Werder call truce with Klasnic

Werder Bremen and their striker Ivan Klasnic called a truce Tuesday following an emergency meeting after the Croatia international launched a 1.5 million euros (2.3 million US dollars) lawsuit over the mishandling of his kidney complaint.

Werder’s director of sport Klaus Allofs and coach Thomas Schaaf met with Klasnic and his lawyers for several hours to discuss the legal action as well as recent comments made by Klasnic’s wife, Patricia.

“We could have better reacted in some situations, the matter has been addressed and cleared up,” said the club in an official statement.

And Klasnic’s lawyer said the striker had not criticised the club directly in comments made over the weekend.

The player had said: “The people who have created this shit … will atone for it” in a press report here.

“I state clearly all comments made were directed exclusively against the doctors concerned, not against the club,” Klasnic said in a statement.

The 28-year-old forward became the first professional footballer to return to international competition following a kidney transplant in March 2007.

Klasnic has launched a lawsuit for “gross negligence” against sports doctor Goetz Dimanski and cardiologist Manju Guha, who work on behalf of Werder Bremen, for failing to identify his kidney complaint earlier.

The club then called Tuesday’s meeting with Klasnic after him and his wife appeared on German television channel ARD on Monday night with Patricia particularly strong in criticising Bremen’s treatment of her husband.

“The complete lack of understanding really grated me, I just couldn’t get my head around it,” fumed Mrs Klasnic.

“I missed receiving a phone call, an inquiry, ‘how are you and your husband?’

“Every normal human being would have already asked out of politness.”

Klasnic’s lawyer has collected medical evidence to show the player’s kidney was only 67 percent effective as early as 2001 when he signed for Bremen.

After suffering renal failure, Klasnic had a first kidney transplant in January 2007 after his mother donated an organ, but his body later rejected it.

A second kidney donated by his father was transplanted in March and Klasnic missed most of last year, only making his return for Bremen in late November 2007.

He returned to international football in Croatia’s draw with Scotland in a friendly in March.

Werder Bremen still use the doctors to help with their squads medical problems, but Klasnic has refused to deal with them ever again.

Klasnic is out of contract with Bremen at the end of the season and Bundesliga rivals Hanover 96 have expressed an interest in signing the Croat.