“Out about 25 days”

Hertha Berlin had been able to call on Robson as a source of goals; now the Brazilian striker is facing a spell on the sidelines. The club say he is expected to miss about 25 days with a groin strain, leaving his place up front vacant for two games.

Robson was injured on 11 September. The medical estimate points to a return around 6 October, but that date is a guide rather than a guarantee: groin injuries can make the transition back to full football a delicate one. Hertha will have to manage without him in the meantime, with no goals or games from him this season yet to soften the immediate loss.

The timing is a sharp turn from the story around Robson earlier this month, when his contribution in a 4-1 Bundesliga win over Mainz made him the focus of coverage of Hertha’s summer recruitment. Now the concern is less what he can add than how the club fills the striker’s role while he recovers. His absence is measured in two matches, but the disruption reaches beyond a team sheet: a forward’s value lies partly in the options he gives a side, and those options are reduced for now.

Hertha are dealing with another injury blow at the same time: fellow club player Dovev Guma is expected to be out about 31 days with a sports hernia. Two absences do not make the same problem, but they underline how quickly plans can be narrowed by injuries. For Robson, the priority is a sound recovery; 6 October is the medical staff’s estimate, not a fixed return date.