Bundesliga side FC Koln on why Kenyan midfielder was forced out of pre season

STARS ABROAD: Bundesliga side FC Koln on why Kenyan midfielder was forced out of pre season

Imran Otieno • 07:20 - 26.07.2023

The winger joined the side from Hannover 96 back in July 2022.

Kenyan midfielder Linton Maina was forced out of FC Koln’s pre-season tour in Austria after suffering an illness with manager Steffen Baumgart providing his update.

Maina traveled with the rest of the squad to Austria for their pre-season tour after returning from the summer break following his debut season with the club.

The fleet footed winger joined the club from 2 Bundesliga side Hannover 96 where he had spent all his senior career.

Coincidentally, Maina’s first pre-season game came against his former side and he was trusted with a start in the game as Hannover won 1-0.

He however failed to feature in their subsequent game against Polish side Gornik Zabrze with Koln collecting a 3-1 win in the encounter.

The 24-year-old was also absent from 1-1 draw against Spanish outfit Mallorca with the game marking their last match in Austria before returning to Germany.

Manager Baumgart revealed that Maina had to withdraw from their pre-season tour due to illness after coming from a muscular injury.

"We don't have a diagnosis yet, but he's not doing so well that he can train at the moment," said the Koln manager.

Maina is however expected to be fit before the start of the Bundesliga season on Friday 18 August.