Enke to return after mystery illness diagnosed

Germany goalkeeper Robert Enke, sidelined for the last two weeks with a mystery ailment, is set to resume training after his club Hanover announced on Friday that he has been suffering from an intestinal infection.

“The origins of Robert’s illness have been identified,” the Bundesliga club said. “It was campylobacters: bacteria that cause intestinal infections.”

Enke will be treated with antibiotics and can now resume individual training, Hanover said.

The 32-year-old goalkeeper pulled out of the Germany squad two days ahead of their 4-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Azerbaijan in early September.

An under-study to Stuttgart’s Jens Lehmann during the 2008 European Championship, eight-cap Enke has since become national coach Joachim Loew’s preferred choice between the sticks.

Loew had intimated that he hoped to select Enke for the crucial World Cup qualifier against Russia in Moscow on October 10, but the German manager says that the Hanover man must prove his fitness first.

Bayer Leverkusen’s Rene Adler, who kept clean sheets against Azerbaijan and in the 2-0 friendly win over South Africa, would be the most likely beneficiary if Enke does not recover in time.