Freiburg suffer Pouplin blow

Freiburg have had another injury setback with goalkeeper Simon Pouplin out until Christmas.

Youngster will replace Frenchman

Freiburg have suffered a setback after the news that goalkeeper Simon Pouplin faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines with an ankle injury that could keep him out of action until Christmas. The 25-year-old shot-stopper will undergo ankle surgery next week with the Bundesliga outfit confirming that the Frenchman will not return to the side until the festive period. Freiburg boss Robin Dutt bemoaned more injury news as Pouplin joins defending duo Pavel Krmas and skipper Heiko Butscher and forwards Tommy Bechmann and Jan Rosenthal who will not feature for some time. Youngster Oliver Baumann, 20, will be the automatic replacement for Pouplin for the time being, Dutt told German newspaper Badische Zeitung.

Hit hard

"Simon Pouplin will not be available in the meantime and I have to admit that we have been hit rock hard by injuries this season," he said. "It may be a fact that we have been relying on Simon too much lately. "If I had been aware of what I know now about the real extent of his injury, I wouldn't have played him." Pouplin has commanded a place in Freiburg's first team since joining from Rennes in the summer of 2008.