Stricken Babbel vows to return

'I'll come back
Babbel is in hospital in Germany receiving treatment for the Guillan-Barre Syndrome, a virus that affects the nerves and has left him unable to walk. Yet the 29-year-old, who last appeared for the FA Premiership leaders in August, has vowed to return to football. "I'll come back, definitely," he said. "I'm a sportsman and I like Liverpool. I like this club and I have to come back at the latest to hold the Premier League trophy in my hand."

Guillan-Barre Syndrome
A principal symptom of the Guillan-Barre Syndrome is a weakness of the arms and legs. The German international, who joined Liverpool from FC Bayern München in 2000, said: "I'm in hospital at the moment, I'm very ill but I hope to come back in a few months. The problem is I have a nerve problem and I can't feel my legs, my fingers I have problems to feel and at the moment it's a little bit difficult for me."

Went home to Germany
Babbel, who has mised all of Liverpool's UEFA Champions League campaign save for their third qualifying round victory over FC Haka, continued: "The illness started at the beginning of November. It was not so bad but I felt a little bit different in my feet and my fingers and it got worse and worse - after three or four weeks I couldn't feel my feet and I went home to Germany to the doctor, Professor Haberl.

In hospital
"He said I had the GBS syndrome and I'm now in hospital for treatment. I get infusions and now I have physiotherapy but it's a long way [back] - maybe three months, four months, five - I can't say. I hope as quick as possible but I will come back definitely," added Babbel. 

'Not able to walk'
Roman Haberl, the doctor who is treating Babbel in Munich's Harlachinger hospital, described Babbel's symptoms as "some weakness of the legs and arms, and he is not able to walk right now".

'Worst is over'
However, he gave reason to believe that the player could return to football in the not-too-distant future. "We think the worst of the disease is over," he said. "We don't know how long it will last - we hope within the next four to six months he is back in training again."

Wieghorst returned
Celtic FC midfield player Morten Wieghorst was stricken by the illness last season but made his first-team return for the Scottish champions last month.