Hoffenheim clash to go ahead

Hoffenheim's Bundesliga clash with Augsburg is set to go ahead on Saturday, despite Boris Vukcevic's serious road accident.

Vukcevic was placed in an induced coma after receiving life-threatening injuries when his black Mercedes-Benz was involved in a collision with a lorry on a main road not far from the club's training ground in Sinsheim on Friday afternoon.

His team-mates still met up at the usual hotel where they spend the night before home matches, preparing as usual for Saturday's game.

"There has been no request for the game to be postponed," the club's press spokesman Holger Tromp told Germany's dpa agency.

"The team have made it clear that they want to play."

Vukcevic will remain in intensive care overnight after being airlifted to hospital after receiving "life-threatening head injuries", according to a statement released by the Bundesliga club.

The 22-year-old underwent surgery immediately upon arrival in the Heidelberg clinic and is reported to be in a critical condition with no prognosis for recovery.

Vukcevic, who was born in Croatia but has represented Germany at under-21 level, has been a regular in the Hoffenheim side since making his debut in May 2009.

He has played a total of 78 times, scoring in the club's 5-3 defeat to Freiburg just a fortnight ago.

"This news has shaken us," Hoffenheim general manager Andreas Muller said. "The team, the coach and everybody here are shocked.

"Our thoughts are with Boris and his family."

Augsburg are also preparing for Saturday's game normally as both clubs await developments overnight before making a final decision about whether the game will indeed go ahead.