Blow for Koln in Bundesliga promotion push as Harambee Stars prospect Linton Maina's injury status revealed

FC Koln have been dealt a killer blow in their quest for promotion back to the Bundesliga after leading assist provider Linton Maina’s injury status was officially confirmed on Sunday.

Pulse Sports can now confirm that Linton Maina's MRI results showed  that he has a sprained ankle. The injury occurred during FC Köln's match against Karlsruher SC last Saturday. 

Maina was forced to leave the pitch in the 38th minute after initially trying to play through the pain. The MRI scan revealed that the sprain is moderate, and he will need to undergo a period of rest and rehabilitation.

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The exact timeline for his recovery is still uncertain, but typically, a sprained ankle can take anywhere from a few weeks to a couple of months to heal, depending on the severity of the injury.

 FC Köln's medical team will closely monitor his progress and provide updates as he recovers.

Köln head coach Gerhard Struber expressed his concern after the game, stating, “We spoke briefly. It's an ankle injury. 

"We don't yet know what exactly happened. The ankle is glowing a little, which is not the best sign. We'll do a scan on Sunday and then we'll know more.”

Maina’s potential absence would be a major setback for Köln, given his pivotal role in their attack. The dynamic winger has been instrumental this season, leading the league in assists with ten and adding three goals of his own. 

With 13 goal involvements, he shares the title of Köln’s most instrumental player alongside striker Damion Downs. 

However, Köln’s attacking struggles in recent weeks have been evident, netting just five goals in seven matches. Losing Maina for an extended period could further derail their ambitions.

Midfielder Florian Kainz underscored Maina’s importance, stating, “Linton is very important for us. On the pitch and also within the team. An absence would really hurt, I hope it’s nothing serious.”

Born and raised in Berlin to a Kenyan father and a German mother, Antje, Maina began his footballing journey at a young age. He broke into the professional scene at Hannover 96, where he spent eight years before joining FC Köln in 2022 at the age of 22.

Since then, Maina has experienced regular action in both the Bundesliga and the 2. Bundesliga.  He has also represented Germany at youth level, but remains legible to play for Harambee Stars