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Bern (AP) - Bayer Leverkusen will have to do without regular goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky in the second round first leg of the Europa League on Thursday with the Young Boys Bern.
The Finnish goalkeeper suffers from a heel injury.
"Lukas won't be there tomorrow," said coach Peter Bosz on Wednesday.
Niklas Lomb, who came on for Hradecky at break on Saturday and made his Bundesliga debut at the age of 27, will keep the goal.
Since U21 national goalkeeper Lennart Grill had to vacate his squad space in winter for one of the three winter newcomers and is no longer registered in the Europa League, 18-year-old Marcel Johnen will sit on the bench.
Whether Hradecky will be able to play in the league game at FC Augsburg on Sunday is open, according to Bosz.
The Bayer coach is not worried about the unfamiliar conditions on the artificial turf in the new Wankdorf Stadium.
But it could be "that one or the other does not start because of the artificial turf".
Leverkusen's defender Aleksandar Dragovic, who played on Bern's artificial turf during his time at FC Basel, explained.
“It might be a little strange for the first few minutes.
Usually it's a small advantage for the opponent.
But it can also be an advantage for us, because the ball gets very fast on artificial turf. "
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