Defense line-up at BVB open
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Nuri Şahin smiled and spoke with humor about a possible lightning comeback of his injured defense chief Nico Schlotterbeck. “The coach always has remaining hope until kick-off,” said the Borussia Dortmund coach. “I also hope that Niki Süle will call me tomorrow and say that he can play – which is very unlikely to happen.” Sahin added with a smile: “The remaining hope is there for everyone – to publicly build pressure on the boys here too .”
Realistically, Şahin will definitely have to be without his central defenders Süle and Waldemar Anton on Sunday against TSG Hoffenheim (5:30 p.m./DAZN). Schlotterbeck will also most likely be out with the ligament injury he suffered in the 2-3 Champions League win against FC Barcelona on Wednesday.
Şahin wants to decide relatively spontaneously who will play alongside captain Emre Can in central defense. “There are a few variations. We have our final training tomorrow and then we will decide on who will start alongside Emre,” he said on Friday. The most likely option is that left-back Ramy Bensebaini moves into the center.
Maximilian Beier and Julian Brandt are also questionable on offense. It is also unclear whether full-back Julian Ryerson can play. The 27-year-old was substituted against Barcelona with circulatory problems.
BVB: Talks about winter transfers after Wolfsburg game
“If someone is replaced with circulatory problems, you obviously have to be careful for the weekend,” said Şahin. You don’t want to take any risks. The Norwegian should be available again in the last game before the Christmas break at VfL Wolfsburg at the latest.
After the game against Lower Saxony, BVB will discuss possible winter transfers. With a view to the recovery of the defensive players, this part of the team will be the focus. “After Wolfsburg we will definitely sit down and think about whether we should do something and if we do something, in which direction it will go,” emphasized Şahin.