Leonie Fiebich is not able to play right now because of ankle problems, and there is still no timetable for when she can return. The New York Liberty forward last played in early July, leaving Germany to begin its World Cup build without one of its most important players.
That matters now because the World Cup in Berlin starts on 4 September, and Germany has only a short window to settle its rotation before then. Coach Chris DeMarco said there was no timetable for Fiebich’s return, but added that the hope was to get her back before the tournament.
The situation is part of a wider injury squeeze around the German side. Satou Sabally has already confirmed she will miss the World Cup because of the effects of a concussion, while Nyara Sabally is dealing with a calf injury and is expected to be out for weeks. Germany is also working through camp without its WNBA players for much of the preparation, since they can only join from 1 September when the league pauses.
Fiebich’s case is the one that most directly hangs over the next two weeks because she is not ruled out, only unavailable for now. That leaves Germany in a narrow middle ground: close enough to the tournament to feel every lost practice, but still far enough away that a recovery could change the picture if it comes soon enough.
Germany lost its first test against Spain 60:65, a reminder of how little margin there is while the roster is incomplete. The team is scheduled to play Hungary in Göttingen on Sunday at 17:30, and by then it will be looking for any sign that Fiebich is moving closer to a return. If she does make it back, it could steady a team trying to reach Berlin with more questions than it wanted this late in the summer.
