As I watched the match against Dinamo Kiev unfold, I couldn’t help but wonder what was going on with Mats Hummels. The star defender was nowhere to be found on the pitch, even though he warmed up throughout the second half. When I approached coach Ivan Juric for an explanation, I was met with a straightforward response: “If he didn’t play, it’s my fault, not his. He is an exemplary professional and never makes a mistake in his attitude in training. But for the moment, Ndicka is doing well and I see him in that position. His time will come and he will give us a hand.”
The more I dug into the story, the more I realized that Hummels’ management was leaving everyone perplexed. Not only has he not seen the pitch since his arrival at the club, but he was also quoted in the summer saying, “The photos on the pitch will arrive soon. I believe.”
Club officials assured me that his lack of game time has nothing to do with his performance on the pitch, but rather a purely technical decision. While it’s easy to sympathize with Hummels’ plight, it’s hard to deny that his display of professionalism, seen in his 100% effort in training and his willingness to offer advice to the younger players, has caught the fans’ attention.
But when can we expect to see him finally take to the pitch? It’s difficult to predict, but a window of possibility could be the midweek match against Torino, while the Europa League clash with Union Saint Gilloise on November 7th may also present an opportunity for him to make an impact from the starting lineup. For now, fans will have to be content with speculation, and for Hummels, it’s a waiting game that’s been going on for almost a month now.
