"Absolutely life-threatening": Emergency surgery for Bochum professional after early substitution

"A blessing in disguise: Philipp Hofmann suffered a serious injury during VfL Bochum 1848's away game in Heidenheim," his club wrote. "The VfL striker suffered a broken rib after a collision with his opponent Marvin Pieringer, with the rib piercing the pleura and causing a collapsed lung—certainly life-threatening."

It was thanks to "the careful first aid and the immediate examinations and actions at the local hospital" that nothing worse happened to Hofmann, VfL added.

The striker underwent emergency surgery in the hospital, where the injury was relieved via a chest drain, the rib and lung were realigned, and the lung was thus restored to normal function. However, the 32-year-old will have to remain in the hospital in Heidenheim for observation until he is fit to be transported. "We wish our number 33 all the best - 'Hoffi,' you're a fighter, you can do it!" the website concludes.

"Philipp has become extremely important to us in recent weeks," Hecking emphasized. "The role he plays is often overlooked – not only on the pitch, but also in the dressing room. The players look up to him."

In the coming weeks, however, the beefy attacker will have to watch and hope that his teammates stay in the league. Last season, they achieved this dramatically in a relegation thriller against Fortuna Düsseldorf.