Football
Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondent 9y

Emir Spahic returns from international retirement for Bosnia-Herz - reports

Former Bosnia-Herzegovina captain Emir Spahic has come out of international retirement, German football magazine kicker reports.

Spahic, 34, announced his retirement from international football in August following Bosnia's unsuccessful maiden World Cup finals performance this summer in Brazil.

But last month, the Bayer Leverkusen defender was called up by coach Safet Susic for the upcoming Euro 2016 qualifiers against Wales and Belgium.

Spahic left his nation's training camp on Wednesday, but only to undergo an examination in Munich for his back problems according to kicker. Should the doctors give him the all-clear, Spahic is set to feature in Friday's qualifier against Wales.

While Susic rates Spahic's chances to be fit in time for Friday as "minimal," it ultimately means that the centre-back has come out of retirement -- much to the surprise of his Bundesliga club.

"As far as we know Emir has retired," Leverkusen squad manager Jonas Boldt told kicker.

But regardless of the confusion surrounding the defender's international future, Boldt hopes to keep Spahic -- who has started all but one of their competitive games this season -- at the club beyond the summer of 2015 when his current contract ends.

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