Havertz’s reaction hinted at a serious injury, and his World Cup participation is now in jeopardy. The 26-year-old only returned to action gradually in mid-January after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
“You gradually lose confidence in your body,” said TV pundit and former international Hitzlsperger regarding Havertz’s latest injury. The Arsenal star is normally considered a shoo-in for the World Cup; depending on how the March internationals go, Nagelsmann might even have him lined up as a first-choice centre-forward for the DFB team at the tournament this summer.
Havertz’s absence from the World Cup would therefore be particularly bitter, especially since Nagelsmann is already certain to be without Bayern Munich’s Serge Gnabry, another key attacker. Gnabry recently announced he would miss the tournament because of an adductor injury.