Bundesliga
Tyler Adams: "I'll be back after international break"
Tyler Adams has played just 64 minutes of Bundesliga football for RB Leipzig since March 30. The USMNT midfielder has been struggling with niggling injuries since the end of last season but is now approaching his long-awaited comeback.
The New York-born 20-year-old made an incredible start to life in the Bundesliga in 2018/19. Adams was unbeaten in nine Bundesliga appearances for Leipzig, playing the full 90 minutes in six of those games. A groin injury kept him out for eight games before he returned on the final day of the season, a 2-1 defeat at Werder Bremen.
"The biggest challenge I faced with the groin injury was that one day I woke up and felt great, but the very next day I woke up and had complaints again," Adams told Kicker. "That was crazy."
Watch: Adams on life in Leipzig back in February!
Throughout the summer, Adams has had small injuries crop up to scupper his scheduled return to action. He has yet to make an appearance under new coach Julian Nagelsmann, but that is expected to change very soon.
"When I was fit again at the start of the season and returned to the team training, I got a knock on the sole of my foot during training which threw me back a few weeks," Adams explained. "Mentally, I'm in much better shape because I'm getting better every day.
"The plan is that I'll do rehab training until the end of the international break and that I can get back into training after the game against Wolfsburg. Whether it's one day earlier or later isn’t important, that’s up to the coach at the end of the day."
Adams has watched on as his Leipzig teammates have made a fantastic start to 2019/20, going unbeaten through the opening five games before suffering their only defeat of the season at the hands of Schalke. Die Roten Bullen have already faced Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen, Schalke and league leaders Borussia Mönchengladbach, which has not been easy for the American to watch while not being involved.
"It's hard to watch the boys in the big games," Adams said. "But you have to take the frustration and turn it into positive energy."
The former New York Red Bull has done just that, now targeting a return to Bundesliga action on Matchday 9 at the Schwarzwald-Stadion against Freiburg.