[3]

The reigning champions haven't missed a beat offensively, with Erling Haaland and Rayan Cherki both bagging braces against Palace. However, Doku's impending return—targeted for early to mid-September—will restore the touchline-hugging width that Maresca's system thrives on.[3]

The injury bug hasn't spared the rest of Europe. In the Czech First League, Baník Ostrava suffered a devastating blow when Estonia international Vlasij Sinjavskij ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament during a 1-0 victory over Sigma Olomouc.[4]

The 29-year-old left-back had started all five of Baník's league matches this season. Club doctor Martin Mohyla confirmed the worst: a complete tear requiring surgery and an eight- to nine-month rehabilitation process.[4]

Sinjavskij's season-ending injury also sends shockwaves through the Estonian national team. He will miss the entirety of their upcoming Nations League campaign, leaving a massive void in Group C matchups against Iceland, Luxembourg, and Bulgaria.[4]

As the domestic leagues pause for international duty, the race against the clock begins for medical staffs across the continent. For players like Doku, the break offers a vital window to get right. For Njinmah, Cardozo, and Sinjavskij, it marks the grueling start of a long road back to the pitch.