Bayern's Deisler Leaves Nerve Clinic

Sebastian Deisler, the young Bayern Munich playmaker who at one time carried the hopes of many German soccer fans, has checked out of the clinic where he was being treated for depression. Deisler, 24, booked into the Max-Planck institute in November last year as constant injuries and the media spotlight took their toll on the star. The young man who promised to usher in a new golden era of German soccer with his inventive play transferred from Hertha Berlin to the Bundesliga champions for €9.2 million in 2002 but has played only a handful of games after recurring knee problems kept him on the sidelines. The frustration and speculation surrounding his stalled career forced the German international into a nine-week stint out of the game but has now taken his first steps to recovery. "Sebastian will slowly step up his training regime," explained Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld to reporters. "He will train twice daily with our physiotherapist Oliver Schmidtlein watching on."