Wolfsburg’s Dejagah hospitalised by hepatitis virus

Germany Under-21 star Ashkan Dejagah is expected to be out for a considerable time after the Wolfsburg midfielder was admitted to a specialist hospital to be treated for the hepatitis A virus on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old had complained of flu-like symptoms for several days, but a blood test has revealed something more serious and he was sent straight to a specialist hospital in Hamburg.

Further examinations on Wednesday confirmed Wolfsburg’s worst expectations and hepatitis A, an acute infectious disease of the liver, was diagnosed.

“It is very unfortunate and he will be sidelined for a very long time now,” said coach Felix Magath on the Wolfsburg website.

“We hope he improves quickly and wish him the swiftest of recoveries.”

Magath will be without the youngster for this month’s UEFA Cup tie against Paris Saint-Germain FC on February 18.

As is recommended by public health authorities here, all of the Wolfsburg playing staff and coaches underwent protective innoculation jabs for the virus on Wednesday.

The club say there is a high chance Dejagah picked up the virus while in Egypt during the Bundesliga’s winter break.

The nature of the illness makes it impossible to assess just how long Dejagah will be out, and there are even doubts over his involvement at the UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Sweden this June.

The Iran-born footballer caused controversy here in October 2007 when he refused to play an Under-21 international against Israel, citing personal reasons.

There were calls for Dejagah to be exluded from Germany’s national team, but after a meeting with Theo Zwanziger, the president of the German Football Federation (DFB), he explained his reasons and was not banned from the senior side.